Australian Journal of Adult Learning - Number 3 - A call to action for the Schools of Social Work

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa

Reimagining learning spaces calls for Schools of Social Work to respond to the erosion of diversity, equity, and inclusion through decolonisation and culturally relevant pedagogy. The paper argues that critical social work education should center students’ lived experiences, power dynamics, and structural inequalities, rather than treating DEI as mere knowledge transfer. Using reflections from a practical theatre-based initiative, it proposes creative, inclusive classroom spaces that empower student agency.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Reimagining learning spaces: A call to action for the Schools of Social Work

Keywords

Introduction

Australian Journal of Adult Learning Volume 65, Number 3, November 2025 Reimagining learning spaces : A call to action for the Schools of Social Work Ashwathi Muraleedharan Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, India Lizy P. J. Rajagiri College of Social Sciences, India :KLOH WKH KLJKHU HGXFDWLRQ LQVWLWXWLRQV DURXQG WKH ZRUOG JUDSSO H ZLWK D V\VWHPDWLF GLVPDQWOLQJ RIGLYHUVLW\􀀏 HTXLW\􀀏 DQG LQFOXVLRQ 􀀋' (,􀀌 LQLWLDWLYHV DQG WDUJHWHG DWWDFNV RQ VRFLDOMXVWLFH PHDVXUHV􀀏 VRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ UHPDLQV D UD\ RI KRSH􀀑 :LWK LWV GHHSO\ HPEHGGHG SULQFLSOHV RIHPSRZHUPHQW􀀏 WKH SURIHVVLRQ LVSRVLWLRQHG WR IRVWHU DGYRFDF\ 􀀑 $QG \HW􀀏 WKH 6FKRROV RI 6RFLDO :RUN ¿QG WKHPVHOYHV FKDOOHQJLQJ WUDGLWLRQDOSHGDJRJLHV WR PDNH VSDFH IRU VWXGHQW􀀐FHQWULF OHDUQLQJ VSDFHV􀀑 7 KH ¿HOG KDV EHHQ ZLWQHVVLQJ D GLVWXUELQJ WUHQG RIXQIDLU VWDQGDUGLVDWLRQRIVRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ DQG SUDFWLFH WKDW JR DJDLQVW LWVIRXQG DWLRQDOFRUQHUVWRQH RIDFFHSWLQJ DQG UHVSHFWLQJ GLYHUVLW\􀀑 7KLV KDV EHHQ UHVXOWLQJ LQ WKH GLOXWLRQ RIVRFLDO ZRUN LQVWLWXWLRQV WR PHUH VSDFHVWKDWIRFXV RQ HPSOR\DELOLW\ DQG PHDVXUDEOH RXWFRPHV RYHU FULWLF DO HQJDJHPHQW ZLWK PDUJLQDOLVHG FRPPXQLWLHV􀀑 6RFLDO ZRUNHUV QHHG WR QRWMXVW UHÀHFW EXW DOVR DFWLYHO\ FKDOOHQJH 338 Ashwathi Muraleedharan and Lizy P. J. V\VWHPV RI RSSUHVVLRQ􀀑 $QG WR FKDOOHQJH WKH WUDGLWLRQDO WHDFKLQ J DQG OHDUQLQJ PHWKRGRORJLHV􀀏 Arangu ZDV ERUQ DV DSDUW RID PLQRU UHVHDUFK SURMHFW XQGHUWDNHQ E\ WKH DXWKRUV LQ FROODERUDWLRQ ZLW K ¿UVW \HDU XQGHUJUDGXDWH VRFLDO ZRUN VWXGHQWV IURP DQ XUEDQ VRFL DO ZRUN LQVWLWXWLRQ LQ .HUDOD􀀏 ,QGLD􀀑 Arangu ZDV DSHUIRUPDQFH􀀐EDVHGOHDUQLQJ HQYLURQPHQW WKDW FHQWUHG RQ XVLQJ WKHDWUH IRU VHOI􀀐DZDUHQHVVDQG EXLOGLQJ VWXGHQW DJHQF\􀀑 6WDUWLQJ R̆ E\ FR􀀐GHVLJQLQJ KRZ WKH VSDFH VKRXOG IXQFWLRQ􀀏 WKH HGXFDWRU WUDQVLWLRQHG LQWR WKH UROH RID IDFLOLWDWRU DQG LQIRUPHG WKH VWXGHQWV DERXW DQ HQG RI WKH DFDGH PLF \HDU JRDO􀀝 FUHDWLQJ D ODUJH􀀐VFDOH VWXGHQW􀀐OHG HYHQW􀀑 7R PHHW WKLV JRDO􀀏 WKH FKRLFH ZDV JLYHQ WR WKHP RQ ZKDW DQG KRZ WKH\ ZDQWHG WR OHDUQ WRDFFRPSOLVK WKLV JRDO􀀑 8VLQJ TXDOLWDWLYH UHÀHFWLRQV IURP VHYHQ VWXGHQW SDUWLFLSDQWV􀀏 WKLV SUDFWLFH DUWLFOHSUHVHQWV D FUHDWLYH OHDUQLQJ VSDFHWKDW WKULYHV RQ DGGUHVVLQJ WKH SHUVRQDO DQG SURIHVVLRQDO µLGHQW LW\¶ RIVRFLDO ZRUN VWXGHQWV􀀏 HQFRXUDJLQJ WKHP WR YLHZ WKHPVHOYHV DVDGYRFDWHV RIFKDQJH WKURXJK GLYHUVH PHWKRGV RIVHOI􀀐H[SUHVVLRQ􀀑 7KHUH LV D QHHG WR GHFRORQLVH FODVVURRPV E\ SDYLQJ WKH ZD\ IRU PRUHH[SHULHQWLDO􀀏 FKRLFH􀀐EDVHG DQG VWXGHQW􀀐FHQWULF PRGHOV WKDW GLVF XVVLQWHUVHFWLRQDOLW\􀀏 VRFLDO PRYHPHQWV􀀏 DQG UHDO􀀐WLPHSROLF\ EDUUL HUVDQG HPSRZHU VWXGHQWV WR FULWLFDOO\ DQDO\VHSRZHU G\QDPLFV DQG VRFLDO VWUXFWXUHV􀀑 ,W LV WLPH WKDW ZH UHFODLP RXU UDGLFDO URRWV DQG UHIUDPH WKH LPSDFW RIVRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ DQG SUDFWLFH WKURXJKOLYHG H[SHULHQFHV􀀏 VWRU\WHOOLQJ􀀏 DQG TXDOLWDWLYH UHÀHFWLRQV RIRXU VWXGHQWV UDWKHU WKDQIDOOLQJ YLFWLP WR QHROLEHUDO PHWULFV RIVXFFHVV􀀑 7KHUHIRUH􀀏 GUDZLQJIURP FULWLFDOSHGDJRJ\􀀏 VRFLDO FRQVWUXFWLYLVP􀀏 DQG DUWV􀀐EDVHG HGXFDWLRQ􀀏 WKH SDSHU KLJKOLJKWV WKH LPSDFW RIFUHDWLYH VSDFHV RQ VWXGHQW SHUFHSWLRQV RIVRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ DQG SUDFWLFH􀀑,W DOVR VXSSRUWV WKH UHLPDJLQDWLRQ RIVRFLDO ZRUN LQVWLWXWLRQV DV FR􀀐 RZQHG DQG FROODERUDWLYH HFRV\VWHPV UDWKHU WKDQ D EDQNLQJ PRGHO􀀑 7KH VWXGHQWV¶ GHVLUH WR EH DSDUW RI VSDFHV ZKHUH WKH\ FRXOG RSHQO\ FKDPSLRQ VRFLDO LVVXHV ZLWKRXW WKHIHDU RIEHLQJ MXGJHG LV H[SO RUHG DORQJ ZLWKSURSRVLQJ ÀH[LEOH FODVVURRP GHVLJQV WKDW H[SRVH WKH VWXGHQWV WR LQWHJUDWH WKHRU\ ZLWK SUDFWLFDO NQRZOHGJH􀀏 UHVSHFWLQJWKH LQWHUGLVFLSOLQDU\ QDWXUH RIRXU SURIHVVLRQ􀀑 7KH DXWKRUV FRQ FOXGH WKLV SUDFWLFH SDSHU E\ R̆HULQJ D SUDFWLFDO PDQLIHVWR WKDWIRFXVHV RQ LQWHJUDWLQJ VWXGHQW􀀐OHG FUHDWLYHSHGDJRJLFDO VWUDWHJLHV LQWRPDLQVWUHDP VRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ􀀑 Reimagining learning spaces: 339 A call to action for the Schools of Social Work Keywords􀀝 FUHDWLYHSHGDJRJ\􀀏 VRFLDO ZRUN HGXFDWLRQ􀀏 GHFRORQLVDWLRQ􀀏 OHDUQLQJ SURFHVV􀀏 LQFOXVLRQ Introduction When I commenced my journey as a social work educator in higher education spaces, I often questioned if higher education

FAQs

What issue does the paper raise about diversity, equity, and inclusion in higher education?

It notes a slow but systemic dismantling of DEI, accompanied by socio-political tensions that threaten the purpose of inclusive higher education.

How does the paper frame the role of social work institutions?

It argues that social work institutions must ensure graduates can challenge social injustice by embedding anti-oppressive practices across program facets.

What learning approach does the paper highlight through its practical initiative?

It emphasizes a theatre-based, student-agency oriented learning environment designed to support self-awareness and empower students to engage critically with social work education.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Elsa