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Investigating Adolescents’ Critical Consciousness Development through a Character Framework

  • Empirical Research
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Abstract

Brazilian philosopher-educator Paulo Freire defined critical consciousness as the ability to engage in reflection and action upon the world in order to transform it. A growing body of research has found that critical consciousness is predictive of a number of important academic and civic outcomes in adolescents from oppressed groups. The present mixed methods study considered the critical consciousness development of 335 adolescents (57% female, 92% African American or Latinx) attending urban secondary schools that sought to foster their students’ critical consciousness, but featured five different pedagogical approaches. We hypothesized that considering these adolescents’ critical consciousness development through a character lens would highlight ways in which different schooling models contribute differentially to their students’ development of the intellectual, performance, and civic dimensions of critical consciousness. Longitudinal analyses revealed significant differences in the critical consciousness development of adolescents attending different schooling models along these dimensions. Interviews with adolescents and field work conducted at their schools offered insight into the programming and practices that may have contributed to these differences in students’ critical consciousness development.

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Acknowledgements

This project has received generous funding support from the National Academy of Education, Spencer Foundation, John Templeton Foundation, and Boston University Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program.

Author Contributions

S.S. conceived of the study, led its design and coordination, and drafted the manuscript’s introduction, quantitative results, and discussion sections. J.T. participated in the data collection and analysis of this study and drafted the qualitative results sections focusing on Make the Road Academy and Community Academy. M.S. and S.C. participated in the data collection and analysis of this study and drafted the qualitative results section focused on One Vision High School. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Boston University, 2 Silber Way, Boston, MA, 02215, USA

    Scott Seider, Jalene Tamerat, Shelby Clark & Madora Soutter

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  1. Scott Seider
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  2. Jalene Tamerat
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  4. Madora Soutter
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Correspondence to Scott Seider.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Ethical Approval

The study was approved by the Internal Review Board of one of the participating universities. All eligible students received an informational letter about the study for themselves and their parents or guardians at the start of each school year, in which they were asked to participate. If students wished to refrain from participation, or if their parents disagreed with their children’s participation, they were requested to contact the principal investigator.

Informed Consent

All eligible students received an information letter for themselves and their parents or guardians at the start of each school year, in which they were asked to participate. If students wished to refrain from participation, or if their parents disagreed with their children’s participation, they were requested to contact the principal investigator.

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Seider, S., Tamerat, J., Clark, S. et al. Investigating Adolescents’ Critical Consciousness Development through a Character Framework. J Youth Adolescence 46, 1162–1178 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-017-0641-4

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