Inklusion in Deutschland und Australien
Der Inklusionsbegriff wird derzeit weltweit eingesetzt und in den unterschied-lichsten Facetten ausgestaltet. Eine Gruppe von Studentinnen der Sozialen Arbeit (B.A.) an der Fachhochschule Dortmund und ein australisches Team der University of New England, Armidale, Australien, haben in den Jahren 2012 und 2013 Schulen in Deutschland und Australien besucht und nach ihren Inklusionsmerk-malen untersucht. Ergebnisse dieser Studien flossen in Abschlussarbeiten ein und werden in diesem Buch in ihren zentralen Auszügen widergegeben.
A Case Study of a Dominant Masculinities Discourse and Boys' Early School Leaving in a Rural Context
This paper examines the school experiences of a boy named Brendan, and how he used a dominant masculinities discourse to make sense of his early school leaving decision. Adopting Fairclough's (2002) model of discourse as a conceptual framework for this research allowed the exploration of the different socio-cultural practices as perceived by Brendan in his geographical location. Brendan's narrative revealed his strong belief in the value of learning, and how it was the context of school that was unable to provide him with learning that was both meaningful and relevant to his post school pathways. Based on his understanding of what being a 'male' was in his geographic context, Brendan claimed he was unable to align his masculine identity to dominant forms in the school context due to the schooling discourses of oppression (Connell, 2003) that sustained a power imbalance between student and teacher. Through Brendan's experiences, the paper highlights the interplay of the sociocultural practices in the contexts of school and geographical location. It further challenges the central importance ascribed to teachers in the classroom and how they may impact upon boys' understanding of their post-school pathways. The study concluded that consideration be given by education researchers to the how a dominant masculinities discourse is constructed in different geographical locations, when exploring boys' school engagement, participation and retention.
An Exploration of how Inclusive Practices in Schools Influence Student Behaviour
In 2009 the 'UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities' was ratified in Germany. Whilst the shift towards promoting an inclusive 'school for all' brought Germany in line with the global trend, it also presented a number of challenges for the German education system (Aktion Mensch e.V. 2013; 12). In 1980, Australia began to discuss how an inclusive school system would make schools accessible for all children (NSW Auditor-General's Report 2006; 4), and to-date, all schools in Australia promote fully inclusive practices. Australia therefore was a logical choice to conduct a study into the impact of inclusion in schools. This study had a specific focus of how an inclusive school system may influence the social behaviours of students. Another aim of the study was to explore teacher perspectives on the amount of support offered to students with special needs, and to study the teacher's levels of confidence in promoting this. The development of social skills is a complex process and having a focus on positive student social behaviour in schools maybe useful to conclude if an inclusive school setting promotes this.
A Case Study of a Dominant Masculinities Discourse and one Boy's Early School Leaving in a Rural Context
This research was motivated by concerns about the consistent pattern of poor retention of some boys to Year 12, and overall poor performance of some boys in Australian schools. This study broadly drew on critical discourse theory to examine the circumstances surrounding the decision to leave school by 22 boys from three different geographical locations i.e. provincial, rural and metropolitan, in Queensland, Australia. Adopting Fairclough's (2002) model of discourse as a conceptual framework for this research allowed the exploration of the different socio-cultural practices as perceived by the boys in their geographical location. Similarities in the boys' narratives included their belief in the value of learning, and that the context of school was unable to provide them with learning that was both meaningful and relevant to their post school pathways. Despite the similarity of the boys' school experiences, the range of storylines they chose to illustrate their experiences in their geographical context differed. The study concluded that consideration be given by education researchers to the construction of a dominant masculinities discourse in different geographical locations, when exploring boys' engagement with school.
The Role of Parents, Teachers and Social Workers in the German and Australian Education Systems
Inclusivity is the fundamental right of every student enrolled in New South Wales (NSW) government Primary and/or Secondary schools in Australia (Cologon 2013, p.ll). This chapter compares the German Primary and Secondary educational systems against the equivalent New South Wales settings through an 'inclusive practice' lens. The data comprises the roles and perspectives of inclusion from Parents, Teachers, School Social Workers in German schools and School Counselors in Australian schools. This paper contextualizes both NSW and German education systems, and reports the significant findings and points of difference that may be used to inform current educational practices in NSW.
Inclusion in Australian Public New South Wales Primary Schools: What Germany can learn from "Down Under"
As of 2013, children with disabilities will have the right to be taught in mainstream schools. The topic of inclusion has been intensely discussed in Germany mainly with the focus on the costs that educating those with disabilities external to or within mainstream schools might rise. As German schools have social workers based in schools, the topic of inclusive educational practices in schools raises many different aspects that will be examined from a social work perspective in order to fully understand these aspects. The question of what 'inclusion' means in German schools, and why it is more appropriate to speak in terms of 'inclusion' in schools rather than 'integration' will be explored. It is important to note that whilst the current German concept of inclusion is not the main focus of this chapter, it will be briefly discussed and contrasted later with the Australian concept. Future recommendations on how to improve the current German system will be provided to at the end of the chapter.
Promoting teacher quality and continuity: Tackling the disadvantages of remote Indigenous schools in the Northern Territory
The complexity associated with reducing inequality in Indigenous education incorporates a multitude of causal factors. Issues associated with education delivery and outcomes in remote Indigenous communities are endemic nationally, yet the communities of the Northern Territory are uniquely disadvantaged due to their geographical and cultural isolation. By looking at the factors affecting the quality and continuity of teachers in remote Indigenous communities, as well as the need for institutional collaboration, targeted recruitment strategies and a reorientation of expectations, this article will consider one strategy developed in order to recruit and retain effective teachers in these communities.