23. Policy Studies and Politics of Education
Paper
Comparative Analysis of Inequality in Schooling in ex-Soviet countries
Konstantin Anchikov, Sergey Kosaretsky, Bibigul Iskakova
HSE University, Russian Federation
Presenting Author: Anchikov, Konstantin;
Kosaretsky, Sergey
With the collapse of the USSR in the ex-Soviet countries the problem of educational inequality became more acute. There is no unified position on the reasons for the aggravation of inequality in studies. On the one hand, the growth of inequality has been attributed to the conscious policy of ex-Soviet countries to abandon the Soviet legacy at any cost as a political signal of a break with the Soviet (interpreted as colonial) past (Fish, 1998). On the other hand, the reasons for inequality are seen as steps in ex-Soviet countries aimed at carrying out educational reforms within the framework of global educational changes to reach maximum integration into global trends (Saltman & Means, 2018).
Studies of changes in the education systems of the former USSR countries during the transit period highlight such common vectors as the shift from unification to variability, competitive environment, greater freedom of choice, individualisation [Poder et al., 2016], from centralisation to decentralisation, autonomy of schools, emergence of the non-state school sector [Silova, 2002].
While there are common features, the transformation of national education systems in the former Soviet Union countries had differences in the scenarios and dynamics determined by cultural, economic and political contexts. Today, it is generally accepted to reject "a linear conceptualisation of the 'transition' process, which is characterised by the gradual replacement of 'old' socialist policies, practices and values with 'new' Western ones, and to focus on the complexity of the transformation processes, in which the processes can take an unforeseen character, with trajectories leading to several destinations" (Silova 2009).
The research delves into the critical issue of inequality among schoolchildren in the former USSR countries. Our research aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the nature and dynamics of the relationship between academic test results and inequality factors.
In this research we tried to understand how do test scores correlate with common factors of inequality (such as race, gender, SES, and immigrant status) among schoolchildren in the former USSR countries? Whether the effects of inequality factors differ within Ex-Soviet countries and between ex-Soviet countries and the OECD countries?
The comparative study of the inequality in general education in the countries of the former USSR is an area of research that has remained relevant over the past decades, firstly, as part of the large-scale tradition of "transitology" (Cowen, 2000; Mitter, 2003) and, secondly, as a trends in the study of social systems transformation outcomes in a changed geopolitical context (Silova, 2009; Partlett & Küpper, 2022).
The discussion aims to unravel the multifaceted dimensions of educational inequality, providing insights for policymakers, educators, and researchers. By placing the former USSR countries within an international context, the findings can contribute to a broader understanding of global educational disparities. Ultimately, the goal is to foster dialogue on effective strategies for addressing inequality, taking into account the unique socio-political and historical context of the region.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedEmploying a quantitative design, the research utilizes PISA data from 2009-2018-2022 for students' outcomes assessment and contextual demographic, financial and educational parameters from national databases to understand the conditions in which national school sysmets were operating. Statistical analyses including t-tests and multilevel linear regression are used to establish connections between test scores and inequality factors. The use of PISA data allows for international benchmarks, offering a comparative perspective on the educational landscape within the former USSR countries against the backdrop of the OECD.
Among the ex-Soviet countries, seven participated in the 2009 test: Moldova, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In 2018, Belarus and Ukraine were added to this group, but for comparability, they are not taken into account. The comparison group with other OECD countries comprises 64 countries in both PISA waves. Countries not duplicated in both waves are excluded for result comparability. To enhance cross-country accuracy, an adjustment is made for the weighting factor provided in the PISA database .
For the analysis, two PISA databases are integrated - student questionnaires with test results and school questionnaires filled in by principals. This connection is imperative to combine personal and institutional level data.
For cross-country analysis, test scores are standardized, and the normal distribution of observations is confirmed for each country.
The examination of inequality in results indicators employs two approaches: comparing results based on personal characteristic grouping (immigrant status, gender, rurality etc.) and analyzing country groupings - former Soviet Union countries and OECD countries, which include other PISA participant countries, excluding ex-Soviet nations.
