This research explores the learning experiences of three mature students studying for a Foundation Degree – a two-year qualification, introduced in England and Wales in 2001, that uniquely spans the academic-vocational nexus within higher education. Data collected through interviews and journal entries were used to construct accounts of each of the students’ learning experiences, forming a longitudinal case study that spanned two years. This material is used in three ways to give insight into learning through a Foundation Degree. Firstly, the accounts stand by themselves as detailed descriptions of what it is like to learn through a Foundation Degree. Secondly, the accounts illustrate ways in which particular learning theories and models are helpful to understanding the students’ learning experiences, and also the areas in which some theories and models fall short. Thirdly, a new conceptual model has been developed which identifies six factors that significantly impact upon the Foundation Degree learner’s experience. Each of these factors has the potential to influence learning positively or negatively, depending on where it lies upon a continuum that polarises learning inhibitors and enablers. This model is used to scrutinise Foundation Degree teaching and learning practice, using the accounts as reference points, and more effective approaches to Foundation Degree delivery have been suggested.

The education system in England has long been characterised by a distinct separation between academic or vocational pathways in the post-16 phase. Until recent policy changes this division coincided with the point at which compulsory education ended and mathematics became an optional subject for many students. Those who failed to attain the widely accepted minimum standard of a grade C in GCSE mathematics, however, were often strongly encouraged to undertake a course to improve their mathematical knowledge and skills. This study focusses aged 16-19 and examines the learning experience of those who take a functional mathematics course alongside their vocational programme, as either a recommended option or a requirement of internal college policy. Research regarding the learning of mathematics for these students within the context of Further Education is limited. The study adopts a holistic view of the situation to explore the main factors that influence the student experience, with an emphasis on gaining insight and understanding of students’ perceptions of their learning situation. Using a grounded theory approach with multiple methods, the research includes a series of case studies of seventeen student groups across three Further Education colleges, from which within-case and cross-cases themes are identified. The research findings show how the student experience of functional mathematics is affected by a complex network of inter-linking factors associated with both the organisation and the individual. Although organisational factors such as policies and systems sometimes place constraints on opportunities, social and cultural influences shape student values and perceptions of functional mathematics. There is strong influence from individual teachers through differing interpretations of the curriculum and pedagogical approaches but social structures and relationships within the classroom are also important to students. In addition, the legacy of students’ prior experiences of learning mathematics has an effect on attitudes and emotions, despite the separation of space and time, indicating the significance of both cognitive and affective factors in this interaction of multiple influences. Many students approach functional mathematics in college with prior experiences of disaffection and low attainment but the study shows how attitudes and understanding are transformed for some students within the college environment. Fundamental to these changes is the functional curriculum which, based on the application of mathematics rather than knowledge-acquisition, facilitates teaching approaches that present a new image of mathematics as a useful ‘tool for life’. Using materials such as contextualised tasks to make meaningful links to student lives increases awareness of the relevance of mathematics, leading to greater engagement and understanding. In the transition from school to college there is a marked discontinuity of curriculum and environment, accompanied by value-changes indicating a stronger orientation towards adult life and vocational employment. Students respond positively to functional mathematics lessons where these values are embraced. Academic-vocational divisions, such as differences in values, culture, curriculum and approaches to learning, are evident at multiple levels in colleges and these produce tensions in the student experience of functional mathematics. Some effective bridging is achieved through appropriate classroom practices but coherence requires a multi-level embedded approach involving college structures and departmental policies rather than simply the actions of individual teachers. The research findings suggest that reversing trends of disaffection and failure with mathematics amongst students can be achieved in post-16 education but this is dependent on changes within the curriculum and learning situation. In the light of recent policy changes in England that will increase the numbers of post-16 students taking a mathematics course and the prioritisation of GCSE mathematics over alternative curricula, this study has much to contribute to understanding students’ perceptions of mathematics and the factors that influence their learning experience.

Current demographics within the United Kingdom present a challenging picture, with older people forming a considerable proportion of the population. In particular, older people are spending a longer period outside paid work at a point in the life course constructed as retirement. Increasingly, some older adults are returning to learning as a means of remaining socially connected, keeping active and purely for pleasure. Research which seeks to understand the relevance and importance of learning in later life remains quite disparate and, in addition, there is a lack of longitudinal or biographical research which seeks to explore this phenomenon. The research reported in this thesis aims to offer new insights into later-life learning by exploring how retired older people narrate their experiences of learning, and through consideration of the interrelationship this experience to life course capital.

Partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Further Education Colleges (FECs) were a specific recommendation of the 1997 Dearing Review and a major component of New Labour's 'Third Way'. Between 1997 - 2010 one of the key policy drivers was to widen participation in higher education with a target of 50% participation of 18 - 30 year olds by 2010. Funded partnerships were seen as the mechanism to achieve this target. Arguably partnerships between higher education (HE) and further education (FE) were not new. Many of the so-called 'post-92' universities which had previously been polytechnics had achieved growth through partnerships with FECs and considered themselves, perhaps, to be leading the way in widening participation. Among a plethora of policy initiatives, the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) embarked on its own innovative partnership scheme, Lifelong Learning Networks. Drawing heavily from examples in North America, these were conceived as a way of achieving planned progression into higher education for students with vocational qualifications at level three. The response from the higher education sector to the initiative was equivocal at best and the results uneven. This study draws from Bourdieu's early anthropological studies and combines aspects of these with his study of the fields of the arts and higher education to propose a new reading of the policy response and practice of widening participation in higher education through partnerships.

Barney Reiffen. / "August 12, 1960." Issued also as thesis, M.I.T. Dept. of Electrical Engineering, August 22, 1960. / Bibliography: leaf 98. / Army Signal Corps Contract DA36-039-sc-78108. Dept. of the Army Task 3-99-20-001 and Project 3-99-00-000.

A investigação foi fundamentada na análise bibliográfica e pesquisa de campo, sobre as propostas metodológicas da Pedagogia do Oprimido de Paulo Freire, e o Teatro do Oprimido de Augusto Boal, analisamos e estabelecemos os pontos de ligação, as relações existentes entre as metodologias, e as ações sócio educativas propiciadas pelos métodos. Consideramos o Teatro do Oprimido, tendo como referência os estudos de pesquisadores que consideraram o tema sob a ótica de um sistema influenciado pelo seu contexto sócio político e cultural. A metodologia foi construída através da fundamentação teórica, dos objetivos, variáveis do estudo e desenho da investigação. Adotando um enfoque descritivo e uma abordagem qualitativa, tendo por base um estudo fenomenológico, uma vez que os sujeitos da investigação foram observados e relataram as suas experiências. A investigação teve uma perspectiva metodologica multi-instrumental, com a combinaçao e a utilizaçao de diferentes instrumentos de investigaçao: entrevistas semi-estruturadas, historia de vida e relato de experiências dos participantes. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio de conversações informais, entrevistas abertas em profundidade e narrativas de vida. Na sistematização dos resultados, examinamos inicialmente a experiência como um todo. Para a análise dos depoimentos os seguintes procedimentos foram observados: ordenação e classificação dos dados, considerando os pontos convergentes e divergentes do processo estudado, articulando as informações com o referencial teórico e os objetivos do trabalho. Destacamos na análise de campo, os momentos de intervenção sócio educativa, mais significativo, em que os participantes da investigação, compartilharam as experiências vividas nos encontros realizados. Através da investigação constatamos que a experiência para os participantes das ações do Centro Teatro do Oprimido são admitidas como sendo positiva, contribuem para que percebam situações de opressão nas suas vidas e adquiram uma maior percepção do papel do oprimido-opressor. Permite ainda que os "espect-atores", atores e platéia mostrem em cena suas idéias, exercite com competência ações da vida real, de maneira consciente, como forma de se fortalecerem para atuar nas suas vidas. O Teatro do Oprimido apresenta aspectos pedagógicos, além de sociais, culturais, políticos e terapêuticos. O coringa, (animador teatral), condutor das atividades, exerce uma função pedagógica e teatral. Percebemos que a metodologia do Teatro do Oprimido pode ser utilizada no processo educacional, por permitir a troca de conhecimentos e experiências, constituindo-se em um instrumento facilitador para as discussões dos problemas sociais e de intervenção sócio educativa.PALAVRAS CHAVE: Dimensões Sócio Educativa, Pedagogia do Oprimido, Teatro do Oprimido. / This investigation work was based on bibliographic analysis and field research, over methodological proposes of Opressed Man Pedagogy by Paulo Freire and the Oppressed Man Theatre by Augusto Boal, we have analyzed and established link points, the relationships between the two methodologies, and the social educative actions provided by these methods. We have considered the Oppressed Man Theatre, having as references studies from researchers who see this subject under the view of a system influenced by their social, politic and cultural contexts. The methodology was built with theoretical basis, of objectives, research variables and investigation e scheme. We have adopted a descriptive and qualitative approach, having a phenomenological study as basis, once