What is Development Education?

Development Education

“an educational process aimed at increasing awareness and understanding of the rapidly changing, interdependent and unequal world in which we live

…it seeks to engage people in analysis, reflection and action for local and global citizenship and participation

…it is about supporting people in understanding and acting to transform the social, cultural, political and economic structures which affect their lives at personal, community, national and international levels”.

Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

Topics include…Sustainability, Conflict, Cultural Awareness,

Climate Change, Poverty, Inequality, Debt, Injustice, Development, International Trade Regulations, Aid,

Environmental protection and preservation, Refugees, Climate Justice, Education for All, Good

governance, HIV and AIDs, Health Provision & Immunization, Access to Safe Water, Food security,

Hunger, Multicultural Societies, Gender Equality, Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, The right to work, Energy supply, Management of natural resources, Ethical

consumption, Genocide, Millennium Development Goals

Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

• What you teach – integrating DE into aspects of your subject area. See NCCA document at http://www.developmenteducation.ie/resources/development-education/a-study-of-the-opportunities-for-development-education-at-senior-cycle.html

• How you teach it – use active participatory teaching strategies, current news stories, imagery, multimedia…

• Your professional practice – act fairly and be aware of sustainable practices

How to approach Development Ed…

Irish Aid, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ireland

Learning Outcomes for DE …

Knowledge Skills Attitudes

An understanding of development, underdevelopment and related issues from a variety of perspectives (inc. environmental, social, economic, cultural, political…)

• Information processing• Critical thinking• Systems thinking• Dialogue & communication• Reflection• Decision making

• Self Awareness• Responsibility for action• Respect for human dignity• Empathy and solidarity

ActionPersonal change as well as at community, national and international levels.

Development Education

• Origins of Development Education

• Development Education in Ireland & Irish Aid• Ubuntu Network – www.ubuntu.ie

• DICE Project – www.diceproject.ie

• World Wise Global Schools – http://www.worldwiseschools.net/

• www.DevelopmentEducation.ie – www.developmenteducation.ie

• Irish Development Education Association - http://www.ideaonline.ie/

• Close associations – EE, ESD, Citizenship Ed, Human Rights education…

• Challenges the root causes of under-development, not just the symptoms. (Bryan, 2011)

• Going beyond DE that is ‘fundraising, fasting and fun’. (Bryan, 2011)

• Recognising negative stereotyping of the developing world (Dochas, 2010)

• Do we (or our curriculum) have a eurocentric view of development? Do we see development as ‘modernisation’. (Freeman, 2011)

Challenges - Development Ed…

Task 2: What do you think?

Prompting questions…

• is this relevant to you as a teacher?

• should this be taught?

• should it be a separate subject?

• is it realistic given the pressures in post primary schools?

to encourage change fora better world

(transformative function)

to develop individuals to their potential (liberal function)

for socialisation?(socialisation function)

for employment?(vocational function)

…

What is education? What is it for?

Education…

Process focused

Outcome focused

Sterling, S. (2001). Sustainable Education - Re-visioning Learning and Change. Bristol, Green Books (for The Schumacher Society).

The role of the teacher is complex…

• Instructional manager (subject & pedagogical content knowledge)• Generous ‘expert’ learner (facilitator of learning)• Caring person• Cultural and civic person

Conway, P. F. (2009). Learning to teach and its implications for the continuum of teacher education: a nine country cross national study, Teaching Council, Ireland

What is the role of the teacher?

to encourage change fora better world

(transformative function)

to develop individuals to their potential (liberal function)

for socialisation?(socialisation function)

for employment?(vocational function)

Education…

…should Irish farmers be subsidised…?

Vaccines without needles

http://www.hardrainproject.com/pageflip/02/whole_earth.html

Linking it to the curriculum, e.g. new JC framework?

New Junior Cert Framework

• 8 educational principles, 6 key skills

• 24 statements of learning

• Values of equality & inclusion, justice & fairness, freedom & democracy, respect for human dignity & identity.

http://www.juniorcycle.ie/

Task 3: Choose a statement of learning that links your subject to DE?

Recommended Websites

www.developmenteducation.ie

www.ubuntu.ie

Recommended Readings

Book Title: Learning to Read the World , Authors: Audrey Bryan, Meliosa Bracken, Published: 2011, Available to download at: http://www.ubuntu.ie/research-publications.html

Book Title: 80:20 Development in an Unequal World, (6th Edition) Colm Regan (ed.) 2011. Purchase from www.8020.ie

Journal Title: Policy and Practice: A Development Education Review. Available to download at: http://www.developmenteducationreview.com

Paper: Soft versus Critical Global Citizenship Education, Author: Vanessa Andreotti. Available to download from: http://oulu.academia.edu/VanessaAndreotti/Papers/114660/Soft_versus_Critical_Global_Citizenship_Education_2006_