Colloquium Graduate School of Child Development and Education on Monday 24 February 2025

Abstracts

Femke Koekoek

Addressing the problem of inequality of educational opportunities (IEO) has been high on the agenda, but improving or achieving equality of opportunity turns out to be a complex task. Not only does the problem have a multitude of possible causes and solutions, there is also a great diversity of involved actors (e.g., teachers, school leaders, administrators, and policymakers), who may all play different roles in both the perpetuation and the solution of the problem. This complexity qualifies it as a ‘wicked problem’. Effectively addressing unequal educational opportunities in this multi-actor setting requires understanding how various actors perceive the problem and their role in addressing it. 

In my PhD research, I therefore investigate the perceptions and views of stakeholders, such as parents, teachers, school leaders, administrators, and local policymakers. Approaching the problem of inequality of opportunity through the perspective of agency allows us to identify what beliefs, structures and conditions might support or impede stakeholders’ capacity to take on an active role in tackling inequality of educational opportunity.Results from survey (n = 390) and interview (n = 29) data suggest that definitions of ‘equality of opportunities’ vary among actors, also within actor groups. Responsibility for addressing the issue is seen as a collective effort. While respondents generally feel responsible for addressing inequality (ownership), their perceived ability to effect change (change agency) varies, with teachers feeling the least able. Currently, I am investigating whether factors such as time constraints, restrictive legislation, and lack of collaboration possibly hinder effective action. During the graduate colloquium, I will elaborate on some of these findings and attempt to explain why understanding these dynamics is crucial for addressing educational inequality.

Nina Hosseini

Schools and teachers often unintentionally contribute to maintaining structures of inequality that affect marginalized students, including students of colour, Black, Indigenous, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and economically disadvantaged students. Over the past decades, many teacher educators and researchers have developed educational practices aimed at addressing persistent inequalities in education. Teacher education programs that focus on challenging oppression, power, and privilege in education and society are known as social justice-oriented teacher education. 

In this presentation, I share some highlights from multiple studies conducted during my PhD project on social justice-oriented teacher education. First, I present findings from a literature review of common practices in this field, based on literature from 2010 to 2020. This review explores principles that characterize social justice-oriented teacher education, as well as the challenges and tensions experienced by teacher educators and student teachers engaged in this work. Next, I discuss results from a qualitative empirical study on the lines of reasoning of Dutch student teachers regarding educational inequality. Using data from focus groups and interviews with 26 student teachers, we identified reasoning patterns that may hinder the development of critical consciousness about structural inequality and the development of justice-oriented teaching practices. Finally, I highlight how integrating a social justice perspective in teacher education can empower teachers to recognize and challenge structural inequities, ultimately contributing to meaningful social change.

Best regards,
Sanne Agterberg MSc,
Research Institute of Child Development and Education

^{Colloquium categorie: Lezingen en congressen}