the research subjects were observed and narrated their experiences. The research has a multi-instrumental methodological perspective, combining and using many investigation instruments: semi-structured interviews, life stories, and narratives of the participants experiences. Data were collected in informal conversations, open-depth interviews and life narratives. While systematizing results, we initially examined experience as a whole. For the testimonials analysis, the following proceedings were observed: order and classification of data, considering the convergent and diverting points of studied process, joining information with the theoretical referential and study objectives. We point out on the field analysis the moments of social educative intervention, most significant, in what the investigation participants shared experiences acquired in the meetings. Through investigation we have confirmed that the participants of Oppressed Man Theatre Centre find this experience positive, and that it helps participants perceive oppression situations in their lives and acquire a greater perception of oppressed-oppressor role. Moreover, it allows "expect-actors", actors and audience to show their ideas in scene, exercise with ability real life actions, in a conscious way, as a means of strengthening to act in their own lives. The Oppressed Man Theatre presents pedagogic aspects, over than social, cultural, politic and therapeutic. O joker, (theatric entertainer), activities conductor, practices a pedagogic and theatric function. We have concluded that the Oppressed Man Theatre methodology can be used in the educational process, for it allows the exchange of knowledge and experiences, constituting a facilitation instrument to discuss social problems and of social educative intervention.KEYWORDS: Social Educative Dimensions, Opressed Man Pedagogy, Opressed Man Theatre.

Este trabalho constitui um estudo de caso que busca averiguar resultados práticos alcançados por destinatários de cursos profissionalizantes ministrados na comunidade Novos Alagados, localidade da periferia da cidade de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. O fio condutor da abordagem é a ampliação da desigualdade e exclusão social causadas pelas dificuldades de inserção no mercado de trabalho, situação que retrata as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos jovens de baixa renda, no contexto do Brasil contemporâneo. Trata-se de investigação qualitativa, apoiada por dados coletados em entrevistas aplicadas a formadores, lideranças e alunos do Centro de Profissionalização 1º de Maio - Ceprima, participantes dos cursos: artes gráficas, artesanato, capoeira, corte-costura, dança, eletricidade, marcenaria, mecânica automotiva, e música. As informações obtidas permitiram acompanhar as ações desenvolvidas na comunidade e estabelecer relações entre educação não formal, questões sociais e mercado de trabalho, discutindo-se o empenho da Sociedade 1º de Maio na conquista de espaços para esses segmentos diante das limitações de oportunidades para a inserção desses jovens no mercado. Neste sentido, observou-se o interesse da organização de grupos de trabalho e a preocupação em orientar os alunos concluintes para formarem cooperativas. Com base nesses posicionamentos, discute-se a viabilização dessa meta a partir da necessidade de uma aproximação de saberes, em que caberia à universidade o papel de vanguarda, oferecendo curso complementar à formação profissionalizante adquirida nas comunidades. Tal iniciativa possibilita reunir jovens com interesses afins no intuito de suprir lacunas de conhecimento e dar orientação para formação de cooperativas populares. Associando-se pontos comuns das concepções que visam soluções para as questões observadas, apresenta-se a proposta pedagógica denominada "Educação para o cooperativismo entre as comunidades de Salvador". A oferta desse curso, em nível de extensão, visa orientar jovens para o enfrentamento do desemprego, incentivando a formação de grupos de trabalho, cuja operacionalização requer a implementação de programa na perspectiva do capital social, exigindo interagibilidade entre múltiplas ações por parte da Universidade, Estado e Sociedade Civil. Conclui-se, assim, que uma aproximação de saberes entre o conhecimento popular e o técnico é fator fundamental para suprir lacunas do aprendizado dispensado a jovens sem acesso a uma educação aprimorada. A proposição, apesar de depender de decisão política e estabelecimento de metas para ampliação de postos de trabalho, constitui um caminho possível de promoção de desenvolvimento humano, capaz de limitar o crescimento das desigualdades sociais, especialmente para os jovens de baixa renda. / Este trabajo constituye un estudio de caso que busca averiguar resultados prácticos alcanzados por destinatarios de cursos de formación profesional realizados en la comunidad de Novos Alagados, localidad de la periferia de la ciudad de Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. El hilo conductor de abordaje es la ampliación de la desigualdad y de la exclusión social causadas por las dificultades de inserción en el mercado de trabajo, situación que retrata los problemas enfrentados por los jóvenes de baja renta, en el contexto del Brasil contemporáneo. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa, apoyada por datos colectados en entrevistas aplicadas a formadores, liderazgos y alumnos del Centro de Profesionalización 1º de Mayo - Ceprima - participantes de los cursos: artes gráficas, artesanía, capoeira (una danza y lucha africana), corte-costura, danza, electricidad, carpintería, auto mecánica y música. Las informaciones obtenidas permitieron seguir las acciones desarrolladas en la comunidad y establecer relaciones entre la educación no formal, cuestiones sociales y mercado de trabajo, discutiéndose el empeño de la Sociedad 1º de Mayo en la conquista de espacios para esos segmentos, ante las limitaciones de oportunidades para la inserción de esos jóvenes en el mercado. Asimismo, se observó el interés de la organización de grupos de trabajo y la preocupación de orientar los alumnos concluyentes para formar cooperativas. Con base en esas situaciones, se discute la viabilidad de esa meta a partir de la necesidad de un acercamiento de conocimientos o sabidurías, en el que cabría a la universidad el papel de vanguardia, ofreciéndose curso complementario a la formación profesional obtenida en las comunidades. Tal iniciativa posibilita reunir jóvenes con intereses en común, además del objetivo de suplir lagunas de conocimiento y dar orientación para la formación de cooperativas populares. Al asociarse los puntos comunes de las concepciones que objetivan soluciones a las cuestiones observadas, se presenta la propuesta pedagógica denominada "Educación para el cooperativismo entre las comunidades de Salvador". La oferta de ese curso, en el ámbito de extensión, tiene el propósito de orientar los jóvenes al enfrentamiento del desempleo, incentivándoles la formación de grupos de trabajo, cuya capacidad de operación requiere la implantación de un programa en la perspectiva del capital social, exigiéndose reciprocidad entre las múltiples acciones por parte de la Universidad, Estado y Sociedad Civil. Así, se concluye que un acercamiento de sabidurías entre el conocimiento popular y el técnico es un factor fundamental para suplir lagunas del aprendizaje dispensado a jóvenes sin acceso a una educación primorosa. La proposición, a pesar de depender de decisión política y del establecimiento de metas para ampliación de puestos de trabajo, constituye un camino posible de promoción del desarrollo humano, capaz de limitar el crecimiento de las desigualdades sociales, especialmente para los jóvenes de baja renta. / This work constitutes a case study that searches to inquire practical results reached for addressees of given professionalizing courses in the community of Novos Alagados (New Flooded), locality of the periphery of the city of Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. The conducting wire of the approaching is the increase of the inequality and social exclusion caused for the difficulties of insertion in the work market, situation that reflects the problems faced for the low income young, in the context of Brazil contemporary. This is about a qualitative inquiry, supported by data collected in applied interviews to instructors, leaderships and pupils of the Centro de Profissionalização 1º de Maio (Center of Professionalization 1º of May) - Ceprima, who were participants of the courses: graphical arts, handcraft, capoeira (an African fight and dance), cut-sew, dance, electricity, carpentry, auto mechanics and music. The gotten information had allowed following the actions developed in the community and to establish relations among non formal education, social matters and market of work, discussing the efforts of the Society 1º of May in the conquest of spaces for these segments before the limitations of chances for the insertion of these young in the market. Thus, it's observed the interest of the organization of work groups and the concern in guiding the finishing pupils to form cooperatives. Based on these conceptions, it is argued the viability of this goal from the necessity of an approach of knowledges, where the vanguard paper would fit to the university, offering complementary course to the acquired professionalizing formation in the communities. Such initiative makes possible to congregate young with similar interests in intention to supply knowledge gaps and to give orientation for formation of popular cooperatives. By associating common points of the conceptions that aim at solutions for the observed questions, it is presented a pedagogical proposal called "Education for the cooperation among the communities of Salvador". The proposal of this course, in extension level, aims at to guide young for the confrontation of the unemployment, by stimulating the formation of work groups, whose operation viability requires the implementation of a program in the perspective of the social stock, demanding interaction among multiple actions on the part of the University, State and Civil Society. It is concluded, thus, that an approach between the popular knowledge and the technical one is a basic factor to supply gaps of the learning given to the young without access to an improved education. The proposal, although depends on political decision and establishment of goals for the increase of work places, constitutes a possible way of promotion of human development, able to limit the growth of the social inequalities, especially for the low income young.

