Aaron J. Hahn Tapper 

‘what is social justice education? One common, but certainly not ubiquitous, idea is that it explicitly recognizes the disparities in societal opportunities, resources, and long-term outcomes among marginalized groups (Shakman et al. 2007, 7) ‘

I am really glad I had completed reading Paulo Friere’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed before starting this blog task. It has coalesced very well too with my working on my Artefact and reflective essay. 

Both this paper, with how it defines social justice education and with Friere’s definition of what an educational ‘venue’ can look like but also be made up of — is the exact kind of artefact I want to create. 

“Freire contends that education provides venues for students to achieve freedom, both intellectual and physical—the “indispensable condition for the quest for human completion” (Freire 2006, 47).” 

“In his own words, “It is impossible to think of education without thinking of power . . . the question . . . is not to get power, but to reinvent power” (cited in Evans, Evans, and Kennedy 1987, 226)”

These two quotes are extremely powerful and underline Friere’s keystones for how a dialogic space can be a space for love, collaboration and group emancipation.

My artefact will attempt to create this environment in a specific space where it is currently lacking, across a broad and online/physical diaspora of students.

“He says that an ideal educational experience exists between a teacher and students rather than emanating from a teacher to students. A teacher needs to create experiences with, and not for, students, integrating their experiences and voices into the educational experience itself (Freire 2006).”

At the moment, I am working with the Course Leader of UAL’s new Pre-Degree Online course to tackle a triumvirate issue. Enabling a space for resource sharing, student to student, but also staff to staff, and of course staff to student — we are aiming to redefine what resource might mean to all parties. Having an online space to share experience, excitement, loneliness, thoughts, media, honesty — will create a small revolution in defining what UAL as a whole is attempting to do, but somewhat failing. 

“Such a form of education fails its students because, among other reasons, it does not take into account their realities, their “situation in the world,” especially in terms of social status (Freire 2006, 96). Instead, it ignores this critical element of teaching in an effort to impart or impose “knowledge” on them (Freire 2006, 94).”

I want this space to be truly about reality, and will be incorporating the growing social media app ‘BeReal’ for this reason. I feel that we are pedalling a sense of dishonestly and non-realism into our education and social group environments, which not only feels dishonest,  but is the perfect breeding ground for marginalisation. Those able to consciously or unconsciously ‘elevate’ above it through embodying a facade UAL promotes, are instantly separating themselves from the group. This often comes across as hostile as it is. I am planning my space to be not just an icebreaker, but one which also breaks the grounds of reference for a course environment. 

“Authentic thinking, thinking that is concerned about reality, does not take place in ivory tower isolation, but only in communication. If it is true that thought has meaning only when generated by action upon the world, the subordination of students to teachers becomes impossible” (Freire 2006, 77) 

Understood in its most austere way, this theory assumes that the primary reason groups have discord with one another is the negative perceptions each has of the other, something that can potentially be overcome through affirmative contact.  — I want my space to be full of affirmative contact. Non curated, real and honest interaction. I think this has potential as it will be embedded with the students online experience but can be interacted with at anytime of day and whenever they want. Staff too will be encouraged to respond, interact, contribute and pick up on a plethora of student experience issues which may arise. 

“participants are able to have personal interactions with one another that shatter their group conflicts (Allport 1954). “

I think the accessibility of the online space will enable people to post freely and share without the fear of immediate face to face reprise. I have experienced this in an in-person environment and when it is not properly moderated by the person leading the discussion, it quickly becomes out of hand and again marginalisation occurs very quickly.