University_of_TorontoX: Teaching for Critical Action: Empowering Students in Challenging Times

From this course, you will:

• Develop comprehensive understanding of critical action education as a pedagogical perspective for addressing socio-environmental issues in the classroom.
• Know strategies and approaches for lesson design and enactment of critical action curricula.
• Gain a deeper understanding on a variety of themes related to socio-environmental justice education.

Week 1: Why Critical Action? Why now?

• We examine the confluence of multiple crises that characterize the world's current scenario. We discuss how educational approaches that emphasize agency and collective responsibility can empower students as transformative agents for positive change. An Indian teacher discusses storytelling as a strategy for students' action on the Covid-19 pandemic. An expert psychologist discusses the importance of committed action in countering students' anxiety.

Week 2: Designing for learning communities with a critical eye

• We discuss the role of teachers as learning experience designers. We review challenges of designing for collaboration and examine design approaches to promote students' critical action. Educators from the United States discuss an educational strategy that uses project-based civic learning experiences to engage youth in urban planning. An expert guest host addresses the implications of creating a culture of collaboration in the classroom.

Week 3: The CALE Framework

• We present the CALE Framework for designing critical action curricula. We discuss how your designs can expand in scope and lead to a deeper exploration of socio-environmental problems. A Chinese educator reflects on inquiry-based curriculum on Climate Change. An expert guest host takes us deeper in the subject of Climate Action education.

Week 4: A deeper look on pedagogies for Critical Action

• We review Knowledge Building theory and Critical Pedagogy as two pedagogical approaches to support Critical Action education. A Colombian teacher reflects on an Arts-based curriculum that supports students' action on the issue of decolonization. An expert critical pedagogue discusses in depth some important concepts.

Week 5: Personal directions and community building

• We examine our personal and collective next steps as teachers engaged in Critical Action education. Our guest teachers from weeks 1 to 4 return to respond to questions asked by the MOOC students.

In addition to the regular weekly videos, readings, and activities, CAL101x students can optionally join a "design strand", in which they will be grouped in small design teams to collaboratively design actual critical action curriculum that they can later enact in their classrooms.

Will there be video transcripts?
There will be video transcripts in English, Mandarin, Persian, and Portuguese?