Den progressive pedagogikkens begrensninger i en progressiv nyliberal tid: fra elevsentrert til praxis-orientert bærekraftundervisning

Abstract

Blant utdanningsforskere har det oppstått bred enighet om at utdanning for bærekraftig endring krever elevsentrerte og erfaringsbaserte undervisningsformer. Heller enn å formidle kunnskap om miljø og bærekraft, argumenteres det for at bærekraftundervisningen bør rettes inn mot undervisning for, i og som bærekraft med mål om å lære elevene hvordan å handle. Med utgangspunkt i utdanningssosiologers kritikk av elevsentrert undervisning, problematiserer denne artikkelen bærekraftundervisningens økende fokus på enkeltelevens handlinger og erfaringer. Artikkelen argumenterer for at elevsentreringen står i fare for å nedprioritere kunnskap om de samfunnsmessige betingelsene elevene skal handle innenfor. Dermed risikerer bærekraftundervisningen å utdanne medborgere med praktiske ferdigheter til å handle, men uten tilstrekkelig kunnskap om klimakrisens bakenforliggende årsaker til å skape reelle endringer. Artikkelen betegner dette som en progressiv nyliberal pedagogikk, der elevene gis fritt handlingsrom innenfor fastlagte og uforanderlige rammer. Med utgangspunkt i Freires dialektiske forståelse av forholdet mellom teori og praksis (praxis), samt den økomarxistiske kritikken av tendensen til å behandle klimakrisen som et isolert fenomen, argumenterer artikkelen for behovet for et fornyet søkelys på klimakrisens «hva» som setter eleven i stand til å sette det erfarte inn i større sosiale sammenhenger. English abstract A broad consensus has emerged among educational researchers that education for sustainable transformation requires student-centred and experience-based teaching methods. Rather than teaching about the environment and sustainability, it is argued that sustainability education should teach for, in, and as sustainability in order to provide students with skills to take action. Based on educational sociologists’ critique of student-centred learning, this article problematises the turn in sustainability education toward individual students’ actions and experiences. Student-centred learning, the article argues, risks neglecting knowledge about the social conditions that students act within. Thus, sustainability education runs the risk of educating citizens with practical skills to act, but without sufficient knowledge of the underlying causes of the climate crisis to make real changes. The article refers to this as a progressive neoliberal pedagogy, in which students are provided the tools to act but within fixed and unchangeable structures. Based on Freire’s dialectical understanding of the relationship between theory and practice (praxis), as well as the eco-Marxist critique of the tendency to treat the climate crisis as an isolated phenomenon, the article argues for the need for a renewed focus on the “what” of the climate crisis which enables the student to relate their experiences to larger social structures.

Perspective Chapter: Enhancing Student Teachers’ Professional Development through Active Learning

“…The study of student-centered approaches in teacher education should not overlook the risk of student-centered learning becoming a buzz-phrase that draws attention away from important educational discussions regarding the purpose of education. As noted by Biesta [31], Hultberg and Heiret [32], and others, a progressive, student-centered approach to teaching and learning fits well with the skills-oriented and neoliberal policy encouraging competitive individualism in education. As such, a student-centered approach in school and teacher education "risks neglecting knowledge about the social conditions that students act within" [32].…”

“…As noted by Biesta [31], Hultberg and Heiret [32], and others, a progressive, student-centered approach to teaching and learning fits well with the skills-oriented and neoliberal policy encouraging competitive individualism in education. As such, a student-centered approach in school and teacher education "risks neglecting knowledge about the social conditions that students act within" [32]. For example, to take real action on climate change, students need to know the underlying causes of the climate crisis and not simply to develop the practical skills to act.…”