Comparing interviews: part 3
In the previous audio, Sister Elizabeth and Matha Josephine mention how their own educational experiences have played a part in their current wishes and designs for children in Ghana and Uganda. Our early school experiences can carry a motivational power in this way – some would argue that there should be continuity and tradition as with many public schools in the UK; others might seek something very different for children, giving them a change from what their parents experienced when young.
They also make much of the role of teachers in the realisation of quality education. They lay emphasis on empowerment of teachers, on applicants’ entry qualifications, on the shift from standards (a required level of attainment) to competencies (what someone can do), and the importance of increasing the time that trainees spend in classrooms.
Such features of teacher training can be found in the policies of many countries, not least in the UK where some would argue that teacher empowerment has been put at risk by the way successive governments have specified, in some detail, what should be taught in primary schools.
Activity 6c
You’ll now compare the two audios. Note your comparisons in the boxes in the table below.
Your comparison of the two interviews
| Comparator | Sally Gear interview | Elizabeth Amoako-Athena and Matha Josephine Apolot interview | Same, similar or different? | Evidence for same, similar or different? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Views and purposes of schooling | ||||
| 2. Views of teachers | ||||
| 3. The stated priorities | ||||
| 4. Views on teacher training | ||||
| 5. Selection of learning outcomes | ||||
| 6. Views of difficulties faced | ||||
| 7. Another aspect of comparison that you have noticed |
Discussion
The audios illustrate the way in which interviews can provide ‘data rich’, in that a small amount of audio can yield a great deal of qualitative information.
In completing this activity, you have carried out a small comparative study of education.
Next, you will hear from three teachers in Peru, Vietnam and Germany, and compare their perspectives on teaching and learning.
OpenLearn - Global perspectives on primary education
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