Paradoxes of social inclusion reflected in a digital story-telling project

Transcription

1 Paradoxes of social inclusion reflected in a digital story-telling project By Janet Condy, Daniela Gachago, Eunice Ivala, Agnes Chigona Cape Peninsula University of Technology

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3 Class of 2011

4 Outline of presentation Aim: The aim of this research was fourfold to discuss: 1. the theoretical framework of critical pedagogy 2. discuss how we used digital storytelling with our students 3. a critical review the inclusion education policies and literature 4. a discussion of our methodology 5. finally to provide the findings of social inclusion and exclusion experiences using digital stories of a diverse group of students. 6. offer conclusions and recommendations

5 4 th year ISP Professional Studies course - Mowbray Cycle Students Focus of digital story students Reflection on 7 roles of the teacher students Reflection on 1 role of teacher, focusing on 1 critical incident on journey to becoming teachers (River of Life) students Critically reflect on 1 critical incident on journey to becoming teachers (Critical pedagogy and River of Life)

6 Paradoxes of social inclusion in a digital storytelling project

7 1. Critical pedagogy Freire s (Freire & Macedo, 1987) work focuses on language and how words function to make meaning within social and political contexts. He suggested that students engage in cycles of action and reflection with the goal of social transformation. Hence we embraced the idea of using tools of critical discourse as part of our pedagogy and

8 Purpose of using critical pedagogy 1. was to prepare this diverse group of students to explicitly use language that valued their linguistic and cultural backgrounds in their digital stories and to understand issues of power 2. Ali-Khan (2011:304) argues that the hidden curriculum of a university course work is a curriculum of power that reinforces current social hierarchical positions 3. it privileges those who have already benefited from the system applauding their strength, while concurrently accusing those who do not succeed.

9 4. Critical pedagogy is a teaching approach that attempts to help students question and challenge domination, and the beliefs and practices that dominate them. It helps students to become critically conscious (Chetty, 2012) 5. Stenhouse and Jarret (2012:53) state that a critical approach is about challenging the status quo and appraising how various dimensions of power are wielded in society and within one s own context

10 The lecturers asked the students to draw a river of life - share with their colleagues - engaged with their colleagues - enabled them to come to new understandings about themselves, their practice, their identities as teachers and their world

11 2. What are digital stories?

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14 3. Diversity and inclusive education Focuses on children with disabilities and aims at reducing barriers to learning for children. Its concept of diversity, which is expressed in these barriers, is wider than culture and for example incorporates issues of poverty and social injustice.

15 Inclusive education policy documents 1994 Salamanca Accord: grounded on values of mutual acceptance, respect for diversity, and a sense of belonging and social justice 1996 The National Education Policy: fundamental rights for equal access to education, protection against discrimination and protection of language rights

16 Inclusive education policy documents 1996 The South African Schools Act: promote the right if access to quality education without discrimination 2001 South African White Paper 6: IE acknowledges and respects differences in learners whether due to age, gender, ethnicity, language, class, disability, HIV or other infectious diseases The National Curriculum Statement: move away from the racist, apartheid, rote-learning model of learning and teaching to one which is liberating, nation-building, learner-centered

17 Inclusive education policy documents CAPS document (2012) - replaces the NCS Grades R 12 - Inclusivity should become a central part of the organisation, planning and teaching at each school. This can only happen if all teachers have a sound understanding of how to recognise and address barriers to learning, and how to plan for diversity.

18 Social Inclusion Inclusion is aimed at recognising social unity and permanence, where as exclusion takes on the meaning of the other and a lack of constancy However all this may be commendable but it fails to recognize the possibility that inclusive policies may result in some forms of exclusion. (Soudien, Carrim & Sayad 2007, 12)

19 4. Methodology Qualitative research design Site: th year ISP class, Mowbray campus Convenient / purposive sampling Data collection: 4 focus group discussions, digital stories The data from the four focus group interviews was separately inductively analysed embracing a phenomenological approach

20 Sample 2011: diverse class Race n % Black 11 20% Coloured 30 55% White 14 25% Total % Language English 35 64% Afrikaans 9 16% isixhosa 11 20% Total 55 Gender Male 17 31% Female 38 69% Total 55

21 Ethical considerations Ethical clearance obtained from the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences. Informed consent to students written reflections, to interview them and use their videos for research Release form for digital stories to be screen/published

22 5. Results Paradoxical tensions and contradictions of social inclusion and exclusion in the final-year students responses to their experiences of the digital storytelling project. cultural inclusion and exclusion; Language inclusion and exclusion; and Student engagement both inclusion and exclusion

23 How the use of technology enhanced cultural inclusion Students were happy to interact with students from different cultures this encouraged social inclusion students mentioned they were aware of the cultural barriers which manifested predominantly in social exclusion rather than inclusion This limited their social experiences Some comments were:

24 cultural inclusion: it made us much more tolerant towards each other digital stories just gives you a platform to say let s look at diversity. Let s talk about these things, understand things. There was that crossing even if it was just a foot going over support irrespective of race or culture... Before it would have been a bit different.

