School Linking: A Southern Perspective KS3-4 Alison Leonard, Geography Teacher, Westminster School, London

A School Link is here interpreted as between schools in the Developing World and schools in the Developed World. These are also referred to in the literature as North/South School Links or partnerships

Abstract How are Southern teachers using these global links in teaching and learning? How are Millennium Development Goals explored in such links and partnerships? How are pupils knowledge and understanding affected when their schools participate in links? Do Southern local communities benefit when local schools are linked with Northern partners? Are Southern voices heard when learning outcomes are evaluated?

Southern Voices in Linking: barriers to engagement

Development Education? I will be focusing on the impacts on Southern participants in the Linking process. The approach will include detailed case studies of the effects of Linking in Southern schools. As a work in progress the paper will: (i) Outline my research methodology, (ii) Identify lessons for fellow aspiring teacher-researchers (iii) Report on my pilot study

Planned Methodology 2006 Audit of current research into School Linking and updated detailed Literature review of the topic. Nov 2006 Conference paper presented Dec 2006 IOE poster conference and DEA paper Dec 07- Jan 08 Draft chapter written Sept 2008 Book launch Dissemination and progress

Access data bases for Southern Linked schools, to establish the global distribution of School Links and audit why Southern schools seek to establish School Links. Pilot semi-structured interviews with staff and pupils (especially Head Teachers and Linking coordinators) July 2008 Pilot of interviews

Interview Ministry of Education spokespersons to identify how Southern governments view the establishment of School Links. Survey key players participating in Linking activities in Southern schools to establish perceptions of the Linking process on pupils, teaching colleagues, local communities and school curricula.

Semi-structured interviews conducted with the Southern partners of the four Case study schools used for my MA work. Expand the sample so that the Southern partners are derived from locations which proportionately reflect the global distribution of the Southern links. Longitudinal studies of pupils, teachers and others who have taken part in School Linking, should it prove possible to track them.

Explore other Northern national examples of School Linking, and their Southern partners.

Progress to date: Nov 2006 Conference paper presented Dec 2006 IOE poster conference and DEA paper Sept 2006 Research proposal submitted Sept 2008 Book launch July 2007 ZED article on research July 2008 Pilot of interviews Dec 2008 Pilot transcribed and encoded Dec 2008 CPD Workshop on Case Studies Nov CPD on Quantitative Analysis and OSDE May 2008 IOE Ethics approval MDG focus Dec 07- Jan 08 Draft chapter written Jan-March 2007 CPD on Literature searching Oct 2008 Participant in School Exchange to China Summer 2007 CPD on Case study strategy Jan 2009 Living Geography launch Summer 2008 New book chapter co-authored

Lessons for fellow aspiring teacher-researchers 1. Time management 2. Other distractions 3. How to disseminate research findings 4. Plan to revise research proposal and refocus 5. Practicalities of overseas research

53_dba621a7d0.jpg I was far too ambitious!

Teacher findings: Gender Equality Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Ghanaian culture sidelines the girl child from getting educated, from getting full education. They prefer the male child going to school.

Teacher findings: Gender Equality But with these girl child education advocates all over the place and with this [School Linking] project most students, most girls, or most parents now understand the relevance of education and its helping to promote … gender equality and empowering women… …which eventually eradicates poverty and hunger. Because if women are in good jobs they can work, they can help support their families and the trend will change

Teacher findings: The importance of the link It has brought the two worlds together. It has brought in cultural integration, it has brought in new ideas about teaching and learning, that has opened the horizon of both sides, because of the cultural differences.

Pupil focus group findings: Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Gender Equality I think this partnership is also helping to get more girls or more of us interested in schooling

Pupil focus group findings: Overcoming stereotypes: Visitor Exchanges I had this notion that um, let me say, whites, or people here in this country [UK]…like when they are teenagers, they are, they dont really…theyre out of control …their parents cant really control them…It really proved a point to me that: no matter how they dress and no matter how they look like, they all have respect for their elders and then they have respect for themselves and it is something good … when I send back home Ill tell my friends that this notion that we had is, you know, is not true.

Teacher findings : The importance of the link This is a Ghanaian village community which is now part of a wider partnership of Ghanaian and UK schools; the link is no longer just between a Northern and a Southern secondary school.

The Southern Voice in Linking: Thinking about North-South Linking

Thank you for listening; I hope you may still be Thinking about Linking andA Southern Perspective A Leonard Geographical Association Manchester, April 2009

References: Bourn, D and Leonard, A. (2009) Living in the Wider World, in Mitchell, D. (ed) Living Geography. London, Chris Kington Burr, M. (2007) Thinking about Linking. DEA thinkpiece. Burr, M, Andreotti, V and de Souza, L. M. (January 2007) : Humanities Education Centre (London): Southern Voices – methodology design Disney, A (2004) Childrens Developing Images and Representations of the School Link Environment in Catling & Martin (eds) Researching Primary Geography. Register of Research in Primary Geography Edge, K. (2008) North South school partnerships [electronic resource] : learning from schools in the UK, Africa and Asia : findings from Year 1. London, Centre for Leadership in Learning, Institute of Education. Leonard, A (2004) Geography, Global Citizenship and School Linking, M.A dissertation Institute of Education, unpublished Leonard, A (2005) Lessons from UK Secondary Schools: school linking and teaching and learning in Global Citizenship and Geography, The Development Education Journal vol.11.2, Stoke-On-Trent, Trentham Books/DEA Leonard, A. (2008) Global School Relationships: School Linking and Modern Challenges in Bourn, D.(ed)Development education : debates and dialogue. London, Institute of Education. Martin, F (2007) School Linking as a Controversial Issue in Claire & Holden (eds) The challenge of teaching controversial issues Trentham Books. Pickering. S (2008):What do children really learn? A discussion to investigate the effect that School partnerships have on childrens understanding, sense of values and perceptions of a distant place. GeogEd Volume 2, Issue 1 Article 3 Scoffham S (2007) Please Miss, Why are they so Poor? Primary Geographer Spring 2007 Primary schools

Still thinking about Linking? Useful websites: =78 Development Education Centres (DECs) =78