Term of Award

Fall 2025

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)

Document Type and Release Option

Dissertation (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Curriculum, Foundations, and Reading

Committee Chair

John Weaver

Committee Member 1

Daniel Chapman

Committee Member 2

Ming Fang He

Committee Member 3

William Schubert

Abstract

This dissertation confronts neoliberal ideology in public education, where standardized testing and market-driven accountability systematically undermine teacher autonomy and creative learning. Moving beyond critique to action, this study develops a practical pedagogical framework empowering educators to resist these dehumanizing forces and cultivate democratic learning spaces through arts-integrated professional learning as critical aesthetic pedagogy. Drawing on Henry Giroux, Maxine Greene, Paolo Freire, and Jacques Rancière, this qualitative case study examines a professional learning initiative with public school teachers through interviews, classroom observations, and analysis of participants' photographic projects. These visual works function not merely as documentation but as catalysts for Giroux's "radical imaginary," creating what Rancière describes as "multiplication of connections and disconnections" that reframe educational contexts—similar to Deleuze and Guattari's rhizomatic thinking that resists hierarchical, linear understanding. The findings reveal that critical aesthetic pedagogy enables teachers to challenge neoliberal educational policies. Photography emerges as a powerful tool for critical reflection, helping educators identify and disrupt the pervasive influence of market-driven logic. This work contributes to curriculum studies by offering an innovative model for teacher professional development that champions critical pedagogy and equips educators with strategies for resisting oppressive testing culture, ultimately reclaiming education's transformative potential beyond technical aims.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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