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Children’s rights in context - Ugandan Head-teacher’s understandings of concept, implementation and prerequisites

Jaegers, Alexandra LU (2013) PEDM13 20131
Education
Abstract
This empirical qualitative study focus on understandings of Children’s rights from a Ugandan managerial staff perspective, with a selection of representation of seven Head-teachers, equivalent to principals, in primary schools. The research questions are three-folded, firstly concerning how Head-teachers understand Children’s rights in the context of the school, secondly dealing with respondent’s perceptions of societal and organizational conditions that influence Children's rights and thirdly how those conditions affect the implementation of Children’s rights in the school. The sci-entific point of departure is emphasizing contextual didac-tics, within the interpretative paradigm where seven semi-structured interviews with Head-teachers... (More)
This empirical qualitative study focus on understandings of Children’s rights from a Ugandan managerial staff perspective, with a selection of representation of seven Head-teachers, equivalent to principals, in primary schools. The research questions are three-folded, firstly concerning how Head-teachers understand Children’s rights in the context of the school, secondly dealing with respondent’s perceptions of societal and organizational conditions that influence Children's rights and thirdly how those conditions affect the implementation of Children’s rights in the school. The sci-entific point of departure is emphasizing contextual didac-tics, within the interpretative paradigm where seven semi-structured interviews with Head-teachers in Ugandan primary schools have served as the main part of the empirical framework. However, a previous case study (Jaegers, 2012) is supplementing the empirical context and mechanisms as base of the current research, where previous conclusions pointed to the need to collect and understand the challenges in the field. Thus, as a part of the study’s methodology, it has been with an abductive approach where an alternation between theoretical and empirical findings in accordance to Backman (2012) which was appropriate due to aforemen-tioned knowledge. The result pointed towards an extensive cohesiveness to Children’s rights as a concept, however interpreted by and translated to its surrounding context and socio-cultural patterns. The most highlighted challenges affecting Children’s rights are pointed out as societal atti-tudes and actions disturbing of Children’s rights, at the same time the concept is interpreted due to socially negoti-
ated values exemplified by majority of respondent’s are supporting caning as a framework for learning. The theoretical explanations are understood through Hofstede’s (1991,2001, 2011) model for cultural dimensions, which then are complimented by three supplementary dimensions prominent in the Ugandan context. The major conclusion and reflection of the material is that even though a strong engagement is seen from respondents’ behalf, Children’s rights are merely incorporated to rhetoric extent. For the concept to be embraced on an action level, organizational power-structures must be altered before any societal impact of democracy, participation and support for Children’s rights can be fulfilled. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Jaegers, Alexandra LU
supervisor
organization
course
PEDM13 20131
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
contextual didactics, theories of action, culture, children’s rights, education, participation, change
language
English
id
3810824
date added to LUP
2013-06-17 14:12:46
date last changed
2014-09-04 08:37:03
@misc{3810824,
  abstract     = {{This empirical qualitative study focus on understandings of Children’s rights from a Ugandan managerial staff perspective, with a selection of representation of seven Head-teachers, equivalent to principals, in primary schools. The research questions are three-folded, firstly concerning how Head-teachers understand Children’s rights in the context of the school, secondly dealing with respondent’s perceptions of societal and organizational conditions that influence Children's rights and thirdly how those conditions affect the implementation of Children’s rights in the school. The sci-entific point of departure is emphasizing contextual didac-tics, within the interpretative paradigm where seven semi-structured interviews with Head-teachers in Ugandan primary schools have served as the main part of the empirical framework. However, a previous case study (Jaegers, 2012) is supplementing the empirical context and mechanisms as base of the current research, where previous conclusions pointed to the need to collect and understand the challenges in the field. Thus, as a part of the study’s methodology, it has been with an abductive approach where an alternation between theoretical and empirical findings in accordance to Backman (2012) which was appropriate due to aforemen-tioned knowledge. The result pointed towards an extensive cohesiveness to Children’s rights as a concept, however interpreted by and translated to its surrounding context and socio-cultural patterns. The most highlighted challenges affecting Children’s rights are pointed out as societal atti-tudes and actions disturbing of Children’s rights, at the same time the concept is interpreted due to socially negoti-
ated values exemplified by majority of respondent’s are supporting caning as a framework for learning. The theoretical explanations are understood through Hofstede’s (1991,2001, 2011) model for cultural dimensions, which then are complimented by three supplementary dimensions prominent in the Ugandan context. The major conclusion and reflection of the material is that even though a strong engagement is seen from respondents’ behalf, Children’s rights are merely incorporated to rhetoric extent. For the concept to be embraced on an action level, organizational power-structures must be altered before any societal impact of democracy, participation and support for Children’s rights can be fulfilled.}},
  author       = {{Jaegers, Alexandra}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Children’s rights in context - Ugandan Head-teacher’s understandings of concept, implementation and prerequisites}},
  year         = {{2013}},
}