ethanporcaro/eric-fulltext-meta huggingface dataset:
Democratisation of Education in South Africa: Issues of Social Justice and the Voice of Learners?
Author: Mncube, Vusumuzi
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Social Justice,Educational Legislation,Secondary School Students,Student Participation,Qualitative Research,Student Role,Participative Decision Making,Democracy,Governing Boards,Governance,Observation,Documentation,Content Analysis,Semi Structured Interviews,Administrator Attitudes,Student Leadership

The South African Schools Act No. 84 of 1996 mandates that secondary school learners, who are members of the Representative Council for Learners, should be part of school governance through participation in school governing bodies. But they are often not afforded a full opportunity to participate in crucial decisions by the adult members of governing bodies, directly or indirectly. I explore the participation of learners in school governance by means of a literature review and empirical investigation using a qualitative approach. The findings are presented in terms of the role of learners in the school governing bodies, learners' involvement in decision making and in curriculum issues, and the role of governing bodies in promoting democracy in the school and in the wider South African society. Findings suggested that spaces should be created for learners to participate sufficiently in SGBs in order to allow them to exercise their right to participation, thus engaging fruitfully in deliberations dealing with school governance. This would in turn lead to social justice and there would be a great potential for their voice to be heard. They would in turn engage fruitfully in dialogues as they felt included in debates and decision-making processes. Silencing the voice of learners, implicitly or explicitly, means that the issues of social justice and democracy are not taken into consideration in SGBs.
Education Sciences, Schooling, and Abjection: Recognizing Difference and the Making of Inequality?
Author: Popkewitz, Thomas
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Educational Principles,Progressive Education,Educational History,Lifelong Learning,Global Approach,Inclusion,Disadvantaged,Urban Areas,Educational Practices,Role of Education,Politics of Education,Music Education,Scientific Research,Ethics,Fear,Freedom,Teaching Methods,Mathematics Education,Democratic Values

Schooling in North America and northern Europe embodies salvation themes. The themes are (re)visions of Enlightenments' projects about the cosmopolitan citizen and scientific progress. The emancipatory principles, however, were never merely about freedom and inclusion. A comparative system of reason was inscribed as gestures of hope and fear. The hope was of the child who would be the future cosmopolitan citizen; the fears were of the dangers and dangerous people to that future. The double gestures continue in contemporary school reform and its sciences. American progressive education sciences at the turn of the 20th century and contemporary school reform research are examined to understand their different cultural theses about cosmopolitan modes of life and the child cast out as different and abjected. Today's cosmopolitanism, different from that in the past, generates principles about the lifelong learner and its cosmopolitan hope of inclusion. The inclusionary impulse is expressed in the phrase &quot;all children can learn.&quot; The child who stands outside of the unity of &quot;all children&quot; is disadvantaged and urban. School subject research in music at the turn of the 20th century and today's mathematics education are exemplars of the inscriptions of hope and fears in the sciences of education. The method of study is a history of the present. It is a strategy of resistance and counter praxis by making visible what is assumed as natural and inevitable in schooling.
Understanding Teacher Identity from a Symbolic Interactionist Perspective: Two Ethnographic Narratives
Author: Smit, Brigitte
Date: 2008-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Professional Identity,Educational Change,Ethnography,Personal Narratives,Observation,Interviews,Journal Writing,Content Analysis,Inquiry,Teacher Persistence,Time Management,Teaching Conditions,Educational Environment

In this ethnographic inquiry we portray two teacher narratives reflecting educational change in the context of two South African schools. The study was conducted as part of a larger inquiry into ten schools in urban South Africa. A decade of democracy begs some attention to educational progress and reform, from the viewpoint of teachers and with the culture of their schools as the inquiry's landscape. We present two ethnographic narratives, crafted of a typical &quot;township/rural&quot; school, and an established Afrikaans school, with two teachers as the main social actors. Data were sourced from passive observations, interviews, informal conversations, and journal data. These field texts were analysed for content and narrative using, as methodological frame, the &quot;Clandininian&quot; &quot;metaphorical three-dimensional inquiry space.&quot; Three data themes, teacher authority, commitment to the profession in terms of staying or leaving, and multitasking are theorised from a symbolic interactionist framework, using constructs such as situational, social and personal identity. The major finding of this inquiry speaks to the power of the working context, the educational landscape, which appears to be a much stronger force in the development of teacher identity than national educational policies.
Integrating Engineering into an Urban Science Classroom
Author: Meyer, Helen
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Classroom Techniques,Science Education,Urban Schools,Engineering Education,Integrated Activities,Case Studies,Physical Sciences,Science Teachers,Educational Practices,Qualitative Research,Faculty Development,Lesson Plans,Journal Writing,Secondary School Science,Semi Structured Interviews,Teaching Methods,Transformative Learning,Structured Interviews,Observation

