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Considerations on the 21st Century Pedagogy

Bogdan, Silvia

Abstract

The study describes engaged pedagogy of the 21st century that relies on the idea of active, holistic involvement of learners and educators in the learning and teaching process. Rooted in bell hooks’ theory, engaged pedagogy is a transformative teaching approach that allows learners to grow mentally, emotionally, and socially. This pedagogy prioritizes the creation of an inclusive learning environment where learners become more independent in their studies through reflective thinking and direct participation in academic activities, collaborative projects and hands-on experiences. Thus, by immersing in engaged pedagogy, learners will be able to partici-pate in a learning process of knowledge co-creation, which will enhance the 21st century skills, such as critical thinking, creativity, communication, collaboration and problem-solving. The article explores the definition and essence of engaged pedagogy, the main aspects to be applied in the educational context and the role of an educator in this reconceptualized teaching and learning approach.

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[Accessed: 10.11.2024] A ailable: h p://wikis.sub.uni-hambu g.de/lhn/index.php/Cohe ence CZU 37.04 CONSIDERATIONS ON THE 21s CENTURY PEDAGOGY Sil ia BOGDAN, Mas e o A s, Lec u e , Alecu Russo Bal i S a e Uni e si y sil ia.bogdan.@usa b.md h ps://o cid.o g/0009-0007-0127-1741 Make e e y momen ma e . Teach ea lessly. Empowe all s uden s o li e li e a e li es. (Gallaghe ; Ki le, 2018) Abs ac : The s udy desc ibes engaged pedagogy o he 21s cen u y ha elies on he idea o ac i e, holis ic in ol emen o lea ne s and educa o s in he lea ning and eaching p ocess. Roo ed in bell hooks’ heo y, engaged pedagogy is a ans o ma i e eaching app oach ha allows lea ne s o g ow men ally, emo ionally, and socially. This pedagogy p io i izes he c ea ion o an inclusi e lea ning en i onmen whe e lea ne s become mo e independen in hei s udies h ough e lec i e hinking and di ec pa icipa ion in academic ac i i ies, collabo a i e p ojec s and hands-on expe- iences. Thus, by imme sing in engaged pedagogy, lea ne s will be able o pa ici-pa e in a lea - ning p ocess o knowledge co-c ea ion, which will enhance he 21s cen u y skills, such as c i ical hinking, c ea i i y, communica ion, collabo a ion and p oblem-sol ing. The a icle explo es he de ini ion and essence o engaged pedagogy, he main aspec s o be applied in he educa ional con ex and he ole o an educa o in his econcep ualized eaching and lea ning app oach. Keywo ds: engaged pedagogy, engaging pedagogy, holis ic, well-being, inclusi e, c i ical hinking, c ea i i y, au onomous lea ning. 97 In oduc ion One o he bigges challenges ha he wo ld o academia aces nowadays is di ec ly linked o wha is known as engaged pedagogy o he 21s cen u y. Ex ensi e s udies on educa- ional p ac ices ha e been unde aken so a , aimed a disco e ing ways o inc ease s uden engagemen and e ec i e eaching echniques ha spa k up cu iosi y and main ain a en ion. All o e he wo ld educa o s wan hei lessons o be inspi ing and hey look o di e en pedagogical echniques o mo i a e lea ne s and in ol e hem in o he s udying p ocess. Le us openly admi ha nobody wan s o be called a bo ing eache pe o ming bo ing lessons. We, as educa o s, always plan and hink ahead o ou eaching me hods ha will bene i lea ne s and will s eng hen hei knowledge in a ce ain ield o s udy. We inco po a e mul i- media and eal-wo ld examples, using in e ac i e echnologies such as games, quizzes, su - eys, e c. We a y eaching s yles o main ain lea ne a en ion and en husiasm. We ocus mo