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07 SES 07 A: Social Justice Professional Learning and Development
Paper Session
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07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Paper Co-interpreting and Expanding Research Findings on the Meanings and Learning of Professional Activism CIIE - Centre for Research and Intervention in Education, Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, University of Porto, Portugal Presenting Author:Professional activism consists of the political mobilisation (e.g., advocacy, awareness raising, social activism) of professionals doing educational, social and community intervention in defence of rights, well-being, and social justice of the people in situations of vulnerability (e.g., migrants/refugees, people in poverty, LGBTQIA+) with whom they work (Costa, Vaz & Menezes, 2021a). Despite the high relevance of this professional role for contemporary life in Europe and worldwide, reinforced by the growth of vulnerability and social injustice, and highlighted in the literature and in professional guidelines of various disciplines (e.g., education, psychology, social work, nursing, medicine), professional activism is still an understudied topic in Portugal and, mainly, through a multi-professional approach (APA, 2019; MacDonnell & Buck-McFadyen, 2016; NASW, 2022; Picower, 2012). The topic gained theoretical substance through the intersection with critical understandings of educational, social and community intervention with people in vulnerable situations, especially in adult education and community psychology. These theoretical approaches highlight the ethical-professional, political, critical and pedagogical components of this broad area of intervention (Freire, 1979; hooks, 1994; Ledwith, 2011; Martín-Baró, 1986; Montero, 2004; Nelson & Evans, 2014; Prilleltensky & Fox, 1997), as well as the complexity and richness of the processes of conscientisation, politicisation, learning and knowledge production inherent in this professional praxis and identity (Choudry, 2015; Foley, 2001; Freire, 1975, 1979; hooks, 1994; Lane, 1981; Ledwith, 2011; Montero, 2004; Ollis, 2010). Previous research revealed a vision of professional activism as a praxis that promotes and is guided by a sense of (in)justice, which, in turn, demands a positioning in defence of the people with whom professionals work, leading to interventions orientated by and towards social justice. Among other results, it also showed that opportunities to incite this political consciousness and positioning and reflect about activism as a relevant professional role are triggered mainly by personal and professional relationships throughout life and by concrete work experiences (Costa, Vaz & Menezes, 2021a, 2021b). This paper reports the processes and findings of a qualitative study aimed at confronting, deepening and advancing knowledge about professional activism by discussing the previous research findings with a new group of experienced professional activists (Costa, 2023). To this end, we implemented a qualitative study using focus groups (Cohen, Manion & Morisson, 2018) to cross-validate our previous findings regarding the meanings and learning of professional activism. The goal was to explore diverse interpretations of our data to develop a denser, more participative and comprehensive representation of our previous findings (Costa, 2023; Creswell & Miller, 2000; Lietz & Zayas, 2010). Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used Focus groups create open, informal and supportive environments for sharing, encouraging interaction between participants and favouring the presentation of elaborate and detailed reports on the topic being studied while providing rich moments for discussion (Braun & Clarke, 2013). Holding these groups made it possible to expand and revise the knowledge acquired in the previous study with the collaboration of members of the target group. Thirteen professional activists took part in this study. They are professionals who work with people in situations of vulnerability in educational, social and community contexts in Portugal and are recognised for orienting their work towards the political sphere. Nine self-identify as women, three as men, and one as non-binary; twelve are white, and one is a black woman, aged between 28 and 67. They primarily work in urban contexts and diverse professional areas and fields of intervention in NGOs, schools, government institutions, universities and health institutions. Three focus discussion groups were held, two with 5 participants each and one with 3 participants, who were identified through personal/professional contacts and at the suggestion of other professionals in the field who were engaged in the previous research, following a snowball strategy (Braun & Clarke, 2013; Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 2018). The contact and invitation were made in person and via email or social media (Facebook). The focus groups were held online, at the participants' option, and to ensure higher geographical coverage, and were supported by a script providing for the prior signing