Teaching with the flow: Fixity and fluidity in education | Culture and communication in digital worlds

Author(s): Alastair Pennycook

Year of publication: 2005

Keywords: Hip-hop culture, Code-switching, Popular culture, Performance, Identity

Methodology/Sample: _/_

Reference: Pennycook, A. (2005). Teaching with the flow: Fixity and fluidity in education. Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 25(1), 29-43. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188790500032491

Abstract

In this paper I suggest that as educators we need to understand that the spaces and cultures our students inhabit are to be found not so much in predefinitions of cultural background or in studies of classrooms as cultural spaces as in the transcultural flows with which our students engage. Thus, my argument is not only that, as Singh and Doherty () suggest, the flow of “international” students turns many classrooms into “global education contact zones” (p. 11), but also that the global flows of English and popular culture turn classrooms in many parts of the world into spaces of transcultural contact. Students can no longer be understood as located in a bounded time and space in and around their classrooms but rather are participants in a much broader set of transcultural practices. Taking the global culture of hip-hop as an example, with a particular focus on hip-hop in parts of East and Southeast Asia, I argue that with English increasingly becoming the medium of global transcultural exchange, we need to understand the relations between English, popular culture, education and identity, or the ways in which global Englishes become a shifting means of transcultural identity formation. What I want to suggest here, then, is that in order to be attentive to the politics of location in the global context, we need a pedagogy of flow.

> Summary

The paper discusses transcultural flows and their impact on education and identity formation among students.
It critiques static cultural identity definitions, advocating for dynamic pedagogies in the classroom.
Popular culture, particularly hip-hop, is highlighted as a significant factor in students’ identity and social connections.
The author emphasizes the need for educators to validate students’ cultural knowledge and experiences.
Overall, the paper argues for a critical engagement with popular culture in educational contexts.

> Problem statement

The paper argues for understanding students’ transcultural practices beyond traditional cultural backgrounds and classroom studies.
It critiques the limitations of validating popular culture in education, advocating for dynamic pedagogies.
The author emphasizes the need for a pedagogy of flow to address the politics of location in a global context.
The paper highlights the challenge of cultural homogenization in globalization, advocating for local appropriations of cultural forms.
It discusses the role of popular culture in identity formation and the necessity for pedagogies that engage with it.

> Methods used

Not addressed in the paper.

> Practical implications

Educators should recognize students’ engagement in broader transcultural practices beyond traditional classroom boundaries.
The paper advocates for dynamic pedagogies in transcultural contact zones.
Popular culture plays a crucial role in identity formation and should be actively engaged in education.
Understanding the fluidity of English in global hip-hop can inform teaching strategies.
The implications of globalization on cultural identity necessitate a focus on hybrid experiences in education.