In curriculum practice, learning dynamics are not only about knowledge acquisition but also about how learners engage in meaning-making and transformation. Two powerful concepts that illuminate this process are reflexivity and synthesis. Reflexivity involves learners’ capacity to critically examine their own perspectives, assumptions, and positionalities in relation to knowledge. Synthesis, on the other hand, refers to the integration of multiple viewpoints, disciplines, or experiences into a coherent whole.

A curriculum practice in Social Studies that reflects both reflexivity and synthesis is community-based inquiry projects. In this approach, students are asked to investigate local social, cultural, or political issues, such as heritage preservation, environmental protection, or youth participation in governance. The dynamics of learning here unfold in three stages:

Reflexivity – Students are encouraged to reflect on their initial beliefs and biases about the issue. For example, when studying local history, learners may begin with a textbook-based view of heritage but, through fieldwork and interviews, realize that their own family narratives and community practices shape their understanding of the past. Reflexivity enables them to see learning as a dialogical process between self and society.

Synthesis – As students gather diverse data from oral histories, archival sources, and community stakeholders, they integrate these pieces into a comprehensive narrative or product, such as a community map or exhibit. This stage demands higher-order thinking: connecting disparate sources, reconciling contradictions, and forming a holistic perspective.

Transformative Learning – The interplay of reflexivity and synthesis leads to a deeper, more situated understanding of both content and self. Students not only learn about historical events or civic processes but also recognize their role in shaping community knowledge and action. This makes learning dynamic, participatory, and socially engaged.

This curriculum practice resonates with your work in Project MAPA, which uses mapping as a pedagogical tool. By mapping cultural, historical, and social resources, students do not simply replicate (mimesis) knowledge but actively synthesize multiple data sources and reflect on their positionality as members of their community. The result is not just academic learning but also civic empowerment.

In this sense, the curriculum is transformative because it goes beyond rote learning to cultivate critical, integrative, and self-aware learners who can engage with complex realities. Reflexivity and synthesis ensure that learning is not static but evolving — a dialogue between past and present, self and community, knowledge and action.

Reference:
Kemmis, S., & Smith, T. J. (2008). Enabling praxis: Challenges for education. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.