We make the road by walking it: Critical consciousness, structuration, and social change.

Abstract

This study explores the development of critical consciousness among masters-level students within a social work school undergoing a curriculum change effort focused on social justice goals. The process of structuration (practice theory) guided the study, it emphasized the role of organizational structures, norms and group processes on students' interpretive schemas. Through several action research cycles, the author worked closely with faculty leaders and student participants (n=132) to triangulate multiple qualitative methods and analyses that emphasized how students created meaning vis-a-vis specific materials, interactions, structures, and curricula, and how these facilitated and/or created barrier to their learning. Analysis demonstrated four dimensions of learning necessary for students' critical consciousness: (1) an awareness of positionality; (2) the capacity to skillfully engage with conflict and dialogue; (3) critical-structural thinking; and (4) an identity as a change agent, including an awareness of their strengths, sources of power and capacity to influence change. Overall, students of color began the learning process with greater structural understanding and awareness of their identities than their white peers; thus, these groups proceeded differently through the learning process. In general, students of color progressed further within most dimensions of critical consciousness than their white peers. Examples of structures, norms, and group interactions that facilitated critical consciousness include: an emphasis on social justice values and goals; opportunities for intergroup dialogue; and, assignments illustrating the complexity of social inequalities. Barriers to critical consciousness (i.e. highly structured curriculum and anti-dialogic classroom norms) impeded students' need to connect knowledge with practice, and dialogue, reflect-on, and integrate their learning. During two action research cycles, the author worked with students to create an integrative portfolio-based learning process that increased significantly their capacity to identify their dreams and aspirations, and connect these to specific course assignments, learning goals, and professional practices. The author proposes a conceptual model that illustrates critical consciousness, structuration, and social change. She concludes: curricula in higher education need to emphasize dialogue, integrative learning, and knowledge of how to change complex systems. Additionally, higher education research needs to consider the role of organizational context and students' positionalities on issues of learning and development.