(2023). The Heart of the Citizenship Education and Revival of New Schools in Europe. European Journal of Education (EJED), v6 n1 p45-51. Our present time is characterised by many contradictions and the aspect of uncertainty indicates a sense of our deep loss of values. Education is the traditional space, in which generations create meanings and adults prefigure the future. Despite the idea of liquid modernity, which dominates our existence, we are convinced that we inherit meaningful testimonies of schools born in the spirit of the Reform from the pedagogic culture of the last two centuries. Schools, such as Dalton, Jena Plan, Decroly and Freinet, are still alive and bringing us a new message of citizenship education coherent with the impulse of their founders. Following our field study to investigate the reality of the Schools of Method in the areas of the Flanders and Brussels we were able to draw a solid concept of community. In the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we assume that the modern western culture reaches its task to convert the dispute into tolerance. Citizenship education wishes to overcome any… [PDF]
(2010). Educating Youth for a World beyond Violence: A Pedagogy for Peace. Education, Politics and Public Life. Palgrave Macmillan In a time of unprecedented social and economic crisis, this book represents a challenge to the orthodoxy that shapes the vision of educational purpose. It argues that now, more than ever, there is a moral imperative for educators to assume responsibility for helping to bring about a culture of peace and non-violence in both the nation and throughout the world as a whole. Shapiro has situated his vision of education in a broader quest for social and moral change. His framework is one rooted in the critical pedagogic tradition which sees education's primary purpose as nurturing democratic values, civic involvement, and a commitment to a more just and compassionate culture. The following chapters are included: (1) Giving Peace a Chance; (2) Truth and Violence; (3) The Violence of Invisibility; (4) Undoing the Narrative of Competition; (5) Justice then Peace; (6) Violence and the Crisis of Meaning; (7) Critical Citizenship; and (8) A Pedagogy of Peace…. [Direct]
(2010). Religion as a Basis for Dialogue in Peace Education Programs. Cambridge Journal of Education, v40 n4 p341-351 Dec. Religion could play a positive role in intergroup relations. However, this potential is usually overlooked and religion is often perceived as divisive and polarizing, perhaps even a source of intergroup conflict. This study examined religion as a possible tool for achieving positive intergroup encounters. A randomized control trial research design was used to study the contribution of religion to the enhancement of positive relations between Jewish and Arab high school students in Israel. The 255 eleventh-grade students were randomly assigned into three groups: encounters based on religious content, encounters based on social content, and a control group. Findings revealed that the religion-based intervention was more effective than the social-based one, which merely slowed down the deteriorating relationships between the groups. The results suggest that religion can serve as a common denominator for different national and social groups and be used for enhancing tolerance and… [Direct]
(2021). The Role of Tolerance Education in Diversity Management: A Cultural Historical Activity Theory Perspective. SAGE Open, v11 n4 Oct-Dec. Tolerance education aims to promote the culture of peace and acceptance of others for well-being and diversity management. Therefore, it is important to create learning environments, content, and facilities for tolerance education in line with the universal values in education. However, little is known about how the literature investigated and summarized the findings related to tolerance education. Therefore, this study conducts a systematic review about this topic, where 75 reviewed studies were analyzed according to the Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT) components. Findings highlighted that: (1) from the "subject" component, future research should involve more stakeholders, like parents and policymakers, when discussing tolerance education; (2) from the "object" component, tolerance education should not only focus on the physical environment, but also on the virtual environment; (3) from the "tools" component, limited digital tools and… [Direct]
(2024). Educating for Radical Hope in Face of Rising Fascism. Review of Education, Pedagogy & Cultural Studies, v46 n3 p422-442. In recent years right-extremist ideologies, parties and regimes are gaining popularity and power all over the globe, and as days go by, hope for equality, freedom and peace seems more and more unrealistic, delusionary, perhaps even dangerous. To what goals and in which ways should one educate in a reality that offers no end in sight to oppression? And should educators be satisfied with the hope to merely slow down or temporarily pause what seems to be inevitable? In this essay, I show that educators and their students might get caught up in state of "stuckedness" (Hage, 2009), to which fascist hope and fascist unique temporalities offer relief. I argue that from this situation, a particular and strong kind of hope can arise — radical hope that is immanently transcendent and whose objectives are incomprehensible and cannot be imagined at present. Paradoxically and while difficult to attain, this almost desperate hope can free educators from the discursive and temporal… [Direct]
