Developing shared critical consciousness through experiential learning: a developmental process framework

Universities are increasingly expected to prepare students to engage critically with complex social issues. Although experiential learning is widely recognised as an effective pedagogical approach, less is understood about how learners develop shared critical consciousness and the relational support that enables this process. To address this gap, we examine students’ experiences of Refugee Camp in My Neighbourhood (RCIMN), a community-led experiential learning initiative in Western Sydney. Drawing on a longitudinal multi-method design incorporating surveys, interviews, focus groups, and observational data collected over 3 months, we identify a developmental process through which shared critical consciousness emerged collectively across four interconnected phases: sensing, relating, sharing, and shaping. We inductively develop the concept of relational scaffolding to describe the support underpinning learners’ progression through these phases. Relational scaffolding was enacted through three interconnected relational practices: navigating emotional experiences, enabling dialogue, and facilitating collective sense-making, which supported learners in deepening and refining their understandings over time. These findings advance theoretical understanding of how experiential learning fosters shared critical consciousness and provide practical guidance for designing learning experiences that support meaningful engagement with complex social issues.