One of the roles who teachers have is that of organizer of activity and in subject matters that are rather practical by nature, like the teaching of a foreign language is, this role as elicitor of activity is even more relevant. This study, then, focuses on how three language teachers structure classroom activity, that is to say, how they set the stage for subsequent activity and how they bring activity to an end. In the study the terms "preparatory" and "wrap-up" segments are used to describe this anticipatory and retrospective talk and the term "structuring" is used as a superordinate of the two segments.The study distinguishes four main themes in the teachers' talk: procedural, linguistic, topic and psychological structuring. Under the section of procedural structuring, the clarity and detail of the teachers' instructions are described as well as the references to reviews and previews and the chances for student decision making. Under linguistic structuring, the talk about the formal properties of the L2 (e.g., grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation) is examined as well as its length, its participation mode and its location at the preparatory or wrap up segments. The section on topic structuring examines the teachers' references to the topic of the task, that is, what a task has been or is going to be about. Finally under psychological structuring, the teachers' verbal attempts to influence the students' attention or predisposition towards a lesson or task are described. The use of humour during structuring is also dealt with.This study differs and complements others in the literature in that: (a) It not only analyzes the preparatory but also the wrap-up segment, because the two are similar and complementary; (b) it seeks to find individual teaching styles; (c) it not only focuses on the teacher but also examines how students participate during structuring both in public and side-talk; and finally (d) it combines numerical information with thick description.The data was collected from the classrooms of three experienced English teachers, Bob. Sharon and Mark, and their intermediate level students at a language school at a University in Spain. The size of the classes ranged between eighteen and twenty-three. The primary data of the study consists of eighteen audio recorded lessons from the three teachers (six each) and the secondary data consists of field notes, a questionnaire and an interview with each teacher. The teachers were not asked to do anything special during the observations. The data have been analyzed through inductive means by looking mainly at the content of classroom interactions and the final report includes both description and interpretation of the data. There is also quite a detailed account of the history of the research elaborated from the investigator's journal.The analysis of the data is presented in two chapters, one centred on the three teachers and the other on their students. As regards the teachers, the results show (a) common characteristics among teachers (b) individual teaching styles and (c) a number of variables in the nature of tasks affecting the structuring provided. As regards (a), Bob, Mark and Sharon sometimes introduced and brought tasks to an end in very similar ways. The three teachers tended to draw attention to grammar after the performance of a task instead of at its introduction. 'They all gave specific instructions with little frequency, and they tended to give no information about medium range learning objectives. Probably the most pervading commonality was that the three teachers tended to keep the preparatory segment quite short with little or swift interaction.As to (b), the teachers showed stable individual styles in how they provided structuring. Bob stood out for the connections he made with immediately previous and future lessons and for the efficient linguistic structuring he provided. He presented tasks as challenging and pressed on students the idea that groups were places for exploratory talk in the L2. Sharon stood out for her quick -paced, smooth, contextualized and humorous segments and she also fostered group interaction. On a few occasions, however, she left students to induce much of the connections between tasks and lessons. Mark differentiated himself from both Bob and Sharon substantially in that he showed to be a less effective communicator of procedural and linguistic structuring and he sometimes showed to have a narrower repertoire of devices to provide structuring. In sharp contrast with Bob and Sharon, Mark seemed to underrated students' capabilities, something that permeated in the preparatory and wrap-up segments.Regarding (c), the variables, it became dear that tasks with different characteristics tended to be structured differently. A relevant number of traits in tasks were identified as potential determiners of the nature of structuring. Whether a task was skill-oriented or form-oriented, how difficult it was, whether it was a planned or an improvised task, among others, seemed to have an effect on structuring at times.In the chapter on the students, both the public and side-talk during the preparatory and wrap-up segments are analyzed. In the public plane, students tended not to use the preparatory segment to ask questions of the teacher but preferred to ask them later on either to the teacher or a peer. They also tended to signal understanding of the task when sometimes there were doubts in students. In the private plane, the analysis revealed that students could use this side-talk for academically productive purposes. The section on the students also includes an analysis of the mismatches between the teacher's expectations and the actual carrying out of the tasks by students. Four types of students' modifications were identified: simplification, adaptation and overworking. In simplification, students carried out a task in a less demanding way than expected. In adaptation, students were observed to, on their own initiative, slightly change an aspect of the task from how the teacher had explained it during procedural structuring. In overworking students performed a task in a manner that was unnecessarily too time-consuming.The thesis also includes practical ideas on structuring in the appendices like the one on alternative ways to provide structuring and a list of questions for reflection in teacher training.

