Equitable Education Research Articles

Private Policy: Rethinking State Action in Education Law (and Beyond)

Private foundations are now the drivers of much education policymaking. This Article takes that empirical fact as a point of departure, and uses it to crack open three bigger, interrelated problems. First, though scholars have critiqued and mostly moved on from the public/private law binary, that binary becomes critical in the private policymaking context because of the Supreme Court’s continued adherence to the state action doctrine, which the Article demonstrates is a wholly insufficient frame for thinking about nominally governmental decision-making when so much public policy is now, rather, private policy. But this fact also requires a rethinking of the education law literature’s focus on public law and public entities, and administrative law’s treatment of public-private delegations, both of which might at first seem to be ways to theorize private policymaking in the realm of public education. The Article instead argues for a new problematic, in which the law must grapple with private action that is upstream from the critical, legally cognizable moment of public decision-making, yet is almost wholly determinative of that decision. Second, building on the literature on heterarchical governance and problem definition, the Article argues for a new conception of state action, using theoretical models from political anthropology and sociology to map a more functionalist and fluid conception of the state, and its acts, onto legal doctrine. Third, the Article examines private mechanisms of accountability — private law, private politics, and private ordering — and concludes that they are insufficient to legitimize private policymaking, at least in the context of education. The Article concludes by calling for a renewed focus on legislation and political advocacy as a means of ensuring a high-quality and equitable education for all students.

Seeing the difference: Anticipatory reasoning of observation and its double gesture in teacher education

This article explores the cultural practice of observation in teacher education, focusing on how teachers “learn to see” the differences between students. Conceptualizing “the visual” as a curricular problem that produces certain knowledge as in/valuable, I historicize the practice of scientific observation as embodying anticipatory reasoning, which directs teachers to see, name, and categorize the differences in the present in relation to the normative future. The analysis highlights the double gesture of observation; whereas teachers understand seeing diversity as a precondition to providing pedagogical and curricular supports for all students, this practice actually maintains the boundaries that demarcate human differences. The findings provide insights into evidence-based education today. Compared to the teachers at the turn of the twentieth century who contributed to visualizing racial differences, today’s evidence-based reforms prepare teachers to reduce the achievement gap that is associated with students’ racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity. Despite this historical change towards more equitable education, teachers continue to contribute to reifying the racialized social ordering by failing to question how the white-centric gaze of deviancy structures the racial, ethnic, and linguistic diversity in the education system. I suggest that studies of diversity in education should consider visual politics and that teacher education programs should promote cultural and historical sensibility to prepare teachers to challenge the pre-established curricular discourse and systemic racism.

Tensions of trust in preservice teachers’ consideration of challenging mathematics tasks

ABSTRACT Drawing on a larger, cross-institutional study that examines equitable elementary mathematics education, this article reports initial findings related to tensions that emerged for preservice teachers (PSTs) related to trusting students with open-ended, challenging mathematics tasks. Data composed of 194 PSTs’ written responses to a survey question. Using methods of qualitative analysis, findings indicate two prominent tensions that emerged for PSTs related to trusting students with open-ended challenging tasks: productive struggle versus unproductive failure and teacher control versus student control. These findings suggest that reform efforts that encourage teachers to implement open-ended, challenging tasks may not come to fruition if underlying issues of (mis)trust teachers may have related to students are not unpacked and addressed.

