Exploring the Impact of Critical Pedagogy: Do Preservice Teachers Develop Critical Consciousness when Taught by Critical Pedagogues?

The study utilized participatory action research and grounded theory methods and methodology to explore how critical pedagogy, as practiced by a small group of university education professors, shapes and influences the development of a critical consciousness among preservice teachers. Although there were some ‘conscious raising’ learning experiences, which are highlighted in this paper, the majority of preservice teachers exited the program with limited levels of critical consciousness. This paper discusses some of the pedagogical practices that hindered and enhanced preservice teacher conscious raising as well as the exit data which conveyed three variant levels of critical consciousness.