Teaching in Higher Ed Joyful Justice
Jul 31, 2025
Alexandra (Ana) Kogl, a political science professor at the University of Northern Iowa, delves into the intersection of joy and justice in education. She shares her journey of discovering joy in the classroom, countering the notion that learning must be a joyless experience. Kogl discusses innovative teaching methods that engage emotional authenticity, the societal pressures around masculinity and emotional numbness, and the vital role of compassion in fostering meaningful student interactions. Ultimately, she emphasizes the power of joy-centered pedagogy in creating transformative learning environments.
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Joyless Expectations of Teaching
- Alexandra Anna Kogl initially expected teaching political science to be purely intellectual and serious without emotional engagement.
- She found that early academic culture undervalued affective dimensions, limiting joy in classrooms.
Opening to Emotion Enriches Learning
- Opening the classroom to the full range of human emotions enables richer cognitive engagement and personal connection.
- Setting a place at the table for joy invites unexpected mental liberation and shared recognition of justice.
Students' Joy Expectations Differ
- General education students often expect busy work and feel dead inside in classrooms.
- Political science majors anticipate engaged discussions but still expect a heaviness linked to the subject matter.
