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From library to logframe : Applying academic analysis of action research with Sudanese teachers within the management discourse of the development sector Paul Fean Centre for International Education University of Sussex. Today we’ll think about. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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From library to logframe: Applying academic analysis of
action research with Sudanese teachers within the
management discourse of the development sector
Paul Fean
Centre for International Education
University of Sussex
Today we’ll think about...
How is it possible to apply beliefs, theorisation and
processes developed through academia in the
education and development sector, particularly in
challenging emergency and post-conflict contexts?
The ‘library’ and the ‘logframe’
www.ifad.org
Troubling the boundaries of academia and development practice
Academia
Theory & abstraction
Methodology & process
Complexity
Reflexive & critical
Outside view (in university)
Flexible projects (PhDs)
Academic discourse
Development practice
Practice
Results
Linearity
Practical & funding-oriented
Participant (in ‘the field’)
Funding-dependent projects
Rational management
Now, let’s break down some boundaries!
Think about your experience of moving between academic and
professional roles.
To what extent were you able to draw upon your academic experience in practitioner roles or your practitioner experience in academic studies?
What challenges did you face in putting your academic knowledge into practice or applying your practical knowledge in academic contexts?
Action research with Sudanese teachers
What is action research?
“action research provides a means
whereby research can become a
systemic intervention, going
beyond describing, analysing and
theorizing social practices to
working in partnership with
participants to reconstruct and
transform those practices.”(Somekh, 2006, p.27)
What did we do? Reconnaissance phase:
•Discussion sessions•Lesson observations
Action research phase:
•Data collection•Data discussion and analysis• ‘Trial of a new idea’
Being mufetih (observant and analytical)
“Got to know students’ problems in detail, if
they’ve got social or academic problems...Got
to know the levels of the students.”
“They [the students] were happy, as they know
the teacher feels interest in their problems.”
“[I learnt] nothing surprising, but learnt in detail
what made the students leave education .”
(Adil in research workshop)
Adil
‘Being close’ to the learners
“Make a relationship between teacher
and students, and also it encourage the
students to be in the school to be near
with, closer with the teacher.. because
the student cannot learn from their
enemy... you must be friends”
(Jaber, Headteacher) Maryam
Problem
•“You find students who know what’s written in the book, but they can’t use it in real life.”
Trial
•Weekly writing topics that “concern students’ real lives” (with ‘purpose and audience’)
Outcomes
•“I plan to apply the approaches of writing from the beginners’ classes up to the advanced levels...If this is not successful, then I will look for new approaches to try.”
Experimentalism
Abdelaziz
What did we find out?
Focus
Mufetih‘Being close’
Experimentalism
Learners-focused
Authoritative uncertainty
How to apply action research?
Action research
Open, specific to context
Emancipatory
Small-scale, relationships
Messy, complex
Implicit, diverse, long-term
Dispositions
Rational management
External priorities
Technical
Large-scale
Standardised, linear
Results-driven
Measurable, fixed, timeframe
Technical
Objectives
Process
Outcomes
Your ideas, please! Practical issues: What ideas do you have for steps that can be taken to scale up participatory education projects while retaining their ethical objectives?
Your experience: What is your experience of translating knowledge and practices from academic to practitioner contexts or vice versa?
Transferring practices: How can we draw on academic beliefs and practices in the fast-paced and results-driven education and development sector?
