Session 8 - Strand 2 (Online)

Abstract:

Relational pedagogies are widely associated with enhanced student engagement and deeper learning, and have attracted growing attention within higher education scholarship. However, their implementation within the fast-paced, modular structures of contemporary teaching presents practical challenges. Despite these constraints, relational approaches are increasingly recognised as important for fostering student belonging, particularly in the post-COVID-19 context. This paper adopts a practice-based perspective, informed by key theoretical discussions on relational pedagogy, to reflect on teaching Global Criminology to 21st-century learners. Drawing on the author’s experience of embedding relational approaches as a central element of their teaching practice, it explores how such pedagogies can be enacted within time-limited teaching environments. The paper considers both the uncertainties and tensions involved in adopting this approach, alongside its potential to cultivate meaningful engagement and connection among diverse student cohorts. It argues that, while not without challenges, the benefits of relational pedagogy in supporting engagement and belonging outweigh the difficulties of its implementation.