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IS CULTURALLY RELEVANT PEDAGOGY AN ADEQUATE MODEL OF LIFELONG LEARNING EDUCATION?
M. Farnicka H. Liberska
Introduction: analyses background. The ongoing transformation of the contemporary world has questioned a significant number of traditional norms present in educational systems. What follows is a need for a change. The major goal of this study is to identify possible ways of solutions that could support the process of obtaining a positive balance in this huge system of changes pertinent not only to the process but also to the effects of educational activity. Anthony Giddens (2001) points out that modern institutions (including educational ones) are different from all earlier forms of social order because of their dynamics, range as well as the extent to which they undermine customs and traditions. Giddens claims that the most important elements of modern civilization change include the separation of time and space and the removal of social institutions. The crucial process of the acceleration of time and space separation results from the use of abstract systems such as money or expert systems, technical innovations, global networks such as the Internet, etc. The strength of trust in these systems is associated with psychological insecurities of individuals and groups, which increase as a result of the ongoing processes of erosion of existing social patterns of behavior and cultural references. In the post-traditional world, the modern mechanisms tend to control relationships and social situations. The modern media such as the printed text, the Internet, the television, and the cinema, are not so much reflecting the reality as creating it. Particularly, the expert systems tend to provide specific technical knowledge practically about everything: how to live, how to work, how to dress or how to serve customers. The knowledge is provided by educated experts from different areas such as health, nutrition, money, time management, upbringing, or life. Their opinions seem to be necessary and often crucial for making decisions by individuals.
The influence of the broad socio-cultural context on the process of organizing education is indisputable. This process is reflected not only in educational goals, but also in different methods of work. Many researchers have focused on the influence of the cultural conditions on education: Poortinga (1992), Hurrelman (1994), Erdogan, and Cifcicil Giorgetti (2011), Kowalski, Farnicka (2012).
At each level of education: cultural, relational and operational, an individual acquires knowledge and experience necessary to perform social roles, develop their identity as well as to plan their life. Thus--at every level-- there is a number of interactions, leading to the formation of further changes to the system, as well as to individuals. Bronfenbrenner (1976) calls this process “eco-passage” and recognizes them as both a factor, and as a consequence of development. Therefore, specific ways of coping with the crisis are not merely a consequence of a given situation, but also a stimulus to create another. Depending on the paths
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selected in the system, it recognizes some other pressures, which determine current tasks, provoke new problems and stimulate activity. However, for the system to properly respond to pressures, some form of readiness is necessary. This can be determined by the motivational factors inherent in the system: maturity, economic opportunity and adoption of social expectations that create specific conditions of the changes. This moment can be called a sensitive period. This means that the same pressure or a similar pressure in another “constellation point” may lead to other changes in the functioning of the system. So, it depends on that developmental readiness which change paths will be chosen, and what tasks and challenges will be undertaken.
Lifelong perspective of education creates many opportunities for education, both legal and organizational ones. It has been a long time since the system started to be reformed for the purpose of modernizing it. The process of diagnosis and critique of Polish school system has started along many other ones in the world. Miroslawa Nyczaj-Drqg (2011) interestingly pinpointed possibilities--and problems--in exploiting the potential in raising the educational level of society. The author emphasizes the effects of the inability to use financial and educational capital of parents by the system - the segregation of schools and classrooms (divisions for better and worse), the privatization of the educational processes, high individualization based mostly on the financial situation of the individuals.
CRP model as a lifelong learning model of education - discussion. In the rapidly changing world, it is rather difficult to achieve a single, efficient solution, which will serve universal interest. This is the price we pay for diversity and variability. What awaits us is rather “mosaic multiplication” and a wide variety of possible solutions. The questions of the availability and legalization of various forms of education will soon arise. In addition to “mosaic multiplication”, some other dangers will appear. According to Bauman (1996), it will be a dichotomization of societies, the lack of equal start, and unevenly distributed access to culture and science. Fascinatingly, it can be observed that the process of dichotomization speeds up in the conditions of the world’s economic crisis.
Many researchers are looking for a universal model of developmentally oriented education. In the latest model created by Brown-Jeffy and Cooper (2011), called Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP), it is suggested that the system of education is significantly linked with the social environment. This model clearly shows adequate diagnosis of the most important resources, strengths and challenges for educational institutions. The model is based on five independent, but necessary elements.
