Embedding Social Justice in Teacher Education and Development in Africa

Description

This book explores the plethora of social-justice issues facing teacher education and development in Africa. Using both theoretical and empirical perspectives, it considers the need for teacher education to be transformational and address conventional pedagogy as well as the rights and duties of all citizens. The edited volume focuses on a wide range of relevant aspects, such as decolonisation, economic models, environmental concerns, as well as multilingual and multicultural aspects of education. Evidence-based chapters cover strategies used to support preservice and in-service teachers on how best to tackle issues of social justice through induction activities, pedagogy and discipline content, involving local communities, and the role of technology, including the use of open educational resources. The principles underlying these strategies are being used in the COVID-19 pandemic and will be equally relevant in the post-COVID-19 world. This book will be of great interest for academics, researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of teacher education, African education, educational policy, international education and comparative education. Cover Half Title Series Page Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Contributors Foreword Preface Acknowledgements Section I: Overview considerations Chapter 1: How changing global economic models impact on local teacher-education programmes Background Frameworks for 21st-century education Initial teacher-education curricula Lifeworthy teacher education: Curating the curriculum for relevance Lifeworthy teacher education: Keeping up with recent pedagogical and learning research Lifeworthy teacher education: Literacies for a digital world and technologies in education Lifeworthy curricula and lifeready knowledge Teaching for deeper learning Concluding remarks References Chapter 2: Teacher professional development in sub-Saharan Africa: Equity and scale Education in sub-Saharan Africa Insights into teacher professional development and learning in SSA Validity of Developing~Great~Teaching for LMICs Principles for designing effective TPDL Principle 1: TPDL should focus on student learning outcomes – what the student does Principle 2: TPDL should focus on effective teaching practices – what the teacher does Principle 3: TPDL should promote teacher learning and recognise teachers as professionals Modelling interactive pedagogy and active, collaborative learning in TPDL sessions Seeing, experiencing, reflecting Principle 4A: TPDL sequencing and duration in VHICs Principle 4B: Considerations for TPDL in LMICs Principle 4B1: School-based professional development Principle 4B2: Draw on school-based peer facilitation, rather than relying on ‘external experts’ Principle 4B3: Favour whole-school approaches, making learning available to all teachers and building a community of practice Principle 4C: The role of head teachers and school leadership Parents, families and communities National level Principle 5: Teacher status and motivation Principle 6: Teaching and learning materials Principle 7: Digital technologies Principle 8: Create a coherent policy environment in which to advance educational institutions Conclusion Acknowledgment References Chapter 3: Open educational resources, technology-enabled teacher learning and social justice Challenges and opportunities for education in Africa Distributive, recognitional and associational justice in education DTs and new media: Increasing access and participation OERs and social justice in education COL’s ‘Teacher Futures’ model: A social-justice approach to teacher development Stakeholder-driven project design Participatory OER adaptation Teacher learning in technology-supported communities Inclusive pedagogies for equity and access Recommendations References Chapter 4: Social justice: Do not wait for prosperity Exploring the meaning and boundaries of social justice Common misunderstandings Universal programmes versus targeted assistance Beyond the nation state Section II: Initial teacher education Chapter 5: Promoting social justice in teacher education through an education excursion The value of educational excursions Student success and social justice First-year students in transition Design and conduct of the excursion How design principles informed the excursion Collaborative purposeful transformation Authenticity of the activities Foregrounding student well-being and promoting self-efficacy Learning though confrontation Connecting abilities to difficulties Cultivating a sense of community Methodology Findings and discussion I am not my history; I am not locked in the past I am worthy of dignity, food security and being valued Learning with and from others; challenging stereotypical views Talking about the taboo; a sense of control and well-being Self-awareness; judgement of others My culture and me; being unashamedly African I belong; making friends Awakening activism; vexation to venture Climbing the mountain; a moment of personal reflection and a metaphor for life Teaching as a profession; affirming career choice Concluding discussion: Revisiting the excursion design principles to advance social justice Next steps References Chapter 6: Addressing issues of food insecurity in