Transformative education through social activities and curriculum de-encapsulation

Fernanda Coelho Liberali

doi:10.5433/1519-5392.2025v25n1p106-127

Authors

Fernanda Coelho Liberali Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7165-646X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5433/1519-5392.2025v25n1p106-127

Keywords:

Transformative education, Social activities, Curriculum de-encapsulation, Student agency, Engaged multiliteracy

Abstract

This essay discusses transformative education through social activities and curriculum de-encapsulation. Using the example of a museum visit, it demonstrates how integrating real-world, situated activities into the curriculum challenges traditional educational models by promoting student agency and critical engagement with the production of knowledge. This approach fosters educational environments where students are not merely passive recipients of predefined content but active participants in constructing meaning through experiences that connect school and life. Curriculum de-encapsulation enables interdisciplinary learning that bridges academic knowledge with social, political, and cultural issues, thus contributing to a pedagogy that is inclusive, critical, and socially responsive. By breaking the boundaries of rigid disciplinary structures, it allows for the integration of multiple perspectives and ways of knowing. This not only enhances students' cognitive engagement but also supports the development of their social and ethical awareness. The article concludes that such an educational orientation has the potential to prepare students to become reflective and responsible agents of social change within their communities. It suggests that transformative learning spaces, grounded in real experiences and dialogical practices, are essential for cultivating a sense of belonging, purpose, and the collective potential to act toward a more just and equitable world.

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Author Biography

Fernanda Coelho Liberali, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo

Professora, pesquisadora e formadora de educadores na Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP). Atua no Departamento de Ciências da Linguagem e Filosofia e nos Programas de Pós-Graduação em Linguística Aplicada e Estudos da Linguagem, Formação de Educadores e Currículo. É graduada em Letras pela UFRJ, possui mestrado e doutorado em Linguística Aplicada pela PUC-SP, e realizou pós-doutorados na Universidade de Helsinque, Freie UniversitÃ¤t Berlin e Rutgers University. Conduziu pesquisa sênior na University of Notre Dame, EUA, e possui o título de Livre Docente. Fernanda coordena o Grupo de Pesquisa em Linguagem em Atividade no Contexto Escolar, é bolsista de produtividade do CNPq e colabora com instituições internacionais como o CRADLE, na Universidade de Helsinque, a University of Notre Dame e o Consórcio de Universidades Católicas para Justiça Social e Ecológica. Coordenou importantes projetos nacionais e internacionais, publicou extensivamente e concentra sua pesquisa na formação de educadores, argumentação multimodal e educação multilíngue, dentro do marco da Teoria da Atividade Sócio-Histórico-Cultural.

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