Education Quality and Social Justice in the Global South: Challenges for Policy, Practice and Research

How We Understand Education Quality Is Inextricably Linked With Perspectives On Social Justice. Questions Of Inclusion, Relevance And Democracy In Education Are Increasingly Contested, Most Especially In The Global South, And Improving The Quality Of Education, Particularly For The Most Disadvantaged, Has Become A Topic Of Fundamental Concern For Education Policy Makers, Practitioners And The International Development Community. The Reality Experienced By Many Learners Continues To Be Of Inadequately Prepared And Poorly Motivated Teachers, Struggling To Deliver A Rapidly Changing Curriculum Without Sufficient Support, And Often Using Outmoded Teaching Methods In Over-crowded Or Dilapidated Classrooms. Education Quality And Social Justice In The South Includes Contributions From Leading Scholars In The Field Of Education And Development. The Text Draws Upon State Of The Art Evidence From The Five Year Edqual Research Programme, Which Focuses Upon Raising Achievement In Low Income Countries, And Demonstrates How Systems Of High Quality Universal Education Can Be Sustained. By Exploring Recent Research Initiatives To Improve Education Quality, The Importance Of Supporting Local Policy Makers, Educators And Parents As Agents Of Change, And Students As Active Inquirers Is Highlighted, And The Challenge Of Taking Successful Initiatives To Scale Is Explained. The Book Is Divided Into Three Main Parts: -framing Education Quality -planning And Policies For Quality -implementing Quality In Schools Education Quality And Social Justice In The South Argues That Implementing A High Quality Of Education Using Theories Of Social Justice Can Inform The Understanding Of Inclusion, Relevance And Democracy In Education. The Book Should Be Essential Reading For Both Students And Researchers Within The Fields Of International And Comparative Education, Along With Educational Policy, Poverty And Development Studies. Cover -- Half Title -- Series Page -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Dedication -- Table Of Contents -- Figures And Tables -- Series Editors' Preface -- Contributors -- Acknowledgements -- 1. Education Quality And Social Justice In The South: An Introduction -- Why Quality? -- The Edqual Research Programme -- Book Overview -- Notes -- References -- Part I: Framing Education Quality -- 2. Education Quality And Social Justice In The Global South: Towards A Conceptual Framework -- The Contested Terrain Of Education Quality -- Towards A Context Led Model Of Education Quality -- Reconstructing Education Quality For Social Justice: Some Starting Points -- Inclusion -- Relevance -- Participation -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 3. Gender Equality, Capabilities And The Terrain Of Quality Education -- Introduction -- Teaching And Learning In The Gender And Education Literature -- Reviewing Quality In Relation To Equity, Justice And Capabilities -- Conclusion -- References -- 4. Reconceptualising Inclusive Education In International Development -- Introduction -- Global Inclusionism: An Analysis -- Defining The 'global' In Global Inclusionism -- Global Inclusionism As An Educational Vision -- Global Inclusionism As Social And Political Transformation -- The Underlying Assumptions Of Global Inclusionism -- Global Inclusionism: A Critique -- The Capacity Critique -- The Epistemological Critique -- The Disability Critique -- Situated Expertise: The Foundation Of Grounded Inclusionism -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Part Ii: Planning And Policies For Quality -- 5. Monitoring And Evaluating School Effectiveness: The Case For Longitudinal Datasets -- Introduction -- Why Do We Need To Evaluate Education Quality? -- Evidence From Value Added Research In China -- Evidence From Value Added Research In Zanzibar -- Research Strengths And Limitations. Conclusion -- References -- 6. Teacher Professionalism And Social Justice -- Introduction -- A Conceptual Framework -- Teachers' Working Conditions In Low-income, Fragile And Highly Unequal Societies -- The Influence Of Policy And Teaching Contexts -- Teacher Perceptions Of Self-efficacy In The Light Of Teaching For Social Justice -- Teacher Initial Preparation, Professional Development And Collegial Support Opportunities -- Conclusion -- References -- 7. Quality And Early Childhood Care And Education: Lessons From India And Ghana -- Introduction -- Existing Theoretical