a service-learning gardening project Food insecurity and social-justice-oriented service learning in teacher education Food insecurity and childhood development Social-justice-oriented service learning in teacher education The service-learning gardening project Methodology Presentation of findings Theme 1: Student teachers’ experiences of food insecurity as a springboard for social-justice awareness Theme 2: Value of learning about food insecurity (and gardening) as student teachers Focus on food insecurity and the implications for teachers Curriculum focus and advocacy in community Link with other social-justice issues Developing student teachers’ understanding of social justice and care Theme 3: Service learning aids development of teacher competencies Discussion Conclusion References Section III: Teacher development Chapter 7: A linked Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR)–Life Design (LD) model to promote teacher agency in challenging contexts Mental-health needs in South Africa Background and motivation Participatory Action Learning and Action Research (PALAR) Theoretical underpinnings Narrative Life Design (LD) Methodology for the project Participants and setting Research process and data collection Data analysis and findings Discussion Challenges and opportunities Conclusion Way forward Acknowledgments References Chapter 8: The role of teacher-development programmes in promoting and sustaining social justice International treaties underpinning human rights and social justice Improving teacher competences: Insights from the Quality Educators for All Programme The main elements of the Quality-Ed model Phase 1: Building a strong evidence base Phase II: Developing the competence profile Phase III: Developing and delivering continuous professional development Phase IV: Monitoring, evaluation and learning Phase V: Advocacy and communication Key lessons learnt from the Quality Educators For All programme A proposed teacher professional-development model for promoting social justice Articulation and application of the model to promote social justice Conclusion References Chapter 9: Moderating epistemic injustice in teaching: A case study of the role of teaching assistants Complementary roles of teachers and teaching assistants Social justice: The good of each and the good of all Conceptualising socially and epistemically just teaching in a challenged community Implementing socially just teaching Theme 1: Local language Theme 2: Contextual awareness Discussion Conclusion Acknowledgments References Chapter 10: The Sandbox project: Developing competencies for a changing world in South African schools Vision of the Sandbox The South African education context The Sandbox project: A social-justice imperative What does developing competencies for a changing world imply? The positioning and purpose of the Sandbox Implementation of the Sandbox The Sandbox interventions as educational design-based research projects Outline of the Sandbox EDBR process Analysis of the problems/ issues Development of solutions based on existing knowledge Evaluation research of the solution in practice Reflection to produce design principles for dissemination Critiques of EDBR Generalisability (external validity) Causality Concluding remarks References Section IV: Curriculum aspects Chapter 11: Critical perspectives on language as a social-justice issue in post-colonial higher-education institutions Languages in South African education Theoretical and historical context Dynamics and complexities surrounding the issue of language as tool for social justice Language politics and policies in higher-education institutions in South Africa Positioning language in the curriculum Decolonial thought and pedagogy Humanising pedagogy as a framework to understand language as a social-justice issue Conclusion and a way forward References Chapter 12: Music education as a pathway to social justice Music in Africa Critical theory and conceptions of social justice African music education Education as experience: Unpacking some curricular assumptions Ignorance of difference The global music canon The standard of measurement Community role in expressive arts Music education in a Creative Arts curriculum Future directions for socially just music education Possibilities for critical pedagogy in music-teacher education 1. Who are teachers? 2. What do teachers teach? 3. Why do teachers choose to impart the kind of knowledge they do? 4. Where do teachers teach? 5. When does the teaching occur? 6. How do teachers teach? 7. How do teachers assess what has been learnt? Summary References Chapter 13: A pragmatic approach to assessment in a time of crisis in South Africa Assessment as a social-justice issue Constructive alignment of the curriculum to enhance assessment Background: The UJ context Adapting to online during COVID-19 Enacting a pragmatic methodology Discussion and implications for future practice References Chapter 14: Where to from here? Our current context The COVID-19 pandemic and principles of design Teachers need to be versatile and adaptive Quick-fix technological solutions do not work Sound pedagogy and the public good guide learning design Responsiveness in research and development projects is essential Long-term relevance works with responsiveness to immediate needs References Index