Minor fall and major lift: raising educational capacity through community partnerships

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Authors

Walden, Carol J.

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Degree

Master of Social Practice

Grantor

Unitec Institute of Technology

Date

2010

Supervisors

Bridgman, Geoff
Davies, Linda

Type

Masters Thesis

Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)

Keyword

community partnerships
transformational pedagogy
community-school collaboration
community engagement
secondary schools

Citation

Walden, C. J. (2010). Minor fall and major lift: raising educational capacity through community partnerships. A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Social Practice, Unitec New Zealand.

Abstract

This transdisciplinary study explores holistic models of education and community development. It looks at transformations that occur when parents undertake tertiary education in two High Schools in a community with a high multi-cultural youth population. Engaging in interviews and focus groups, participants give narrative accounts providing rich qualitative data. Effective pedagogy is analysed in this Community Skills Certificate course on Identity and Communication. The research seeks practical solutions to barriers to social and educational progress in the students’ lives. It ascertains improvement in interpersonal relationships, including parenting skills. In addition, it looks at changes in family attitudes toward education that facilitates increased career opportunities. This work suggests that building local capacity through educational partnerships and effective pedagogy empowers individuals and the community. Families and employees are able to function more effectively as they apply newly learned intrapersonal and interpersonal skills. The study juxtaposes constructs of fall and lift – socially, educationally and psychologically. Belief in agency and transformational pedagogy is central to this study’s argument that through the cracks of disadvantage holistic alternatives emerge.

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