Pre-service teachers’ views on integrating post-humanism into classroom practice

Abstract

Background: With disruptive innovation in education being the in vogue terminology, the theories of critical and transformational learning are becoming pervasive in the teaching and learning space. Critical and transformational learning focus on socially just pedagogies. The worldviews of post-humanism address the limitations of the humanist ontology and pose fresh and transformative lenses with which to consider how teachers could position themselves to work towards socially just pedagogies.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to explore the views of pre-service teachers on integrating post-humanism into classroom practice.

Method: A qualitative case study research strategy is used in this study. Structured open-ended questionnaires were used to collect data from a population of Bachelor of Education students of a specific institution of higher learning. Content analysis was used to analyse the data obtained from the questionnaires.

Results: The findings of this research indicated that most of the respondents were eager to integrate the philosophy of posthumanism into classroom practice. Respondents also indicated that post-humanism must be studied as part of their philosophy of education module and integrated into the broader curriculum to enable them to effectively integrate post-humanism into teaching and learning. Based on these key findings, it is recommended that teacher education institutions integrate the philosophy of post-humanism into both the theoretical and didactic modules of the curriculum.

Conclusion: We must challenge the status quo of anthropocentrism and humanism and integrate post-humanism into classroom practice to push the boundaries of educational possibilities to have a deeper understanding of what it means to be ‘connected’.

Contribution: Recommendations based on the analysis of data obtained from these students may be used by institutions of Higher Education to re-evaluate their philosophy of education modules to include the philosophy of posthumanism. Pre-service and in-service teachers may use findings and recommendations of this study to reimagine their educational philosophy.