Rap battles as playful learning pedagogy

Abstract

Rap music helps many marginalised groups articulate and thus give voice to societal oppression and injustice. In this way, rap battles as a form of assessment are uniquely placed to help teachers and students engage with social justice and ethical issues in the real world. To be an academic ally, teachers must offer the opportunity to work outside standard assessment styles which stand as central tenants of the White, Western academic system. This article has two main goals: (a) to demonstrate the value of using rap as a playful pedagogical mechanism and tool for resistance (b) offer rap as a mechanism of playful assessment which may help overcome ‘traditional’ (i.e., colonial, white, Western) determinants of what an effective assignment looks like. After a brief history of rap to situate the arguments made, we explore the use of rap battles as a playful pedagogical tool. We reflect on the educational expectations from the academic, including her self-identified biased expectations of why rap battles are appropriate assessments, and the student perspective on engaging with a rap battle assessment, i.e., because rhyming helps with memory, etc. We also outline the development of certain skills made possible by a rap battle as playful pedagogic approach. Finally, we provide guidance for the teacher who uses the rap battle as an assessment. Playful learning, in the form of a rap battle, for social justice is relied upon throughout as pedagogical justification of this approach to learning.