(2015). Keeping Kids in School: A Slippery Slope for Miskitu Families Living in the Pearl Lagoon Basin of Nicaragua. ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, University of San Francisco. In 2014, Miskitu participants in the communities of Raitipura and Kahkabila and several of their children had dropped out of school. Earlier quantitative research revealed a problem of low matriculation in elementary and high schools in all of Nicaragua. This inquiry differed from others in that it was a qualitative study focusing on one group of people: the Miskitu community members living on Nicaragua's Atlantic Coast. This investigation employed the participatory-action research methodology, allowing participants to tell their own stories about the events leading up to their dematriculation. The six participants, male and female, are of Miskitu heritage, were at least 16 years of age, were born and continue to live in either Raitipura or Kahkabila, and all but one speaks Miskitu as their first language. Participants revealed reasons for dropping out of school by discussing their school experiences, the elementary school curriculum, and indications of the Miskitu language and… [Direct]
(2011). The Introduction of Native Knowledge in Mathematic-Teaching in Ethnic Elementary and Secondary Schools–Based on the Theory of "Cultural Discontinuities". Online Submission, US-China Education Review v8 n4 p429-434 Apr. Ethnic students will face the problem of "cultural discontinuities" when they learn school mathematics. "Cultural discontinuity" is the main obstacle when they learn school mathematics. Teachers should put up the bridge for introducing ethnic mathematical knowledge into school mathematics teaching. The concrete tactics are: widening ethnic mathematical curriculum, designing ethnic cultural situation and returning to ethnic mathematics life…. [PDF]
(2016). Gudaga Goes to School Study: Methods Used in Understanding School Transitions and Early Education Experiences of an Urban Aboriginal Cohort. Educational Studies, v42 n1 p54-71. The Gudaga Goes to School Study described the transition to school and early education experiences of 117 urban Aboriginal children and their families. This paper outlines the methods and design of the study. A life course approach, employing multidimensional and multi-theoretical frameworks was used to capture the complexity of issues surrounding the transition and early school experiences with multi-methods used to collect data from children, parents and teachers. Quantitative data included questionnaires, checklists and educational assessments to track children's academic progress, school attendance, and social/emotional/behavioural development. Qualitative data consisted of semi-structured interviews and focus groups to gain the perspective of stakeholders. Children also participated using photography and drawing mediums. The community controlled study was conceived, designed and conducted in close consultation with the local Aboriginal community…. [Direct]
(2014). Inclusion and Equity in Australian Secondary Schools. Journal of International Special Needs Education, v17 n2 p79-87 Nov. This paper presents findings from a large-scale, in-depth study of secondary schools in one Australian state that were achieving exceptional outcomes. The element of that study on which this paper focuses is equity and inclusion. We examine the Equity programs operating in seven sites where schools were including students experiencing some form of disadvantages significant enough to hinder their engagement with the school curriculum. These forms of disadvantage included students with intellectual disabilities as well as students from Aboriginal, non English-speaking and low socioeconomic status backgrounds. At these sites, schools implemented equity programs targeting a range of student needs. It was noted that the success of those programs was largely dependent on the relationships between teachers and students and between teachers and their colleagues. Four themes emerged from analysis of interview and observational data; i) teachers focused on students' learning needs, ii)… [Direct]
(2014). Rural Schools and Traditional Knowledge: Representing Alternatives to a Consumer-Dependent Existence. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, v24 n1 p9-22. Given the present pace of educational globalization, educators–especially in rural schools–will benefit from an awareness of traditional knowledge as a significant contributor to sustainability. Many countries operate through a system whereby major decision making, especially in such areas as education and health, emanate from state levels of governance; and these decisions are often uni-directional. In education this implies a "one size fits all" philosophy that forces educator compliance with accountability driven pedagogy and curricula subjected to competitive standardized testing processes that are caught up in market driven values. Aims of a research pilot (Harris & Barter, 2011-2012) in one province in Canada, and through a critical pedagogy of place and participatory research, were to introduce students and community members in rural areas to issues of local relevance; to develop school curricula that call for students-as-researchers; and, as an example of… [Direct]
(2013). Community Collaboration through Sport: Bringing Schools Together. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, v23 n1 p9-22. The purpose of this paper is to share how sport was used to build relationships between Monash University (Gippsland campus) pre-service education and six rural primary schools during semester one, 2012. Not only was sport used to build partnerships but also to deliver quality Health and Physical Education lessons, offering children sporting opportunities that they may otherwise not receive. The goals established at the Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians (Ministerial Council on Education, Employment, Training and Youth Affairs, 2008) were "about equity and social justice and improved learning outcomes for our most disadvantaged and isolated students" (Ewing, 2010, p. 127). A commitment to action in achieving these goals included: promoting world-class curriculum and assessment; and improving educational outcomes for the disadvantaged young Australians, especially those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. A large percentage of the Gippsland… [Direct]
(2014). From Post-Colonial to Neoliberal Schooling in Somalia: The Need for Culturally Relevant School Leadership among Somaliland Principals. Planning and Changing, v45 n3-4 p235-260. This article examines school leadership behaviors and understandings of Somaliland school principals. By using postcolonial theory and critical phenomenology, we explore culturally responsive leadership in Northern Somalia; we expound on the unique ways that school leaders enact school leadership, and interact with the students, families, and communities they serve…. [Direct]