of informed consent. The discussion groups began with a brief presentation of the study theme and aims and the main results obtained in the previous study, which served as a basis for the group discussion. These groups aimed to encourage sharing opinions, reflections, and suggestions regarding what had been presented and, above all, the collective conversation of these results based on their experience of activist work and what they know about this professional role. Specific questions were asked to guide the discussion or clarify some specific aspects (Creswell and Miller, 2000; Lietz & Zayas, 2010). The data was analysed using a deductive approach to compare, relate and integrate participants’ reflections, opinions and contributions regarding previous theoretical and empirical evidence and deepen knowledge of the topics. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings The participants’ sharing and reflections corroborated most findings from the previous study, contributed to problematising some aspects and added relevant contributions and detail on the meanings and learning of professional activism, advancing and deepening knowledge on these phenomena and pointing out implications and suggestions for future research (Costa, 2023). This study also allowed us to see the research process as a promoter of professionals’ reflection about the practices they implement, actively involving them in their conceptualisation and definition. This paper intends to share the results of this study, which advance the findings from previous research. Concerning the meanings of professional activism, we highlight participants’ reflection on the importance of seeing professionals also as people in situations of vulnerability (due to gender, sexual orientation, class, precariousness, migration, among others), which often correspond to those experienced by the people they work with. About professional activism learning and education, a vision of the education system as non-disruptive, encouraging neutrality and individualised vs. structural interventions stands out. In parallel, participants defend that higher education should promote criticism, political awareness and training for practice, although considering that professional activism learning inevitably results from experience. As implications of the knowledge acquired, we would emphasise the importance of promoting the education and political participation of professionals and valuing learning from experience in adult education. Furthermore, this research reinforced the relevance of deepening knowledge about incentives and needs in formal, non-formal, and informal education regarding professional activism education of professionals who (will) work with people in situations of vulnerability. These aspects gave rise to a new in-depth study on the subject, ensuring the continuity of this research. References Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2013). Successful qualitative research: A practical guide for beginners. Washington. Choudry, A. (2015). Learning activism: The intellectual life of contemporary social movements. University of Toronto Press. Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2018). Research Methods in Education (8th ed.). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315456539 Costa, A. L., Vaz, H., & Menezes, I. (2021a). Exploring the meanings of professional activism. Community Development, 52(2), 244-261, D.C., USA: Sage. Costa, A. L., Vaz, H., & Menezes, I. (2021b). The activist craft: learning processes and outcomes of professional activism. Adult Education Quarterly, 71(3), 211-231. Costa, A. L. (2023). O profissional é político: o ativismo profissional na intervenção educativa, social e comunitária (Tese de doutoramento) [The professional is political: professional activism in educational, social and community intervention (Doctoral thesis)]. FPCEUP, Porto, Portugal. Creswell, J. W., & Miller, D. (2000) Determining Validity in Qualitative Inquiry. Theory Into Practice, 39(3), 124-130. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip3903_2 Foley, G. (2001). Radical adult education and learning. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 20(1–2), 71–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370010008264 Freire, P. (1975). Pedagogia do Oprimido [Pedagogy of the Oppressed]. Porto: Afrontamento. hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to transgress: Education as the practice of freedom. Abingdon, United Kingdom: Routledge. Ledwith, M. (2011). Community development: A critical approach (2nd ed.). Bristol, UK: Policy Press. ISBN: 978-1-84742-646-8. Lietz, C. A., & Zayas, L. E. (2010). Evaluating qualitative research for social work practitioners. Advances in Social work, 11(2), 188-202. MacDonnell, J. A., & Buck-McFadyen, E. (2016). How Activism Features in the Career Lives of Four Generations of Canadian Nurses. Policy, Politics & Nursing Practice, 17(4), 218-230. doi:10.1177/1527154416688669 Martín-Baró, I. (1986). Hacia una psicología de la liberación. Boletín de Psicología, 22, 219-231. http://www.uca.edu.sv/deptos/psicolog/hacia.htm Montero, M. (2004). Introducción a la Psicología Comunitaria: Desarrollo, conceptos y processos. Buenos Aires: Paidós. NASW (National Association of Social Workers) (2022). Ethical Standard of the Month: 6.04 Social and Political Action. NASW. https://www.socialworkers.org/About/Ethics/Training-and-Education/Ethical-Standardof-the-Month/Social-and-Political-Action Nelson, G., & Evans, S. D. (2014). Critical community psychology and qualitative research: A conversation. Qualitative Inquiry, 20(2), 158–166. