Unsettling feelings in the classroom: scaffolding pedagogies of discomfort as part of decolonising human geography in higher education

Holding together Hope and despair: Transformative learning through virtual place‐based education in Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Student responses also suggest a tension within a pedagogy of discomfort, between learning through discomfort and sitting in discomfort; that is students may find themselves confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but unable to work through these feelings. This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings.…”

“…This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings. In our case, while the film's rapid shots and questions worked to unsettle students, whether this dislocation leads to learning depends upon subsequent ability to process these feelings through guided reflection and conversation.…”

Holding together Hope and despair: Transformative learning through virtual place‐based education in Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Student responses also suggest a tension within a pedagogy of discomfort, between learning through discomfort and sitting in discomfort; that is students may find themselves confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but unable to work through these feelings. This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings.…”

“…This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings. In our case, while the film's rapid shots and questions worked to unsettle students, whether this dislocation leads to learning depends upon subsequent ability to process these feelings through guided reflection and conversation.…”

All inside our heads? A critical discursive review of unconscious bias training in the sciences

“…Although in such studies, feelings of guilt, shame, and defensiveness are understood as necessary motivational drives, in none of these accounts is there a recommendation or expectation for intervention participants to stay with these difficult feelings. The inferred implication of this rule is that bad feelings get in the way of doing the necessary psychological work that is needed, a further form of doublespeak, conveying a message of “feel but stop feeling quickly” or “feel but not in that way.” This is despite literature on decolonizing the academy that suggests discomfort needs to be part of reflections on the meanings of whiteness, sexism and privilege (Millner, 2022), and that diversity work includes confrontation and recognition of feelings as an important and legitimate part of the human experience of change (Hunter, 2015).…”

Ethicality, Quality, and Learners' Necessities: Educational Technology Participation

“…Those are the things that teachers would use as guidelines in carrying out their teaching duties at school and should be applied in their daily learning activities. Professional teachers represent people who have specialized abilities and expertise in their field, enabling them to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities as teachers (Istiniah dkk., 2023;Kristin dkk., 2022;Lumbanraja, 2021;Malau, 2021;Merilyn, 2018Merilyn, , 2020Millner, 2021;Munte, 2021Munte, , 2023Munte dkk., 2023;Munte & Natalia, 2022;Munte & Wirawan, 2022;PAHAN dkk., 2014;Pattiasina dkk., 2022;Pischetola, 2021;Pongoh, 2022;Pradita, 2021;Rahmelia dkk., 2022;Silipta dkk., 2021;Sripada, 2016;SUGIYANTO dkk., 2014;Sulistyowati dkk., 2021;Susila & Pradita, 2022;Tekerop dkk., 2019;Triadi, Pongoh, dkk., 2022;Utami, 2022;Wulan, 2005;Wulan & Sanjaya, 2022). Proficient teachers determine high quality education process.…”

Holding together Hope and despair: Transformative learning through virtual place‐based education in Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Student responses also suggest a tension within a pedagogy of discomfort, between learning through discomfort and sitting in discomfort; that is students may find themselves confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but unable to work through these feelings. This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings.…”

“…This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings. In our case, while the film's rapid shots and questions worked to unsettle students, whether this dislocation leads to learning depends upon subsequent ability to process these feelings through guided reflection and conversation.…”

All inside our heads? A critical discursive review of unconscious bias training in the sciences

“…Although in such studies, feelings of guilt, shame, and defensiveness are understood as necessary motivational drives, in none of these accounts is there a recommendation or expectation for intervention participants to stay with these difficult feelings. The inferred implication of this rule is that bad feelings get in the way of doing the necessary psychological work that is needed, a further form of doublespeak, conveying a message of “feel but stop feeling quickly” or “feel but not in that way.” This is despite literature on decolonizing the academy that suggests discomfort needs to be part of reflections on the meanings of whiteness, sexism and privilege (Millner, 2022), and that diversity work includes confrontation and recognition of feelings as an important and legitimate part of the human experience of change (Hunter, 2015).…”

