Towards a critical diffractive pedagogy in the teaching and learning of life sciences

Abstract

This study advances science education by addressing the pressing challenges of the Anthropocene, an era defined by profound environmental and societal transformations driven by human activity. The research identifies a gap in existing pedagogical models, which often reproduce rather than question the assumptions that perpetuate ecological and social crises. To address this limitation, the study develops and conceptualizes Critical Diffractive Pedagogy (CDP), a framework designed to reimagine the teaching and learning of Life Sciences through critical and relational perspectives. The methodological approach involves an intra-active reading of Critical Pedagogy and Diffractive Theory, generating a theoretical synthesis that highlights the potential of education as a transformative practice. The findings reveal that CDP encourages educators and learners to engage with science as an ethical, reflective, and contextually responsive endeavor. The study’s implications underscore the importance of reconfiguring science pedagogy to cultivate critical awareness, ecological responsibility, and the capacity to respond creatively to complex global challenges.

Keywords: Anthropocene; critical pedagogy; diffractive theory; life sciences education; transformative learning.