Challenging the Banking Concept: Addressing Student Engagement and Agency as Critical Issues in Contemporary Teaching

Abstract

The present article explores that Freire’s “banking concept of education,” where pupils are seen as passive recipients of knowledge, still challenges current teaching. In this paper I critically review the effects of this approach on student engagement and the development of learner agency. Passive learning environments have been demonstrated to have negative effects on motivation, creativity and critical thinking in educational research. Qualitative examination of classroom dynamics and student perspectives is used to identify the key barriers to student participation and agency, namely, limited curricula, teacher-centered pedagogies and standardized evaluation techniques. The results highlight the urgency of a pedagogical reform oriented towards more inclusive and dialogical pedagogies that permit the participation of the students in the production of their own knowledge. Teachers can foster engaging learning environments and use active listening strategies to support student engagement and self-directed learning. It might lead to better academic performance. The article finishes with some practical suggestions for schools and educators, and a handful of proposals for how to move away from the banking model of education. The recommended teaching approaches are collaborative learning, inquiry-based learning and reflective practice. If we are to proceed with a just and revolutionary education for our world today, it will be important to straighten up these main difficulties.