Magic and Hocus Pocus: Teaching for Social Justice in a Qualitative Methods Course

Authors

Carey E. Andrzejewski, Auburn UniversityFollow
Hannah Carson Baggett, Auburn UniversityFollow

Abstract

In this manuscript, we work to define and unpack what teaching for social justice means for us as instructors of an introductory qualitative methods course at an ultraconservative institution. We focus on our intentionality in curating readings, designing specific fieldwork assignments, and prompting reflective work for adult graduate students in the course. This intentionality provides various inroads to develop and support student learning around qualitative methods, to reveal meta narratives and dominant ideologies, to critically think and “trouble” those narratives, and opportunities to name lived experiences and observations in systems of oppression and privilege.

Keywords

Teaching Qualitative Methods, Social Justice, Critical Studies

Author Bio(s)

Carey E. Andrzejewski is an associate professor of social foundations of education and research methods in the College of Education at Auburn University. Her research is focused on preparing critically conscious teachers and the use of participatory methods in public schools. Her work has been published in journals such as Teachers College Record, Teaching and Teacher Education, Critical Questions in Education, and Qualitative Studies in Education. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: cea0011@auburn.edu

Hannah Carson Baggett is an assistant professor in the College of Education at Auburn University. Her research interests include critical theories, race and education, and educator beliefs. She also has particular interest in qualitative and participatory methods, and works with high school students in alternative contexts as they build critical consciousness and collect data around topics of concern in their communities. Her work has been published in journals such as the American Educational Research Journal, Teaching and Teacher Education, Critical Questions in Education, and Educational Studies. Correspondence regarding this article can also be addressed directly to: hcb0017@auburn.edu

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to all of the students who have enrolled in our qualitative methods courses. It has been a gift to teach them and an honor to learn from and with them.

Publication Date

3-28-2020

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2020.4139

Recommended APA Citation

Andrzejewski, C. E., & Baggett, H. C. (2020). Magic and Hocus Pocus: Teaching for Social Justice in a Qualitative Methods Course. The Qualitative Report, 25(3), 864-875. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2020.4139