KETIMPANGAN PENDIDIKAN DI SULAWESI TENGGARA TAHUN 2019 DAN DETERMINANNYA

Kemerataan pendidikan adalah salah satu permasalahan yang perlu ditanggapi dengan serius. Hal ini bersesuaian dengan tujuan keempat dari SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) yang mengemukakan tentang pendidikan, yaitu pada tahun 2030 memastikan bahwa semua anak perempuan dan laki-laki menyelesaikan pendidikan primer dan sekunder yang gratis, setara dan berkualitas, yang mengarah pada hasil belajar yang relevan dan efektif. Pemerataan pendidikan berkaitan dengan ketimpangan pendidikan di suatu daerah. Ketimpangan pendidikan adalah salah satu permasalahan yang harus diselesaikan karena, sebagaimana tercantum dalam UUD 1945 Pasal 31, setiap warga negara berhak mendapat pendidikan. Sayangnya, pemenuhan kemerataan pendidikan masih belum sepenuhnya terwujud. Hal ini ditunjukkan dengan tingginya Rata-rata Lama Sekolah (RLS) di Kota Kendari yang melampaui tingginya kabupaten/kota di DKI Jakarta yang tidak diikuti oleh kabupaten/kota lainnya. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui gambaran ketimpangan pendidikan di Sulawesi Tenggara yang diukur dengan Koefisien Gini Pendidikan (KGP) tahun 2019 dan determinannya dengan metode regresi linear berganda. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa Angka Melek Huruf (AMH) signifikan memengaruhi KGP sedangkan persentase penduduk miskin dan persentase anggaran pendidikan tidak signifikan memengaruhi KGP di Sulawesi Tenggara 2019.

Barreiras à institucionalização da extensão universitária: Experiência da Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica

The current challenges demand that the statutory social mission of public universities be strengthened, where the university extension stands out as key. The incoherence of academic management in many universities restricts this integration due to conceptual, methodological and operational gaps present in the extension process. The present article shows the results of a qualitative research, Rica, through the study of case, carried out in Escuela de Planificación y Promoción Social of the Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, with the objective of exploring the university barriers that disturb the contribution of higher education to the fourth United Nations Sustainable Development Goal: to achieve quality, inclusive, and equitable education with expanded opportunities for more people.

Processo de inclusão da criança com deficiência visual na educação

ABSTRACT: The inclusion of visually impaired children in Basic Education has undergone important advances, from the right to their inclusion in school, to the use of methods and strategies that provide quality in teaching and learning. The purpose of this article is to describe the process of inclusion of children with visual impairment in education and its challenges. This is a literature review, carried out through articles, theses, dissertations, among other publications. Articles, theses and scientific publications available electronically in their entirety were included in this review. Furthermore, data from international and governmental bodies, in Portuguese, were also used. In view of this study, it is clear that children's visual impairment significantly impacts their daily lives, requiring the creation of strategies that address all areas of their lives, such as in the health, social and educational spheres. Strategies to be implemented in the school curriculum and pedagogical proposals, trained teachers, specialized educational services, adaptations of materials and teaching tools such as the Braille System, thus ensuring better learning conditions and the development of skills for effective literacy. Therefore, it is concluded that it is the right of every visually impaired child to have educational inclusion from the beginning of their academic life, in which the school and education professionals adapt to receive it, respecting their needs and limitations, ensuring in this way, a more accessible and equitable education. KEYWORDS: Educational Activities, Education for the Blind, School Inclusion.

Environmental education of Z generation students for sustainable development of rural areas (the example of the Russian-Finnish project Luga-Balt-2)

In September 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted 17 goals and 169 targets for sustainable development until 2030. The fourth goal provides for the development of inclusive and equitable quality education, and goals 12, 13 and 14 are aimed at protecting the environment and organizing appropriate education for this. When implementing environmental education, it is necessary to take into account the characteristics of a generation of students, in this case, generation Z. For a number of years, Russian-Finnish projects were carried out in the Luga district of the Leningrad region. One of the main objectives of the projects concerned the environmental education of schoolchildren and students. Using international experience, a number of interactive teaching methods have been developed and are still being used. They are focused on fostering student independence and provide his motivation. A student conducts his own research work and participates in a youth team to prepare and to implement their own projects aimed at solving local problems. This approach forms an ecological culture of an ecocentric type among students, and their desire to bear their part of responsibility for the state of the environment.

Modeling the relationship between achieving the sustainable development goals on the example of the Russian Federation

The article is devoted to the analysis of the peculiarities of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its assessment at the national level. The Goals developed by the UN General Assembly in 2015 are a strategy to conserve economic and environmental resources, reduce inequality and meet the needs of population in the present and future realities. Importance of achieving the SDGs is due to the possibilities for improving the socio-economic situation in Russia. This paper focuses on the Sustainable Development Goal on achieving inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all (SDG4). The multilevel implementation of the Goals, as well as the complexity of its monitoring, form the need for a thorough analysis and development of approaches to assessing the SDG targets achievement. The article presents the dynamics of the Sustainable Development Goals, offers techniques for normalization and modeling the relationship of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals using correlation analysis and mentioning the methodology for constructing a regression model.