Typically, adult educators in Jamaica are part-time employees who are either trained in pedagogy or are employed because of their advanced training or skills in a particular discipline. As adult education in Jamaica and the Caribbean undergoes change, policy focus has concentrated on identifying the discipline with lifelong learning rather than adult literacy. Although the importance of the role of adult educators to the change process is acknowledged, the changes in adult education are not yet focussed on the role of the adult educator and equipping the adult educator to function in this dynamic environment. This study of an adult education institution in Jamaica aims to explore the perceptions of stakeholders, teachers, students and administrators, on how adult education is viewed, the role of part-time faculty in adult education, the quality of teaching they offer and measures to enhance teaching quality in this institution and others like it. I argue that the equipping of adult educators is important for successful adult education, part-time faculty who make up the significant majority of the cohort of adult educators deserve special attention and that Continuing Professional Development is a useful tool that serves the interest of equipping both individual teachers and institutions. Data was collected and analysed by means of a qualitative methodology utilising interviews, focus groups and qualitative questionnaires in two centres of the case institution. The study finds that teachers are crucial to successful adult education. Because of the ambivalence of adult learners and their needs for emotional as well as cognitive support, the onus is on teachers to provide learning environments in which adult learners can make best use of a learning opportunity. Many teachers, however, do not have specialist training for this task. Part-time faculty in the study want professional development although they do not think traditional methods of professional development suit their circumstances. They do have clear ideas of the kind of CPD support that they think will meet their needs. The study suggests guidelines for developing a model of CPD that is suitable for part-time faculty in adult education.

This thesis considers questioning of rigid conceptions of identity with regards the parallel and integrated contexts of the Canadian Arctic and academia. The text has been written as a conversation between texts written by Inuit (the source literature) and non-Inuit. I have searched and analyzed these sources on the broad themes of research, colonization and pedagogy. The theme of research is a guide for the first section of this thesis where I locate the research by detailing my rationales and methodologies. My objective to conduct this research ethically, responsible to writings by Inuit and others represented within this thesis, led me to use a literary approach considered by some as non-standard within the social sciences. Drawing only on secondary texts for this research, reading and writing are my methodologies and I utilize intertextuality as a theoretical and methodological guide. The theme of colonization in the Canadian Arctic provides a main focus for the second and third sections of the thesis. I review perspectives both on colonization in the Canadian Arctic, and contemporary social health challenges, and consider these in relation to the educational sphere most specifically. Colonization is discussed as something that has incurred trauma for Inuit, and as something that Inuit seek to be resilient to, but I emphasize a need to recognize diversities within the colonization and contemporary experiences of Inuit. I discuss that narratives can be misleading and potentially harmful, particularly when there is an overreliance on rigid externally-defined narratives which conflict with internal conceptions of identity. And I discuss how narratives can also be affirming, particularly when an individual has agency over the construction and the sharing processes. I consider the writings within the source literature as enactments of resilience through inherent questioning of hegemonic ‘truths’. Pedagogy is a thematic guide for the fourth section of the thesis. I suggest that under the intangible terminologies of ‘overcoming trauma’ or ‘resilience over colonization’ sit pedagogies that Inuit discuss whereby such ideals may be pursued. Learning theorists focussed more broadly promote critiques of mainstream pedagogies and ideal pedagogies similar to those discussed by Inuit. Considering these connections leads to an articulation of five characteristics of ideal pedagogies for coming to new understandings on difference: 1) a need to revalue diversities and ‘soft’ skills such as imagination; 2) a tolerance of an individual’s need for freedom to define one’s own identity; 3) a conceptualization of pedagogy as a contextualized way of living rather than a decontextualized activity; 4) the importance of a dialogic pedagogy and humility of both teacher/learner; and 5) the promotion of a cognizance, through pedagogy, that essentialisms are necessary but also potentially misleading and damaging. Such an articulation of ideal pedagogies has also guided my own learning within this research.