Skip to Main Content
 

Global Search Box

 
 
 

ETD Abstract Container

Abstract Header

Contextualizing How Undergraduate Students Develop Toward Critical Consciousness

Taylor, Kari B.
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1495815463772384

Abstract Details

2017, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Studies.
The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine how interactions between undergraduate students and their learning environments influenced their development toward critical consciousness. Critical consciousness represents a complex way of making meaning of one’s self in relation to one’s social world that is necessary for meeting the demands of today’s diverse democracy and that underlies the ability to demonstrate social responsibility (Freire 1970, 1973; Landreman, Rasmussen, King, & Jiang, 2007). Environments investigated in this case study included curricular and co-curricular experiences associated with a critical service-learning course, the institutional culture of a large public research university, and U.S. society at large. Two sets of research questions guided this study: (1a) What types of interactions between students and their learning environments promote development toward critical consciousness? (1b) How do these types of interactions help students develop critical consciousness? (2a) What types of interactions between students and their learning environments inhibit development toward critical consciousness? (2b) How do these types of interactions stall or interfere with students’ development toward critical consciousness? Case study, grounded upon the respective tenets of interpretivism and critical theory, served as the primary methodology. An undergraduate, semester-long course at a large public research university that focused on complex social issues associated with poverty served as the case. Data collection methods included participant-observation of class sessions; document analysis of course materials and students’ written assignments; and three semi-structured interviews with key participants including the lead educator, the graduate teaching assistant, and nine racially and ethnically diverse students. Data were analyzed using narrative inquiry strategies to identify both individual and sociocultural narratives regarding interactions that influenced students’ development toward critical consciousness. The outcome of this case study is a rich, nuanced description of the context of the case, which highlights the characteristics of the educators, students, and curriculum that formed the basis for the interactions that influenced students’ development toward critical consciousness. Also, from this case study, five refrains regarding how interactions promoted and/or inhibited students’ development toward critical consciousness emerged. These five refrains show how students’ beliefs about injustice, engagement in experiential learning opportunities, interactions across racial and ethnic differences, forms of communication during class discussion, and conceptualization of leadership influence students’ ways of making meaning of themselves in relation to their social worlds. This study ultimately enriches understanding of how development toward critical consciousness happens as well as how educators can help foster such development. Also, this study holds important implications for research and practice. In terms of research, this study provides a methodologically innovative and rigorous way to study development in context. In terms of practice, this study provides nuanced recommendations for how to design institutional and departmental policies that support students’ development toward critical consciousness. In addition, it describes specific ways educators can enhance their ability to facilitate learning related to complex social issues.
Susan R. Jones, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Marc Johnston-Guerrero, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Cynthia Tyson, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
359 p.
Adult Education; Higher Education
critical consciousness; student development; social justice education; case study; critical service-learning; collegiate teaching

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Taylor, K. B. (2017). Contextualizing How Undergraduate Students Develop Toward Critical Consciousness [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1495815463772384

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Taylor, Kari. Contextualizing How Undergraduate Students Develop Toward Critical Consciousness. 2017. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1495815463772384.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Taylor, Kari. "Contextualizing How Undergraduate Students Develop Toward Critical Consciousness." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1495815463772384

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1495815463772384
1,834
© 2017, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.