The Influence of Personal Attributes on Demand for Bachelor of Education Degree Among Non-Graduate Teachers in Transnzoia County, Kenya

There has been a rapid expansion in the field of of higher education. This has been precipitated by factors of demand and supply leading to various innovations in programmes and modes of study. A new trend has emerged where a wide scope of working professionals, including teachers are undertaking continuing education. To teach at the primary level in Kenya, a Primary 1 (P1) certificate is minimum requirement. However, a significant number of teachers at this level either hold or are pursuing a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) degree. As of December 2016, of the 4,406 teachers in public primary schools in Trans-Nzoia, 896 possessed a B.Ed. degree. Despite the minimum qualifications for the primary school level teaching, there is concern over the increasing number of teachers pursuing B.Ed. degree without corresponding improvement in learner performance in KCPE where the mean mark has remained below 250 for over a decade. The purpose of this study was to determine the personal attributes that influence demand for a Bachelor of Education degree in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya. The findings indicated that personal attributes, occupational, institutional and socio-economic factors all account for the surge in demand for B.Ed. degree although the economic factor is the most important one. The study also found that teachers’ qualifications have a significantly low effect on learners’ academic performance. The findings will help policymakers and educational planners plan for relevant, efficient, effective, equitable and quality education.

Russia’s Quality Higher Education on the Global Agenda of Sustainable Development

Nowadays, many countries are searching for the best models of higher education that can ensure the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. In the context of the Global Development Agenda, education is considered as a spatial system that has the potential to increase the effectiveness of harmonizing economic, social and environmental aspects of human life. The paper correlates the objectives of the fourth Sustainable Development Goal “Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all” and the strategic planning directions of Russia’s higher education system. It is concluded that there is a set of problems in the global agenda implementation due to the regional specifics of the formation and development of Russia’s higher education system.

High achievement for socio‐economically disadvantaged students: Example of an equitable education model in schools across five English districts

Socio-economically disadvantaged students have poor academic outcomes compared to other peers globally. Although a relatively wealthier country, these issues of underachievement are of concern in England. This situation is particularly acute in high poverty regions, although there exists variability between schools within such regions, with some schools achieving learning success for disadvantaged students. The focus of this research study was to understand common features in these successful schools, in terms of leadership decisions and how these are operationalised by teachers to support socio-economically disadvantaged students to succeed. The study took place over 12 months, in a high poverty region in England across 5 district areas, and a sample of 30 primary schools participated. Semi-structured interviews were completed with both senior leaders and teachers within each participant school, and thematic analysis was undertaken in line with grounded theory. Results show that all schools in the sample used seven key drivers to nurture learning and achievement for disadvantaged students. Participating schools universally recognised the findings as a true reflection of their schools. The findings suggest that equity in respect of the Capabilities Approach is possible for socio-economically disadvantaged students in schools where leaders and teachers cooperatively identify and apply these seven key drivers. Discussion suggests the findings from this study with its cooperative nature, if translated into structured resources, could support other schools to succeed in ensuring high achievement for socio-economically disadvantaged students across a region.

Inequity in Education: Three-factor and Longitudinal Analysis

This study was conducted to find a more equitable education system for all students regardless of ethnicity, social status, gender, or even problems arising as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The effects of major factors that played a critical role on indicators of equity in education were analyzed. A data set from World Inequity Database on Education (WIDE) was used to gather information to estimate the inequity gap for different indicators and countries. The upper secondary completion rate was selected within this database to explore inequity in worldwide education and several stacked bar plots were drawn to describe the differences among demographics and incomes of countries. The learning achievement in reading(upper secondary) was chosen to explore inequity in education in Canada. A three-factor analysis model was built to study the effects of gender, location, wealth, and their interaction on learning achievement in reading. After model selection and model diagnosis, an additive model was chosen as the final model and it proved that there resided significant main effects. Also, a longitudinal model was built to explore whether observations of learning achievement in reading varied among the different years with four different levels as covariate variables. Three models related to repeated measures design were built, and the final model was chosen based on the AIC value. As a result, it provided a clear indication that the government should take responsibility and well-needed actions to eliminate inequity in education for many disparities that exist within comparisons between groups. Examples are: gender, rural or urban areas, and the social status of families.

