Abstract Book of the 9th International Conference on Modern Research in Education, Teaching and Learning
Year: 2025
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Peace Education through Peace Pedagogy
Dr. Afshan Huma
ABSTRACT:
This paper is based on my Fulbright Postdoctoral Research study conducted during one year -Jan 2024 -Jan 2025. The major goal of the study was to develop a peace education course for prospective teachers and professional development training modules for peace pedagogy. I had been focusing curriculum reforms for peace education, but then realized that curriculum planning in Pakistan is highly politicized and centralized activity, which leave very little spce to include local voices. Hence it is not inclusive enough. During this research I conducted a detailed literature review of literature from 1950s to 2024, that enabled me to identify necessary elements of “Peace Pedagogy” then I conducted an online survey with elementary school teachers and three focus group discussions – one with the teachers, one with teacher educators and one with university teachers teaching peace and conflict studies. Learning more about local culture and implicit dimensions of peacebuilding, I was able to design a three-dimensional peace pedagogy model. Developed and piloted first cohort in December 2024. So far 75 participants have participated in three cohorts and the fourth cohort of 25 participants will be conducted from June 16 to July 06, 2025. The reflections of these 100 participants will be coded and themes will be drawn to present at the conference in August. This is one of its kind activity in which a community of practice is being developed for implementation of peace pedagogy in Pakistani schools to counter social, structural, and direct violence through non-violent communication, community building, integrating arts, crafts, music, theater, and games as well as environment stewardship and volunteerism at elementary school level.
Keywords: cooperative teaching, collaborative learning, place-based education, creative-arts, volunteerism