Approaches To Ecce Quality -- Case Studies Of Maharashtra And Ghana -- The Integrated Child Development Service (icds) -- Political Recognition Of The Importance Of Ecce Through Governance -- Expansion, Quality Standards And A Recognition Of Children's Entitlement To Ecce -- Redistribution Through Targeted Provision -- Participation: Women And Community -- Ghana: Ecce Provision And Policy -- Political Recognition Of The Importance Of Ecce Through Governance -- Agencies Of Governance And The Division Between Care And Education -- Redistribution Through Expansion And Universalisation -- Recognition And Relevance To Socio-cultural Contexts Within The Ecce Curriculum -- Participation: School-community/parent Relations And Quality -- Conclusion -- Note -- References -- 8. The 2014 Education Action Plan In South Africa: Does It Advance The Quality Agenda? -- Introduction -- The South African Educational Policy Context -- The Action Plan 2014 -- The South African Experience And Global Challenges -- Concluding Comments -- Note -- References -- 9. Scaling Up By Focusing Down: Creating Space And Capacity To Extend Education Reform In Africa -- 'going To Scale' -- Perspectives On 'going To Scale' -- Innovation And Reform In African Education: Enlarging Scale -- The Knowledge Base. Empirical Research On Enlarging The Scale Of Education Reforms -- The Challenge Of Evaluating Outcomes In Education -- Going To Scale: Analysis And Implications -- Successful Scaling Up -- Why 'scaling Up' Fails -- There Is No Blueprint -- When Is 'scaling Up' Inappropriate Or Likely To Be Unviable? -- Broadening The Focus -- Roles Of The National Government -- Roles Of The External Funding And Technical Assistance Agencies -- Locus Of Authority And Responsibility -- 'going To Scale' And Participatory Local Development -- What Is To Be Scaled Up? -- Notes -- References -- Part Iii: Implementing Quality In Schools -- 10. Leading And Managing Change In Schools -- Introduction -- Expansion, Decentralisation And School Leadership -- The Research Process -- The Impact Of Action Research As A Tool For Leading And Managing Change In Schools -- Leading And Managing Poverty-related Challenges -- Project A - Improving Reading, Writing And Communication Skills -- Project B - Supporting Vulnerable Pupils -- Initiatives Promoting Gender Equity -- Conclusion -- References -- 11. Dilemmas Of Language Choice In Education In Tanzania And Ghana -- Introduction -- The Research Design -- Language And Classroom Interaction -- Teacher Education For Teaching In L2 -- Stakeholder Views On The Language Of Instruction -- Conclusion -- References -- 12. Implementing Curriculum Change: Small Steps Towards A Big Change? -- Introduction -- Outcomes-based Curricula And Child Centred Pedagogy -- Implementing Curriculum Change: An Action Research Project -- Results -- Nuzhat -- Rozina -- Supporting Teachers' Implementation Of Student Centric Pedagogy Within An Outcomes-based Curriculum -- Conclusion -- Note -- References -- 13. Participatory Professional Development: Ict And Mathematics Education In Rwanda -- Introduction -- Teaching, Learning And Ict In Rwanda -- Vision 2020. Teaching And Learning Mathematics -- Professional Development, Ict And Learning Mathematics -- A Participatory Professional Development Model: The Edqual Ict Project In Rwanda -- Phase 1: Incorporating Ict Into A Teacher-centred Approach -- Phase 2: Shifting Towards A Student-centred Approach To Teaching And Learning Mathematics With Ict -- A Teacher-perspective On Shifting Towards A Student-centred Approach And The Role Of Ict -- Social Justice, Capabilities And The Use Of Icts In Mathematics Education -- Concluding Remarks -- Notes -- References -- Part Iv: Conclusion -- 14. Education Quality And Social Justice In The South: Priorities For Policy, Practice And Research -- Introduction -- Revisiting Social Justice And Education Quality -- Creating Enabling Environments Key Priorities -- Creating Enabling Environments: Key Resource Inputs And Processes -- National Debates On Education Quality -- School, Home And Community Links -- Improved Accountability And Parent/community Voice -- Effective Assessment, Monitoring And Evaluation Of Quality -- An Inclusive And Relevant Curriculum And Pedagogy -- Developing Professional Capabilities -- Appropriate Textbooks And Learning Materials Including Icts -- Investing In Basic Infrastructure And Resources -- School Feeding, Child Health And Early Childhood Development -- Conclusion -- References -- Index.