A Vision Towards Indigenous Education Sovereignty in Northwestern Ontario

To support the calls for Indigenous education sovereignty by the National Indian Brotherhood (1972) and the Assembly of First Nations, (1988), in this paper we explore Indigenous education as envisioned by six educators and knowledge holders in northwestern Ontario. Educators from six different schools and programs who took part in a national project called the National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous education shared their descriptions and visions of Indigenous education. Findings reveal Indigenous pedagogies that align with Lee and McCarty’s (2017) theoretical framework of culturally sustaining and revitalizing pedagogies to promote and support Indigenous education sovereignty. Their visions include pedagogies grounded in the need for equitable education; Indigenous-led instruction for land-based teachings, traditional practices and languages; and, community-based accountabilities. Their visions illustrate that a deeper understanding of the localized and nationhood contexts of Indigenous sovereignty over education is missing and needed in the ongoing movement towards educational sovereignty.
 Keywords: Indigenous sovereignty; Indigenous education; culturally sustaining and revitalizing pedagogies

The Reflective Practice for Sustainable Future

This paper reviews the initiatives taken by the library of Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka (BPUSL) to achieve the SDGs to create sustainable environment in the library as well as in the university. It also discusses various steps taken by the university as well as the other units connecting it to information as a strategic resource and attempts an articulation of the concept of sustainable information and quality education, building on sustainable future at the university under the theme of “sustainable university”. The article discusses further recent initiatives taken to upgrade the quality of the library services, automation project to automate the whole library collection, scanning important rare and old books to create digital archive, preparing attractive library building by planting flowers and facilitating natural resources for reading areas addressing the goals on quality and equitable education, gender equity, literacy skills, health, and the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies, justice and strong institutions. The main objective of the article is to share reflective practices among LIS professionals in the field. Action research method was applied to write this article as it describes the reflective practices which promote sustainable future in the university and future endeavors as well. The paper concludes with suggestions on integrating concepts of sustainable information into higher education and role of information professionals towards the achievement of sustainable goals.

Towards more equitable education: meeting health and wellbeing needs of newly arrived migrant and refugee children—perspectives from educators in Denmark and Sweden

ABSTRACT Purpose - In 2015, Scandinavia experienced the arrival of many refugee children. Research has documented a higher prevalence of mental health problems among refugee compared to non-migrant children. Education and schools play an important role in the health and wellbeing of children, especially those who are vulnerable, and equity in education may help combat social and health inequalities. This study investigated educators’ views on the health and wellbeing needs of migrant children in Copenhagen, Denmark, and Malmö, Sweden, and how schools may address these issues. Methods - We carried out 14 semi-structured interviews with education professionals in both cities and conducted a thematic analysis inspired by the Street Level Bureaucracies theory. Results - Most interviewees recognized NAMR pupils had specific migration-related needs but some expressed being unable to cope with more complex issues due to a lack of vital health and wellbeing services within schools. Recent policies in Denmark further devolved migrant education to municipalities; while in Sweden new policies centralized and standardized procedures. Conclusion - To summarize, educational leaders and staff we interviewed in both countries felt that the lack of resources, professional training, standardized procedures and accountability measurement, together with inflexible systems, inhibited them from providing equitable education, thus possibly reinforcing migration-related health inequalities.

Moving from Tolerance to Inclusion through Critical Collaboration

Moving from tolerance to inclusion is a bold yet apt ambition of the school system in the United States—an institution fundamentally committed to providing an equitable education for all students. I investigated the impact of educational leaders committed to social justice, to effectively creating communities of inclusion, through a collaborative leadership model. The research focused explicitly on the experience of two White, male, cisgendered principals with a stated commitment to equity and inclusion and collaborative leadership. Following a qualitative triangulated case study model, I evaluated collaborative leadership impact in two schools in northern California with diverse student populations.

