The impact of a game-based approach to Bourdieu on learners training to teach in post-compulsory education at an English University

The delivery of theory alongside practice in teacher education is inherently challenging and prone to failure, leaving trainees ill-prepared to problematise the social and cultural realities that shape their classrooms. Finding new and productive ways for trainees to engage with theoretical concepts is, therefore, an important educational and social outcome. This paper explores the use of a game-based approach to the teaching of Bourdieu's notions of field and habitus to two small groups, training with a University in the North of England to become teachers in post-compulsory education. Critical and learning theories are used to explain and justify the design decisions and strategies employed and critical participatory action research is used to evaluate the impact of the game. The paper reports encouraging findings and recommends extension and wider use of such strategies in the teaching of theory to resistant groups.