(2019). Building Stronger Education Systems: Stories of Change. Global Partnership for Education The Global Partnership for Education (GPE) supports close to 70 developing countries to ensure that every child receives a quality education. The featured stories in this report show the progress that developing country partners are making in getting more children, especially girls, in school and learning. The results are not only evidence of their commitment to improve education, but also of the sustained and targeted support provided by GPE. Feature stories are included from the following countries: (1) Afghanistan; (2) Benin; (3) Burkina Faso; (4) Djibouti; (5) Eritrea; (6) Ethiopia; (7) Guyana; (8) Kenya; (9) Pakistan; (10) Papua New Guinea; and (11) Sudan…. [PDF]
(2021). The COVID-19 Epidemic: Teachers' Responses to School Closure in Developing Countries. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, v30 n1 p95-109. There is little research which explores middle school teachers' response to school closures in developing countries in times of crisis. This article presents a case study of Afghanistan, Libya and Palestine as developing countries which have suffered from violence for many years prior to the COVID-19 crisis. It focuses on how teachers in middle school responded to school closure to fight the spread of COVID-19. Twenty-two teachers from these countries participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews and three diverse focus group sessions were used to collect data and evidence. The study found that teachers developed their skills to use emerging technologies and design suitable digital content. Moreover, they built strong relationships with the local community to assume their responsibility in emergency remote learning (ERL) by establishing community centres for students from poor families. Assessing and engaging students were crucial issues in ERL which need more research in… [Direct]
(2020). Attachment and Culture: Mother's Perception of Attachment Related Components and Beliefs in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. Early Child Development and Care, v190 n11 p1778-1790. This study aimed to assess and compare the attachment issues including mothers' perception of desirable and undesirable characteristics, mothers' attributions to child behavior in attachment situations, and Mothers' Expectations regarding 'Maternal Responsiveness' among Iranian, Iraqi and Afghan mothers. To do so, 30 mothers were selected from each culture and, the parent interview, adopted from Rothbaum, Kakinuma, Nagaoka, and Azuma (2007), was used to assess the issues mentioned above. The interviews were semi-structured ones, and each took about 60 min to complete. Four issues including desirable and undesirable characteristics, mothers' perceptions of child's behavior and her response in attachment situations, mothers' perceptions of child's behavior in strange situation and expectations regarding maternal responsiveness were selected due to the purpose of the study. The results showed some similarities in describing the desirable and undesirable child between cultures,… [Direct]
(2017). Americanisation, Sovietisation, and Resistance at Kabul University: Limits of the Educational Reforms. History of Education, v46 n3 p343-365. The paper compares the American and Soviet transformations at Kabul University, Afghanistan, during the 1960s to the 1980s explained in terms of Americanisation and Sovietisation. Using new declassified documents from both American and former Soviet archives, the author reveals that both powers attempted to impose their rival models of university education in Afghanistan. However, resistance on the part of the Afghan university undermined both of their cultural influences, thus causing their policies of reform to eventually fail. The case of Kabul University demonstrates the inability of the superpowers to encourage the formation of pliable students and professors. Despite crucial transformations in the structure, administration apparatus, and content of disciplines, both superpowers were not able to change the traditions and values of professors and students. The university community has been proven to be the main cause for the success or failure of any reforms brought to a… [Direct]
(2023). Vocabulary Learning Beliefs and Strategies of Afghan EFL Undergraduate Learners. Cogent Education, v10 n1 Article 2194227. It is widely perceived that vocabulary learning is essential in second and foreign language acquisition. Vocabulary learning beliefs (VLB) and vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) are factors that affect both second language acquisition (SLA) and first language acquisition (FLA). This study investigated the vocabulary learning beliefs and vocabulary learning strategies of Afghan EFL undergraduate learners. The study used a random sampling design of a quantitative approach using a survey questionnaire. One hundred and twenty Afghan EFL learners from the English departments of three public universities in Afghanistan participated in the survey. Data were analysed through descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage). The results of the study indicated that Afghan EFL learners' beliefs are positive about vocabulary learning. The participants believe that repetition and reading are the best ways used to remember the words, expressions, and collocations. The study also showed that the… [Direct]
