Role: Educational Theory

Research Interests

My research is in educational theory and philosophy and orientated by complexity and poststructural theory and I am editor-in-chief of the Journal Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education. In my research I mainly explore the paradoxes inherent in political and ethical aspects of normative education, with particular reference to issues of difference and “otherness.” In this regard, much of my work is concerned with  "democratic education," "inclusive education" and "educational responsibility." This focus has emerged partly from my PhD research (2001-2005) and partly from my teaching experiences in higher education in apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa, where I taught Zoology for 15 years (at the University of Venda and the University of the Witwatersrand) between 1986-2000. 

Research Projects

I am currently working on an edited book (with Gert Biesta) which will be published in 2010 - Complexity Theory and the Politics of Education (Sense Publishers) which addresses an emerging debate in the academic literature about the role of complexity in the politics of education and brings together the ideas of a number of important theorists in the complexity and education field as well as the broader educational field.

Web Links

• Complexity Science and Educational Research
  http://www.complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca/
• Journal of Complexity and Education which I edit
  http://www.complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca/journal.htm
• Gobabeb Training and Research Centre, Namibia
  http://www.gobabebtrc.org/

Journal Articles

Links will search Google Scholar for matching titles.

• Osberg, D. & Biesta, G.J.J.  (In Press). The End/s of School. Complexity and the conundrum of the inclusive educational curriculum.  International Journal of Inclusive Education.
• Osberg, D.C.  (2009). "Enlarging the space of the possible" around what it means to educate and be educated.  Complicity:An International Journal of Complexity and Education 6(1), iii-x.
• Osberg, D.C., Biesta, G.J.J. & Cilliers, P.  (2008). From Representation to Emergence: Complexity’s Challenge to the Epistemology of Schooling.  Educational Philosophy and Theory 40(1), 213-229.
• Osberg, D.C. & Biesta, G.J.J.  (2008). The Emergent Curriculum: Navigating a Complex Course Between Unguided Learning and Planned Enculturation.  Journal of Curriculum Studies 40(3), 313-328.  http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/content~content=a782972931~db=all~order=page
• Osberg, D.C., Doll, W.E-Jr., & Trueit, D.  (2008). Gatekeepers of a Complex Field?.  Complicity:An International Journal of Complexity and Education 5(1), iii-ix.
• Osberg, D.C.  (2008). The Politics in Complexity.  Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies 6(1), iii-xiv.
• Osberg, D.C.  (2008). The Logic of Emergence. An Alternative Conceptual Space for Theorizing Critical Education.  Journal of the Canadian Association for Curriculum Studies 6(1), 133-161.
• Biesta, G.J.J. & Osberg, D.C.  (2007). Beyond Re/Presentation: A Case for Updating the Epistemology of Schooling.  Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 38(1), 15-29.
• Osberg, D. & Biesta, G.J.J.  (2007). Beyond Presence: Epistemological and Pedagogical Implications of 'Strong Emergence'.  Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education 38(1), 31-51.
• Osberg, D.C.  (2005). Redescribing Education in Complex Terms.  Complicity:An International Journal of Complexity and Education 2(1), 81-83.
• Osberg, D.C., Pinto, D., Docherty, S. & Still, C.  (1998). Promoting High Quality Teaching and Learning Through Sharing Academic Resources.  South African Journal Of Higher Education 12(1).

Chapters in Books

• Osberg, D.C., Biesta, G. & Cilliers, P.  (2008). From Representation to Emergence: Complexity’s Challenge to the Epistemology of Schooling. In M.Mason (ed.) Complexity Theory and the Philosophy of Education (pp. 204-217). Chichester: Wiley-Blackwell.
• Osberg, D.C. & Biesta, G.J.J.  (2007). Rethinking Schooling Through the “Logic” of Emergence. Some Thoughts on Planned Enculturation and Educational Responsibility.  In R.Geyer & J. Bogg (eds) Complexity, Science and Society (pp. 44-49). Abingdon, Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing Ltd.

Other publications

• Osberg, D.C.  (2005). Emergent Knowledge: A Response to Jacques Daignault's "Hacking the Future" in Davis, B and Osberg, D (eds) Proceedings of the 2005 Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, Loranger, Louisiana, 20-22 Nov.  (pp. 5-8). www.complexityandeducation.ca.
• Osberg, D.C.  (2002). Complexity Science and Adult Education: Some Insights and Possibilities. in Edwards, R.R., Gray, P., Morgan-Klein, B., Murphy, M. and Tett, L. (eds) Proceedings of the 32nd Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults: Cultures, Communities and Citizens: The Altered States of Adult Education? July 2002, Institute of Education, Stirling University.  .

Teaching Interests

I draw upon poststructural scholarship and thinking to inform my teaching and try to bring postmodern/poststructural themes into aspects of my teaching. I currently teach on the following modules:

(i) The Nature of Educational Enquiry (MSc in Educational Research)

(ii) Interpretive Methodology (MSc in Educational Research)

(iii) Communicating Educational Research (MSc in Educational Research)

(iv) MSc support programme.

