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'''Disrupting the Disciplines''' focuses on the [[Bottleneck|bottlenecks]] of racism, implicit bias, colonialism, and identity, raising awareness that "concepts we have taken for granted as neutral and unbiased are in fact deeply enmeshed in structures of oppression." This adaptation of Decoding began in Canada in 2016 in the wake of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report and Calls to Action, which included imperatives for change to post-secondary education. While efforts towards decolonization in higher education in the Canadian context continue, the work is complex and challenging<ref>Stein, S. (2020). ‘Truth before reconciliation’: the difficulties of transforming higher education in settler colonial contexts*. ''Higher Education Research & Development'', ''39''(1), 156–170. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666255</nowiki></ref> | '''Disrupting the Disciplines''' focuses on the [[Bottleneck|bottlenecks]] of racism, implicit bias, colonialism, and identity, raising awareness that "concepts we have taken for granted as neutral and unbiased are in fact deeply enmeshed in structures of oppression." This adaptation of Decoding began in Canada in 2016 in the wake of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report and Calls to Action, which included imperatives for change to post-secondary education. While efforts towards decolonization in higher education in the Canadian context continue, the work is complex and challenging,<ref>Stein, S. (2020). ‘Truth before reconciliation’: the difficulties of transforming higher education in settler colonial contexts*. ''Higher Education Research & Development'', ''39''(1), 156–170. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666255</nowiki></ref> as universities themselves are built upon Western frameworks of thinking. This extends to academic disciplines. The group at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada that began conceptualizing Disrupting as an alternative facet of Decoding noticed that Decoding begins with an assumptions that the Disciplines are "right" in their thinking (see Easton et al., 2019).<ref>Easton, L., Lexier, R., Lindstrom, G. & Yeo, M. (2019). Uncovering the complicit: The decoding interview as a decolonising practice (pp. 149-170). In Quinn, L. (Ed.) ''Reimagining curriculum: Spaces for disruption''. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1nzfzm1.13</nowiki></ref> This group expanded beyond Mount Royal University and beyond Canada, and is now known colloquially as the Disrupting Collective. Aspects beyond decolonization, such as anti-racism, may be more relevant in other contexts. | ||
Disrupting asks experts to consider where the bottlenecks exist in the discipline itself, and what may need to be rethought<ref>Lindstrom, G., Easton, L., Yeo, M., & Attas, R. (2022). The disrupting interview: A framework to approach decolonization. ''International Journal for Academic Development. 1-13.'' https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2022.2103560</ref> | Disrupting asks experts to consider where the bottlenecks exist in the discipline itself, and what may need to be rethought.<ref>Lindstrom, G., Easton, L., Yeo, M., & Attas, R. (2022). The disrupting interview: A framework to approach decolonization. ''International Journal for Academic Development. 1-13.'' https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2022.2103560</ref> For instance, ''Decoding'' bottlenecks are often cognitive, such as in history, developing an historical argument. A ''Disrupting'' bottleneck in history might question maintaining appropriate emotional distance: Why do we expect historians to police their own emotions and take the perspectives of even repugnant actors? Does this uphold colonialism? | ||
==Comparison of Decoding and Disrupting== | ==Comparison of Decoding and Disrupting== | ||
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|Step 2 Decoding/Disrupting | |Step 2 Decoding/Disrupting | ||
|What does the specialist do to get through the bottleneck? What is the “mental move?” | |What does the specialist do to get through the bottleneck? What is the “mental move?” | ||
|What can I imagine doing differently? What kind of thinking or doing (or being) are we aiming for as an alternative? | |What can I imagine doing differently? What kind of thinking or doing (or being) are we aiming for as an alternative? What work might I need to do on myself to learn or unlearn what I take for granted? | ||
|- | |- | ||
|Step 3 Modeling/Teaching Presentation | |Step 3 Modeling/Teaching Presentation | ||
Revision as of 11:22, 17 June 2025
Disrupting the Disciplines focuses on the bottlenecks of racism, implicit bias, colonialism, and identity, raising awareness that "concepts we have taken for granted as neutral and unbiased are in fact deeply enmeshed in structures of oppression." This adaptation of Decoding began in Canada in 2016 in the wake of the 2015 Truth and Reconciliation Commission's final report and Calls to Action, which included imperatives for change to post-secondary education. While efforts towards decolonization in higher education in the Canadian context continue, the work is complex and challenging,[1] as universities themselves are built upon Western frameworks of thinking. This extends to academic disciplines. The group at Mount Royal University in Calgary, Canada that began conceptualizing Disrupting as an alternative facet of Decoding noticed that Decoding begins with an assumptions that the Disciplines are "right" in their thinking (see Easton et al., 2019).[2] This group expanded beyond Mount Royal University and beyond Canada, and is now known colloquially as the Disrupting Collective. Aspects beyond decolonization, such as anti-racism, may be more relevant in other contexts.
