AAACE 2021 Annual Conference

Adult Education, Social Justice, Equity

In order to make change, it is often necessary to challenge the status quo in the University setting. This session will share lived experiences during our participation in an Anti-Racism Working Group at West Chester University.  During our focus group experiences we developed a shared vision for social justice.

In order to make change, it is often necessary to challenge the status quo in the University setting. Today we are faced with the task of acknowledging and working to correct the social injustices that persist on our campuses. As adult educators, it is necessary to examine our current practices in the classroom, policies that deter success for all, and our syllabi to determine where change is necessary in order to improve the lives of those who have been marginalized. This session will share lived experiences during our participation in an Anti-Racism Working Group at West Chester University. During our remote focus group experiences, we developed a shared vision for social justice. Activity theory, developed by Reg Revans in 1982 guided our problem- solving process that involved the completion of an anti-racism learning module, action, and reflection on the pending results. Through our team efforts, we explored our own behaviors and practices, identifying areas where we could make the most impact on campus through partnerships established in smaller breakout groups. Five groups were formed for the purpose of continued action. Action learning requires that the group be able to take action on problems it has been compelled to solve.