Narrowing the achievement gap of Grade 12 in no-fee schools in Gauteng using pro-poor funding

Since the advent of democracy in 1994, access to quality and equitable education still remains a challenge in the Gauteng province. As an intervention to improve access and quality of learning in all schools, especially township schools, the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) declared schools across Quintiles 1 to 3 throughout the province to be no-fee schools. In this article we examine various GDE pro-poor intervention programmes, the effects of a progressive school funding policy, and efforts to achieving equity through improved resource allocations. It is essential to assess the progress of the GDE’s explicit pro-poor education policies towards promoting equity and equality in education, with particular focus on the performance of Grade 12 learners in no-fee schools. One of the findings of the study reported on here reveals that, although the GDE faced challenges in implementing the no-fee policy at school level, there has been progressive improvements in the standard of education as reflected in the Grade 12 results of no-fee schools.

ANÁLISE DO DESEMPENHO DA EDUCAÇÃO BRASILEIRA BASEADA NOS INDICADORES OFICIAIS PISA E IDEB

O Pisa é um indicador de desempenho da educação básica internacional que o aprendizado de alunos de vários países. O Ideb é um indicador de desempenho escolar nacional, aplicado pelo INEP. Por meio do Ideb é possível mensurar se as metas do Plano Nacional de Educação (PNE) estão sendo alcançadas, pois seus resultados servem como base para o planejamento e projeção de novas metas. O objetivo deste estudo foi confrontar as metas projetadas pelo PNE com os resultados do Pisa e do Ideb, com o propósito de entender a situação atual em que se encontra a educação básica no Brasil. O estudo utilizou como metodologia a pesquisa bibliográfica e documental e análise descritiva dos dados. Inicialmente, o estudo abordou as características do Brasil que influenciam na educação, como, fatores históricos, tamanho da população, taxa de analfabetismo, economia e desigualdade na distribuição de renda. O período de análise compreendeu os resultados do Ideb de 2007 a 2017 e os resultados do Pisa 2015 e 2018. O estudo revelou que o Brasil obteve avanço na universalização do ensino e resultados positivos na educação infantil. Porém, os anos finais do ensino fundamental e ensino médio têm apresentado baixos índices educacionais no Pisa e Ideb e não alcançaram as metas projetadas. O PNE tem o desafio de elaborar ações que promovam uma educação inclusiva e com equidade, considerando as desigualdades no ensino, que são históricas no país.

Blended Learning Environments in Inclusive Education at the University

The modern education system in most countries is built on providing equitable education opportunities to all people, regardless of the limitations they have. There are no significant problems in primary and secondary inclusive education, while most traditional higher education models are not sufficiently adapted to the needs of people with learning disabilities. Thus, it has been replaced by a blended learning model built on new digital learning environments in recent years. The aim of the article is to study the blended learning environment of inclusive educa-tion systems in China and Russia. The article presents the findings of a “The Global Learner Survey”, conducted on behalf of Pearson in May 2019 by The Harris Poll. The survey involved over 11,000 learners aged 16-70 across nine-teen countries. Additionally, statistics on the higher education development in Russia and China were used. The analysis of the current state of higher education in Russia and China, as well as the development of a blended learning environ-ment, shows the positive effect as that it allows students with limited educational opportunities to integrate into the educational and public life of the university and implement all types of rehabilitation along with the educational process.

FabLabs in vulnerable communities: STEM education opportunities for everyone

FabLabs (Fabrication Laboratories), also referred to as makerspaces or hackerspaces, are open spaces for collaborative creation and horizontal cooperation, supporting the development of technological skills of its users. They often serve to promote STEM knowledge and engage participants in equitable education opportunities. Drawing from a participatory design methodology and a qualitative research perspective in a collaborative process between universities in Mexico and in the United Kingdom, this paper focuses on the setup of a FabLab in La Campana district in Monterrey, Mexico, an area characterized by its vulnerability and marginalization. Envisioned to serve as both, a STEM learning place and a fabrication workshop for the surrounding community, the FabLab Campana has provided a platform for the democratization of educational practices through the inclusion of participants from different settings, countries and ages, collaborating in the achievement of common goals, while stimulating creative thinking, and strengthening the bonding with participants and their needs. The FabLab counts with a carefully designed program of activities to promote STEM knowledge, an interactive design approach and context, and the development of skills based on dialogic learning. Evidence collected from observations and interviews supports the conception that the STEM learning practices carried out at the FabLab are a rewarding and meaningful experience for all involved, which also help to accelerate the adoption of technological tools in the surrounding community.