Initiatives

Education Institutions, Inequalities, and Innovations

The Education Institutions, Inequalities and Innovations initiative offers education researchers and practitioners opportunities to investigate, analyze, and advance new directions for theoretical and empirical comparative research on contemporary education issues and realities. Informed by Global South experiences and perspectives, it examines social and cultural forces that influence how education systems develop, evolve and operate; the nature, extent and varying manifestations of educational inequality; the character and impact of education policy reforms, organizational restructuring, and advancements on educators and learners alike; and movements on the ground seeking to address educational disparities. Citizenship education, academic stratification, indigenous education, adult learning, and pedagogical innovations constitute topics of particular interest

Projects

Letter to the Next President of the Philippines

The project examines the civic engagement of Filipino high school students. Specifically, the project analyzes the outcomes of a civic writing activity where Filipino high school students write a letter to the next president of the Philippines regarding social concerns that they wish the newly elected president in 2022 will address and resolve. The project aims to bring to light the issues and concerns that matter to these next generation of voters. It will examine the civic writing of a national sample of grades 9-10 students with various socio-demographic profiles from urban and rural, public and private, and sectarian and non-sectarian high schools across the country. In school setting, engaging the youth in civic writing is important because it supports them in developing crucial academic skills (such as doing research, developing reasoning, using evidence and writing), and civic skills (such as understanding diverse perspectives and developing public voice). Civic writing enables the youth to not only improve their knowledge and understanding of social issues but also engage in public conversation about matters that are important to them and their communities.

Moreover, the project aims to examine the capacity of students  for civic writing. Youth’s increasing engagement in political dialogue and action, especially in the online sphere, has been noted in various countries, including the Philippines. Therefore, youth must learn skills that are useful for engaging in political discourse, such as the capacity to assess evidence and how to effectively bring across their message of advocacy to the public.   To examine the students’ capability for civic writing, the project will analyze the students’ letters on whether they employ a public voice, advocate civic engagement or action, argue a position based on reasoning and evidence, and employ a structure to support a position.

Members

Dr. Ma. Glenda L. Wui
Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Dr. Enrique Nino P. Leviste
Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Director, Institute of Philippine Culture

Roselle Trishia Reyes
Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology

Carl Russel R. Reyes    
Faculty, Department of Sociology and Anthropology