Pedagogising Knowledge in Multigrade Roma Schools: Potentials and Tensions of Innovation

Abstract

Low school achievement and frequent dropout of Hungarian Roma students from primary education is mostly an effect of inadequate curriculum content and teaching methodology. Between 2004 and 2011, the UNESCO affiliated Research Centre for Multimedia in Education at Eötvös Loránd University (ELTE University) in Budapest, Hungary coordinated a series of learning experiments partnered with teaching staff and parents to develop developmental programmes using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance learning motivation and performance through the integration of the mundane knowledge of students and the recontextualised expert knowledge inherent in the national curriculum. Experiments involved primary schools in small villages with Roma student majority. Verbal and visual communication skills were developed through pair and group work during interdisciplinary activities based on music, arts and crafts traditionally present in Roma communities. Our results prove that lack of motivation and perspective, as well as factors resulting in low learning attainment, may be overcome through culturally grounded ICT-supported teaching and learning. Through staff development and curriculum enrichment, the projects also contributed to integration: they supported the continuation of studies of students in secondary level institutions of their choice, a prerequisite for better chances on the labour market or in higher education.

Intercultural Education for Sustainability in the Educational Interventions Targeting the Roma Student: A Systematic Review

“…In relation to what was proposed by the European Commission [2], the use of innovative methodologies to favor the educational inclusion of Roma students is noted. These are alternative strategies aimed at increasing motivation, cognitive abilities and school achievement, which are adequate to get an equitable access to education and teaching and learning based on their culture [34,35]. So, it is verified that elements of the culture, language, traditions and history of Roma are included in the classroom setting, in the teaching-learning process [3] and in the out-of-school surrounding, which contributes to an improvement in the assessment of the Roma culture by the community according to intercultural positions [25,27].…”

“…Of the total articles (n = 17) ten of them have been carried out at school [3,[29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]. These programs or interventions have been directed mainly towards Roma students in secondary education [30,31,34].…”

“…In primary education, there are three articles [32,35,36] conducted respectively in Serbia, Hungary and Turkey. The three articles present educational interventions with innovative and motivating methodologies.…”

“…The first [32] uses a teaching laboratory experiment, which aims to increase the quality and quantity of knowledge, through motivating experiences in the laboratory, related to ecology and environmental care. The second, [35] is carried out in different grades of primary schools. Interdisciplinary programs are carried out using technology, communications, and informatics to motivate, develop skills and promote the in-school achievement of Roma students.…”

From Past Aspirations to Present Achievements: A Case Study of Three K-8 Schools Successfully Educating Roma Students

“…Every concept or formula was accompanied by a simple word problem related to students' everyday lives (e.g., division of candies). Kárpáti, Molnár, and Munkácsy (2014) stressed that conceptual gaps are some of the important reasons for the underachievement of Roma students and recommend embedding the concepts to be taught in real life situations.…”