(2023). Family, a Racialized Space: A Phenomenological Approach to Examining Afghan Refugee Families' Language Policies in Norway. Language Policy, v22 n4 p413-432. In this paper, I put forward and apply a phenomenological understanding of body and embodied experience to examine refugee families' identity (trans)formation and language ideologies and practices. In particular, Kitaro Nishida's (1870-1945) notion of historical body was adopted to investigate how Afghan refugee families' lived experiences of forced mobility and life in different countries before their settlement in Norway influence their own as well as their children's raciolinguistic and cultural/national identities, which in turn, affect their language ideologies and practices. Based on a thematic analysis of the interviews conducted with parents in three families, it was found that, having left Afghanistan at a young age with no hope to return to as well as their forced stays in different countries, Afghan parents have not developed a strong Afghan national identity. This embodied experience was entangled with painful emotions as well that resulted in the parents' desire for… [Direct]
(2019). USAID Education: Girls' Education. Updated. US Agency for International Development Investments in girls' education in developing countries support U.S. foreign policy, demonstrate U.S. compassion and generosity, drive development efforts, and help reduce extreme poverty. The US Agency for International Development's (USAID's) programming takes into account the gender-related constraints that prevent access of both boys and girls to quality education. A combined set of interventions that promote equitable access and gender equality at primary, secondary, and higher education levels and ensure adequate physical facilities are often needed to address systemic barriers. This fact sheet highlights USAID's global projects supporting girls' education extending from pre-primary to higher education in Liberia, Malawi, Afghanistan, and Pakistan…. [PDF]
(2017). The Effectiveness of Information Technology Simulation and Security Awareness Training on U.S Military Personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. ProQuest LLC, Ph.D. Dissertation, Capella University. In today's dynamic military environment, information technology plays a crucial role in the support of mission preparedness and operational readiness. This research examined the effectiveness of information technology security simulation and awareness training on U.S. military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan. Also, the study analyzed whether this training heightened military personnel security awareness in these two environments. Employing a transcendental approach utilizing a Purposeful sampling technique, eight participants were asked to share their thoughts and lived experiences regarding the effectiveness of simulation and security awareness training. The study framework rested on the central research question: What is the effectiveness of Simulation IT security training in a hostile or hazardous environment in Afghanistan or Iraq? The subjects participated in an open-ended interview process which allowed the researcher to analyze the phenomenon and bracket out the participants… [Direct]
(2015). Day-by-Day: Higher Education in Afghanistan. FIRE: Forum for International Research in Education, v1 n3 Article 6 p64-80. This paper examines higher education in Afghanistan. Based on qualitative research, including interviews with key policymakers and stakeholders, the paper examines the primary issues, challenges, progress, and future vision for higher education in the country. The research reveals that one of the most significant issues in the country in the post-Taliban era is female participation in higher education. It also shows the importance of alternative forms of higher education, such as two-year institutions, private education, and technical/ vocational education. The paper also discusses the emergence of quality assurance mechanisms and international partnerships with other universities. Regarding the future direction and vision for higher education, the paper reveals two primary focuses: preparing students for the labor market, and the potential for education to influence democratic values and social cohesion in a divided country…. [PDF]
(2020). Comparing 'Deep' Insider Knowledge: Developing Analytical Strategies for Cross-National Qualitative Studies. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, v23 n3 p241-254. One overarching question in scholarly methodological discussions on qualitative comparative approaches concerns how it is possible to compare and generalise deep insider knowledge across (nationally) specific contexts. The aim of this article is to propose a research strategy that both facilitates the comparison and theorisation of such knowledge across nations and limits the risks of reproducing naturalised national 'truths'. The strategy is developed within a feminist, cross-national, qualitative comparative analysis of how European countries addressed military deaths in connection with the ISAF mission in Afghanistan. The article underlines the importance of collective analytical work and of strategies that allow continuous movement between insider and outsider positions throughout the research process. A number of analytical strategies are presented: "collective project design," "alternating between analytical closeness and distance," and… [Direct]
