New Disciplinary Perspectives on Education

ISSN: 2297-718X

Educational theory has always been framed within a wider context including philosophy, psychology, sociology and history. In the last ten years, educational discourse has been characterized by the emergence of a more managerialist paradigm and increased emphasis on the delivery of particular educational ‘outcomes’. This has taken place in the context of the huge expansion of tertiary education from the national level, a process in which education has come to be understood as a lucrative global commodity. But alongside these developments, there has also been a resurgence of interest in the educational insights provided by the disciplines of education: for example, renewed emphasis on enquiry-based approaches to learning (Dewey), social constructivist pedagogy (Vygotsky), educational critique (Bourdieu, Freire), new inter-religious pedagogies (Grimmit, Jackson) and fresh perspectives on the ‘spiral’ curriculum (Bruner). Much of this work takes the form of a critique of the instrumentalism of outcome-driven approaches. As the debt-laden student emerges as a political subject, educational discourse has come to represent a particularly contested terrain. The book series New Disciplinary Perspectives on Education seeks to explore how these debates within the resurgence of the disciplines of education relate to wider political and economic conditions, creating new critical understandings and possibilities within educational theory and practice. It welcomes both theoretical and empirical studies, alongside mixed-methods approaches, and publishes disciplinary studies within philosophy, psychology, sociology and history as well as encouraging cross-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary work.

15 publications

Educational Psychology

Educational Psychology: Critical Pedagogical Perspectives is a collection of relevant and dynamic works by scholars and practitioners of Critical Pedagogy, Critical Constructivism, and Educational Psychology. Reflecting a multitude of social, political, and intellectual developments prompted by the mentor Paulo Freire, Educational Psychology: Critical Pedagogical Perspectives enlivens the educator’s process with theory and practice that promote personal agency, social justice, and academic achievement. Often countering the dominant discourse with provocative and yet practical alternatives, Educational Psychology: Critical Pedagogical Perspectives speaks to educators on the forefront of social change and those who champion social justice.

53 publications

Petite enfance et éducation / Early childhood and education

8 publications