Journal of Contemporary Issues in Education (JCIE)
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Learning and Cultural Experiences of Arab Muslim Graduate Students in a Canadian University
No full textThe purpose of the present study is to explore the experiences of Arab Muslim graduate students in the University of Alberta (U of A) regarding cultural differences and adjustment, language difficulties, supervision, differences of study system, and funding. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five Arab Muslim graduate students from Egypt, Libya, Oman, Iraq and Kuwait. The findings of the study reveal that although students experience some difficulties adjusting to Canadian society, adjustment is made easier through their interaction with local Muslim communities and organizations such as mosques. In addition, respondents indicate the multicultural nature of Canadian society is an asset that helps them o-n and off-campus. Moreover, the presence of Arab Muslim students at the U of A may help in correcting the image of Islam as a religion, distorted in the west, through interaction both academically and socially with other students. The study recommends greater cooperation between the university and Muslim cultural and religious organizations within Canadian society
Gender bias in education in Burkina Faso: Who pays the piper? Who calls the tune?
No full textIn this chapter, I analyze policies developed by the government of Burkina Faso in order to redress an imbalance in gender education. Girls, in effect, are not getting their fair share of education, whether in quantity or quality. I critique existing policies concerning gender issues in education by first taking stock of different policies launched in favor of the education of girls, the context of their formation, and identify shortcoming therein. It has been found that international organizations, beyond their commitment to reverse the lag in the education of girls, bring with them an agenda that is at times contradictory with the aim of education for all. At the same time that governments are prodded to school all girls, Structural Adjustments Programs that generally bring more poverty and less public spending, are at loggerheads with increased access. Moreover, the policy choices of international organizations seem to be ill-equipped to subvert existing ideological and patriarchal structures. These structures do not allow for the empowerment of women. The government itself is found to have very little leverage on current policies, raising the nagging question of their appropriation.
The paper ends with some policy recommendations that go beyond the construction of facilities and resources to address issues of the school experiences of girls, the curriculum-in-use, and overall problem of teacher training and compensation
Legitimizing indigenous knowledge in Zimbabwe: A theoretical analysis of postcolonial school knowledge and its colonial legacy
No full textThis article is a theoretical discussion on the social construction of knowledge in colonial and postcolonial Zimbabwe. It examines effects of hegemonic knowledge constructions and how they may be de-legitimated through incorporating indigenous knowledge in postcolonial school curricular. The article questions the importance attached to Euro-centric school knowledge and the devaluation of indigenous knowledge in postcolonial states. It further argues that indigenous knowledge as informal knowledge plays a major role in society and should be formalized in educational institutions to constitute a transformative and inclusive educational system. The article proposes hybridization of knowledge to give voice to the formerly marginalized in school curricular in Zimbabwe. It also proposes that knowledge as a historical, cultural, social, spiritual and ideological creation should be a product of collaborated efforts from all possible stakeholders to foster social development and self-confidence in individuals