The first element involves the identification of educational subjects, and their expected cultural achievements. The priority here is to involve the cultural heritage of students and their local community in the educational program as well as to create a positive environment. In such respect, the role of the teacher must be underlined. Only a teacher who can communicate her/his ideas clearly with respect to the students’ expectations can accomplish important educational goals. It must be a teacher who is willing to allow individual students to take part in some steps of decision-making in the not teaching but in learning process. Such an individual will have to demonstrate knowledge and competence with respect to issues which are of importance to the students.
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The second pillar of the presented approach is to create fair evaluation and equality of access to knowledge. It is not only about the dispositions and commitment of teachers, but also a legally sanctioned equal access, equal opportunities and requirements for students. Nowadays, the cultural differentiation plays an enormous function in defining success in relationships among people from different parts of the world within the spectrum of unified postmodernist, educational system. This can produce positive or negative outcomes in the intercultural relations in such a system. Therefore, it becomes imperative for students and their teachers alike to learn each other's culture not only in school lessons but also in direct, personal contacts. It is crucial to be aware of the cultural differences, and have an appropriate approach to them, e.g. by sharing the knowledge about their cultures and their nuances. These in the long run would remove most of the obstacles in equal opportunities and would create better access for the students.
The third constituent focuses on the development of the students' potential through the use of tools and working methods appropriate for their developmental and psychological needs. This means that teachers need to work out adequate styles and techniques of teaching, but also need skills of motivating, engaging, collaborating and communicating with their students. Using modern technology seems to be an excellent opportunity here. We must remember, that the access to them is limited, because of material status or inexperience reasons.
The fourth pillar concerns the philosophy of education which consists in a holistic approach to a human being. Education of “lifelong” includes a program that supports the development and enables the transfer of knowledge outside school,
i.e. shows its usefulness in building bridges between school and home-social-community. It's based on the assumption that the main aim of education is acquiring skills culturally recognized as adequate for development stage, that is, for example, communication, coping with emotions, organizing, planning and cooperation.
The last, fifth element, concerns building relationships and positive atmosphere among students and teachers. Such care requires co-operation between the participants of the educational situation: students and teachers. Both students and their teachers are supposed to be treated as equal partners within the schools’ environment, and should remember that this role can be change in next subject, when some of students can start teach.
Conclusions. The new way of education described here would include elements of the community approach and the Scandinavian configuration (Nowosad, 2011). The organizers of an educational system ought to make effort to provide adequate education conditions. Nowadays, numerous countries are building lifelong educational systems as “egalitarian and universal” (e.g. Scandinavia). They have realized that they cannot afford to waste the potential of both students and teachers. In such systems, the threat mentioned by Zygmunt Bauman is real (1996). This relates to the stratification of society not only on the economic level but also on the educational one. In this light, the most important question arises of how to find an adequate form of financing so that appropriate and developing education can be provided as an egalitarian (accessible) standard in postmodern societies. The financial structure of a school system (or an
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educational system in a broader sense) is a significant issue. We have a large number of good teachers and millions of talented students all around the world. Why should we then leave the development of students to luck that depends on the background and socioeconomic status of their countries?
References
1. Bauman Z. (1996), Etyka ponowoczesna, Warszawa: PWN.
2. Bronfenbrenner U. (1976), Ekologia rozwoju czfowieka: historia i perspektywy, “Psychologia Wychowawcza", nr19 s. 537-549.
3. Brown - Jeffy S., Cooper J.E, (2011), Toward a Conceptual Framework of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, “Teacher Education Quartely", v.38 n1, p. 65-84.
4. Erdogan I., Giorgetti F.M., Qifgili V. (2011), Predictors of the Elementary School Proficiency Exams And Issues of Equality in Educational Facilities, “Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice",nr11, p. 224-228.
5. Giddens A., (2001) Nowoczesnosc i Tozsamosc, PWN, Warszawa.
6. Poortinga Y. H., (1992) Towards a conceptualization of culture for psychology, [in:] S. Iwawaki, Y Kashima, K. Leung Innovations in cross - cultural psychology. Amsterdam/Lisse:Swets &Zeitlinger.
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