Lizzi O. Milligan

Insider-Outsider-Inbetweener? Researcher Positioning, Participative Methods and Cross-Cultural Educational Research.

This article reflects on the use of participative techniques with final-year secondary school students in one rural community in Western Kenya as an enabling tool for an outsider to both gain insider perspectives and develop a more insider role in that community by privileging and legitimating participant-driven data. Conclusions put forward the concept of the ‘inbetweener’ researcher, neither entirely inside or outside, and consider how using such methods allowed the formulation of authentic participative knowledge (co-)construction and construction of meaningful relationships in the field.

‘They are not serious like the boys’: gender norms and contradictions for girls in rural Kenya

This paper reconsiders urban–rural and modern–traditional dichotomies by exploring the multiple and contested gendered issues that secondary school girls face in rural Kisii, Western Kenya. Findings are drawn from a qualitative case study and explore the ways that gendered norms interact with new ideas of gender equity in and out of the classroom. It is argued that this rural setting offers a highly complex environment for girls in local day secondary schools who often face multiple challenges; many of which are at risk of being overlooked by assumptions that the rural context, where the girls live and are educated, is timeless, static and isolated. Implications are considered for the reconceptualisation of ideas of gender equity in education to go beyond quantitative measures such as enrolment and parity of attention in class to account for out-of-school challenges and the ways in which girls are treated while in school.

Exploring the potential for language supportive learning in English medium instruction: a Rwandan case study

ABSTRACT This article puts forward the argument for language supportive learning for learners in English medium instruction (EMI) classrooms based on the findings from a mixed methods study in Rwanda. The article first reviews the relevant literature and research which looks at the concept of language support, focusing on textbooks and pedagogy in sub-Saharan African EMI countries. The scant literature which exists suggests that current teaching practice and textbook design are not targeted for learners learning in a second language which frequently results in the global language acting as a major barrier to effective learning across the curriculum. The potential of ‘language supportive textbooks and pedagogy’ for addressing such a barrier is then considered through an analysis of a recent intervention in Primary 4 Rwandan classrooms. Findings suggest that language supportive learning can lead to significant improvements in learner outcomes and more effective engagement with subjects across the curriculum. Conclusions consider implications for bilingual education policies in Rwanda and further afield.

Global Influences in Educational Policymaking: Free Secondary Education in Kenya.

The global discourse of human capital theory has long dominated educational development commitments. There is a huge body of literature which critiques how this discourse and associated global trends and targets have created a standardised blueprint for how education in low income countries should be carried out. While most attention has been given to the primary sector, this article shifts the focus to post-compulsory secondary education. The study investigates how quality is conceptualised in Kenyan secondary education policy documents, and critically examines the influence of the global discourse of educational development on these conceptualisations. Situated within a postcolonial framework and using thematic discourse analysis, findings suggest that neo-imperial power relations continue to exert significant influence in the formulation of the Kenyan secondary education policy. Conclusions point to the need for more local participation in the policymaking process if qualitative improvements are to be successful in promoting sustainable development.

English as a medium of instruction in postcolonial contexts:issues of quality, equity and social justice

This special issue brings together scholars from the fields of language education and comparative education to critically discuss the issues of English as a medium of instruction in postcolonial co...

Education quality and the Kenyan 8-4-4 curriculum:secondary school learners’ experiences

This article explores the implementation of Kenyan secondary education in rural Western Kenya, focusing on learners’ experiences. One of the key challenges to educational quality is shown to be the size and breadth of the secondary education curriculum. Learners are in school 12 hours a day with those approaching their final exams working three to five additional hours at home, often with little access to light sources. In school, there are also pedagogical implications with a reliance on rote learning as teachers ‘rush through the syllabus’. It is suggested that this is part of the continued legacy of the 8-4-4 system, introduced in 1984 with one aim of widening the curriculum to prepare learners for formal and informal post-education employment opportunities. Conclusions suggest a review of the 8-4-4 structure and greater attention in discussions of education quality of learners’ lived experiences in socio-economically disadvantaged communities.

English as a medium of instruction in postcolonial contexts: moving the debate forward

This special issue brings together scholars from the fields of language education and comparative education to critically discuss the issues of English as a medium of instruction in postcolonial co...

Conceptualising educational quality in Kenyan secondary education:Comparing local and national perspectives

Considerable research has highlighted the power of development agencies and the influence of international agendas in national policymaking across the Global South. In recent years, increasing critical attention has been paid to the promotion of the dominant economic and rights-based approaches to educational quality at the primary level, with some authors arguing for the reconceptualisation of educational quality in alternative and participatory ways (Tikly and Barrett 2011). This study contributes to this literature by developing the relationship between participation and context, and addresses gaps in existing knowledge by shifting the focus to the secondary level, where, it is argued, out-of-school factors are particularly pertinent. Kenya was one of the first African countries to extend free basic education to the secondary level with the introduction of the Free Secondary Education (FSE) policy in 2008. This is, to my knowledge, the first in-depth case study of its implementation and the associated challenges to educational quality. The study documents local conceptualisations of quality in Kenyan secondary education and compares and contrasts these with those identified in the national FSE policy documentation. The empirical research answers three research questions: (1) How is quality defined in the Kenyan FSE policy documents? (2) What does a quality secondary education look like for a range of local stakeholders? (3) What are the main challenges facing secondary education in practice in two case study schools? Guided by a postcolonial methodological framing, the research is conducted using a twolevel case study design. At the national level, thematic discourse analysis is employed to interrogate dimensions of quality in the policy documents, and at the local level, in one rural community in the Kisii region, a range of

Understanding the role of learning and teaching support materials in enabling learning for all

Abstract There are many assumptions about the ways in which textbooks and other learning and teaching support materials (LTSM) can contribute to improved learning outcomes in many international contexts. These can focus on ways that they can implement the school curriculum, often in lieu of good pedagogical practice. Drawing on case studies from Rwanda and South Africa, the complexity of the role of LTSM as part of classroom enactment is shown. The discussion suggests that there are enabling factors to this including support for teachers’ use of LTSM and the availability of materials to all learners. A framework is presented in which LTSM, teachers and learners can become equal partners in teaching and learning, but only when adequate language and other pedagogical support structures are provided. Conclusions consider the potential impact for LTSM use when it is elevated to a medium that is accessible and useful to both teachers and learners.

Adoption, adaptation, and integration: renegotiating the identity of educational research through interdisciplinarity

With increasing calls for large-scale research projects that cross boundaries of disciplines, institutions, and countries, there has never been a more appropriate time to problematize collaborative research practices, both within education and between education and other disciplines. This special issue draws together examples and discussion of interdisciplinary research in education to consider the complexities of working across and beyond disciplinary boundaries. Despite such complexities, we propose that there is potential for education to take a clear position within research partnerships that cross disciplinary boundaries: a position that takes account of the unique characteristics of our field and that goes beyond merely providing a context for other disciplines to test out their concepts. Considering this potential helps us to consider the identity of educational research as a discipline, and of educational researchers as individuals. This special issue has brought together papers that seek to understand how and why interdisciplinary research can