The schooling experiences of African youth from refugee backgrounds in South Australia: key findings and implications for educational practice

This chapter appears in 'Transforming the Future of Learning with Educational Research' edited by Helen Askell-Williams. Copyright 2015, IGI Global, www.igi-global.com. Posted by permission of the publisher.African students from refugee backgrounds constitute a special group in Australian schools because of their complex lives and previous schooling and life experiences that are unlike most of their non-refugee peers. This chapter draws upon findings from a collaborative, longitudinal case study that sought to understand the education and career pathways of African students from refugee backgrounds from the perspectives of African youth, educators, service providers, and South Australian African community leaders and elders. Qualitative analysis revealed six key influences that shape these pathways: previous schooling; English language skills; Australian schooling challenges and support; family support, academic achievement; and post-school preparation. This chapter presents the case study of a single student that, although unique in its circumstances, is representative of key findings from the larger study. Implications for educational practice are then described with a view to facilitating educational participation and success amongst this particular group of young people

From fighting to freedom: Stories from Serbian Balkan war refugees

The 1990s saw the dissolution of former Yugoslavia following the decline of Communism. Ethnic cleansing campaigns resulted in the displacement of many of the region’s citizens. There is limited published research which specifically examines Serbian experiences of trauma and transformation as a result of the civil unrest. The lack of research attention that this population has received was likely influenced by the international mass media reporting of the events during this time, which portrayed the Serbs as the sole transgressors of the ethnically-driven conflicts. This qualitative study involved ten Serbian participants who migrated to Australia as a result of the Balkan conflicts of the 1990s. Through multiple semi-structured interviews with participants, eight stories were produced, where three participants co-constructed their stories. Six of these stories have been selected for presentation in this book. In analysing the interview data, eight key themes were identified. These were: changing conceptions of ethnicity; the role played by wider social networks; the importance of family throughout participants’ lives; the impact of war experiences; the experiences and impact of health difficulties; the role of grief and loss; the importance of age in shaping participants’ experiences and responses to trauma; and the importance of lifelong learning. In considering these themes, three adaptation patterns – active integration, passive integration, and segregation – were developed and are specific to the participants in the study.https://research.acer.edu.au/saier/1021/thumbnail.jp

Up Outstanding Paper presented at the 18 th Annual Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education Conference

Abstract The continuing efforts to stimulate economic growth in Africa through agricultural development reflect the rise and fall of the different 'fads and fashions ' Recently, interest has begun to coalesce around the potentials offered by the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach. Drawing upon field data collected from the two oldest FFS programs in Africa, this paper takes a brief look at the main elements in the FFS approach and its transfer to Africa. The results and conclusions center around six key issues: the responsiveness of the FFS approach to local conditions; FFS achievements in facilitating 'systems learning' on the part of farmers and supporting their increased involvement in knowledge generatio

Considering evidence: the approach taken by the Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee in the UK

The Hazardous Substances Advisory Committee (HSAC) provides expert advice to UK officials, Ministers and other relevant bodies on the protection of the environment, and human health via the environment, from potentially hazardous substances and articles. Hazardous substances are often the subject of controversy, on which individuals, and different groups in society, hold divergent views. This paper details the approach taken by HSAC when considering the evidence to provide advice on hazardous substances. Firstly HSAC reviews the range of evidence and determines its quality considering: transparency of aims, the methodology and results, completeness, independent review and accessibility. HSAC does not follow one explicit methodology as the wide range of hazardous substances we consider means they need to be addressed on a case by case basis. Most notably HSAC considers the evidence in the wider context, being aware of factors that influence individuals in their decision making when receiving a HSAC opinion e.g. trust in the source of the evidence, defensibility, conformity to a ‘world view’ and framing. HSACs also reflects on its own perspectives with the aim of addressing bias by the diversity of its membership. The Committee’s intention, in adopting this rounded approach, is to reach opinions that are robust, relevant and defensible

Review of California halibut trawl fishery in the California halibut trawl grounds

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