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077800413510873 Ollis, T. (2010). The pedagogy of activism: Learning to change the world. International Journal of Learning, 17(8), 239–249. https://doi.org/10.18848/1447-9494/CGP/v17i08/47225 Picower, B. (2012). Teacher activism: Enacting a vision for social justice. Equity & Excellence in Education, 45(4), 561-574. Prilleltensky, I., & Fox, D. (1997). Introducing critical psychology: Values, assumptions, and the status quo. In D. Fox & I. Prilleltensky (Eds.), Critical psychology: An introduction (pp. 3–20). Sage. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4039-1462-0 07. Social Justice and Intercultural Education
Paper Conceptualizing Success in Balance: A Case Study of Successful Principal Leadership on a Navajo Reservation Northern Arizona University, United States of America Presenting Author:When asked about school leadership, Hózhó or “walking in beauty” in Navajo as a holistic leadership framework (Secatero, 2018), may not be the first image that comes to mind amidst the contemporary pressures and influences of accountability policies, political debates about teaching race and history, digitalization, Covid 19 pandemic effects, etc. Yet Hózhó leadership is at the heart of a Navajo principal’s leadership in an elementary reservation-based public school.
Regardless of differences in contexts, successful Indian school leadership work is predicated upon educational purposes that entail but transcend the functional principles of social justice, equity, and inclusion imbedded in foundations of tribal-specific culturally responsive education practice (Martin, 2021). This Navajo principal’s leadership is part of a larger international study, first through a theoretical examination of Navajo philosophy of education in relation to ecological systems of influence and complexities and then through a study of the Navajo principal’s leadership practice.
The United States has a history of colonization of Native Americans, ongoing assimilation through, for example, boarding schools for indigenous children, has resulted in trauma over centuries. Reservation schools who serve indigenous children face pressures from tribal, state, and national policies for accountability purposes. Particularly, U.S. schools that serve indigenous students are historically situated within a complex interplay among federal and state policies, schools, districts, and, in this case, the tribal nation. Many educational scholars have articulated various theories of leadership aimed at transformative practices, e.g., (Martin, 2021), culturally responsive leadership; (Secatero, 2018), Navajo Holistic leadership; (Shields, 2015), socially just outcomes; (Furman, 2016) inclusive practices; and (Khalifa, et al., 2019) decolonizing leadership that are relevant to Indian-serving schools. Yet few of these theories and studies framed from these theories focus explicitly on indigenous school leaders serving reservation schools from an indigenous philosophical perspective.
Across this literature, there are studies of leadership grounded in various theories, and we see the need to enhance indigenous leadership theorizing and its relations to leadership. The intention of this presentation is to expand leadership theorizing, study, and practice in Navajo educational philosophy in relation to successful principal leadership amidst multiple layers of influence and complexities of the contemporary situation. This study is part of an International Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP), thus the purpose of the presentation is twofold: first, to further develop educational leadership theorizing with tribal forms of knowledge (specifically Navajo) amidst multiple layers of systems of influence and complexities and second, to present empirical findings from a case study of a Navajo principal in relation to Navajo educational philosophy as well as the broader theoretical grounding for successful principals from the international ISSPP study We conclude with implications of a balanced notion of success for leadership preparation and practice.
Research Questions: RQ1: To what extent, and in what ways, do school principals contribute to the ‘success’ of their schools similarly or differently within a state? What are the key factors, including but not limited to: individual, structural, social, cultural, and systems-related district, tribal, national factors that influence, positively or negatively, how school principals’ impact on the ‘successes’ of their schools? RQ2: What similarities and differences can be identified in the values, beliefs, and behaviors of successful school principals across different schools in the same state?
