A critical inquiry of Freirean pedagogy : implications for contemporary adult education

The purpose of this research was to create understanding about Freire's critical pedagogy with its compelling emphasis on student-centered learning and social justice. The researcher maintained that Freire's work either has been distorted or has the potential to be distorted because of limited philosophical inquiry. To address this concern, then. This study explores two key elements of Freire's work. First, it identifies various philosophical assumptions shaping Freire's critical pedagogy. Second, it examines how Freire synthesized these philosophical ideas. Ultimately, the researcher discusses how these ideas might find application in adult education.An historical and philosophical approach was used in this study. The philosophies of Aristotle, Karl Marx, and Jean-Paul Sartre are important historical and philosophical components in Freire's narratives. In the Nichomachean Ethics, Aristotle argued that the characteristics distinguishing humans from all other entities or their "excellence", is their ability to reason. Freire adopted and expanded this idea by arguing that denying humans the opportunity to reason is a prima facie violation of their basic humanity. The dialectical social conflict that Freire identifies between the oppressors and the oppressed is directly indebted to Marx's theory of dialectical materialism. Lastly. Jean-Paul Sartre's existentialism is a philosophy concerned with `being' and 'existence' which are recurring concepts in Freire's philosophical synthesis. Furthermore, this work is informed by my personal experiences in Latin America.The research concludes that Freire was particularly concerned about ideological influences on human consciousness and actions. Freire continually addressed ideological influence through a Marxist analysis. He recognized that humans are shaped by social ideas. Freire's observations provide many opportunities for progressive educators to critique their adult education curriculum and practice. The researcher concluded that; 1) Educators should be aware that Freire is not a method. In other words, educators should create their own methods; 2) Critical reflection on practice has the potential to influence one's ontology; 3) Dialogue is a central element to critical reflection on practice; 4) Teaching and learning are enhanced by contextualization and politicizing of experiences and; 5) Problem-posing education engages students through dialogue and experiential learning.Department of Educational StudiesThesis (D. Ed.