(2019). Universal Values as a Barrier to the Effectiveness of Global Citizenship Education: A Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis. International Journal of Development Education and Global Learning, v11 n1 87-102. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) approach to global citizenship education (GCE) includes a set of values termed 'universal values'. These social ideals include peace, justice and sustainability, and are normatively considered a common good. A multimodal critical discourse analysis of universal values within key UNESCO texts reveals that rather than moving societies towards genuine mutual human well-being, a central theme of GCE, universal values are counterproductive to the achievement of GCE. To enable GCE to achieve its aims, UNESCO needs to incorporate a diverse concept of values that allows for motivations and actions towards global citizenship more relevant to local contexts…. [PDF]
(2022). Increasing Undergraduate Student Satisfaction in Higher Education: The Importance of Relational Pedagogy. Journal of Further and Higher Education, v46 n4 p490-503. How to increase student satisfaction is a question that Higher Education institutes have become increasingly focussed on. While previous research indicates a number of factors can contribute to student satisfaction, teaching has been found to be of high importance. This study interviewed students and staff in a UK university that had achieved high student satisfaction ratings in a national survey. The programme leader interviews (n8) and student focus groups (n20) discussed the teaching and learning behaviours that seemed to increase and decrease satisfaction levels. The study revealed new insights regarding the fundamental importance that students place on warm and respectful interactions with staff in the context of trusting relationships. The students particularly emphasised staff approachability, empathy, sensitivity and caring. The staff also thought relationships were important but put more emphasis on course organisation. Staff training and institutional evaluations which take… [Direct]
(2022). Wisdom in Higher Education: Discussions with Education Academics Utilising the "Bhagavad Gita". Qualitative Research Journal, v22 n3 p325-339. Purpose: In this paper we seek to provide insight as to how wisdom is, or might be, perceived and enacted in Higher Education contexts. Selected constructs of wisdom derived from the "Bhagavad Gita" provided a platform from which seven invited College of Education faculty participants considered their own framings of wisdom in the contexts of their own professional and personal lives. Design/methodology/approach: This case study has drawn upon constructs of wisdom proffered by key Indian scholars who share this epistemological stance. A three-stage process was deployed, comprised of an introductory close-ended survey, an open-ended questionnaire to determine personalised insights and semi-structured interviews to clarify and member-check the data. Findings: The participant academics' reflections offered a convergence on rich potential to pursue wisdom in Education and promote ethics, integrity, skilful action and inclusion. Furthermore, a general concern among the group of… [Direct]
(2023). "Only What's Right": Normalising Children's Gender Discourses in Kindergarten (the Case of Montenegro). Education as Change, v27 Article 11504. This article presents results from qualitative research on children's dominant gender discourses in kindergarten and the influence of the socio-pedagogical aspects of kindergarten culture, transmitted via teachers' gender discourses and personal epistemologies, on the construction of children's gender discourses and identities. The main questions guiding our research were: What gender stories are narrated in a group, and under which influences do these stories become established as norms? Our understanding of gender is based on the feminist poststructuralist perspective. Our research in two Montenegrin kindergartens with 54 children and four teachers during a two-week period showed a dominance of the binary opposition discourse of "hegemonic masculinity" and "emphasised femininity", with an emphasis on gender-stereotyped toys, games, role-play, and professions. Additionally, it has been found that the kindergarten culture strongly shapes and "normalises"… [Direct]
(2018). Higher Education and Development in the Knowledge Society: From Integral Education to Substantial Positive Externalities. Higher Education for the Future, v5 n2 p122-141 Jul. Engendering well-being, peace and prosperity in a nation is a long-standing critical issue for possibly all countries worldwide. Many earlier hypotheses and formulas on how to generate 'wealth' have proven inadequate or failed. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, the consensus was that the concepts of inclusive political institutions and inclusive economic institutions were crucial to development. However, with economic purposes, governments are increasingly prioritizing the acquisition of practical training and skills. This work argues that these policies are misleading. The integral education in higher education, especially by means of substantial positive externalities, can facilitate economic growth…. [Direct]
