Background to the Research
- In 1990.
the Centre for the Study of Conflict initiated a three-year research
and evaluation project which concentrating on the introduction of a
cross-curricular theme, EMU, to the school curriculum. The project was
structured in three overlapping stages. Stage one involved research
into how those within the education system perceive EMU. These perceptions
and their implications for policy, are the subject of this report.
Research
Approach
- The first
aspect of the research focused upon individuals who work within the
support and advisory domains in the education system. Most have some
responsibility for advising teachers how EMU might be developed in practice.
Twenty such individuals were interviewed during the 1990-91 school year.
Additionally,interviewees were also asked to log their communications
concerning EMU during one specified week. This exercise provided some
initial evidence about the level and form of communication within the
network of individuals involved with EMU.
- Secondly,
a postal survey of all post-primary schools in Northern Ireland was
carried out in June 1991 and information was sought on a number of issues
including what teachers perceive EMU to be about, what sort of activity
is already taking place within the school, and how EMU might be implemented
in the future. As a supplement to this questions were also asked of
a parent governor in each school.
Main
Findings
Advisory
and Support Domains
- Within
advisory and support agencies there are multiple interpretations of
EMU.
- Individuals
are likely to carry an interpretation of EMU which is related to their
own interests or biography.
- Most
respondents working within the statutory agencies found interpretations
which associate EMU with ecumenism unhelpful.
- There
is little coordination between agencies concerning EMU.
Education
and Library Boards
- There
are constraints on the extent to which ELBs will be able to support
EMU, particularly in terms of providing adequate substitute cover for
training.
- Those
working within Boards experiences little time or opportunity for strategic
planning.
- The only
publicly available statements of policy from ELBs are brief statements
which relate to the situation when EMU was not statutory.
- There
is very little documentation on EMU available form ELBs to inform schools
and parents of how it will be supported.
Cross
Community Contact Scheme
- School
participation in the Scheme has grown steadily since it was introduced
in 1987.
- During
the 1990-91 school year over a quarter of all primary schools and over
a half of all post-primary schools received funding from the Scheme.
- The impact
of EMU on schools may have increased the perception that EMU is only
about contact.
- A number
of issues regarding the Scheme were raised by respondents including:
- what
level of support to schools the Scheme will be able to sustain in
the long term
- whether
the central administration of the Scheme is appropriate in the long
term
- Many
respondents felt that the Community Relations Branch should consider
how it might support aspects of EMU which do not necessarily involve
cross-community contact.
Voluntary
Agencies
- Movement
of EMU on to the curriculum means that voluntary agencies have found
it more difficult to provide training opportunities for teachers as
a result of education reform.
- Some
voluntary agencies have found it more difficult to provide training
opportunities for teachers as a result of education reform.
- The funding
of voluntary agencies on a short-term basis makes long-term planning
and staffing difficult.
- Voluntary
agencies are concerned to evaluate their own work but need support to
do this.
Post-primary
schools
- Although
schools recognise the wider dimensions of EMU, the term is generally
perceived as a shorthand code for community relations work.
Nearly two thirds of post-primary schools surveyed have yet to develop
a formal policy on EMU.
- In the
short term schools may develop EMU mainly by creating more cross community
contact with other schools.
- Most
respondents were concerned that contact should be 'meaningful' and not
undertaken simply because of financial inducement or for publicity.
- The schools
surveyed also saw potential for developing EMU by considering how the
school ethos reflects values associated with the theme. Respondents
thought this would be more achievable than securing the involvement
of every area of the curriculum.
- Over
three quarters of the post-primary schools surveyed have appointed coordinators
for EMU although there is some uncertainty as to what their role should
be.
- EMU has
already become closely identified with particular subjects - History,
English, Religious Education, Geography, Music and Art. These subjects
are the best represented by teachers who are active in EMU, have attended
courses or have been appointed as coordinators.
- Members
of Physical Education departments are the most involved in cross-community
contact activities, although relatively few have been appointed as coordinators
or have attended courses.
- Most
schools saw EMU being developed successfully by individuals within the
school, supported as a second level by a small group of committed teachers.
- Respondents
did not think it very likely that all teachers will become active in
developing EMU.
Training
- Prior
to education reform the bulk of pump-priming resources associated with
EMU went into providing substitute teacher cover for cross-community
contact rather than training for teachers.
- One consequence
of education reform is that less training specific to EMU may be available
for teachers in the short term.
- Teachers
who have been appointed as EMU coordinators by schools need some immediate
support to decide how best to initiate school-based training and development
within their own school.
- Teachers
are not confident that they have the necessary skills to handle the
community relations aspects of EMU.
Evaluation
- Evaluation
of the long-term impact of EMU is not regarded as a high priority within
the formal education system.
- Teachers
are more preoccupied with evaluation in terms of assessment procedures
and how these will measure pupil progress in the main curriculum subjects.
- Individuals
within the system are suspicious of 'monitoring' or 'measuring' changes
in pupils attitudes in terms of community relations.
- Throughout
the system there is no clear picture of what techniques would be appropriate
to support evaluation.
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