To analyze score differences we used t-test for independent samples. Statistically significant differences trigger an assessment of the mean value differences in standardized scores. Multilevel linear regression used with predictors on first - personal, second - school, and third - country levels. Personal factors are students’ SES, immigrant status, language at home, gender. School level factors are territorial affiliation, shortage of educators, availability of other schools in the territory share of teachers with higher education, type of school.
The utilization of multilevel regression arises from the specific nature of PISA data.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe article concludes that territorial inequality in academic results within the former Soviet Union countries is distinctive. It observes that the performance gap between urban and rural students is higher and growing at a faster rate compared to the OECD country group. Factor of rural residence is significant as well as common factors of inequality - race, gender, SES, immigrant status - and it simultaneously influences the magnitude of the effect of these common factors depending on the territory.
SES is significantly related to the level of scores in all three PISA subjects in both FSU and OECD countries. The use of a language other than the testing language in the family is associated with lower scores. In the ex-Soviet countries, the association between language and test scores decreases and the effect of the factor is minimal.
The gender of the student is significantly related to the level of scores. The association between gender and scores is lower in ex-Soviet countries than in OECD countries, although the effect of the factor is minimal. Gender weakly explains test scores. The rurality factor is significantly related to test scores, determining lower scores for rural students. The correlation between being rural and scores changes depending on the country group - in the former USSR countries this correlation is sharply strengthened.
The rurality factor, controlling for other variables, remains significant. Moreover, the effects of the considered inequality factors differ significantly depending on territoriality.
ReferencesCowen, R. (2000). Comparing futures or comparing pasts?. Comparative Education, 36(3), 333-342.
Mitter, W. (2003). A decade of transformation: Education policies in Central and Eastern Europe. In M. Bray (Ed.), Comparative Education: Continuing Traditions, New Challenges, and New Paradigms. London: Kluwer
Silova, I. (2009). Varieties of Educational Transformation: The Post-Socialist States of Central/Southeastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union. In: Cowen, R., Kazamias, A.M. (eds) International Handbook of Comparative Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education, vol 22. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-6403-6_19
Partlett, W., & Küpper, H. (2022). The Post-Soviet as Post-Colonial: A New Paradigm for Understanding Constitutional Dynamics in the Former Soviet Empire. Edward Elgar Publishing. Elgar Monographs in Constitutional and Administrative Law. ISBN 1802209441, 9781802209440.
Poder, K., Lauri, T., Ivaniushina, V., Alexandrov, D. (2016). Family Background and School Choice in Cities of Russia and Estonia: Selective Agenda of the Soviet Past and Present. Studies of Transition States and Societies, 8(3). 5-28.
Silova, I. (2002). Returning to Europe: Facts, fiction, and fantasies of post-Soviet education reform. In A. Nóvoa & M. Lawn (Eds.), Fabricating Europe: The Formation of an Educational Space (pp. 87–109). Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer.
Fish M. S. (1998) Democratization's requisites: the postcommunist experience //Post-Soviet Affairs. №. 14 (3). p. 212-247.
Saltman, K., & Means, A. (2018). The Wiley Handbook of Global Educational Reform. An International Handbook of Educational Reform. 10.1002/9781119082316.
23. Policy Studies and Politics of Education
Paper
Enhancing Education in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq: Unveiling Curriculum Challenges, Nurturing Peacebuilding Endeavors
Mustafa Wshyar
Ulster University, United Kingdom
Presenting Author: Wshyar, Mustafa
Purpose: The purpose of this project is to critically examine the formal educational curriculum used within the Kurdistan Region of Iraq. The primary focus will be to examine the curriculum in terms of its transformative potential to build peace. This project will explore how teachers, leaders and decision makers view the current curriculum and its place within the wider peacebuilding efforts in Iraq.
Research Questions:
- How does the current curriculum contribute to preparing future citizens equipped with basic characteristics necessary for living peacefully?
- How can the stories be used as effective teaching material to support the peace building process?
- Is there hidden violence structured into the education curriculum of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq?