This article presents a single case study of an experienced physical science teacher (Janet) integrating engineering practices into her urban science classroom over a two-year time frame. The article traces how Janet's understanding of the role engineering in her teaching expanded beyond engineering as an application of science and mathematics to engineering as a humanistic and socially-just activity with the potential to empower her students. The data for this qualitative case were gathered over a two-year period during which the teacher participated in an engineering professional development program. The data were gathered from five interviews, observations of implementation, student artifacts, lesson plans, and Janet's journal reflections. Three primary themes arose around the role of engineering in her urban classroom: real-world problems and applications, student engagement and learning, and solving complex problems. These themes each contributed to Janet's expanded understanding of engineering from a focus on engineering as a general STEM career to engineering as problem solving strategies which empowers students to be active participants in their urban community
Fueling the STEMM Pipeline: How Historically Black Colleges and Universities Improve the Presence of African American Scholars in STEMM
Author: Adams, Tempestt
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: STEM Education,Medicine,Critical Theory,Race,Mathematics Education,Black Colleges,Minority Group Students,College Role,Urban Schools,Barriers,Curriculum Development,Mathematics Achievement,Grade 8,Grade 1,National Competency Tests,College Entrance Examinations,Scores,Racial Differences,Ethnic Groups,Educational Attainment

The purpose of this article is to assess areas of opportunity and access for students of color to participate in the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine pipeline (STEMM). Using a Critical Race Theory framework, this position paper reviews occupational outcomes and stratification in STEMM fields, examines the pertinence of mathematics as an access point for STEMM entry, and addresses the prominent role that Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play in creating and nurturing STEMM scholars. Throughout the article, emphasis is placed on urban districts, which are often burdened by limited resources while serving the largest number of students of color. The article concludes with suggested recommendations for improving the diverse representation in STEMM fields.
Breaking the Cycle of Incarceration: A Young Black Male's Journey from Probation to Self-Advocacy
Author: Desai, Shiv R.
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Males,African Americans,Correctional Institutions,Institutionalized Persons,Juvenile Justice,Case Studies,Multiracial Persons,Student Experience,At Risk Persons,Disproportionate Representation,Interviews,Adolescents,Crime,Social Bias,Student School Relationship,Empowerment

The prison-industrial complex penetrates the public sphere through enhanced and militarized police presence in poor neighborhoods, thereby playing a key role in mass incarceration, and intersects with public schools via zero-tolerance policies that push students out. The purpose of this article is to examine how the Juvenile Justice System (JJS) impacts the educational experiences of Black males. Specifically, we present a case study of Malcolm, a multiracial (Black, Latino, and Native American) male who had been part of the JJS for the last five years. We articulate Malcolm's schooling and JJS experiences to discuss how the prison industrial complex and school-to-prison pipeline intersect to push marginalized youth of color out of schools. We conclude by listing a set of recommendations in which Malcolm provides key strategies to reform the JJS and school-to-prison pipeline.
Enhancing Intercultural Understanding Using E-Learning Strategies
Author: Meier, Corinne
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Electronic Learning,Learning Strategies,Foreign Countries,Cultural Awareness,Program Descriptions,International Cooperation,Disadvantaged Schools,Intercultural Communication,Educational Technology,Cultural Pluralism,Cultural Differences,Qualitative Research,Secondary School Students,Web Based Instruction,Teaching Methods,Electronic Publishing,Computer Mediated Communication,Outcomes of Education,Periodicals,Student Attitudes

Intercultural understanding is a prerequisite for peaceful local and global citizenship, especially in South African society where prejudice and negative stereotypes were previously the order of the day because of official separatism. It is therefore crucial to teach intercultural understanding in South Africa. I report with commentary on a tripartite initiative, between SchoolNet South Africa, the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and Unisa's School of Education, to implement an Internet-supported education programme entitled &quot;Intercultural understanding--e-learning application in education.&quot; The project comprised an encounter in the form of electronic correspondence between learners from five previously disadvantaged South African schools and learners from seven schools in Finland. The objectives of the project included critical scrutiny by learners of the cultures of South Africa and Finland with a view to finding ways of fostering intercultural understanding. Learners in South African schools exchanged messages with their Finnish counterparts online and then published articles on their experiences in an eJournal. Analysis and interpretation of the content of these articles showed that the project obscured rather than improved intercultural understanding.
School Violence in Lesotho: The Perceptions, Experiences and Observations of a Group of Learners
Author: de Wet, Corene
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Violence,Educational Environment,Secondary School Students,Student Attitudes,Student Experience,Questionnaires,Verbal Communication,Aggression,Teacher Behavior,Peer Relationship,Risk,Drug Abuse,Weapons,Student Behavior,Gender Bias

