Shared Education in contested spaces: How collaborative networks improve communities and schools

Abstract

Societies which suffer from ethnic and political divisions are often characterised by patterns of social and institutional separation, and sometimes these divisions remain even after political conflict has ended. This has occurred in Northern Ireland where there is, and remains, a long-standing pattern of parallel institutions and services for the different communities. A socially significant example lies in the education system where a parallel system of Catholic and Protestant schools has been in place since the establishment of a national school system in the 1830s. During the years of political violence in Northern Ireland a variety of educational interventions were implemented to promote reconciliation, but most of them failed to create any systemic change. This paper describes a postconflict educational initiative known as Shared Education which aims to promote social cohesion and school improvement by encouraging sustained and regular shared learning between students and broader collaboration between teachers and school leaders from different schools. The paper examines the background to work on Shared Education, describes a 'sharing continuum' which emerged as an evaluation and policy tool from this work and considers evidence from a case study of a Shared Education school partnership in a divided city in Northern Ireland. The paper will conclude by highlighting some of the significant social and policy impact of the Shared Education work.

Goals aligned: Predictors of common goal identification in educational cross-sectoral collaboration initiatives

“…This understanding extends previous findings on the effects of social networks and network structures regarding educational development in different educational sectors (e.g. Daly and Finnigan, 2010;Duffy and Gallagher, 2017;Moolenaar et al, 2014) by demonstrating the effects of social relations on common goal identification.…”

“…Instead, actors work with different theories of the same problem, activities are soloed, and local solutions remain local’ (Bryk, Gomez and Grunow, 2011: 130). Scholars and practitioners in education have become aware that social relations are essential for successful educational reform and school development (Kolleck, 2016; Daly and Finnigan, 2010; Duffy and Gallagher, 2017; Little, 2005; Moolenaar et al, 2014). This notion is supported by empirical results revealing that cooperation, social networks and common goals help educational organizations such as universities or schools to strengthen instructional programme coherence, thereby improving student achievements (Wells et al, 2015).…”

“…In analysing these questions, we intend to provide new empirical insights into the influences on stakeholders’ identification with common goals in collaborative educational ventures, while on a broader level, offering an account of how individuals are influenced by their positions in social networks. Hence, this analysis builds upon recent studies that examine the application of educational collaborative networks to different issues and at different policy levels (Walzer, Weaver and McGuire, 2016), alongside analyses demonstrating the effects of social networks on community and school improvement (Duffy and Gallagher, 2017; Moolenaar et al, 2014).…”

Balancing Cultural Diversity and Social Cohesion in Education: The Potential of Shared Education in Divided Contexts

“…Cognisant of these challenges, proposals for shared education in Cyprus include joint training for staff on issues of common interest among those working with young people -such as online safety and health and relationships (see Duffy and Gallagher, 2016, for a similar example from Northern Ireland) -as well on the specific issues associated with teaching in divided contexts. The latter includes training on dealing with controversial and sensitive issues in the school context, which has relevance beyond shared education and encourages teachers to reflect on their own identities and values, as well as explore appropriate pedagogies.…”

Fostering Harmony and Dealing with Difference in Education: A Critical Review of Perspectives on Intergroup Relations

“…Relatedly, shared education creates a space for the exploration of group differences and critical inter-group dialogue, as advocated by Giroux and Giroux (2006) and others. Duffy and Gallagher (2017) for example, highlight how shared education has facilitated the exploration of contested terriory in Northern Ireland's second largest city, with pupils in partner schools engaging in dialogue on the origins and implications of Catholic preference to refer to the City as Derry and Protestant proclivity for the title Londonderry. They also demonstrate how shared education in the same city has helped promote more positive engagement between schools and statutory agencies, highlighting, in particular, the evolving relationship between the partnership's Catholic schools and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).…”