Pedagogy of empowerment: co-produced self-directed pedagogic spaces for inclusion

What is more important in education than inclusion? In this present paper we argue that inclusion must be the starting point in the design of education. We focus on how all students can be included in the process of learning in formal education settings. We theoretically explore (a) whether applying a self-directed learning framework in education can enable co-produced pedagogic spaces, and then (b) the potential for self-directed co-produced pedagogic spaces to facilitate inclusion ‘in’ and ‘through’ education. We conclude that applying a self-directed learning framework in education could enable co-production at all pedagogical phases – planning, undertaking, and reviewing phases of learning; and that some inclusion of self-directed learning and/or elements of power-sharing possibilities would (arguably) be facilitative in terms of enabling inclusion in and through education. Further research in this novel topic area is recommended.