"Bringing Authors and Actors into the Classroom: A Pedagogical Model for Transformative Learning through Direct Dialogue" – Lessons from a Philosophy of Sports Course at a U.S. Liberal Arts College
Faculty Mentor Name
Qingwen Dong
Research or Creativity Area
Humanities & Arts
Abstract
This pedagogical study examines an integrative teaching model observed in a Philosophy of Sports course at a U.S. liberal arts college, where the professor has been inviting guest speakers – Vygotsky’s "more knowledgeable other", as described by Abtahi (2017) – such as original authors of assigned book readings (including himself as a scholar-practitioner), historical participants of 1960s social movements, university attorneys and student sports team coaches, to the classroom to engage in unfiltered dialogues with undergraduate students. Through qualitative analysis of classroom observations, student feedback, and comparative assessment of learning outcomes, this paper argues that such "living text" pedagogy significantly enhances critical thinking, historical empathy, and interdisciplinary synthesis. The study highlights three mechanisms: 1) decentralization of academic authority, 2) embodied historiography, and 3) multi-agent knowledge co-creation. As an EFL teacher from China, the author discusses the practical implications for adapting this teaching model in Chinese EFL contexts later, particularly for courses bridging social learning, critical reading, and academic writing.
Purpose
This pedagogical study examines an innovative teaching model observed in a Philosophy of Sports course at a private U.S. liberal arts college, University of the Pacific, where the professor consecutively for 5 years has invited original authors (including himself as a scholar-practitioner) and historical participants of 1960s social movements to engage in unfiltered dialogues with students. Through qualitative analysis of classroom observations, student feedback, and comparative assessment of learning outcomes, this paper argues that such "living text" pedagogy significantly enhances critical thinking, historical empathy, and interdisciplinary synthesis. The study highlights three mechanisms: 1) de-fetishization of academic authority, 2) embodied historiography, and 3) recursive knowledge co-creation. Practical implications for adapting this model in Chinese EFL contexts are discussed, particularly for courses bridging literature, history, and social philosophy.
Results
The study's qualitative and quantitative data will be collected and analyzed toward the end of the semester but based on a preliminary investigation among students, it is revealed that there are significant pedagogical benefits from integrating authors and historical actors into classroom dialogue, such as overall improved engagement with assigned readings, higher class attendance, heightened engagement with classroom discussion. Course evaluations will be studied to see students' reflections on their learning post-dialogue outcome.
Significance
This study’s core contribution lies in demonstrating how direct dialogue with knowledge producers—whether authors, historical actors, or the professor as a scholar-practitioner—collapses the traditional theory-practice divide, fostering a pedagogy of intellectual kinship. By engaging students in live exchanges with those who have shaped or experienced the texts and events under study, this model transforms passive learners into active co-creators of knowledge. The proposed "1+1+1" framework (1 canonical text + 1 living creator/actor + 1 student co-created output) offers a scalable template for humanities education, ensuring that theoretical discourse remains grounded in real-world perspectives.
Practical implications extend to both instructors and institutions. For teachers, adopting incremental strategies—such as first inviting colleagues to discuss their publications or using structured "guest prep kits" to encourage students’ questions—can mitigate hierarchical barriers and ease implementation. For institutions, investing in scholar-practitioner networks and allocating budgets can sustain this pedagogy beyond individual classrooms. Ultimately, this approach not only deepens critical engagement but also democratizes academic authority, making learning a dynamic, dialogic process.
Location
Room 211B, University of the Pacific, DeRosa University Center
Start Date
26-4-2025 11:00 AM
End Date
26-4-2025 11:15 AM
"Bringing Authors and Actors into the Classroom: A Pedagogical Model for Transformative Learning through Direct Dialogue" – Lessons from a Philosophy of Sports Course at a U.S. Liberal Arts College
Room 211B, University of the Pacific, DeRosa University Center
This pedagogical study examines an integrative teaching model observed in a Philosophy of Sports course at a U.S. liberal arts college, where the professor has been inviting guest speakers – Vygotsky’s "more knowledgeable other", as described by Abtahi (2017) – such as original authors of assigned book readings (including himself as a scholar-practitioner), historical participants of 1960s social movements, university attorneys and student sports team coaches, to the classroom to engage in unfiltered dialogues with undergraduate students. Through qualitative analysis of classroom observations, student feedback, and comparative assessment of learning outcomes, this paper argues that such "living text" pedagogy significantly enhances critical thinking, historical empathy, and interdisciplinary synthesis. The study highlights three mechanisms: 1) decentralization of academic authority, 2) embodied historiography, and 3) multi-agent knowledge co-creation. As an EFL teacher from China, the author discusses the practical implications for adapting this teaching model in Chinese EFL contexts later, particularly for courses bridging social learning, critical reading, and academic writing.