(2018). Analysis of Hassan's Tragedy in "The Kite Runner" from the Three-Dimensional Ethical Perspective. English Language Teaching, v11 n7 p57-60. Hassan in "The Kite Runner" was brave, kind-hearted and loyal, but he still ended up with misery. From the three dimensional ethical perspective, Hassan's tragedy is not only greatly related to national and religious ethics, but also influenced by deformed family ethics. Thus it can be seen that national discrimination and religious hierarchy exert negative impact on morality of Afghans. It is through this novel that Hosseini aims to reveals his broad humanistic feelings and call for others' attention to Afghanistan as well…. [PDF]
(2021). Example of Best Practice: Refugee Teachers at the University of Potsdam. A Requalification Program for Newly Arrived Teachers in Germany. Intercultural Education, v32 n1 p108-118. The Refugee Teachers Program, established at the University of Potsdam, Brandenburg, in 2016, represents a successful model for training and integrating individuals with foreign teaching qualifications through an 18-month teaching and language course. Initially created to help meet the demand for teachers in Germany, the Refugee Teachers Program has been further refined over the course of the last three years in the light of expert meetings, theoretical considerations, and negotiations with the Brandenburg Ministry of Education. This was the first program of its kind in Germany, following an influx of people being forced to migrate from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq in 2015. The program responded to these international events by providing training, work, and refuge for migrants who already had teaching experience in their home countries. More than 85 participants successfully completed the program and many have taken up newly created positions as teachers and… [Direct]
(2021). Integrating Reading and Writing in Testing Reading Comprehension of the Afghan EFL Language Learners. Cogent Education, v8 n1 Article 1919039. This study was conducted to evaluate a potential new way of assessing reading comprehension at the college level in Afghanistan. In this study, synthesis writing is evaluated to determine if reading-writing integration can help in assessing the reading comprehension of Afghan sophomore students. Furthermore, a gap-filling activity was used to examine if a cognitively less challenging activity can provide support (scaffolding) in completing a more complex task. Participants were divided into two groups. Gap-filling and reading-to-write-a-synthesis activities were presented in reverse order to the groups. A 2-by-2 mixed ANOVA was conducted to assess the main effects of task and group and the interaction effect between the two factors. Results of the study suggest that order of presentation affects the performance of participants in these two tests and, contrary to expectations, presenting the reading-to-write-a-synthesis activity prior to the gap-filling activity may result in better… [Direct]
(2014). Educating Prisoners of Tradition: Visual Narratives of Afghan Women on Social Media. International Education Studies, v7 n3 p60-66. More than a decade after the US-led intervention of Afghanistan, traditional and tribal customs still play a significant role in the everyday lives of people, especially women. History has proven that women have been playing a significant role in shaping the course of Afghanistan but unfortunately, they are always subjected to different degrees of force by patriarchy and traditions. By examining the historical perspective of women's status in Afghanistan and by analyzing two Youtube documentaries on women's imprisonment, we argue that 12 years after the US-led intervention, women are still suffering from traditional and tribal laws. This paper seeks to demonstrate that untraditional education is a "sine qua non" for the women of Afghanistan to overcome negative aspects of tradition and tribal laws…. [PDF]
(2022). Digital Divide Framework: Online Learning in Developing Countries during the COVID-19 Lockdown. Globalisation, Societies and Education, v20 n5 p625-640. This article showcases digital inequalities that came to the forefront for online learning during the COVID-19 lockdown across five developing countries, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Afghanistan. Large sections of population in developing economies have limited access to basic digital services; this, in turn, restricts how digital media are being used in everyday lives. A digital divide framework encompassing three analytical perspectives, structure, cultural practices and agency, has been developed. Each perspective is influenced by five constructs, communities, time, location, social context and sites of practice. Community relates to gendered expectations, time refers to the lockdown period while locations are interleaved online classrooms and home spaces. Societal contexts influence aspects of online learning and how students engage within practice sites. We find structural issues are due to lack of digital media access and supporting services; further that female… [Direct]