A Quasi-Experimental Study on Developing Social Justice Advocacy in Nursing Education Through Critical Pedagogy and Freirean Dialogues

Summary

Recognizing the critical significance of social and health inequalities as one of the foremost global challenges, the United Nations (UN) acknowledged the growing disparity as a key issue in the Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Reducing global inequalities was established as one of the 17 MDG targets for the period 2015-2030. While certain health indicators have seen improvement in Turkey's healthcare system, notable factors continue to threaten the equitable provision of healthcare. In light of the profound societal transformations in Turkey, including a substantial influx of refugees and ongoing economic challenges, the pursuit of social justice has become essential (Makovsky, 2019). Therefore, it is crucial to position social justice as a central theme in nursing education (Einhellig et al., 2016; Hellman et al., 2018). Nevertheless, scholarly literature highlights the importance of exploring how nurse educators can foster this comprehension and motivate students towards the aim of advocacy. The literature underscores the dual significance of addressing this topic in nursing education (Hellman et al., 2018), while also emphasizing the need to broaden understanding of effective teaching and learning strategies. These methods are essential for equipping students with the knowledge and skills necessary to advocate for social justice, empowering them to critically examine existing systems, develop a sense of agency, and take responsibility for driving societal change in nursing practice (Elliott \& Sandberg, 2021).

Historically, nursing education has operated within a culture of silence, often neglecting issues of oppression, racism, and marginalization. This stands in contrast to Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, which emphasizes dialogue as a fundamental element of teaching and learning (Iheduru-Anderson et al., 2021, 2022). By incorporating dialogical methods in nursing classrooms, educators can create inclusive spaces where students openly share their experiences, engage in meaningful discussions on social justice, and collaborate in knowledge creation. Such reciprocal dialogue is only possible in environments that value diverse perspectives and foster a sense of belonging (Kechi et al., 2024) Through dialogical education, students gain confidence, actively participate in their learning, and develop the critical thinking skills necessary to challenge inequities (Giroux, 2010; Paulo Freire et al., 2014). Integrating Freire's critical pedagogy into nursing education not only strengthens these skills but also prepares nurses to advocate for social change, ultimately contributing to a more just and equitable healthcare system (Kechi et al., 2024). The current study applies Paulo Freire's critical pedagogy, highlighting education as a means of empowerment and encouraging learners to critically analyze societal structures while engaging in transformative action. Integrating Freirean principles can cultivate critical consciousness among students, equipping them to identify and address systemic inequalities in healthcare.

This study employs a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of Freirean dialogue-based critical pedagogy in fostering social justice advocacy among nursing students.

Conditions

• Social Justice Advocacy
• Nursing Education

Interventions

OTHER

a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of Freirean dialogue-based critical pedagogy in fostering social justice advocacy among nursing students.

a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design to evaluate the effectiveness of Freirean dialogue-based critical pedagogy in fostering social justice advocacy among nursing students.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Çankırı Karatekin University

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

NA

Purpose

OTHER

Masking

NONE

Model

SINGLE_GROUP

Eligibility

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-10-10

Primary Completion

2024-12-10

Completion

2025-01-10

Countries

• Turkey (Türkiye)

Study Locations