(2013). Leadership and Accountability in American Indian Education: Voices from New Mexico. American Journal of Education, v119 n4 p539-564 Aug. How do American Indian students, parents, and teachers conceptualize leadership in New Mexico public schools? How do they negotiate power dynamics within this context? The objective of this study was to investigate how leadership and accountability in American Indian schools and communities in New Mexico is recognized, characterized, contested, and envisioned by students, teachers, and community members. We contend that American Indian communities are uniquely positioned to provide insights for understanding leadership and visions of decolonized and empowering education for American Indian communities. Our data come from focus groups and interviews with American Indian students, parents, and community members, as well as teachers in seven public school districts in New Mexico. Participants described how they observed leadership enacted and how they participated in New Mexico public schools. We found participants describing unequal power relations, yet they also held visions of school… [Direct]
(2013). "Energy Is…life": Meaning Making through Dialogue in a Tribal College Physics Course. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, The University of Arizona. This research is an exploration of students' meaning making around physical concepts through connections to students' funds of knowledge. This qualitative case study, influenced by Indigenous methodologies, focused on two Native students in a tribal college introductory physics course, exploring the personal, cultural, and philosophical connections that were voiced in dialogic interactions among the students and instructor. The data were collected through audio recordings of class sessions and reflective journaling by the instructor/researcher. Analysis identified dialogues in which meaning making took place, and the funds of knowledge that students brought to bear on these dialogues. The results of the analysis of these meaning-making occasions are presented by physical concept. For both students, the cultural connections they brought in were ways for them to incorporate their out-of-class identities and to consider their cultures from a scientific perspective. The influence of the… [Direct]
(2013). Social Capital Influences upon Internet Usage of Rural Guatemalan English Teachers. Educational Media and Technology Yearbook This qualitative study examined the influence of social capital upon Internet usage by Guatemalan English teachers in the rural, indigenous community of San Lucas Toliman. The purpose was to improve enrollment and persistence in online teacher professional development programs supported by the Fundaci√≥n Rigoberta Mench√∫ Tum. Woolcock's concepts of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital were united with Rogers' theory of perceived attributes to ascertain why only a few teachers had completed free online coursework. The research questions addressed teacher concerns about using the Internet, teacher satisfaction with Internet resources, and social influences upon Internet usage. The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) method was employed. A culturally sensitive native speaker interviewed a purposive sample of teachers. In accordance with PRA analysis procedures, representative interview statements were sorted, prioritized, and discussed by a team of community educators to… [Direct]
(2013). Aboriginal Post-Interns' Views of Their Rural Teaching-Practicum. Contemporary Issues in Education Research, v6 n3 p317-324. In this article, two indigenous post-interns, who completed their 16-week extended-teaching practicum sessions in rural schools in one Western Canadian province, assess their school-based internship experiences. They summarize their perspectives in three areas: 1) the elements they perceived as positive during the internship, 2) the challenging aspects they encountered during the four-month period, and 3) advice or suggestions for enhancing future practicum programs that they offer to practicum stakeholders. These views of the two-post-interns are compared to the findings from earlier research that similarly examined previous post-interns' evaluations of their rural extended-practicum experiences in that region. Similarities and differences between the two sets of findings are discussed and implications are drawn for enhancing rural-based teaching practicums for neophyte teachers…. [PDF]
(2012). An Analysis of Access Barriers to Post-Secondary Education. College Quarterly, v15 n4 Fall. Post-Secondary Education (PSE) in Ontario and in Canada has expanded on both the demand and supply sides in the last couple of decades. As of 2007, 50% of the population aged 18 to 24 was enrolled in post-secondary institutions. Enrolment in Ontario universities grew from 10,000 in 1960 to approximately 400,000 in 2007 (Clark, Moran, Skolnik, & Trick, (2009). The federal and provincial governments have pushed institutions to increase their capacity, especially at the university level, because of the belief that knowledge is a means of power and economic stability. On the demand side, Canadians understand and are aware of the advantages that PSE offers. Canadians believe that PSE, especially university, will provide their children with higher wages, economic stability, and secure job employment. Considering the importance of PSE, the questions that naturally arise are who has access to PSE and should this access be equal for all Canadian citizens? In this paper, the author… [PDF]
(2012). Pedagogy of Solidarity: Educating for an Interracial Working Class Movement. Journal of Workplace Learning, v24 n7-8 p528-537. Purpose: This paper aims to report on the author's recent research examining the meaning and practices of educating for solidarity, specifically from anti-racism and decolonizing perspective. The research is part of the critical exploration on new educational approaches on solidarity building among workers and trade union members in the broader political and economic context of neoliberalism. Design/methodology/approach: Utilizing the research methodologies of participatory action research, arts-informed research and critical autobiography, the research draws on the words and visual images made by the participants who are labour educators and activists from Aboriginal and racialized communities. In-depth interview and the Aboriginal talking circle method were used to deepen the dialogue among this group of activists. By focusing on their authentic voices and lived experiences, the research is grounded in Dei's stance on the importance of the embodied knowledge as part of the… [Direct]
(2013). Professionalism in Early Childhood Education and Care in Ethiopia: What Are We Talking About?. Childhood Education, v89 n3 p152-158. Despite claims about the significance of early childhood education in improving later outcomes in an individual's life, this stage of development has not received sufficient attention by education systems across the world. Until recently, early education or preschool education did not come under the purview of the formal education system in most nations–both economically developed as well as developing nations. Kassahun Tigistu's study on early childhood education and care in Ethiopia addresses some of the emerging trends and challenges in early education in the context of that nation, which may be of interest to those working to improve education systems in other nations as well. (Contains 1 note.)… [Direct]
(2012). An Electronic Dictionary and Translation System for Murrinh-Patha. European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL), Paper presented at the European Association for Computer-Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL) Annual Conference (Nottingham, United Kingdom, Aug 31-Sep 3, 2011). This paper presents an electronic dictionary and translation system for the Australian language Murrinh-Patha. Its complex verbal structure makes learning Murrinh-Patha very difficult. Design learning materials or a dictionary [PDF]