The ISSPP research examines school leadership through the lens of ecological systems theory (Bronfenbrenner, 1979) which theorizes individual practices and development within the context of various dynamically interacting layers of social and ecological systems to capture the processes and actions in which schools operate, develop, and thrive in an increasingly unpredictable, globalized world. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used The research methods featured comparative mixed methods case study (Cresswell & Tashakkori, 2007) as used by the International Study for the Successful School Principalship Project (ISSPP). The ISSPP has determined criteria for selecting cases, requirements for choosing the study participants, and the process for conducting the research. Sampling features principals who lead successful schools in their communities. Data sources within each case study include semi-structured qualitative interviews with the district/municipality, governors, principal, teachers, parents, and students, and a whole-school teacher survey. The comparative analysis of these data sources within and across different schools and countries enables trustworthiness and enhances rigor (Denzin, 2012). Data were analyzed using an inductive approach as well as a deductive approach from the ISSPP analytical framework. Two main research questions were of interest in this context; 1) To what extent, and in what ways, do school principals contribute to the ‘success’ of their schools similarly or differently within a state? What are the key factors, including but not limited to: individual, structural, social, cultural, and systems-related district, tribal, national factors that influence, positively or negatively, how school principals’ impact on the ‘successes of their schools?; and 2) What similarities and differences can be identified in the values, beliefs, and behaviors of successful school principals across different schools in the same state? Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings Findings indicate the principal’s support of the Navajo culture and academics through a balance of systems while incorporating Navajo educational philosophy with its forms of knowledge and culture. Tribal leaders appreciate Indigenous education leaders to value the leadership principles that they relied upon to make appropriate decisions. The indigenous leadership perspective of balance and sustainability amidst complexity is relevant for leadership practice and preparation worldwide as leaders need to balance new and perennial tensions and complexities. The principal was dealing with tremendous challenges on the cultural, political and educational scene. The tribal nation is experiencing extraordinary political, economic, cultural, and education transformation. For this community it is a significant step toward maintaining a “real” Navajo school. Similarly, the findings revealed that the principal is an inspirational leader grounded in tribal forms of knowledge, and that he: (1) understands and values what it means to maintain a strong relationship with students, parents and local communities; (2) thrives to have a capable and committed staff by organizing professional development opportunities targeted toward Indian student success; (3) supported the use of every possible lever to engage and support students to be successful, where failure is not an option; and (4) as the leader, modeled the commitment to perform as part of a team rather than as an individual. The principal established focus group meetings between teachers and students, based on the same principles of cultural congruence, led to improved student achievement and an interest from parents to be more involved. All these programs required extensive collaboration and time. Suggesting that congruency between the school environment and the culture of the community is critical to educational success. Implications: Additional research on leadership practice, preparation, and development for Indigenous schools as well as schools that serve other students from diverse cultures. References Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard university press. Creswell, J. W., & Tashakkori, A. (2007). Differing perspectives on mixed methods research. Journal of mixed methods research, 1(4), 303-308. Denzin, N. K. (2012). Triangulation 2.0. Journal of mixed methods research, 6(2), 80-88. Furman, G. (2012). Social justice leadership as praxis: Developing capacities through preparation programs. Educational administration quarterly, 48(2), 191-229. Khalifa, M. A., Khalil, D., Marsh, T. E., & Halloran, C. (2019). Toward an indigenous, decolonizing school leadership: A literature review. Educational Administration Quarterly, 55(4), 571-614. Martin, J. (2021). Culture and power in preparing leaders for American Indian/Alaska Native schools. In J. W. Tippeconnic & M. J. Tippeconnic (Eds.), On Indian ground: Southwest (pp. 247-264). Information Age.Martin, J. (2015a). Getting the right leadership: The things we learned about being a first-year principal. In D. B. Aguilera & J. Tippeconnic (Eds.), Voices of resistance and renewal: Indigenous leadership in education (pp. 142- 160). University of Oklahoma. Secatero, S. (2018). The Corn Pollen Model in Education and Leadership. University of New Mexico, College of Education, Albuquerque, NM. Shields, C. M. (2015). Transformative leadership in education: Equitable and socially just change in an uncertain and complex world. Routledge. | ||