Re-conceptualizing Education reform in Muslim Societies

• In Event: School reform processes and student outcomes: cross-national perspectives

Proposal

Introduction
This paper reports on a multi-year research project embedded in a broad-based reform effort to develop a comprehensive and holistic approach to education in Muslim societies, with a particular focus on socio-emotional aspects of learning. Predominantly Muslim societies have been the recipient of countless external interventions and funding from government and intergovernmental bodies, international foundations, as well as non-governmental organizations and non-profits. Nevertheless, the picture is bleak on dropout rates, achievement on math and science international tests, and gender gaps (World Bank, 2018). Funds invested in “democratization” and civic engagement in Muslim societies by many Western international organizations have occasionally backfired or shown no impact in ways that suggest a missing link to reform—in part because reform efforts have sometimes lacked grounding in local and cultural norms, values, and practices in ways that might have increased effectiveness and encouraged “buy in” (Abu-Nimer & Nasser, 2016).

The paper proceeds in two parts. First, we introduce a conceptual framework for a research-based, education reform agenda for Muslim societies that comes from within global Muslim societies’ realities and needs. Second, we report preliminary results from the first wave of data collection: a large-scale quantitative survey of 15- to 17-year-old youth, first- and second- year university students, teachers, administrators, and parents in fourteen countries which focused on six constructs: empathy, forgiveness, moral reasoning, community-mindedness, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy. The survey was launched in July 2018; data collection is expected to conclude in March 2019.

Developing Locally-Grounded Research Concepts for Muslim Societies
It is critical not to overemphasize the importance of boundaries like East-West, secular- religious, or global North-global South on epistemological and methodological understandings. Such boundaries are often fluid and contradictory, particularly because of globalization and the impact of multigenerational immigrant communities and perspectives within any given society. At the same time, it is important to acknowledge that external reform efforts aimed at the Muslim world have often been rooted in concepts and measures designed from within societies characterized by secular, individualistic, consumerist ideals. When these measures and constructs are implemented into societies influenced more strongly by religious, collectivist, and community ideals, a mismatch often occurs. Thus, we have cases where prior externally-driven educational reforms have focused heavily on the development of individual and collective human capital, framing education as an investment in national and regional GNP or as a means for economic development or citizen engagement.

This approach is problematic because on one hand, it overlooks the broader purposes of education and its importance for the holistic development of human beings and on the other, it promotes a reform movement that is not authentic or organic. This is true since recently there has also been renewed critique of the globalized approach to education—characterized by some as an “ideological package” (Carnoy and Rhoten, 2002; Adamson, Astrand, Darling-Hammond, 2016), such as the so-called Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) of privatization, standardization of testing, accountability, and school choice. Such reforms have not always been welcomed by local populations, especially when they are not integrated with or don’t consider the local religious and cultural traditions and beliefs (Hargreaves et al 2001; Sahlberg et al 2016). GERM, as an international movement, is characterized by an economic rationale for investment of the private and corporate education sector while being driven by top down policies and imports from developed countries (Adamson, et. al, 2016).

The research reported here was developed by a multi-disciplinary team of researchers based at US academic and research institutions, with feedback incorporated from Islamic studies and Muslim scholars globally in order to create locally-grounded research concepts and measures designed to reflect a holistic, meaningful approach to educating the whole student.

Data and Methods
The research team gathered quantitative data from fourteen Muslim countries to provide baseline knowledge, formulate evidence-based recommendations, and address the gaps in information on the well-being of Muslim students and youth. This paper reports on the first wave of data collection, which we call a “mapping the terrain” exercise, intended to assess the current state of socio-emotional learning across six initial constructs: empathy, forgiveness, moral reasoning, community mindedness, sense of belonging, and self-efficacy. The primary research questions include: What are the attitudes towards empathy, forgiveness, moral reasoning, and community mindedness among high school and university students? Are there differences in attitudes about empathy, forgiveness, moral reasoning, and community mindedness among students (in high school and at university) in formal vs non- formal education settings? Are there any differences on responses based on country, gender, parents’ income, and education?

During the survey design phase, we chose scales that already have established validity and reliability and were proven to work in various contexts globally, but which also aligned with local Muslim populations’ understandings. The items on the survey require self-reporting on the level of agreement with each statement. The collection of subscales includes a range of 120-135 items depending on the participants’ categories. Surveys are being collected from representative samples of youth in public and private high schools (age 15-17) and university students in their first and second years. Fourteen country teams based in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Turkey, India, Jordan, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, Palestine, South Africa, Sudan, and Tatarstan are part of the study.

Concluding Thoughts
Education for employment and for global citizenship are on the forefront of global collaboration initiatives. But these efforts have not succeeded in transforming educational outcomes and experiences for youth in Muslim societies, which often experience additional challenges related to stability, security and resources. countries. In this paper, we suggest that an approach that builds research concepts through collaboration with local Islamic studies and theologians globally will ultimately produce research findings which better align with local populations’ understandings of the world and their place in it. The resulting data, in turn, will help produce educational interventions with a greater chance of achieving transformative impact and helping all young people achieve their fullest potential and the possibility of a meaningful life.

Authors

• Ilham Nasser, International Institute of Islamic Thought

• Cynthia Miller-Idriss, American University

• Saulat Pervez, International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT)