Cascading Pedagogy: Developing Critical Consciousness & Transferable Skills Whilst Teaching Gender Studies

Abstract

In this paper I reflect on my own and my students' experiences within an elective course on Gender Studies to discuss how teachers might reconcile their responsibility for developing students’ critical consciousness along with their responsibility for enhancing transferable skills. The course employed a feminist pedagogical approach which involves the use of experiential learning techniques with the aim of creating a community of learners who are committed to equity and social change. For instance, one assignment in the course required students to create and conduct participatory workshops on gender equity for various groups within and outside the university. This assignment enabled students to cascade their learning from the Gender Studies classroom to over one hundred participants in the wider community. Students then reflected on their learning from having facilitated the workshops. Reflecting on my teaching and drawing on students’ reflections, I argue that a commitment to feminist pedagogy whilst not always easy to realise, enables students to evolve as autonomous and self-reflexive learners while also developing skills to work in a variety of professional contexts.