Naslov
The contribution of anthropology to educational theory, policy and practice

Autori
Spajić-Vrkaš, Vedrana

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Skup
International seminar New Curricula in Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology in Europe – Reflections

Mjesto i datum
Zagreb, Hrvatska, 04.06.2007. - 06.06.2007

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Predavanje

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
educational anthropology; ethnography of education; contribution of anthropology to education; education and reproduction of inequalities; authority and power in education; school failure

Sažetak
Since 1954 when 22 anthropologists and educationists met in California to discuss on how anthropology and education might be mutually enhanced, anthropology has profoundly challenged contemporary education. This presentation focuses on three broad areas of contribution. Firstly, anthropology has brought about a broader notion of education by linking the pedagogical concept of schooling with the anthropological concept of socialization (inculturation) under an integrated concept of “ entire learning experience” within a particular culture. Secondly, the immediate outcome of conceptual changes has been the adoption of the cultural relativism principle, as well as of context-sensitive, cross-cultural and cultural-ecological perspectives by educational researchers, practitioners and policy makers, either in terms of adding of anthropological descriptions of other cultures to the mainstream curriculum or in terms of developing critical discourses on authority and power in school and classroom. The latter has been associated with studies on the role of education in reproducing social inequalities and in constructing school failure, which may be found in the curriculum under the rubric of controversial issues. In recent years and under the influence of transformative and engaged educational anthropologists, more emphasis has been given to balancing educational theory and practice by applying the so-called critical activist approach with a view not only to explain but to act for change. Thirdly, educational research and practice have been considerably influenced by anthropology in terms of the adoption of qualitative methods and grounded theories in general, and ethnography in particular. This may nowadays be seen in the decline of testing as a means of assessing the learning outcomes, including sharp, culture-based criticism of IQ universal standards, as well as in the growing sensitivity to research ethics and in the awareness of an emic-ethic distinction in the data collection and interpretation.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Sociologija, Pedagogija, Znanost o umjetnosti

POVEZANOST RADA