Child participatory research methods: exploring grade 6 pupils’ experiences of private tutoring in Kazakhstan

Asia Pacific Educ. Rev.

2023

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This mixed-methods study explored the nature, effectiveness, and policy implications of the fee-charging private supplementary tutoring (PT)—including online—that first-year Kazakhstani university students attended over the last 12 months. The data were collected from 952 participants using a close-ended questionnaire followed by semi-structured online interviews with 22 participants. The study found that the PT market expanded during the COVID-19 pandemic, during which 750 out of the 952 participants (81%) received PT. Lack of parental follow-up, limited preparation by schoolteachers on how to deliver online classes during the pandemic, and insufficient support by regular schools for students taking university entrance examinations prompted the participants to seek PT, mainly to obtain state tuition grants for highly selective universities. Despite the health risks of face-to-face PT during the COVID-19 pandemic, several participants did take part in it. The participants exercised their agency by reflecting not only on the drawbacks of online PT but also its advantages, including saving time, energy, and money and being able to revisit the taught material several times, thus, enhancing comprehension. The pedagogical implications of fair access to higher education and regulating PT by introducing codes of practice are presented.

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 91%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Throwing light on fee-charging tutoring during the global pandemic in Kazakhstan: implications for the future of higher education

Asia Pacific Educ. Rev.

2023

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“…Nevertheless, research on shadow education has not kept pace with its global expansion. This is primarily because it is less structured, and some tutors and tutees are reluctant to provide data, considering it an illegitimate form of education, and its prevalence is still viewed by some governments as reflecting criticism of the mainstream schooling for which the state is responsible (Hajar et al, 2021 ; Zhang & Bray, 2020 ). In fact, Malik ( 2017 , p. 19) suggested that the field of shadow education “seems to be building more floors upwards before looking at the foundations and strengthening it.”…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A bibliometric mapping of shadow education research: achievements, limitations, and the future

Asia Pacific Educ. Rev.

2022

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This study aims to map the literature on shadow education using metadata extracted from 488 publications indexed in the Web of Science database. It is termed as shadow education because much of its content mimics what is learned in schools. The study uses bibliometric procedures to describe and visually represent available literature on shadow education in terms of main sources, key authors, institutions, and countries leading the production and dissemination of research on shadow education. Further, the study elaborates on h-classics publications to obtain an in-depth understanding of the most influential scientific outputs in this domain. Key findings of the study are that research on shadow education (a) has experienced steady growth over the last decade; (b) is disseminated through a wide range of outlets, mainly in the disciplines of sociology of education, economics of education, educational psychology, and language education; (c) is published mainly by scholars working in East Asia and the United States; (d) has focused on tangible (quantifiable) benefits related to improved examination results; and (e) reveals how this form of instruction primarily benefits students hailing from high socioeconomic backgrounds, thereby contributing to greater educational inequality. This study also suggests pedagogical implications and areas for ongoing research.

“…However, researchers need to evaluate the appropriateness and ethical concerns when using child participatory research methods (e.g., focus groups, drawings, children-led photography, and puppetry) in their empirical studies. To clarify, the drawing research activity may not be welcome to all children, especially older ones, because they may regard it as 'babyish' or judgmental of their drawing skill (see Hajar et al, 2022). The researcher has to completely respect children's decisions if some or all of them decide not to take part in the participatory research methods.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emergency remote English language teaching and learning: Voices of primary school students and teachers in Kazakhstan

Manan

2022

Review of Education

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This qualitative study documents the experiences of 38 Grade 5 students and their six female teachers from four state‐maintained schools in Kazakhstan teaching/learning English during emergency remote teaching and learning (ERT&L). It was guided by Kearney et al.’s (2012) framework that provides three dimensions that influence individuals’ teaching and learning experience when using technological devices: personalisation, collaboration and authenticity. The data collected through online individual interviews and students’ drawings suggest that the participants asserted their agentive reflexivity and critical awareness of the advantages and drawbacks of their ERT&L experiences. Several teachers indicated that although ERT&L helped them make financial and professional gains, they had difficulty assessing their students’ progress online, and work overload had negative impacts on their well‐being and quality of life. Many students criticised some English teaching practices during COVID‐19, including the allocation of more homework, and lack of co‐operative activities and individual attention. The study has pedagogical implications and provides further evidence of the need for stakeholders to take the well‐being of teachers into account, promote collaboration between different social actors and provide teachers with proper training in the use of online platforms. It also stresses the importance of using participatory research methods involving children to capture their thoughts and interpretation of their emergency remote learning experiences.