Post on 03-Jul-2015
transcript
Initiatives Resistances or Reproduction
Resistances and Reproductions
Anthonio Gramsci (1891-1937). Cultural MarxistResistances… but always defined against/by the
dominant.Resistances try to do differently, but always bear
the trace of the dominant
THEREFOREAlways a possibility of reproducing the
inequalities, even as we move against them
Solomon Islands ‘Kastom’ (Custom)
‘Shortly after installing me in the house they had built for me at ngarinasuru, a thousand feet up the mountain wall rising above Sinalagu Harbour, the Kwaio commenced construction of a large ‘Committee House’ adjacent to mine - in what I foolishly thought then was an adjunct to my project. In the subsequent eighteen months what Kwaio called the ‘sub-district committee’ met at ngarinasuru every Tuesday entailing a gathering of scores or sometimes hundreds of people. The kwaio leaders of devoted themselves to straightening out Kastom, ‘custom’ through endless discussions, debates and sessions of litigation. Kastom - centrally comprising genealogies, lists of lands, and lists of ancestral taboos - was to be written down and I was cast as primary agent in this process. ….
Although initially I had thought that the ‘Committee House’ was constructed as an adjunct to my ethnographic project I eventually realised that I had been incorporated into their project.’
(Keesing, 1994: 42)
CASE 1: Operation New Hope
SECMOL (Ladakhi NGO)Ladakhi dept of Education
Village Education Committees (VECs)In 1996-98, 95% of Ladakhi students failed
the state 10th class exams every year
Objectives
Mobilised parents as political agent through formation of VECs
VEC training – accounting, problem solving
New textbooks
English Medium
Training of Teachers
BUT
Generated ‘buy in’ to an education system…
SO… discourse of a ‘good education’ become dominant..
SO.. People send to private school/out of village
AND.. Loss of social cohesion/school closure etc
Can’t say this is a worse situation.. But not the intended consequences
CASE 2: Tibetan Nomadic Education in Ladakh
Schools for Tibetan Diaspora In Ladakh these are Nomads on Tibetan Plateau Schools run by an NGO – Tibetan Children’s
Village Tibetan Government in Exile promotes an early
years Montessori curriculum for three years pre-school – as a more child centred approach.
BUT
For Tibetan Nomads in Ladakh. Parents still Nomad in Tibetan Plateau.
So leave children in school for 8 months each year
Remote school for preschool to Year 3
Children from age three - eight are therefore left with 1 or 2 teachers. 70 children sleep in one room. No running water at the school.
From TCV website Child in Changtang TCV school 2008
Was having three year olds lodging with few carers the intention of this initiative?
(Should say that they said they enjoy it at the school)
Issues?
Who funds? Who are the main actors What are the role of the different actors? What is success here? What is the core problem understood to be? What are the risks? What are the possible unintended consequences
Criteria for Successful Projects
TimePurpose – does it fit? is it correct?Acceptance by all actorsPracticalHas clear benefitsFits the values of the schoolIs holisticAffordableContains evaluation/reflectionGood planning/managementAcknowledges relaityClear identification of problemAcknowledgement of historical contextConsider side effectsDoes no harm for minorities
Learning Lessons
What do these stories tell us about.. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.6.Each group discuss one of these dimensions.. What
lessons can we learn for success? Come up with three key recommendations
Your own initiatives
Learn lessons from this to design an initiative in your own case study area… what features will it have?
Formative pieces
A personal piece on your engagement with the topic of quality Education
A review of an academic paper An analysis of the educational legacies in your case
study context A model of quality education applicable in your
case study context A critique of an existing initiative implemented in
your case study context A biographical narrative of a person from your
case study target group A literature review of an area relevant for your case
study. A group class presentation of what quality
education would mean in a specific context in a low –income country.
Session 9/10
today
Drafted last week
Anytime
Will discuss now
DONE
Literature review Process
Each person chooses a topic develops a list of references for the topic Creates a short commentary that places these articles
in context.
This is a mapping exercise
Start with the Blackboard folder
Remaining Sessions
Session 8 – Monday 16th March 2-4pm
Research into Practice – knowledge production for educational change
Session 9/10 Wed 18th March – 1-5pm
Presentations/Review/Assignments