Dr Melanie Parker

Critical Professional Practice in Context

• This series of slides looks at developing critical professional practice in the workplace today.

•It can be used as a standalone resource, however, it is recommended that it be used in conjunction with Understanding Professional Development, which marks the first in this series on Work-based Learning

IntroductionIntroduction

•This set of slides deploys a critical perspective to understanding work based learning. It acknowledges that higher education is currently experiencing a tension between the generation of authentic and emancipatory knowledge and the production of knowledge for a business driven capitalist society.

Work based Work based Learning from a Learning from a critical perspectivecritical perspective

This series engages with this debate and supports the development of true critical knowledge as a force to illuminate the challenges facing all stakeholders engaging in work-based learning in society today.

Work based Work based Learning from a Learning from a critical perspectivecritical perspective

Where does the idea Where does the idea of a critical of a critical perspective come perspective come from?from?• The notion of a critical perspective is

drawn from Paulo Freire’s (2002) alternative paradigm of the ‘banking approach’ to knowledge. The banking style of knowledge fills the heads of individuals, which are perceived as empty deposit accounts with only authorised and official forms of knowledge, which learners are expected to withdraw and repeat verbatim as and when required.

Where does the idea Where does the idea of a critical of a critical perspective come perspective come from?from?

• John Dewey criticised this “pouring in” of knowledge (Macrine, p.125, 2009), as a deficit model of learning that portrays learners as passive recipients who are not engaged in the development of new knowledge, but just superficially regurgitating facts.

How does the How does the Critical Paradigm Critical Paradigm differ?differ?• The critical paradigm is dialogically

focussed, which means that it is all stakeholders who are involved in a project that will bring new knowledge forward for critical reflection and review.

How does the How does the Critical Paradigm Critical Paradigm differ?differ?

• The critical paradigm therefore acknowledges that all parties involved with learning have the ability to both develop and limit learning.

How does the How does the Critical Paradigm Critical Paradigm differ?differ?

• Paulo Freire (2006) in Education for Critical Consciousness put forward the following four point guide to help both facilitator and learner develop a critical approach to their practice in a way that promotes and does not limit learning:

Guiding the Critical Guiding the Critical ConsciousnessConsciousness1. Power AwarenessAcknowledging that society and history are

made up by conflicting and contending interests and because of this society is in a constant state of flux; developing an understanding of how power and government act in society and knowledge of who holds power and how this is then deployed in society; constant belief that social policy can be changed by organized action from the bottom up and that transformation is ever possible.

Guiding the Critical Guiding the Critical ConsciousnessConsciousness

2.Critical LiteracyDeep consideration and (re)thinking of accepted norms and beliefs. Consideration of any actions or events in terms of their context, personal and societal consequences.

Guiding the Critical Guiding the Critical ConsciousnessConsciousness

3.Deconstructing socialisationChallenging artificial and political limits on human development. Questioning power and inequality in the status quo; examining socialised values at an individual and societal level, which seek to that limit democratic change; perceiving self and social transformation as a collective process.

Guiding the Critical Guiding the Critical ConsciousnessConsciousness4. Self-Education/OrganizationAutonomous transformative learning to develop critical thought and cooperative action; knowing and sharing how to study critically as an individual or as part of a community; critical approach to exploring an issue in subject; Perceiving the intellectual value of the emotional and (sometimes) dangerous dimensions of knowledge and how this can be used to foster democratic aims.

Guiding the Critical Guiding the Critical ConsciousnessConsciousness

DiscussionIt is fair to say that the outcomes of a critical work-based learning project may well be opposed to organisational goals and values.

Activity: think about a work-based project that you could carryout in your place of work, what aims would it serve and what tensions do you think may arise?

Critical Critical Consciousness and Consciousness and Work-based Work-based LearningLearningThe challenge for conducting a work based learning project in a commercial environment is that it may not have an emancipatory goal at its heart. Traditionally, work based organizational learning has been conducted to improve delivery to shareholders whilst retaining the status quo (Fenwick, 2003). These projects have often failed to deploy a truly critical approach despite the highly political nature of organizational knowledge, which makes work based learning such a rich environment for learning.

Is there a Is there a resolution? resolution?

This tension is not new and relates to a longstanding debate in education, which can be traced back to Plato (373), and asks:

What is the aim of education?

Is there a Is there a resolution? resolution?