25 Cultural issues that reflected cultural exclusion Cultural exclusion Some students expressed that there was no integration amongst the diverse group of students. They expressed their anger at why, only at the end of their fourth year, are they given this opportunity. you ve been in here for four years then we were only breaking the ice now. Integration it's null and void. Its 5% that you would really find true integration regardless of colour or race or we as a student community we

26 How the use of technology enhanced language inclusion According to some students participating in this study they realized that using digital stories provided an opportunity for them to speak about past hurtful issues that they had not been able to before. Not only did they see this as a healing experience, but they realized others had experienced similar events.

27 Language inclusion You know there are the barriers from the cultures but if now we involve students from all various cultures it s easy for us to understand easy for us to understand in terms of languages through pictures, like bad pictures that you could understand where I was, without me saying it that so that I felt like I had control over what I told people I didn't have to be explicit in the details. if you had to translate what you are thinking in Xhosa to English it would come out in a different way sometimes I

28 How the use of technology enhanced language exclusion An interesting outcome is that in the class some students do all the talking and they are neither sensitive nor aware of the other students background and cultures. The digital storytelling experience promoted participatory learning and for many this was the first time they had interacted with each other in any depth.

29 exclusion I just want to get back to the silence. It was very clear that certain people speak in the class. So for us it becomes an issue of a language barrier it s the first time you mingle with white people in a room. So you re quite unsure of yourself.

30 How the use of technology enhanced student engagement inclusion: One of the most significant findings of this study shows that many students found the digital storytelling project created a safe space where all the language and cultural groups activley worked together with a sense of kindliness and compassion towards each other. They all had an important story to tell and felt connected during the show day.

31 Student engagement Inclusion we worked in two groups and with both groups the sensitivity that went along with giving input and not criticizing but more moulding and shaping the story it was profound. everybody felt connected at some point at some time with watching each other s stories, you couldn't isolate yourself I think this is one of the few projects where students actually were very active, all of them without a doubt because you had to be, there was no way to get around it.

32 I can tell you here s a lot of cases where people cannot tolerate each other and we re just together in class because of the fact that we need to be together How the use of technology enhanced student engagement exclusion: Eish! Do you know when it comes to discussions and especially when it involves some sensitive but for me I feel like blocked where I can t speak Sitting there with them, looking at the story for me the aim was not for them to feel pity for me, because that s always been an issue for me. You don t feel sympathy for me. I don t want you to feel sorry for me. I know I won t be able to engage them with the way I would engage with my buddies I mean we ve got very few things in common.

33 6. Recommendations and conclusions Although South Africa has many policy documents with the aim of enabling an inclusive education system, there has been insufficient attention to the implementation of them at this humanities university. There are limits to policies To provide a truly inclusive ethos into the faculty there needs to be constructive dialogue into ways of supporting the integration of technology learning into the teaching and learning environment. The voices of vulnerable and marginalized students need to be heard and they need to be part of this dialogue. At the same time, we must be mindful that this may also have exclusionary effects.

34 These stories reinforced the lectures belief that the identity of a teacher is never fully accomplished. As the lecturer, using the digital storytelling experiences, I was able to step out (Kress, 2011:271) of my comfort zone and purposefully create a deeper sense of awareness and understanding about myself, the use of technology in my teaching and learning environments, and how I perhaps created inclusive and exclusive environments in my own teaching. Additionally stepping out also involved developing deeper relationships with the final-year students and being aware of the necessity of addressing social inclusion in the hidden curriculum. I have been challenged to create more critical environments with the direct purpose of shifting value systems.

35 Final word We believe that through the interaction with technology to tell their stories, the students expanded their understanding and respect of one another s ethnic, racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. This experience gave them one example of how they may be more sensitive towards social inclusion and how to possibly address diversity and social inclusion in their own classes next year.

36 Questions and discussions? More information found on our blog: YouTube channel: CPUTstories

37 References Aluko R Inclusion and exclusion in higher education: Paradoxes in distance education. Progressio 33(2): Boughey C Social inclusion and exclusion in a changing higher education environment. Multidisciplinary Journal of Educational Research. 2(2): Cohen L, Manion L & Morrison K Research methods in education (6 th ed). London: Routledge. Henning E, Van Rensburg W & Smit B Finding your way in qualitative research. Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers. James W Manifesto on values, education and democracy. Pretoria: Government Printer. Soudien C, Carrim N & Sayad Y School inclusion and exclusion in South Africa: some theoretical and methodological considerations. In Nkomo M, McKinney C. & Chisholm L. Reflections on school integration. Cape Town: HSRC Publishers Swart E & Pettifpher R A framework for understanding inclusion. In Landsberg E, Kruger D and Swart E (eds). Addressing barriers to learning, Pretoria: Van Schaik Publishers. 8 9.

38 Acknowledgements CPUT Research into Innovations in Teaching and Learning Fund (RIFTAL 2011, 2012) CPUT University Research Fund 2012 National Research Foundation Facilitators and students of 2011 ISP Digital Storytelling project