Radical Education Theory – A Pathway for Social Change and Justice

Radical Education Theory, also known as critical pedagogy, is a type of education that is related to political aspects. Radical education is known to impart the spirit of political participation in people. According to this theory, today’s basic form of education is considered to be misleading and brings in a lot of differences among people.

Researchers, theorists, and scholars have different opinions about the theory. Both the teachers and students are involved to benefit by receiving the best knowledge.

Purpose of Radical Education Theory

Radical education proposes that today’s citizens should not be taught what is right and what is wrong. Relevant knowledge should be imparted so that they become capable of identifying the right things.

Teachers should encourage the students to think out of the box and explore things outside the classroom environment. Through this, they will better understand the level of their learning and teaching.

Authority-based guidance for the students should be eliminated. The qualities of self-discipline should be encouraged so that students can get a participating spirit and good confidence.

Students are also a part of democracy and are granted equal rights. Therefore, they all have the right to implement their knowledge in real life. In this way, students will also understand how to apply the knowledge gained in real-life situations.

The teachers’ main goal should be to provide the best knowledge and enhance the quality of education they provide to the students. Therefore, they should not focus on the results. They should keep working to increase student-teacher interactions, which in turn would improve the quality of education.

Different Opinions About Radical Education Theory:

Theorists and scholars have proposed their views and opinions about the radical education theory. There are numerous definitions and meanings of this theory. Some people believe that the theory is important to start major advancements to improve the quality of education. Some others also believe that it plays an important role in examining the education level offered today. It is important to identify the best procedures and methods through which education can be enhanced and improved. Though there are many such explanations, this theory is for the betterment of the educated and the educators. On the whole, it is all about modifying the existing educational environment. Some also believe that students and teachers should build a strong partnership to improve the educational environment.

Role of Educational Institutions:

In the current scenario, some researchers believe that public educational institutions do not provide a quality education because such institutions are under the intractable authority’s control. Therefore, privatization can enhance the quality of education offered. However, some people oppose this point of view. Some people believe that privatizing educational institutions to enhance the quality of education will not produce great outcomes. It is an important experiment with new methodologies of imparting education.

Radical education theory is presented in several views and standards. These aim to improve the traditional educational systems and offer a better future for the current generation. With radical education theory, today’s overall quality of education can be improved, which makes way for a social change.