Navigating the Age of Crisis: Exploring the Pathway to Engaged Pedagogy for the Transformative Learning Environment

Abstract

Pedagogy for the future: sociology, innovation, and the classroom, a special issue of Sociological Focus takes readers on a journey of self-reflection, research, and dialogue about the importance of teaching sociology in the wake of polarization, crisis, and fear. In times of crisis sociology is uniquely positioned to help us think more critically about the world. Teaching while in crisis taught us to be more responsive to the various needs of students, administrators, universities, colleagues, our families, and our needs as teacher-scholars. This special issue walks us through lessons learned during an era of “crisis teaching.” Our call to action? How can we be better teacher-scholars? The future of sociology in the classroom is through engaged pedagogy, which transforms the learning environment. This article lays the foundation for readers to grapple with pedagogical challenges related to pandemic teaching, polarization, the attack of sociology as a discipline, and the systemic challenges that come with teaching in the age of crisis. Furthermore, this article builds a roadmap to engaged pedagogy designed to transform sociology classrooms of the future.