Abstract:
Several studies echo the role of participation and interaction in learning activities as crucial to valorise all
students equally. Inclusive pedagogy should recognize the disputed nature of inclusive education and the
subsequent unpredictability in teaching practices as a means of identifying students requiring additional
learning support particularly amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Such variability raises significant questions
about the nature and value of educational provision, around the globe, but particularly in the South
African multicultural higher learning context. Having applied a transformative learning methodology this
paper explores the influence of inclusive learning pedagogies in shaping preservice teachers’ repertoires
in multicultural higher learning contexts. The findings suggest that transformative learning promotes
specific practices such as trusting relationships within the learning context and an appreciation for
diversity and inclusivity, opportunities for critical reflection, shared and collective learning, and
transformative leadership development. Ultimately, when circumstances permit, transformative preservice
teachers move toward a frame of reference that is more self-reflective, integrative and inclusive of
experience. In conclusion we suggest that stakeholders in higher education contexts consider creating
institutional spaces for preservice teachers to change their frame of reference in approaching their own
teaching and learning repertoires in transformative and inclusive ways.
