Experiences of learners with visual impairments in Botswana primary schools

Mukhopadhyay, Sourav; Moswela, Emmanuel; Habulezi, Joseph

doi:10.1080/13603116.2021.1965802

“…However, such global influence has also been criticized, especially as they can lead to the "global diffusion of Western ideas, [where] thinking about education has become almost universal, dominated by a set of imperial assumptions concerning economic progress, with notions of human capital and development becoming part of a broader discourse of capitalist triumphalism" (Rizvi, 2007, p. 257). With countries sensitive to contemporary forms of colonialism, such top-down imposition of global governance can be resisted and have complex consequences for implementation of educational changes on the ground (Mukhopadhyay, 2015). For example, although developed countries had "new public management" that preferred the use of competition and incentives in government processes, a review has noted that this had modest impacts at best in developing countries because of differences between developed and developing countries regarding people's expectations of what the government should do (Manning, 2001).…”

Section: Global Education Governance In Developing Countriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Global Education Governance and Systems Change in Developing Contexts: International Organizations and Local Responses

Trinidad

2024

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How do developing countries experience and respond to global forces in education? This paper offers a conceptual contribution in clarifying global education governance (GEG) and an empirical contribution in investigating the responses to non-financial forms of GEG in a developing country. In particular, the paper uses four case studies of GEG in the Philippines, with data collected from news articles, organizational websites, and 87 in-depth interviews. The paper provides conceptual clarity in understanding global education governance by noting the difference between financial and non-financial forms of GEG, and further, how these non-financial forms can be categorized as quantification, commensuration, and local adaptation of international organizations. In contrast to studies assuming the power of international organizations, the current paper challenges this assumption by showing that GEG led to few substantive changes because these international efforts focused on symbolic changes, provided little to no actionable directions, and failed to have compelling incentives for schools and education systems to adopt more substantive changes. This paper clarifies the processes and limits of GEG in developing countries, and outlines factors that contribute to changes in large education systems: clear directions, incentives, andlegitimacy to local stakeholders.

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“…Immigrant students in Norway come from different education systems. Mukhopadhyay et al (2021) describe how the school system in Botswana previously did not have any provision for students with disabilities, but established a school for learners with visual impairments in 1969. Today, learners in Botswana are integrated into mainstream schools, but there are still special schools and special units in mainstream schools.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Inclusion and Special Needs Education for Immigrant Students in the Nordic Countries

Hanssen,

Harju-Luukkainen,

Sundqvist

2023

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This chapter examines the question "What are the educational experiences of inclusion of young immigrant students with blindness?" through the thematic life story of a young blind student at upper secondary school. Inclusion is a key principle in the Norwegian school system. Nevertheless, there are still a large number of students who feel that they do not belong in the learning community. Approximately 25% of students at upper secondary school drop out, a figure the authorities consider to be too high. There are many reasons why adolescents end up not finishing upper secondary school. Inadequate adaptation can be one of several reasons. The primary focus of this chapter is the immigrant student's own experience of support when learning difficulties were linked to visual impairments. In this study, we follow the thematic life history of a single student, in order to go in depth on this student's narrative. The perspective of the student is highlighted based on the blind student's self-reporting through an in-depth interview. The narrative has been analysed based on sociological theory, primarily Bauman's theory of the Stranger and togetherness.The results show that inadequate adaptation and poor proportional support from the teacher lead to a poor perception of inclusion. It may seem that the sensory impairment is a more important reason for this than the fact that the student is an immigrant. The blind immigrant student is treated as a Stranger and is unable to assume a student role involving learningpromoting encounters with fellow students or teachers. The impetus for completing upper secondary school is to achieve a grade transcript rather than the motivation that could have been provided by a safe and positive learning environment.

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‘Then we had to Analyse a Picture’ – Blind Immigrant Student in Upper Secondary School

Olsen

2023

Inclusion and Special Needs Education for Immigrant Students in the Nordic Countries

0

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This chapter examines the question "What are the educational experiences of inclusion of young immigrant students with blindness?" through the thematic life story of a young blind student at upper secondary school. Inclusion is a key principle in the Norwegian school system. Nevertheless, there are still a large number of students who feel that they do not belong in the learning community. Approximately 25% of students at upper secondary school drop out, a figure the authorities consider to be too high. There are many reasons why adolescents end up not finishing upper secondary school. Inadequate adaptation can be one of several reasons. The primary focus of this chapter is the immigrant student's own experience of support when learning difficulties were linked to visual impairments. In this study, we follow the thematic life history of a single student, in order to go in depth on this student's narrative. The perspective of the student is highlighted based on the blind student's self-reporting through an in-depth interview. The narrative has been analysed based on sociological theory, primarily Bauman's theory of the Stranger and togetherness.The results show that inadequate adaptation and poor proportional support from the teacher lead to a poor perception of inclusion. It may seem that the sensory impairment is a more important reason for this than the fact that the student is an immigrant. The blind immigrant student is treated as a Stranger and is unable to assume a student role involving learningpromoting encounters with fellow students or teachers. The impetus for completing upper secondary school is to achieve a grade transcript rather than the motivation that could have been provided by a safe and positive learning environment.

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Experiences of learners with visual impairments in Botswana primary schools

Cited by 3 publications

References 23 publications

Global Education Governance and Systems Change in Developing Contexts: International Organizations and Local Responses

Global Education Governance and Systems Change in Developing Contexts: International Organizations and Local Responses

Inclusion and Special Needs Education for Immigrant Students in the Nordic Countries

‘Then we had to Analyse a Picture’ – Blind Immigrant Student in Upper Secondary School

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