I am interested in the ways that feminist pedagogy places issues of social inequality and difference at the centre of the curriculum to engage learners in the process of constructing knowledge through inclusive teaching methods. These approaches seek to empower learners to struggle with course material in order to challenge traditional assumptions, to ask critical questions about the world around them, and to make connections between their learning experiences particularly with a view to making change in the world. As such, these approaches to teaching and learning typically critique received wisdom, reform the relationship between teacher and student, and respect and value the diversity of the personal experiences of all students while relating the learning in academic classrooms to the “real” world. This research, which will form part of an edited collection (with Jane Nicholas), will provide educators with a theory-to-practice approach to implementing feminist pedagogy in higher education classrooms. We aim to interrogate the notion of feminism and its relevance for teaching today’s learners. Questions about the design of learning activities to engage students with this approach will be addressed as well as ways to evaluate learning within the context of the current structure and focus of universities, including the notion of engaging today’s learners in a meaningful way.
Tracy Penny Light 