TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiencing (dis)comforting pedagogies
T2 - learning critical geography beyond the here and now
AU - Clayton, John
AU - Griffin, Paul
AU - Mowl, Graham
PY - 2023/4/2
Y1 - 2023/4/2
N2 - In this paper we reflect on our experiences teaching human geography across two modules that pedagogically centre student reflexivity through content that has potential to be dis-comforting. Drawing upon student experiences on two final year option modules, relating to social and spatial exclusion and ‘race’, ethnicity and multiculture, we reflect on how learning experiences on these modules ‘stay with’ students in ways that are potentially transformative. The paper draws upon our own reflections as teachers, alongside anonymous student work and crucially the student voice, through a questionnaire distributed to previous graduates. Foregrounding the student voice is a key contribution here, whereby we assess student relationships with taught content beyond their studies. Bringing this data together, we draw upon border pedagogy to suggest that discomfort is integral to a transformative approach, but how scaffolding is necessary to enable such learning experiences. We also acknowledge, though, that such learning experiences are not experienced equally and there are limits to such approaches, particularly within contemporary higher education institutions.
AB - In this paper we reflect on our experiences teaching human geography across two modules that pedagogically centre student reflexivity through content that has potential to be dis-comforting. Drawing upon student experiences on two final year option modules, relating to social and spatial exclusion and ‘race’, ethnicity and multiculture, we reflect on how learning experiences on these modules ‘stay with’ students in ways that are potentially transformative. The paper draws upon our own reflections as teachers, alongside anonymous student work and crucially the student voice, through a questionnaire distributed to previous graduates. Foregrounding the student voice is a key contribution here, whereby we assess student relationships with taught content beyond their studies. Bringing this data together, we draw upon border pedagogy to suggest that discomfort is integral to a transformative approach, but how scaffolding is necessary to enable such learning experiences. We also acknowledge, though, that such learning experiences are not experienced equally and there are limits to such approaches, particularly within contemporary higher education institutions.
KW - Discomfort
KW - border pedagogy
KW - reflexive assessment
KW - student voice
KW - ‘feel trips’
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152374239&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/03098265.2023.2198201
DO - 10.1080/03098265.2023.2198201
M3 - Article
SN - 0309-8265
SP - 1
EP - 17
JO - Journal of Geography in Higher Education
JF - Journal of Geography in Higher Education
ER -