Discussion: think about this for a moment, what do you think the aim of education should be?

•Building an egalitarian society?•Political advantage?•Personal gain? •Economic wealth?

Is there a Is there a resolution? resolution?

Discussion: There is no easy resolution to this ongoing debate. It lies with the individual and their conscience to determine their position in this argument.

Is there a resolution Is there a resolution to adopting a critical to adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning? based learning? Drawing on the work of Paulo Freire, Tara Fenwick (2003) proposed the following critically focused approach to organisational learning, which argues for the theory of critical consciousness to inform the focus and approach of any work-based learning project .........

Is there a resolution Is there a resolution to adopting a critical to adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning? based learning? Thereby providing an expedient resolution to deploying a critical approach to organisational learning, which engages with practice at both an individual and organisational level and in an authentic and empancipatory way.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning

Fenwick’s (2003) proposal to adopting a critical approach to work-based/organisational learning is based around an argument for any work-based project to include the following four areas:

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning 1. A worker-centred approach to the

work-based learning projecti) workers’ articulate their problems and interestsii) identification of issues and challenges from these experiencesiii) Critical analysis of structures that contribute to these experiences (at both a micro and macro level)iv) Identify approaches to address these problems.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning 2. Confront unequal organizational

practices This is necessary to avoid reproducing oppressive practice as part of the work-based learning project. Identify any organisational practice that unjustly marginalises or privileges certain individuals and/or groups. Further consideration of how power operates amongst these individuals and groups.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning 3. Acknowledge the complex and

situated nature of learningWork-based learning is embodied and not a solely reflective process where rational thinking is produced in isolation. Individuals develop knowledge from various experiences and socialisation thereby any meanings generated are always localised and subjective.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning 4. Adopt a democratic approach to

your learning and projectEngage in a participatory approach for the mutual benefit and growth of the organisation. Assist individuals to critique their own experiences and act collectively to change poor practice in the workplace.

(Adapted from Fenwick, (2003))

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning Discussion:

By now I am sure that you are appreciating that adopting a critical approach to your learning requires you to develop an ethical and moral approach to your work-based learning project with an explicit emancipatory aim. This is an important dimension, as this is when professional practice becomes praxis.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning What is Praxis?

Praxis is the Greek word for action. It has become associated with the work of Karl Marx who sought to shape ethical, social, political and economic life along more humanistic and socialist lines of thinking. It came to educational prominence during the 20th Century through the work of Paulo Freire and is therefore central to developing a critical consciousness and approach to learning.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning What is Praxis?

“Praxis that is, with reflection and action directed at the structures to be transformed.” (Freire, p.107, 2002)

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning What is Praxis?

Praxis is philosophy in action that transforms our practice from merely reflective and individualised to critical, democratic, reflexive and for the collective good.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning Praxis in Practice:

Discussion: In terms of your work-based learning project this represents making an informed and democratic intervention/difference for the collective good.

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning Activity Praxis in Practice:

Take a moment to think about the sort of project that might enable you to do this. How will you conduct your study? Who will it need to engage with? What do you think the challenges will be? How will you manage these challenges? Who will support your project? How will it be of benefit to individuals and the organisation?

Adopting a critical Adopting a critical approach to work-approach to work-based learning based learning Summary

The workplace provides a rich context for learning. There are invariably challenges with undertaking a critical work-based learning project, which may prove at first to be opposed to organisational aims. However, these challenges often generate new sites of learning and provide an opportunity to promote democratic and emancipatory forms of practice/praxis for the collective good.

ReferencesReferences

Fenwick, T. J. (2003) Emancipatory Potential of Action Learning: A Critical Analysis, Journal of Organisational Change and Management, Vol. 16, No. 6. pp.619-632.Freire, P. (2002) Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Continuum, New YorkFreire, p. (2006) Education for Critical Consciousness, Continuum, New YorkMacrine, S. (2009) Critical Pedagogy in Uncertain Times, Palgrave Macmillan, New York

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Author Melanie Parker

Title Work Based Learning from a Critical Perspective

Description Critical Professional Practice in Context

Date Created September 2011

Educational Level 6

Keywords UKOER, LFWOER, CPD, WBL, Work Based Learning, Continuing Professional Development

Back page originally developed by the OER phase 1 C-Change project

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