e on he ins uc ional p ocess wi h he aim o eaching he ma e ial in a mo e exci ing way a he han on he e ec s and esul s ha his ins uc ion will ha e on ou lea ne s. On he one hand, i is an absolu ely na u al app oach o ins uc ion, ye , on he o he : is i enough o e e o his ype o eaching ac i i y as engaged pedagogy o he 21s cen u y? A e he concep s o engaging pedagogy and engaged pedagogy simila ? Li e a u e e iew The Online Camb idge Dic iona y de ines engaging as some hing “pleasan , a ac i e, and cha ming”; whe eas engaged means “in ol ed in some hing” in i s p ima y meaning and “busy doing some hing” in i s seconda y meaning. Seman ically, bo h concep s a e dis inc . En- gaging aims o sa is y he lea ne s’ need o pleasu e and en e ainmen , whe e he eache is pe cei ed as a c ea i e agen who main ains lea ne s’ in e es in lea ning. On he con a y, enga- ged shi s he agency om he educa o o lea ne s who become ac i e agen s in he p ocess o lea ning eady o explo e hei own c ea i e powe s, aking esponsibili y o hei own lea ning. In he con ex o he 21s cen u y pedagogy we should ask ou sel es: wha is he unda- men al ole o educa ion? Should educa o s en e ain lea ne s? O should educa o s ins uc hem in a manne ha is bene icial and inspi ing o lea ne s o become well ounded people and con inue li e-long lea ning a e g adua ion? The answe is ob ious. Educa o s should a o he second op ion on condi ion ha engaged pedagogy includes he concep o engaging by de aul . Len (2012) ad oca es he same app oach o eaching, highligh ing ha : Engagemen doesn’ mean en e ainmen . […] On he con a y, engagemen happens when you mo e away om he on o he oom and s uden s ill he oid by ac i ely pa icipa ing in lea ning he con en , especially once hey igu e ou ha lea ning o hemsel es is a p e e able o doing “wo k” o hei eache (p. 27). The idea o engaged pedagogy as a eaching app oach was i s in oduced by he Ame- ican educa o , and social c i ic bell hooks. The au ho o he book Teaching o T ansg ess: Educa ion as he P ac ice o F eedom (1994), p o ides a compelling de ini ion o engaged pedagogy ha explains wha an engaged educa o should do o p omo e his ype o lea ning and eaching in he 21s cen u y: To educa e as he p ac ice o eedom is a way o eaching ha anyone can lea n. Tha lea ning p ocess comes easies o hose o us who each […]; who belie e ha ou wo k is no me ely o sha e in o ma ion bu o sha e in he in ellec ual and spi i ual g ow h o ou s uden s. To each in a manne ha espec s and ca es o he souls o ou s uden s is essen ial i we a e o p o ide he necessa y condi ions whe e lea ning can mos deeply and in ima ely begin (1994, p. 13). The schola p o ides a libe al and inclusi e iew o educa ion claiming ha engaged pedagogy is “p og essi e, holis ic educa ion” (1994, p. 15). I goes beyond me e ins uc ion 98 and os e s g ow h, sel -ac ualiza ion, based on Maslow’s heo y o human mo i a ion o achie e one’s highes le el o pe o mance (Pa naik, 2021), which can be ul illed h ough c i ical hinking collabo a ion, communica ion and c ea i i y, he se o skills ha a e aligned wi h he pa adigm o he 21s cen u y 4Cs. A key akeaway om hook’s heo y is he idea ha engaged pedagogy is holis ic and iews lea ne s as “whole” human beings, as a uni y o he mind, he body and he soul. Thus, engaged pedagogy does no p io i ize only in ellec ual g ow h bu also ca es o emo ional, spi i ual, and physical well-being o bo h lea ne s and educa o s, who should ac ually con i- nue o g ow pe sonally and in ellec ually. The concep o well-being, which came in o peda- gogy om posi i e psychology in he la e 1990s, is s ongly ad oca ed by hooks. Seligman de ines well-being “as a cons uc ” (2012, p. 14) ha helps people succeed in li e: “well-being is a combina ion o eeling good as well as ac ually ha ing meaning, good ela ionships and accomplishmen s” (2012, p. 25). His PERMA heo y consis s o i e measu able elemen s: posi i e emo ion, engagemen , ela ionship, meaning and accomplishmen (2012, p. 24). Rela ed o pedagogy, well-being di ec ly in luences lea ne s’ academic success, pe sonal de elopmen , he mo i a ion o s udy and p og ess, he le el o sa is ac ion wi h wha hey lea n and he posi i e ela ionships wi h pee s and educa o s. I is no an easy ask o accom- plish. Educa o s ha e o ake in o accoun ha all lea ne s a e unique and need indi idual app oaches o succeed in hei lea ning pa hs. The e o e, hey canno apply he same s anda d eaching p ocedu es and echniques all he ime. They should look o en ichmen expe iences o deepen hei unde s anding o he equi emen s o mode n pedagogy and achie e sel - ac ualiza ion. Taking ca e o lea ne s’ well-being and p o iding suppo i e and inclusi e en i onmen s o hem ensu es he implemen a ion o engaged pedagogy. When applied co ec ly, engaged pedagogy o e s engaging, meaning ul, and adap i e lea ning p ac ices, hus alida ing lea ne s’ opinions, ecognizing hei oices, expe iences and emo ions ha con ibu e o he de elopmen o ully- ledged specialis s. Gi en he ac ha engaged pedagogy is seen as “ he p ac ice o eedom” (1994, p. 20) acco ding o hooks, i is also a way o eaching ha encou ages lea ne s’ di ec pa icipa ion and con ibu ion o designing ele an cou se con en , ealized h ough ac i e collabo a i e in ol- emen , c i ical hinking and discussion. Au hen ic and e ec i e eaching p ac ices equi e engaging wi h each lea ne , which only enhances lea ne s’ chances o make mind ul choices and speak ou loud du ing classes. I makes hem ques ion wha , how and why hey s udy. The e o e, engaged educa o s should be able o explain he impo ance and he bene i s ha lea ne s will ge om a ending hei cou ses. In hei u n, lea ne s should be able o e- cognize he connec ions be ween he cou se ma e ial and hei eal-wo ld expe iences beyond he class oom en i onmen . Tha means ha 21s cen u y educa o s should be mo e open- minded and app oach hei eaching wi h c ea i i y, lexibili y, hough ulness, a ca e ul con- side a ion o he lea ning objec i es and ou comes and lis en o wha hei lea ne s’ opinions. I is ob ious ha dialogic communica ion plays a cen al ole in engaged o pa icipa o y eaching, as i enables lea ne s o explo e he meaning o hei lea ning expe iences and ind answe s o di e en academic challenges. The educa o “has o link awa eness wi h p ac ice” (hooks, 1994, p. 19), making he lea ning p ocess in en ional and meaning ul o hem. Engaged pedagogy s icks o he idea ha lea ning should be connec ed o he li ed eali y, b inging he eal wo ld in o he class oom. I would mean o p o ide ounda ional knowledge and include c i ical discussions, deba es s emming om eal li e e en s based on he analysis o media and social con en such as podcas s, blogs, news, mo ies and mul iple case s udies in addi ion o egula ex books. Educa o s should pay a en ion o wha lea ne s ha e o say, and las , bu no leas , make hem unde s and how his knowledge migh be u he ed and applied in p ac ice. 99 Wo king wi h di e en lea ne s, educa o s should be socially conscious abou hei lea ne s’ backg ounds and he ype o in luence hey migh ha e on hei lea ning pa hs. Enga- ged pedagogy is always inclusi e and p axis-o ien ed. I builds b idges o all lea ne s o communica e e ec i ely, e en i hey ha e o deal wi h con lic s ha may a ise because hey do no sha e he same pe cep ions o he wo ld. Ra he han silencing he con lic h ough adi ional class oom echniques, educa o s may use hese momen s as an oppo uni y o lea ning. Ideally, hey