- What are the potential ways of transferring the educational curriculum in the region into a peace building tool?
- How can the current curriculum be improved and how do the teachers, leaders, and decision makers look at them?
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedResearch Methods and Data Collection:
To address the research questions outlined for this project, I will use a multi method and data collection approach:
a. Research Design: adopting a mixed-methods research design of qualitative and quantitative approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding towards the complex issues of violence and peace as an outcome of formal education.
b. Document Analysis: analyzing the existing textbooks and policies provided by the regional government to assess their content, meaning, and potential influence on violence creation and peace building.
c. Interviews: conducting in-depth interviews with teachers, school leaders, curriculum developers and decision makers to gain a deeper understanding of the challenges in terms of making changes in the policies and school textbooks.
d. Surveys: designing and administering surveys to teachers and school supervisors to learn about their perspectives on school curriculum, its impact on violence and peace building, and their recommendations for change. Also, distributing surveys among the students to learn about their understanding of the stories and to find out how the stories shape their opinions.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsExpected Findings:
Curriculum's Contribution to Peaceful Citizenship:
The research is anticipated to reveal insights into how the current curriculum contributes to or hinders the development of citizens equipped with the fundamental characteristics necessary for peaceful living.
Effectiveness of Stories in Peacebuilding:
The study is expected to highlight the efficacy of stories as teaching material for supporting the peacebuilding process. It may provide examples of narratives that have positive impacts on students' understanding of diverse cultures and their role in fostering tolerance.
Identification of Hidden Violence:
The research is likely to uncover instances of hidden violence within the education curriculum, using Galtung's Violence Triangle as a conceptual framework. This understanding will contribute to addressing social injustice and promoting positive peace.
Transforming Curriculum into a Peacebuilding Tool:
The study aims to identify potential ways of transforming the educational curriculum into a tool for peacebuilding. This may include recommendations for policy changes, content revisions, and inclusive practices that align with positive peace and social justice.
ReferencesReferences
Amen, Hawar Omer Faqe. 2022. Bnamakani Zmani Parwardayi La Programyi Khwindnda [Principles of Language in the Educational Curricula]. Sulaymaniyah: Rahand.
Bourdieu, Pierre. 2003. “Symbolic Violence.” In Beyond French Feminisms, edited by Roger Célestin, Eliane DalMolin, and Isabelle de Courtivron, 23–26. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.
Fraser, Nancy. 2005. “Reframing Justice in a Globalized World.” New Left Review 36: 79–88.
Galtung, Johan. 1969. “Violence, Peace, and Peace Research.” Journal of Peace Research 6 (3): 167–91.
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Goodson, Ivor, and Scherto Gill. 2011. Narrative Pedagogy: Life History and Learning. New York: Peter Lang.
Groot, Isolde De. 2018. “Narrative Learning for Democratic Citizenship Identity: A Theoretical Framework.” Educational Review 70 (4): 447–464.
Kirmanj, Sherko. 2014. “Kurdish History Textbooks: Building a Nation-State within a Nation-State.” The Middle East Journal 68 (3): 367–84.
Mario Novelli, Mieke T. A. Lopes Cardozo, and Alan Smith. 2017. “The 4RS Framework: Analyzing Education’s Contribution to Sustainable Peacebuilding with Social Justice in Conflict-Affected Contexts.” Journal on Education in Emergencies 3 (1): 14–43.
Rossiter, M. Carolyn, and Clark Marsha. 2008. “Narrative Learning in Adulthood.” New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2008 (119).
Wahab, Abdurrahman Ahmad. 2014. Malay Djarawt: Parwarda La Rwangayaki Rakhnayiawa [Swimming Upstream: Education from a Critical Lens]. 2nd ed. Erbil: FAM Publication.
———. 2022. Parwardanasi Rakhnayi: Parwarday Dimwkrati u Gorankari Komalayati [Crticial Pedagogy: Democratic Education and Social Transformation]. Erbil: FAM Publication.
Žižek, Slavoj. 2008. Violence. New York: Picador.
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