The political dimension in teaching and meaning making

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to clarify and reason about the political dimension in teaching, learning and meaning making. This is done with the aid of empirical results emanating from analyses of classroom communications. The article begins with a didactical typology of different types of teaching and learning situations dealing with the political dimension in our lives. The article continues by taking a closer look at a situation known as a political moment, in which students are deeply and emotionally engaged in a problem or question involving conflicting opinions and interests and where the inclusion and exclusion of some of these is unavoidable. Based on research results, the article also discusses the possibilities and challenges of including and dealing with political moments in educational activities.