ILP-seminaret: Conceptions of pedagogy

Conceptions of Pedagogy

This open seminar, organised by the Philosophy of Education research group, brings together an international panel of educational theorists to discuss one of the most foundational questions anyone engaged in education studies has to deal with: What is pedagogy?

Such a question might seem unnecessary to ask, too basic for discussion to be necessary and interesting. But the relevance of such a question becomes apparent if we consider the international nature of academia and the diversity of academic traditions that shape our research, theory and practice. What pedagogy means to one person means something different to someone else in a different tradition, and within each tradition there lie further differentiations and conceptions. In this seminar, we explore this maze of conceptions of pedagogy together. Whilst we may not find a way out as such, we can at least get lost together.

Each speaker will give an individual presentation, followed by a short break, then discussion and audience questions.

1500-1520. Karsten Kenklies, Senior Lecturer in Education Studies at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow/ Scotland, co-founder of ExET.

"Houses and Thoughts. Systematic Pedagogy and the Genesis of Education Studies"

Education Studies as the institutionalised form of academic research into education has not only developed over time but has also taken on a broad variety of forms in different countries. Going beyond the mere problems of translation, it is those different ways of constructing the logic of research that pose certain challenges for intercultural encounters. The following presentation will introduce two opposing strategies used to construct the object of investigative desire: In a juxtaposition of German Allgemeine Pädagogik and British Philosophy of Education, the consequences of accepting one or the other alternative will hopefully become visible.

1520-1540. Tone Kvernbekk, Professor of Pedagogy at UiO and Professor II at UiT The Arctic University of Norway

"A fuzzy terrain"

1540-1600. Sebastian Engelmann, Assistant Professor for General Educational Studies at Karlsruhe University of Education, Germany, co-founder of ExET.

"Pedagogy - (Re)Constructing Meaning in Motion"

When the term pedagogy is used at all, it usually conjures up images of practical education and teaching in schools. In Germany, scientific reflection has been entrusted to educational science. It is precisely the dual character of pedagogy to take into account both the practice of learning control and the reflection on this very practice. As a hermeneutic practice, pedagogy is thus always entrusted with introducing its own theoretical concepts for practice, with which it makes practice comprehensible. In this input, an understanding of pedagogy is introduced which makes it clear that both the a) historical and context-sensitive reconstruction of systems of meaning and b) the construction of pedagogical statements about practice can ultimately only be thought of as interconnected.

1600-1630. Break with refreshments.

1630-1700. Panel discussion, Q&A.

The presentations and discussion will be held in English. The seminar is open for all, and refreshments will be served.

Semesterets første ILP-seminar finner sted 15.08.25, kl 15.00-17.00.