(v) What is Education? (2nd yr UG) - module leader

(vii) Social and Educational Enquiry (2nd yr UG)

(viii) Dissertation (3rd yr UG)

(ix) Learning Through Life: Political, social & theoretical contexts (Ed.D, generic route)

(x) Critical Ideas & Issues in Education, Training & Development (Ed.D, generic route)

Grants & Awards

External Indicators of Esteem

Journal and book series Editorships and Editorial board membership

• Editor-in-chief: Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education.
  (http://complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca/journal.htm)

• Member of the Editorial Board of the International Journal of Instruction (http://www.e-iji.net)

• Guest Editor: Journal of the Canadian Association of Curriculum Studies. Special issue on "Critical Complexity." Vol 6, Number 1, June, 2008

• Member of the Editorial Board of the Handbook of Cultural Politics (in press)

Keynote addresses or prestigious public lectures given in international forums

• Invited respondent to keynote address: Complexity Science and Educational Research conference, Robert, Louisiana, 2005.

Research-based contributions to practitioner and academic conferences

• Osberg, D.C. (2009) Towards a Non-Normative, Normative Curriculum. Paper accepted for presentation at the 3^rd triennial conference of the International Association for the Advancement of Curriculum Studies (IAACS), Somerset-West, South Africa, 7^th-10^th September 2009.

  Osberg, D.C. (2008) Education, Emergence and the Idea of “Non-Normative Normativity.” Paper presented at the European Conference on Educational Research (ECER), Gothenburg, Sweden 10^th-12^th September 2008.

  Osberg, D.C. (2008) Poststructural and Emergentist “Methodology”. Paper presented as part of a discussion panel on The Place of Complexity in Current Methodological Approaches at the Business meeting of the Complexity SIG of the American Educational Research Association conference, 24^th-28^th March, 2008, New York, US.

  Osberg, D.C. (2008) Gatekeeping in the Network Age. Paper presented as part of a symposium on Academic Publishing in the Digital Age, in Division D (Research and Measurement) of the American Educational Research Association conference, 24^th-28^th March, 2008, New York, US.

  Osberg, D.C. (2008) Taking Care of the Future in Education and Politics. Paper presented as part of a symposium on Complexity and the Politics of Complexity Reduction presented in the Complexity SIG of the American Educational Research Association conference, 24^th-28^th March, 2008, New York, US.

  Osberg, D.C. (2007) The “Logic” of Emergence: A new hope for critical education? Paper presented as part of a symposium on the Complex Criticality in Educational Research presented in the Complexity SIG of the American Educational Research Association conference, 9^th-13^th April, 2007, Chicago, US.

  Osberg, D.C. and Biesta, G.J.J. (2007) The End(s) of School. Complexity and the Conundrum of the Inclusive Educational Curriculum. Paper presented in Division C (Curriculum Studies) of the American Educational Research Association conference , 9^th-13^th April, 2007, Chicago, US.

  Osberg, D.C. (2007) Theorising Education Emergently. Paper presented at the 4th Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, 18th – 20^th Feb, 2007, UBC, Vancouver, Canada.

  Osberg, D.C. and Biesta, G.J.J. (2005) Rethinking Schooling Through the ‘Logic’ of Emergence: Some Thoughts on Planned Enculturation and Educational Responsibility. Paper presented at the 1st Complexity Science and Society Conference, 11th-14th September, 2005, University of Liverpool, UK AND at the 3rd Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, 20th – 22nd November, 2005, Robert Louisiana.

  Osberg, D.C. (2005) Redescribing Education in Complex Terms. Paper presented as part of a round table discussion on at the 1st Complexity Science and Society Conference, 11th-14th September, 2005. University of Liverpool, UK, AND as a seminar for the Department of Secondary Education, University of Alberta, August, 2005.

  Osberg, D.C and Biesta, G.J.J. (2004) Complexity, Knowledge and the Incalculable: Epistemological and Pedagogical Implications of Prigogine’s Theory of “Microscopic Irreversibility.” Paper presented at the 2nd Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, 30th Sep – 3rd Oct, 2004, Queens University, Kingston, Canada

  Osberg, D.C and Biesta, G.J.J. (2004) Complexity, Knowledge and the Incalculable: Epistemological and Pedagogical Implications of ‘Strong Emergence.’ Paper presented as part of a symposium on Complexity and the Idea of a Pedagogy of Invention at the British Educational Research Association Conference, 15th - 18th September, 2004, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England

  Osberg, D.C. (2004) Teaching with Difference: Dissipating Structure. Invited paper presented as part of a discussion panel with W. Doll, Jr and B. Davis, at the 2nd Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, 30th Sep- 3rd Oct, 2004, Chaffey’s Locks, Ontario, Canada

  Biesta, G.J.J. and Osberg, D.C. (2004) Updating the Epistemology of Schooling: Presence, Representation and Beyond. Paper presented as part of a symposium of the British Educational Research Association Conference, 15th -18th September, 2004, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, England.

  Osberg, D.C and Biesta, G.J.J. (2003) Complexity, Representation and the Epistemology of Schooling. Invited paper presented at the 1st Complexity Science and Educational Research Conference, 16th – 18th October, 2003, University of Alberta, Canada.

  Osberg, D.C. (2002) Complexity Science and Adult Education: Some Insights and Possibilities. Paper presented at the 32nd annual conference of the Standing Conference on University Teaching and Research in the Education of Adults, 2nd – 4th July 2002, Institute of Education, University of Stirling, Scotland.

   

Current Students (acting as Primary Supervisor)

• Dima Farhat
• Lindsay Hetherington
• Chryssa Sgouridou