1G Summary Findings

Project Findings

Based on the extensive data provided from the analysis, reading on various research methods and the findings of

here are three key findings summarizing the impact of student self-evaluation on critical thinking, anxiety, and compassion among students of diverse backgrounds:

Impact on Critical Thinking and Anxiety:
- Critical Thinking: The data indicates that self-evaluation prompts students to engage deeply with their thoughts, fostering critical thinking. This is evident from their focused and thoughtful expressions in drawings and their engagement in reflective activities during focus groups.
- Anxiety: However, the process also appears to heighten anxiety for some students, as reflected in the Mentimeter survey where a significant number experienced discomfort and found instructions unclear. This anxiety is particularly notable among students from diverse backgrounds who might face additional challenges.
Diverse Emotional Responses and Need for Compassion:
- The varied emotional responses, ranging from confusion to passion, underscore the individual differences in how students perceive and experience self-evaluation. This diversity points to the necessity of compassionate and supportive approaches in the self-evaluation process, as suggested by both the field notes and focus group data. A compassionate approach is critical for students with different abilities and needs, helping them navigate the challenges of self-assessment.
Suggestions for Inclusive and Supportive Self-Evaluation Processes:
- The need for clearer instructions, simplified visuals, and more structured guidance, as suggested in the focus groups and feedback sessions, highlights the importance of adapting self-evaluation methods to be more inclusive and accessible. These improvements could help in bridging gaps in understanding and engagement among a diverse student body, aligning with Paulo Freire’s educational philosophy that emphasizes dialogue, understanding, and tailoring methods to learner needs.

In conclusion, while student self-evaluation has the potential to enhance critical thinking, it also brings to light the challenges in managing anxiety and the critical need for compassionate and inclusive approaches to support diverse student populations.

Reflections

At this juncture, I am still in the process of delving into Freire’s work, finding myself about halfway through his seminal book. Admittedly, I am a slow reader—or listener, as the case may be—but I have made a conscious decision to devote my full attention to truly understanding at least one book in depth, rather than merely skimming fragments or relying on secondary sources. The intial caution articulated by Donaldo Macedo in the introduction to Paulo Freire’s “Pedagogy of the Oppressed” highlights a critical pitfall that educators seeking to implement Freirean pedagogy must navigate struck me deeply.

“Unfortunately, in the United States, many educators who claim to be Freirean in their pedagogical orientation mistakenly transform Fre- ire’s notion of dialogue into a method, thus losing sight of the fact that the fundamental goal of dialogical teaching is to create a process of learning and knowing that invariably involves theorizing about the experiences shared in the dialogue process.”Donaldo Macedo (2018)

This concern is especially relevant when considering the project findings related to student self-evaluation and its impacts on critical thinking, anxiety, and compassion. To align with Freire’s philosophy while avoiding the reduction of dialogue to a mere method, it’s essential to engage with the project’s findings in a way that deeply integrates the complexities of identity, power, agency, and history.

Beyond Method: Dialogue as a Process of Learning and Knowing

In implementing self-evaluation based on Freirean principles, it’s crucial to recognize that dialogue is not just a technique for engaging students but a profound process of co-investigation where students and teachers together explore themes that emerge from their experiences. The findings suggest that self-evaluation can indeed foster critical thinking and reflection. To deepen this process in line with Freire’s vision, educators must ensure that these reflective practices are not just about assessing personal achievements or challenges but are also connected to larger social, cultural, and historical contexts. This approach involves theorizing from shared experiences, moving beyond the surface to examine the underlying structures that shape those experiences.

Addressing the Pitfalls of Experiential Celebration

Macedo’s critique warns against an “overdose of experiential celebration” that risks detaching the learning process from the critical analysis of identity, power, agency, and history. In the context of student self-evaluation, this suggests a need for educators to facilitate reflections that not only celebrate individual experiences and achievements but also critically examine how these experiences are influenced by broader socio-political dynamics. For instance, when students from diverse backgrounds express anxiety or diverse emotional responses to self-evaluation, it presents an opportunity not just to address these reactions compassionately but to explore their roots in systemic inequalities, cultural differences, or historical injustices.

Integrating Power, Agency, and History into Self-Evaluation

To avoid the pitfalls mentioned by Macedo, self-evaluation processes must be designed to empower students to connect their personal experiences with broader narratives of power and agency. This means creating spaces where students can explore how their identities and experiences are shaped by historical contexts and power relations, fostering a deeper understanding of themselves as agents of change within these contexts. For example, when students reflect on their critical thinking processes or emotional responses, educators can guide them to consider how these are influenced by their backgrounds, societal expectations, or historical legacies.

Conclusion

In my future to align the project’s findings with Freire’s pedagogy, mindful of Macedo’s caution, a nuanced approach to dialogue and self-evaluation is essential. This perspective treats educational practices as avenues for students to undertake critical reflection, not just on their personal learning paths but also regarding their roles within broader social and historical frameworks. This method promotes a more profound, critical engagement with the self-evaluation process, contributing significantly to the cultivation of critical consciousness among students. However, it’s clear from my current approach that I’ve inadvertently fallen into the very trap Macedo warns against. My intent to fully grasp Freire’s book without resorting to mere fragments or secondary analyses, while noble, also reveals a missed opportunity to immediately apply his theories to practice, potentially overlooking the rich, dialogical essence that Freire advocates for by not integrating the complexities of power, agency, and history as comprehensively as I might have. By acknowledging this, I aim to evolve my approach, ensuring that it not only fosters an inclusive, critical, and transformative educational experience but also fully embodies Freire’s vision of dialogical teaching and learning.

In reflecting I also recognize a subtle shift where the methods of engaging with his pedagogy have, at times, overshadowed the very essence of why these methods are vital, where the focus on mastering the methodology of dialogical teaching and critical reflection inadvertently becomes more central than the transformative purpose these methods serve. Such an emphasis on technique over transformation mirrors a broader educational challenge, where the tools for fostering critical consciousness and engaging in liberatory dialogue risk being valorized for their form rather than their function. This paradox underscores a critical learning moment in my exploration of Freirean pedagogy, reminding me of the importance of continually aligning the means of educational practice with its foundational goals of empowerment, liberation, and the creation of a more just and humane world.

The reality is, through my collaborative filmmaking, I may already be embodying Freire’s principles, engaging in the very dialogue and collaboration he espouses. Yet, when confronted with the unfamiliar terrain of academia, my efforts risk becoming mere mimicry of his pedagogy. It will likely take me years to fully translate my beliefs and practices into this new academic language, navigating and bridging the gap between my intuitive application of Freire’s theories and the structured articulation required by scholarly discourse.

Bibliography

Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed, 30th anniversary edn, translated by Myra Bergman Ramos, with an introduction by Donaldo Macedo. New York: Continuum.
Mellow Kyler (2022) YouTube. Video Audiobook: Freire, P. (2018). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. 4th edn. [ebook] New York: Bloomsbury Academic: Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NzKrFAaCsA (Accessed: 07 June 2023-03 February 2024).
(2024). “Data Collection Using Drawings, Photographs and Transcript: A Reflexive Approach in Ethnographic Research”, Open AI ChatGPT. [Date of Chat: 05 December 2023 – 03 February 2024].
Noce, K. (2024). “Collection of Drawings: Student Self-Evaluation Observations Documentation” [Watercolour drawings].
Noce, K. (2024). “Collection of Images: Student Self-Evaluation Observations Documentation” [Digital photographs]
(2024). “Mentimeter Evaluation ” [DPF]
Noce, K. (2024). “ARP KIM NOCE – Growing Equity – Presentation 9-2-2024” [PDF]

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