Ethicality, Quality, and Learners' Necessities: Educational Technology Participation

“…Those are the things that teachers would use as guidelines in carrying out their teaching duties at school and should be applied in their daily learning activities. Professional teachers represent people who have specialized abilities and expertise in their field, enabling them to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities as teachers (Istiniah dkk., 2023;Kristin dkk., 2022;Lumbanraja, 2021;Malau, 2021;Merilyn, 2018Merilyn, , 2020Millner, 2021;Munte, 2021Munte, , 2023Munte dkk., 2023;Munte & Natalia, 2022;Munte & Wirawan, 2022;PAHAN dkk., 2014;Pattiasina dkk., 2022;Pischetola, 2021;Pongoh, 2022;Pradita, 2021;Rahmelia dkk., 2022;Silipta dkk., 2021;Sripada, 2016;SUGIYANTO dkk., 2014;Sulistyowati dkk., 2021;Susila & Pradita, 2022;Tekerop dkk., 2019;Triadi, Pongoh, dkk., 2022;Utami, 2022;Wulan, 2005;Wulan & Sanjaya, 2022). Proficient teachers determine high quality education process.…”

Holding together Hope and despair: Transformative learning through virtual place‐based education in Aotearoa, New Zealand

“…Student responses also suggest a tension within a pedagogy of discomfort, between learning through discomfort and sitting in discomfort; that is students may find themselves confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed, but unable to work through these feelings. This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings.…”

“…This tension is well recognised in the scholarship; as Millner (2023, p. 806) notes, ‘a pedagogy of discomfort is not about making everything uncomfortable, but about how to make it possible to experience and learn from discomfort productively and safely’. Millner (2023) argues that there is a need to scaffold discomforting learning so students can process their feelings. In our case, while the film's rapid shots and questions worked to unsettle students, whether this dislocation leads to learning depends upon subsequent ability to process these feelings through guided reflection and conversation.…”

All inside our heads? A critical discursive review of unconscious bias training in the sciences

“…Although in such studies, feelings of guilt, shame, and defensiveness are understood as necessary motivational drives, in none of these accounts is there a recommendation or expectation for intervention participants to stay with these difficult feelings. The inferred implication of this rule is that bad feelings get in the way of doing the necessary psychological work that is needed, a further form of doublespeak, conveying a message of “feel but stop feeling quickly” or “feel but not in that way.” This is despite literature on decolonizing the academy that suggests discomfort needs to be part of reflections on the meanings of whiteness, sexism and privilege (Millner, 2022), and that diversity work includes confrontation and recognition of feelings as an important and legitimate part of the human experience of change (Hunter, 2015).…”

Ethicality, Quality, and Learners' Necessities: Educational Technology Participation

“…Those are the things that teachers would use as guidelines in carrying out their teaching duties at school and should be applied in their daily learning activities. Professional teachers represent people who have specialized abilities and expertise in their field, enabling them to effectively perform their duties and responsibilities as teachers (Istiniah dkk., 2023;Kristin dkk., 2022;Lumbanraja, 2021;Malau, 2021;Merilyn, 2018Merilyn, , 2020Millner, 2021;Munte, 2021Munte, , 2023Munte dkk., 2023;Munte & Natalia, 2022;Munte & Wirawan, 2022;PAHAN dkk., 2014;Pattiasina dkk., 2022;Pischetola, 2021;Pongoh, 2022;Pradita, 2021;Rahmelia dkk., 2022;Silipta dkk., 2021;Sripada, 2016;SUGIYANTO dkk., 2014;Sulistyowati dkk., 2021;Susila & Pradita, 2022;Tekerop dkk., 2019;Triadi, Pongoh, dkk., 2022;Utami, 2022;Wulan, 2005;Wulan & Sanjaya, 2022). Proficient teachers determine high quality education process.…”