Exploring the opportunities for learning justice: a case study of girls' educational experiences in English medium Rwandan basic education

本研究旨在批判性地探讨在整个基础教育周期中，英语学习如何影响卢旺达女孩的教育经历和成果。可持续发展目标4呼吁各国政府确保到2030年，所有儿童都能接受包容、公平和高质量的基础教育。虽然许多研究探讨了性别和教学语言分别对实现可持续发展目标4构成挑战的方式，但在女孩学习英语等主导语言方面存在证据差距。本研究将通过对卢旺达小学高年级和中学女生学习情况的混合方法案例研究来解决这一差距；以英语为教学语言的基础教育。之所以选择卢旺达作为案例研究，是因为如果仅以整个教育周期的机会来衡量，卢旺达已经实现了性别平等，但女孩在公平措施（例如，复读人数明显较高）和质量（例如，通过国家中学考试的女孩较少）方面处于不利地位。英语是小学四年级开始的教学语言，最近的研究表明，这是学习者参与和在国家考试中取得成功的一个重大障碍。因此，它提供了一个很好的案例研究来探索英语学习可能对卢旺达女孩的教育机会、经历和结果产生影响的潜在方式。这项研究将重点关注小学教育最后一年（约12岁）和初中教育最后一年（约15岁）的女孩，以便了解女孩在基础教育周期中这些关键过渡阶段的经历。案例研究将是多层次、混合方法和跨学科的，涉及社会学、教育学和应用语言学的观点。初始情境化阶段将确定女孩的学习指标、性别态度和英语媒介教学使用之间的共同趋势。这将通过对国家教育统计数据、住户调查数据（态度调查答复）和女孩英语考试成绩（代替任何现有的国家语言能力考试成绩）的统计分析来实现。确定的趋势将通过与与女孩教育和EMI相关的政策制定者和从业者的八个关键利益相关者访谈进行三角测量。主要的探索阶段将侧重于女孩在课堂和其他学习场所（如家庭）学习英语的经验。对来自四所学校的48名女孩进行了与照片相关的访谈，并对课堂观察数据进行了专题分析，以确定女孩学习英语的主要障碍和促进因素。将根据这一分析制定一个相关的学习正义框架，将学习的社会文化理论纳入性别正义框架，并将通过一系列讲习班（包括女孩、教师和国家利益攸关方）与相关利益攸关方探讨其适用性。旨在共同构建对卢旺达和整个全球南方的全民教育更加包容和公平的影响。这些资料将通过四篇期刊文章、出席会议、两部宣传录象带和一份扩大的政策简报在国家和全球学术和政策网络中传播。如果国家政策产生影响，这项研究将最终改善卢旺达英语基础教育中所有女孩的学习经历和成果。

This study aims to critically explore the ways that learning in English influences Rwandan girls' educational experiences and outcomes throughout the basic education cycle. Sustainable Development Goal 4 calls on all governments to ensure that, by 2030, all children complete a basic education that is inclusive, equitable and of high quality. While much research has explored the ways that gender and the language-of-instruction separately present a challenge to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4, there is an evidence gap about girls' learning in a dominant language, such as English. This study will address this gap through a mixed-methods case study of girls' learning in Rwandan upper primary and secondary education; the years of basic education where the language-of-instruction is English. Rwanda has been chosen as the case study as it is a country where gender parity has been achieved, if measured solely on access across the education cycle, but where girls are disadvantaged regarding measures of equity (e.g. significantly higher numbers repeating years) and quality (e.g. fewer girls passing national secondary examinations). English is the language-of-instruction from the fourth year of primary school and recent research has suggested that it is a significant barrier to learner participation and success in national examinations. It, therefore, provides an excellent case study to explore the potential ways that learning in English may be impacting on Rwandan girls' educational access, experiences and outcomes. The study will focus on girls in the final year of primary schooling (approximately 12 years old) and of lower secondary education (approximately 15 years old) - to enable snapshots of girls' experiences at these key transitional points in their basic education cycle.The case study will be multi-level, mixed method and interdisciplinary, involving perspectives from sociology, education and applied linguistics. An initial contextualising phase will identify co-occurring trends between girls' learning metrics, gendered attitudes and the use of English Medium Instruction. This will be achieved through statistical analysis of national education statistics, household survey data (attitudinal survey responses) and girls' examination results in English (in lieu of any available national language proficiency test results). The trends identified will be triangulated through eight key stakeholder interviews with policymakers and practitioners related to girls' education and EMI. The main exploratory phase will focus on girls' experiences of learning in English, both in the classroom and other sites of learning (e.g. the home). Data from photo-linked interviewing with 48 girls from four schools, and classroom observations, will be thematically analysed to identify key inhibitors and facilitators for girls' learning in English. A relevant learning justice framework, which brings socio-cultural theories of learning within a gender justice framing, will be developed from this analysis and its applicability will be explored with relevant stakeholders through a range of workshops (including girls, teachers and national stakeholders). It is intended that implications for a more inclusive and equitable education for all in Rwanda, and across the Global South, will be co-constructed. These will be disseminated in national and global academic and policy networks through four journal articles, conference attendance, two advocacy videos and an extended policy brief. If national policy impact is achieved, the study will ultimately improve the learning experiences and outcomes for all girls in English Medium Rwandan basic education.