Social Justice Activism

teachers to act for social change. In certain cases, this might present both opportunities
and challenges for the pursuit of the RoL and a culture of lawfulness, especially where
there are conflicts between governmental educational objectives and broader human
rights considerations.
Teaching and Learning Resources
Curriculum frameworks come alive through educational resources that support teachers’
efforts in the classroom. Teaching resources are aimed at translating learning objectives
into engaging, accurate, and comprehensive materials for learners. This is can be seen
as challenging and requiring creativity. Writers can frame educational materials around
cooperative and group activities, bearing in mind that the materials should elicit
conversation and open discussion to reflect on what is of interests to learners, and to
also reflect on the transmitted messages and knowledge.
Learning Assessment
Assessments provide a measurement of learning and are a key component of the
teaching and learning process. Assessment techniques and tools should be
multifaceted and provide a variety of opportunities for students with different learning
styles to demonstrate their understanding and convey their ideas. Localized,
differentiated, and curriculum specific assessments are usually recommended. Many
different types of assessment tools are available, including stand-alone tests, longer
term courses, certification programs, and archives of assessment resources.
Other forms of assessment include peer assessment, self-assessment, and alternative
assessment. Peer assessment is designed to help students gain insight into the aspects
of learning that the teacher sees as important, and therefore
increases metacognitive thinking skills that are useful when the student is working on
their own projects and learning activities. In a similar vein, a self assessment also
encourages students to take an objective, critical look at their own work and assess
their performance and understanding based on rubrics provided by the teacher. Both
methods, rather than being entirely separate from the learning process, enhance the
student’s learning by becoming part of it.
Education for Justice includes developing social and emotional learning (SEL) and
behavioral learning outcomes that are traditionally more difficult to assess; and ‘grading’
of values is discouraged. Nevertheless, educators might elicit and observe student
values through classroom assignments and discussions. Any troubling exhibitions of
values – such as prejudice against certain groups in the school – can be addressed
through counselling as well as classroom and school processes.
Teachers have found ways to document participation in RoL class activities, such as
through observation of class dynamics and active participation in civic groups. However,
other kinds of behavioral outcomes, such as reduced acts of bullying, may be difficult to
track because of their long-term nature and because such behavior might not be evident
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