Academics Cluster: First Meeting of XUNICEF Academics, Teachers and Social Policy Activists : Marta Mauras / Mary Racelis
First Meeting of XUNICEF Academics, Teachers and Social Policy Activists
Zoom - 24 August 2020 - 9:00 – 10.40 a.m. NY/Ontario time
The meeting was facilitated by Mary Racelis, while Marta Mauras volunteered to act as rapporteur. They suggested that these roles be done on a rotating basis for future meetings.
A first round of introductions was conducted for participants, most of them teaching at universities, to indicate their particular interests. We heard from Susan Bissell, Ian Hopwood Richard Jolly, Victor Karunan, Jun Kukita, Erma Manoncourt, Boudewijn Mohr, Marta Maurás, Baquer Namazi, Niloufar Pourzand, Mary Racelis and Ronald Van Dijk. , and. The background data, which are they submitting, are being collated.
The question guiding us for the meeting was posed by Mary: What are we interested in obtaining from this effort to exchange experiences in university teaching or related activities on issues related to children and young people, social theory and development studies?
The answers are organized here by themes, identifying where possible who proposed them:
Collect and organize syllabus, curriculum and outlines as well as bibliography and links on development studies, particularly from the South as pointed by Niloufar and Victor. They referred (as others) to the need to ¨decolonize development studies and explore alternative worldviews. Important is the need to develop and adapt curricula to the needs of universities in the South. In like manner, localize the SDGs. Invite UNICEF staff to teach in our classes bringing in UNICEF material.
On teaching methods, the subject was particularly explored by Mary who explained that she had been for several years asking her anthropology students at both the Ateneo de Manila University and the University of the Philippines doing field work to listen, engage in conversations, and reflect together with community residents on those issues and themes important to them. This differed from the more common attempts to fill in survey questionnaires in which data local people did not have much of a stake. Ronald raised the same point that UNICEF should be urged to listen more to the people whom they serve. Susan suggested that COVID-19 is challenging teaching and learning because of online methods which are, for the most part, quite unknown or inaccessible to many. She suggested something could be done from the Kennedy School of Public Health where she teaches a course on Leadership. Niloufar agreed that conventional academics are floundering with online media and need help with innovation and technology. There is a need to adapt to as well as change ¨the new normal¨.
Share material with UNICEF research centers in Florence and New York, especially around innovative ways of learning. This link could help organize guidance to students from the South in order to connect them to learning and research centers.
Higher education in Africa is under pressure (resources, few hours for teaching, too many students, approaches are traditional), especially public institutions. Francophone Africa is in the worst situation. Ian suggested we should hold a webinar on online teaching/learning methods.
Jun pointed out that this group had an opportunity to learn more about development issues to mobilize young people and XUNICEF staff, and help them pursue effectively climate change, for example.
The European Center for Peace and Development, located in Belgrade, Serbia, could bring people in for debates, especially regarding the SDGs, giving a new look to them. The Center may also want to know more about outcomes in various countries implementing the Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Chair on Child Rights at Leiden University is funded by UNICEF Nederlands. The Chair has expressed interest in the work of this group, and wants to know more about how the CRC was and still is instrumental in strengthening programme outcomes and increasing commitments of governments. (Mohr).
Some of the participants work in the field of behavioural change (Susan, Erma and Ronald Van Dijk) to orient and form students as well as staff in their relation with public institutions, among others. Opportunities are emerging in the pandemic to reformulate behavior change in the current search for a different “normal” in societies.
There was also the mention of teaching in the area of peace and security (Namazi).
The point was made by Marta as former member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child that Treaty Bodies and Special procedures of the UN were always in need of solid evidence on which to base their recommendations and encouraged participants to connect with the OHCHR, which is the Secretariat to all these bodies and can facilitate the link with them.
Richard Jolly offered to guide anybody who needed help with aspects of the History of the UN. He is not engaged in university teaching, but is involved in fostering especially young people in his village to have a voice in governance. Although some participants who are not teaching may decide not to continue regular involvement, Mary clarified that this gathering, although largely composed of university teachers, welcomes retirees engaged in public policy development or grassroots action. The common bond is an interest in social theory and social change.
As a brief summary, the focus of this group is the following (subject to further revision by the group):
Sharing curricula, bibliography and methods as well as linking with learning centers which may need support or can provide it to others, especially in the Global South.
Bringing in evidence where it matters, the UN, UNICEF, others.
Preparing students to mobilize for action through a solid grounding in evidence.
Networking among participants and a wider selection of teaching/learning institutions to exchange, validate, influence.
Upgrading teaching/learning methods to prepare all for the digital world.
The meeting was closed with a request from the group for Mary Racelis to convene the next one. She agreed to do so in a month’s time.
Some of the participants work in the field of behavioural change (Susan, Erma and Ronald Van Dijk) to orient and form students as well as staff in their relation with public institutions, among others. Opportunities are emerging in the pandemic to reformulate behavior change in the current search for a different “normal” in societies.
There was also the mention of teaching in the area of peace and security (Namazi).
The point was made by Marta as former member of the Committee on the Rights of the Child that Treaty Bodies and Special procedures of the UN were always in need of solid evidence on which to base their recommendations and encouraged participants to connect with the OHCHR, which is the Secretariat to all these bodies and can facilitate the link with them.
Richard Jolly offered to guide anybody who needed help with aspects of the History of the UN. He is not engaged in university teaching, but is involved in fostering especially young people in his village to have a voice in governance. Although some participants who are not teaching may decide not to continue regular involvement, Mary clarified that this gathering, although largely composed of university teachers, welcomes retirees engaged in public policy development or grassroots action. The common bond is an interest in social theory and social change.
As a brief summary, the focus of this group is the following (subject to further revision by the group):
Sharing curricula, bibliography and methods as well as linking with learning centers which may need support or can provide it to others, especially in the Global South.
Bringing in evidence where it matters, the UN, UNICEF, others.
Preparing students to mobilize for action through a solid grounding in evidence.
Networking among participants and a wider selection of teaching/learning institutions to exchange, validate, influence.
Upgrading teaching/learning methods to prepare all for the digital world.
The meeting was closed with a request from the group for Mary Racelis to convene the next one. She agreed to do so in a month’s time.