School violence is a subject of great public and media interest that has stimulated a comprehensive body of research. Academic consideration of the subject began in the USA and Scandinavia in the mid-1960s and early 1970s but little evidence could be found of publications on the subject in the small landlocked Kingdom of Lesotho. To address this hiatus in school violence literature, I report on an investigation into a group of Lesotho secondary school learners' perceptions, experiences, and observations of school violence. The research instrument was an adapted version of a violence and trauma questionnaire for adolescents. The first important result from this study was to confirm that verbal and physical abuse amongst learners was prevalent in some schools in Lesotho. Secondly, qualitative and quantitative data revealed that learners often suffered verbal and physical humiliation at the hands of their educators. Thirdly, the data indicated that two major violence risk factors, namely, use of drugs and weapon carrying, were relatively common amongst educators and learners in Lesotho. This study also showed that school violence in Lesotho was a manifestation of gender inequality and violence. Some comments and recommendations are made.
Do Mathematics Learning Facilitators Implement Metacognitive Strategies?
Author: van der Walt, Marthie
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Mathematics Education,Mathematics Teachers,Mathematics Instruction,Metacognition,Learning Strategies,Mixed Methods Research,Thinking Skills,Questionnaires,Secondary School Mathematics,Grade 9,Structured Interviews,Program Implementation,Scores

It is widely accepted that mathematical skills are critically important in our technologically sophisticated world. Educators' metacognition directs, plans, monitors, evaluates and reflects their instructional behaviour and this can promote learners' learning with understanding. The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which mathematics educators implemented and taught metacognitive strategies. Results of the quantitative part of the study we re triangulated with the results of the qualitative part. Results suggested that whereas mathematics educators may well have possessed metacognitive skills and utilised them intuitively, these skills were not implemented to a satisfactory extent in the classes we observed.
Educators' Perceptions on Bullying Prevention Strategies
Author: de Wet, Corene
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Teacher Attitudes,Bullying,Prevention,Violence,Verbal Communication,Aggression,Teacher Role,Intervention,Parent Role,Foreign Countries,Questionnaires,Secondary School Teachers,Secondary School Students,Likert Scales

I report on an investigation into a group of Free State educators' recognition of bullying, their reactions to incidences of bullying, and their perceptions of the effectiveness of a number of bullying prevention strategies. The research instrument was a synthesis of the Delaware Research Questionnaire and questions based on findings from previous research on bullying in the Free State. The first important result was that Free State educators had frequently witnessed learners being physically and verbally abused by fellow learners. The second was that more than 80% of the respondents were willing to intervene in such cases. Thirdly, the results indicated that the respondents saw parental involvement as critical in preventing bullying. Finally, some comments and recommendations are made regarding the role of parents, educators, the police, and learners in the prevention of bullying.
The Marketization of Higher Education Discourse: A Genre Analysis of University Website Homepages in China
Author: Zhang, Tongtong
Date: 2017-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Commercialization,Higher Education,Discourse Analysis,Content Analysis,Universities,Web Sites,Institutional Characteristics,Reputation,College Choice,Rhetoric

The past three decades have witnessed the growing influence of market forces on higher education, resulting in what is defined by Fairclough (1993) as the marketization of academic discourse. The present study attempts to examine the effect of such trend on university website homepages in China, which is an under-researched genre of higher education discourse. By applying the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and genre analytical approach, this article describes the generic characteristics of the &quot;About Us&quot; section in five university website homepages, analyzing the structural organization, rhetorical moves, communicative purposes as well as the discursive strategies used in the text. Research shows that authoritative discourse forms the key note in this genre, a reflection of the centralized operation of Chinese universities. Meanwhile, the existence of conversational discourse reveals the university's endeavor to establish a friendly relationship with the prospective students. Furthermore, promotional elements in terms of both contents and linguistic choices have been employed to help construct a positive image of universities to stand out in the stiff competition in today's higher education market in China.
College Students' Perceptions of Interactions with International Faculty
Author: Yao, Yuankun
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: College Students,College Faculty,Student Attitudes,Teacher Student Relationship,Student Surveys,Likert Scales,Online Courses,Questionnaires,Interaction,Age Differences,Gender Differences,Racial Differences,Instructional Program Divisions,Foreign Nationals,Factor Analysis,Barriers,Cultural Differences,Teaching Methods,Teacher Competencies

