Wang 1 Suyi Wang Elizabeth Williams English 001A Mar. 3rd 2023 The Lack of Student Engagement: Oppression, Marginalization, and Master Narrative in Education Education is often regarded as the backbone of any society. It's responsible for passing on knowledge and skills to future generations. Unfortunately, there's a significant problem that has been troubling education for a long time - the lack of student engagement. This issue is very concerning because it affects not only the quality and outcomes of education but also has a broader impact on our society. According some experts’ investigation in the educational field, such as the perspectives of bell hooks’ ‘Keeping close to home: class and education’, a graduation speech “A different Mirror” by Ronald Takaki and another speech “Do schools kill creativity?” by Sir Ken Robinson and Paulo Freire, one of the most influential philosophers of education of the twentieth century who wrote ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ in this field. We can explore various factors that contribute the problem. In this paper, I will argue that student engagement is the biggest problem facing education today. Oppression in education is one of the primary factors that contribute to the lack of student engagement, as it impedes the personalization of learning and reduces the quality of education. Banking concept, is considered oppressive because it reinforces power imbalances between the teacher and students. In this approach, the teacher holds Wang 2 all the knowledge and power, while the students are expected to passively receive information without questioning or challenging it. This reinforces the dominant societal norms and values and limits students' ability to critically engage with the material and question the current situation. Furthermore, this approach ignores the diverse experiences and backgrounds of students and assumes a one-size-fits-all approach to education. It does not take into account the unique needs and interests of each student, nor does it recognize the role that students can play in shaping their own education. As Paulo Freire notes, the banking concept of education "involves a type of reasoning that values memorization over understanding and the acquisition of knowledge as a separate act from the context in which it is to be used" (72). This approach reduces students to passive recipients of information, where they are expected to simply memorize and regurgitate information without critically engaging with it. As a result, students become disengaged from the learning process and fail to see the relevance of what they are learning to their own lives and experiences. Oppression in education, such as the banking concept, is a significant factor that contributes to the lack of student engagement, ultimately affecting the quality and outcomes of education. To address this issue, a student-centered approach that fosters critical thinking and active engagement is necessary for improved educational outcomes and a more productive society. Marginalization in education is another factor that affects student engagement, as it undermines the diversity and inclusion necessary for personalized and meaningful learning experiences. For example, “bell hook was shocked and saddened when she first heard black professors at Stanford downgrade and express in the internalization of Wang 3 racist perspectives” (hooks 109). This type of behavior homogenizes education and can diminish students' study motivation. When students feel like they do not belong in the academic environment or that their potential is not being recognized, they may become disengaged from the learning process. This marginalization can have severe consequences, such as limiting opportunities for academic achievement, reducing the diversity of ideas, and reinforcing inequalities. To address this issue, it is crucial to foster an inclusive educational environment that promotes diversity, encourages individuality, and values all students' contributions. Such an environment would improve student engagement and provide a foundation for a more just and equitable society. Master narrative in education is another crucial factor that undermines student engagement. This narrative is apparent in the Eurocentric curriculum, which limits diverse perspectives and reinforces a narrow understanding of history and culture. According to Ronald Takaki, this type of exclusion in education leads to students thinking in the same way and not forming their own opinions (3). When students are exposed to only one perspective, they are deprived of the opportunity to engage critically with a range of ideas and develop their own perspectives. This lack of engagement undermines the quality and outcomes of education, as students may not retain or apply learned concepts in practical situations. To address this issue, a more inclusive and diverse curriculum is necessary. Such a curriculum would promote a range of ideas, encourage critical thinking, and provide students with the opportunity to develop their own opinions. This would ultimately lead to improved student Wang 4 engagement, better educational outcomes, and a more diverse and equitable society. In conclusion, oppression, marginalization and master narrative are all reasons why lack of student engagement is the biggest problem in education. To address these issues, a student-centered approach that fosters critical thinking, diversity, and inclusivity is necessary for improved educational outcomes and a more equitable society. Wang 5 Works Cited Page Freire, Paulo. Pedagogy of the Oppressed. Continuum, 1993. Hooks, Bell. “Keeping Close to Home: Class and Education.” 75 Thematic Readings, edited by Lisa Moore, McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2003, pp. 99-112. "Do Schools Kill Creativity (Ken Robinson)?" TED, uploaded by TED, 2006, www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity. Takaki, Ronald. "A Different Mirror: Studying the Past for the Sake of the Future." Commencement Address, Whitman College, 21 May 2006.