(1982). Internationalizing Global Education: A Professional Priority for the 1980s. The field of global education is being advanced by the development of programs for elementary, secondary, and university levels; the production and marketing of materials and classroom teaching strategies; and the creation of policy recommendations at national, state, and local levels. In addition, research efforts are underway. For the next level of development, global education needs to both deepen and broaden its perspectives to mature into a full-fledged domain of research and development. There is a need to reconstruct nation-centered education to fit a world where an ever-growing number of problems are beyond the capacity of individual nations to resolve. The framework for this cooperation has been developed by UNESCO and by other international organizations. Recommendations made for internationalizing global education involve the collection of information about global education, the creation of a professional organization, the meeting together of interested individuals in a…
(2023). Building Religious Character through "Suluk" on Multiethnic Students of Thariqah Al-Mu'min Community in West Kalimantan. Dinamika Ilmu, v23 n1 p135-156. The moral damage caused by the erosion of positive values and national character is quite concerning. This phenomenon has encouraged government concern through strengthening students' character. Strengthening students' character through formal education has not produced significant results, as evidenced by the many symptoms of moral decay and crime involving students in Indonesia. To overcome this, an alternative strategy is needed to elaborate between character education based on thoughts and hearts, which non-formal educational institutions can carry out. This research explores the "suluk" method as an alternative for forming religious characters for students who practice the Thariqah Al-Mu'min in West Kalimantan. This study uses a case study method and a qualitative approach. The research results found that; "suluk" can shape the religious character of students who practice the Al-Mu'min Order; these characteristics are; peace of mind, discipline, enthusiasm in… [PDF]
(2017). Pathways toward Peace: Negotiating National Unity and Ethnic Diversity through Education in Botswana. Comparative Education Review, v61 n1 p58-82 Feb. This study examines how education can disrupt threats of conflict, specifically in the presence of ethnic diversity. We present a historical analysis of Botswana, using methods of process tracing drawing on documents, in-depth interviews, and Afrobarometer survey data. Postindependence Botswana engaged in redistribution of educational access across ethnic groups and promotion of common civic principles of social harmony. At the same time, it constructed through schools ethnically based national identity, which excluded many minorities. Lack of recognition for ethnic minorities remains a persistent challenge, yet it exists in a context of high commitment to unity and the nation-state, even among minority groups, which may have allowed recent dissent to happen peacefully. The article defines mechanisms by which educational redistribution and recognition can disrupt resource-based and identity-based inequalities that often lead to conflict. This model holds promise for conflict… [Direct]
(2016). Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy in Conflict-Affected Contexts Programme. UNICEF Programme Report 2012-2016. UNICEF Too many parts of the world are suffering from conflict and its repercussions. Millions of children and young people are at risk of not reaching their full potential. Before more decades of development efforts are undone and future progress is blocked, it is a moral obligation of society to collectively find ways to foster social cohesion among communities, resilience in systems and individuals, and a sense of security in daily lives. The Learning for Peace programme attempted to do just that. This Peacebuilding, Education and Advocacy in Conflict-Affected Contexts (PBEA) Programme Report summarizes processes, results and learning that occurred during the entire course of the PBEA programme–Learning for Peace–from 1 December 2011 through 30 June 2016. It draws extensively on reports produced by the 14 participating UNICEF country offices, five regional offices, a total of nine headquarters sections, units or divisions, and partners engaged in the programme. These documents were… [PDF]
(2017). The Culture of Peace and the Prevention of Terrorism from the Perspectives of Islamic Education and the United Nations. Journal of Education and Practice, v8 n1 p43-56. Terrorism is an unfamiliar phenomenon to the Islamic religion and it is in opposition to its doctrine. It leads to the loss of innocent lives, destruction of properties, spreading rumors, terrorizing the innocents and destabilization. All this makes fighting and preventing the phenomenon of terrorism the duty of all human beings. This study aimed to highlight and clarify the concept of the culture of peace and the prevention of terrorism from the perspective of Islamic Education and the United Nations…. [PDF]