should encou age con lic ing lea ne s o exp ess hei pe spec i es ully, emphasizing he impo ance o ac i e lis ening and empa hy. By allowing lea ne s o oice hei emo ions and expe iences openly, educa o s can ans o m a con lic in o a collec i e lea ning expe ience. This app oach will encou age lea ne s o see hemsel es as ac i e pa icipan s in hei educa ion, os e ing in ellec ual and emo ional g ow h, empa hy, eedom o exp ession h ough dialogue and c i ical hinking o media e con lic s and o m new oppo uni ies o acqui ing knowledge. The c i ical hinking app oach equi es lea ne s o do much e lec i e hinking, gi ing hem he possibili y o medi a e on hei eelings, on hei own lea ning pa hs, pa icula ly, wha and how hey lea n, wha hei con ibu ion o he lea ning p ocess is and he choices hey make. All his pu oge he os e s deepe engagemen wi h he lea ning p ocess and helps hem o become mo e sel -di ec ed independen lea ne s. Pink (2011) suppo s his idea and claims ha “human beings ha e an inna e inne d i e o be au onomous, sel -de e mined, and con- nec ed o one ano he ” (p. 73). Engaged pedagogy s i es o au onomy in lea ning, which em- powe s pa icipan s o be mo e accoun able o wha hey s udy and educa o s o be mo e es- ponsible o wha hey each. Hooks a gues ha “ his demand on he s uden pa does no mean ha hey will always accep ou guidance. This is one o he joys o educa ion as he p ac ice o eedom, o i allows s uden s o assume esponsibili y o hei choices” (1994, p. 19). Engaged pedagogy is collabo a i e in na u e and collabo a ion is an essen ial elemen o lea ning oge he and om each o he . Roo ed in Vygo sky’s (1978) heo y o social con- s uc i ism, pa icula ly he zone o p oximal de elopmen , lea ning becomes engaging when lea ne s in e ac in social en i onmen s o cons uc meaning and lea n h ough pa icipa ing in social ac i i ies. Social cons uc i ism highligh s he impo ance o wo king oge he in he lea ning p ocess, which is a key aspec o cogni i e cons uc i ism. Vygo sky (1978) claims: “The le el o ac ual de elopmen is […] he le el a which he lea ne is capable o sol ing p oblems independen ly. The le el o po en ial de elopmen ( he “zone o p oximal de elopmen ”) is he le el o de elopmen ha he lea ne is capable o eaching unde he guidance o eache s o in collabo a ion wi h pee s. […] The le el o po en ial de elopmen is he le el a which lea ning akes place” (p. 85). Re e ing o he pedagogical dimension o collabo a ion, Guglielmo (2010) aligns wi h Vygo sky’s ideas and p o ides e idence ha collabo a i e lea ning yields signi ican ly be e esul s compa ed o compe i i e and indi idual lea ning. I p omo es he de elopmen and use o lea ne s’ ad anced cogni i e abili ies. Mo eo e , collabo a ion means mu ual suppo and pa icipa ion ha should be p o ided by e e yone in ol ed in he lea ning expe ience, which explici ly con eys he idea ha lea ne s a e ac i e pa icipan s in he educa ional p ocess. Wha is he ole and ask o educa o s who ha e emb aced engaged pedagogy as a way o eaching? A p esen , engaged pedagogy ega ds he educa o no simply as a adi ional eache , bu as a co-pa icipan , co-lea ne , encou aging dialogue and c i ical ques ioning du ing classes. An educa o 's p ima y esponsibili y is o acili a e dialogue and c ea e a suppo i e sa e a mosphe e o lea ning, ins ead o aking con ol o he class oom. This equi es educa o s o p io i ize he lea ne s’ and hei own well-being, be ulne able, sel - awa e o hei s eng h and limi a ions. The wide-sp ead misconcep ion ha an engaged 100 educa o has no hing o do, bu make lea ne s wo k on hei own o acili a e discussions, o assign w i en asks o s uden s is comple ely e oneous. On he con a y, engaged pedagogy demands much ca e ul planning and e lec