This study examined the perceptions of college students regarding the benefits and challenges in interacting with international faculty. A Likert scale survey was administered to students from 13 face-to-face or online classes yielding 212 usable questionnaires. The results showed that students had both positive perceptions and concerns about their interactions with international faculty. Where there were differences among groups, younger students, females, Caucasians, undergraduates, those who had not taken classes with international faculty, and those who attended activities sponsored by international faculty or organizations tended to have more positive perceptions than their counterparts. Implications of the study are discussed.
Career Identities of First-Year Female Coloured Students
Author: Geldenhuys, Johanna
Date: 2007-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Foreign Countries,Multiracial Persons,Blacks,Females,Identification (Psychology),College Freshmen,Careers,Qualitative Research,Focus Groups,Self Concept,Career Choice,Student Attitudes,Career Development,Interviews

It is a well-acknowledged fact that the role of women in society has been changing worldwide over recent decades and South Africa has not been exempt from this trend. Dramatic changes--politically, socially, economically and educationally--have occurred in South Africa since its first democratic, non-racial elections in 1994, which have affected the lives of all citizens. These changes have had major implications for South African women, also regarding their identities. This necessitates a re-evaluation of the prior conceptualisation of identity among women, an issue which has moved from the periphery of academic discourse to the centre. The objective in this research was to explore and describe the career identities of a group of first-year female coloured students in post-apartheid South Africa. A qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual research design was implemented. Using purposive sampling, data were collected during six focus group interviews with the students. The findings of the study are presented under four central themes which emerged, namely, the participants' perspectives on career issues; self-knowledge; factors influencing career identities and career choices; and concerns regarding career development. Finally, recommendations are presented in this regard.
The Role of Study-Abroad Students in Cultural Diplomacy: Toward an International Education as Soft Action
Author: Akli, Madalina
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Study Abroad,Cultural Pluralism,Student Role,International Education,International Relations,Intercultural Communication,Change Agents,Higher Education

This paper argues that study-abroad students should be at the center of cultural diplomacy. It recognizes that students can engage in soft action to establish intercultural dialogue. They develop and sustain relationships with people from host countries through cultural immersion and education. Study-abroad students are encouraged to proactively claim their cultural diplomacy role, and thereby cause a shift from formal soft power, traditionally concentrated in embassies and the diplomatic corps, to informal soft action in daily life abroad. With the recent development of a plethora of study-abroad opportunities, soft power can be re-configured by students and educators who cross national borders. Consequently, they are the potential agents of a paradigm shift regarding cultural diplomacy and international education: they are today's new unofficial cultural diplomats.
Huang Zongxi's and John Locke's Rhetoric toward Modernity
Author: Wang, Xiaobo
Date: 2012-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Rhetoric,Philosophy,Change Agents,Intellectual History,Social Change,Democratic Values,Governance,Leadership Styles,Role of Education,Laws,Government Role,Theory of Mind,Foreign Countries

Huang Zongxi was an influential seventeenth century Chinese political and social theorist who is considered by many to be the inspiration and founding father of democracy and human rights in China. This article examines the many similarities in thought and social influence between Huang and his contemporary, the English philosopher John Locke. Each is considered the Father of Enlightenment in his own country and played a major role in similar movements toward modernity and democracy. Among other shared views, both questioned the divine right of kings and saw the purpose of government as promoting the common good.
European Higher Education and the Process of Change
Author: Ríos, Cristina
Date: 2011-00-00
Type: Journal Articles
Subjects: Educational Change,Higher Education,Foreign Countries,Academic Degrees,National Standards,Alignment (Education),International Cooperation,Student Mobility,Quality Assurance,Accreditation (Institutions)

European higher education has experienced substantial changes as a result of the ongoing implementation of the &quot;Bologna Process.&quot; Twenty nine (29) European countries signed the &quot;Bologna Declaration&quot; in 1999 committing themselves to transform, through cooperation, an archaic and separated assortment of higher education institutions. In 2010 the participant countries, which had increased to forty seven (47), evaluated the progress made and set up a new agenda for the next decade. This paper outlines the ambitious objectives of the &quot;Bologna Process&quot;; analyzes the challenges faced; and the significant changes that have taken place in the &quot;European Higher Education Area.&quot; The possible impact on higher education around the world is considered. The analysis is based on a review of the literature and selected documents published by key stakeholders in the process of transformation.