Exploring Postcolonial Perspectives in Geography Education in Sri Lankan International Schools
Analysis of geography education in British international schools in Sri Lanka using a postcolonial theoretical framework to examine power dynamics, knowledge construction, and cultural representations. Focus on the impact of British English education as a marker of social status in Sri Lankan society and inequalities in school attendance based on factors like ethnicity, income, and gender.
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Reflections on using a postcolonial theoretical framework to analyse geography education in international schools in Sri Lanka Kay Chapman Plymouth Institute of Education
Teaching an English Geography Curriculum in Sri Lanka: who is the Other? What kind of geography knowledge is produced in geography classrooms in British international schools in Sri Lanka? Whose geography is it? What kinds of differences are constructed and how in geography classrooms in British international schools in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka s education one of, if not the most, accessible in the developing world (Little 2011: 502) Inequalities - ethnic group, family income, age, gender and location affect school attendance for 5-14 year olds (Arunatilake 2006) British English (and therefore education in the medium of British English) is a marker of the elite in Sri Lankan society, being valued as social capital by those able to access this kind of education and recognised by those who cannot afford such opportunities. (Bernaisch 2012)
Postcolonial theory applied to education - a way of thinking about relations with the Other (different groups) in a way that allows dialogue without the historical cultural inequalities of colonialism. a discursive orientation that focuses on the instability of signification and the intimate relationship between the production of knowledge and power that is sceptical of grand narratives of progress and emancipation (Andreotti 2011: 14)
Postcolonial analytical framework: Third space (Bhabha 1994) Curriculum Teacher SL/Ex-pat. Geography School Pupils
Postcolonial analytical framework: key themes or lines of investigation within third space KP knowledge/power relations knowledge construction; putting cultural/geographical representation of the Other into practice IA interaction; agency over signification conditions of cultural interaction EP Positioning of the Educator knowledge construction; reflexivity; unlearning; ethical relation with Other
Third space Curriculum Knowledge & Power Teacher SL/Ex-pat. Geography School Interaction & Agency Pupils Position of the Educator
KP Sri Lankan teachers subaltern Ex-pat teacher culturally superior IA Inequality in interactions between Ex-pat teacher and Sri Lankan teachers and between Ex-pat teacher and Pupils Mimicry; Fixity EP Unequal (unethical?) relationships with the Other (Sri Lankan teachers) Acceptance of ethnocentric, Western epistemology and superiority
Questions and directions What kind of geography knowledge is produced in geography classrooms in British international schools in Sri Lanka? Whose geography is it? What kinds of differences are constructed and how in geography classrooms in British international schools in Sri Lanka? Who is the Other?
References Andreotti, V. (2011) Actionable Postcolonial Theory in Education. New York: Palgrave MacMillan Arunatilake, N. (2006) Education participation in Sri Lanka why all are not in school. International Journal of Educational Research. 45: 137-152 Ball, S.J. & Bowe, R. (1992) Subject departments and the implementation of national curriculum policy: an overview of the issues. Journal of Curriculum Studies. 24:2, 97-115 Bernaisch, T. (2012) Attitudes towards Englishes in Sri Lanka. World Englishes, 31:3, 279-291 Bhabha, H. (1994) The Location of Culture. Oxon: Routledge Butt, G. and Lambert, D. (2014) International perspectives on the future of geography education: an analysis of national curricula and standards. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 23:1, 1-12 Little, A.W. (2011) Education policy reform in Sri Lanka: the double edged sword of political will. Journal of Education Policy, 26:4, 499-512 Said, E.W. (1978) Orientalism. London: Penguin Spivak, G. (2010) Can the Subaltern Speak? (revised) In Morris, R. C. (ed) (2010) Can the Subaltern Speak? Reflections on the history of an idea. New York: Columbia University Press Tilakaratna, G. (2014) Social Protection and the MDGs in Sri Lanka: Implications for the Post-2015 Agenda. Occasional Paper 12. Southern Voice on the Post-MDG International Development Goals. Available at www.southernvoice- postmdg.org (accessed 6/2/2015)