Disrupting asks experts to consider where the bottlenecks exist in the discipline itself, and what may need to be rethought.[3] For instance, Decoding bottlenecks are often cognitive, such as in history, developing an historical argument. A Disrupting bottleneck in history might question maintaining appropriate emotional distance: Why do we expect historians to police their own emotions and take the perspectives of even repugnant actors? Does this uphold colonialism?
Comparison of Decoding and Disrupting
The following table juxtaposes guiding questions of Decoding and Disrupting.[4]
| Decoding/Disrupting Steps | Decoding questions | Disrupting questions |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 Bottlenecks | Where is a bottleneck where students struggle to learn in my course or field? | Where is my field upholding colonialism/racism? What is one component of my discipline where I can identify colonial or racist structures or processes at work? And that I feel prepared to delve into? |
| Step 2 Decoding/Disrupting | What does the specialist do to get through the bottleneck? What is the “mental move?” | What can I imagine doing differently? What kind of thinking or doing (or being) are we aiming for as an alternative? What work might I need to do on myself to learn or unlearn what I take for granted? |
| Step 3 Modeling/Teaching Presentation | What narratives, analogies, or metaphors will I use to model and meta-explain the mental move? | What narratives, analogies, or metaphors will model or center indigenous or anti-racist views? |
| Step 4 Student Practice | How will the students practice the mental move? How will I scaffold it for them? | What do I have the students practice? |
| Step 5 Motivation/Resistance | Where do the students resist? Are there emotional and identity bottlenecks that interfere with learning the mental move? What will motivate persistence to use the new mental move? | Where do students resist? What anti-racist/indigenous pedagogies will I use? |
| Step 6 Assessment | How can I check that students have grasped the new mental move? | How do I assess anti-racist and anti-colonialist thinking? |
| Step 7 Sharing | Where can I disseminate the analysis and reflection on the bottleneck lesson? | Where do I share what we learned from analysis and reflection on the disrupting process? |
See also
- Easton, L., & Middendorf, J. (2024). Decoding, Disrupting: An Email conversation in many parts. In R. Attas, & M. Yeo. [Eds]. Disrupting the Disciplines. Vol, p. ?? New Directions for Teaching and Learning. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20662
References
- ↑ Stein, S. (2020). ‘Truth before reconciliation’: the difficulties of transforming higher education in settler colonial contexts*. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(1), 156–170. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1666255
- ↑ Easton, L., Lexier, R., Lindstrom, G. & Yeo, M. (2019). Uncovering the complicit: The decoding interview as a decolonising practice (pp. 149-170). In Quinn, L. (Ed.) Reimagining curriculum: Spaces for disruption. https://doi.org/10.2307/j.ctv1nzfzm1.13
- ↑ Lindstrom, G., Easton, L., Yeo, M., & Attas, R. (2022). The disrupting interview: A framework to approach decolonization. International Journal for Academic Development. 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1080/1360144X.2022.2103560
- ↑ Decoding the Disciplines Website
