This presentation addresses the question ‘What is educational praxis?’ from both theoretical and empirical perspectives in light of research conducted by the Pedagogy, Education and Praxis (PEP) research network over the past decade. After a brief discussion of how praxis has been understood historically, the paper introduces six key themes as they relate to educational praxis: agency and reflexivity; particularity; connectedness; history and biography; morality and justice; and praxis as doing. Together the themes provide a way of conceptualising what educational praxis looks like, sounds like, and feels like in different educational settings – for example, in early childhood settings, schools, workplaces, and universities – and in different national contexts. In our discussion we explore the forming, self-forming, and transforming nature of educational praxis, and invite the audience to consider the role of educational praxis in achieving the purposes of education amidst the challenges of our time. The paper also discusses convergences and divergences between the European notion of Bildung and Anglophone conceptions of education that have arisen in the research and publications of the network, and explores the possibilities for critical educational praxis in education in contemporary times.

Kemmis, S., & Edwards-Groves, C. (2018). Understanding Education: History, politics and practice. Singapore: Springer. Mahon, K., Francisco, S. & Kemmis, S. (Eds.), (2017). Exploring education and professional practice - Through the lens of practice architectures. Singapore: Springer. Mahon, K. (2014). Critical Pedagogical Praxis in Higher Education. PhD diss., Charles Sturt University. Ax, J. & Ponte, P. (2010). Moral issues in educational praxis: A perspective from pedagogiek and didactiek as human sciences in continental Europe. Special issue of Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 18(1), 29-42. Kemmis, S., Wilkinson, J., Edwards-Groves, C., Hardy, I., Bristol, L. & Grootenboer, P. (2014). Changing education: Changing practices. Singapore: Springer Education. Ax, J. & Ponte, P. (Eds.). (2008). Critiquing praxis: The teaching profession in contemporary educational praxis. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Rönnerman, K., Furu, E.M. & Salo, P. (Eds.). (2008). Nurturing praxis: Action research in partnerships between school and university in a Nordic light. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.