ions on he pa o he educa o . Gallaghe and Ki le (2018) ag ee in hei wo k “180 Days: Two Teache s and he Ques o Engage and Empowe Adolescen s” ha he p ima y ask o an educa o is o ge in ol ed in hough ul decision-making. In a simila ein, Len (2012) conside s ha educa o s “who engage in a cycle o planning, ac ion, and e lec ion disco e he challenges and ewa ds in wha hey expec hei own s uden s o do” (p. 8). P epa ing eaching ac i i ies o e e y class enables educa o s o de elop a “p og ession om lowe o highe o de s o complexi y” (Lang 2021, p. 15) o hinking in hei lea ne s h ough hei ac i e pa icipa ion in he class oom assignmen s, helping hem p ocess, ana- lyze, and apply in o ma ion and p o ide app op ia e eedback. Mo eo e , a mind ul educa o will always each lea ne s o connec wha hey lea n wi h hei lea ne s’ needs and he ou side wo ld. Such an app oach o lea ning equi es educa o s o se up he necessa y amewo k o eaching h ough sca olding and ac i i ies ha will di ec lea ne s o ill in hei knowledge gaps, c ea e meaning ul connec ions h ough pee explana ion, pee e alua ion and in e ac ion. Lang (2021) assumes ha “ he p ocess o c ea ing connec ions lends i sel o collabo a i e exe cises ha can e i alize he class oom and injec some un in o lea ning” (p. 109). Thus, he pu pose o his engaged eaching is o os e meaning ul and deep lea ning h ough in oducing g adual and manageable changes in he ins uc ional s a egies. Conclusion To conclude, engaged pedagogy pu sues la ge goals o achie e deep lea ning h ough a symbiosis no only o in ellec ual engagemen bu also emo ional, spi i ual, and physical well- being. I is he 21s cen u y holis ic pedagogy whe e he whole pe son is conside ed in he lea ning p ocess and whe e he educa o c ea es a dynamic and e ec i e lea ning en i- onmen . Engaged pedagogy is imme si e pedagogy ha emphasizes mu ual esponsibili y, ca e, and he desi e o sel -ac ualiza ion. Engaged pedagogy aims o change educa ion by making i mo e in e ac i e, collabo a i e, and welcoming, pushing agains he es ablished adi ional eaching ha akes place in adi io- nal class ooms. I allows lea ne s o in e ac mo e and wo k oge he in unde s anding he signi- icance o hei lea ning, o e coming academic challenges. I empowe s lea ne s wi h a sense o agency o e hei educa ion, gi ing hem choices and oppo uni ies o con ey hei oices ha shape hei lea ning expe iences. The ounda ion o engaged pedagogy lies in he belie ha bo h eache s and s uden s ough o pu sue hei own pe sonal and in ellec ual de elopmen . Re e ences: 1. Camb idge Uni e si y P ess. (n.d.). Camb idge Dic iona y. In Camb idge Dic iona y. Re ie ed Oc obe 14, 2024, om h ps://dic iona y.camb idge.o g/ 2. Gallaghe K.; Ki le, P. (2018). 180 Days: Two Teache s and he Ques o Engage and Empowe Adolescen s. Publishe : Heinemann. 3. Guglielmo, T. (2010). Ne wo ked Collabo a i e Lea ning: Social In e ac ion and Ac i e Lea ning. Woodhead Publishing Limi ed. 4. hooks. b. (1994). Teaching o T ansg ess: Educa ion as he P ac ice o F eedom. Rou ledge: New Yo k / London. 5. Lang, J. M. (2021). Small Teaching. JOSSEY-BASS A Wiley B and. 6. Len . R. C. (2012). O e coming Tex book Fa igue: 21s Cen u y Tools o Re i alize Teaching and Lea ning. USA: ASCD Publica ions. 7. Pa naik, G. (2021). Posi i e Psychology o Imp o ing Men al Heal h & Well-Being. No ion P ess 2021. 101 8. Pink, D.H. (2011). D i e: The Su p ising T u h abou Wha Mo i a es us. New Yo k: Ri e head Books. 9. Seligman, M. E. P. (2012). Flou ish: A Visiona y New Unde s anding o Happiness and Well-Being. F ee p ess. 10. Vygo sky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Socie y: The De elopmen o Highe Psychological P ocesses. P esiden and Fellows o Highe College.