The new MA in Youth and Community Work

For information about this new postgraduate Masters programme online go to - http://www.uel.ac.uk/education/programmes/postgraduate/youthcommunity-ma.htm.

In the video below, Mohamed Moustakim talks about this brand new post graduate programme.

Short notice but ... a great opportunity for those of you who have done the Gender Security module ED3022.

MADRE is seeking a Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Fellow to help develop and implement a strategy to advance women’s human rights at the international level.

The position requires a 1-year commitment on a part-time schedule and provides a $10,000 stipend as compensation. This fellowship will be located at MADRE’s office in New York City. Non-U.S. citizens are welcome to apply.

Tasks and Responsibilities:

• Represent MADRE at meetings and in coalition work with other NGOs and UN contacts.
• Follow and participate in the Gender Equality Architecture Reform (GEAR) Campaign, the Beijing+15 process, and other UN processes as needed.
• Draft and submit testimony to the UN Human Rights Council.
• Conduct research for publications and program work on gender dimensions of food sovereignty and climate change; women’s health and violence against women; and peace building and women’s political participation.
• Develop and implement a strategy to advance women’s human rights in UN processes.
  Collaborate with MADRE Program and Human Rights Advocacy staff.

Qualifications:

• Demonstrated commitment to women’s human rights and MADRE’s mission.
  Strong understanding of UN system.
• Experience in international human rights advocacy at the UN or other international institution is an asset.

To apply, submit a cover letter, resume and 2-3 references to madre@madre.org. Include “Women’s Human Rights Advocacy Fellow” in the subject line. The application deadline is August 31, 2009.

Information is at: http://madreblogs.typepad.com/mymadre/2009/08/apply-for-the-madre-womens-human-rights-advocacy-fellowship.html

Eyes on the Prize

The 'prize' you will be working towards, as new and continuing students in the coming academic year, is your graduation with a BA Education and Community Development!

The graduation ceremony at which degrees are conferred is a wonderful occasion that gives you the chance to celebrate your achievements with family and friends who have supported you in your journey to academic success.

Here are a few pictures of the 2008 graduates from the ceremony held at the Barbican in November.

This is Rosemary Braithwaite and Nicole Blanc. Rosemary did her degree while she was working sharing generously from her experiences at work with fellow students and tutors. Nicole now has a job about which she has written 'I really feel that this job compliments my degree and a lot of the modules I did at UEL i.e. Social Policy, Diaspora Communities, Sociology of Childhood, Gender Security and Education for all and ultimately my dissertation: Transition to Early Years'.

Here is Arinola Akinrin who worked particularly hard to overcome several obstacles along the way to her degree. Check out the smile of satisfaction with a job well done!

Dr Lionel McCalman, module leader for some of Education and Community Development's core modules, always dresses up for the occasion!

In this picture Mohamed Moustakim, Dr Patricia Walker, Dr Lionel McCalman and Nasima Hassan prepare for the academic procession they will make to the stage where they will sit to watch and applause as you come on stage to receive your award.

Congratulations to all our 2008 graduates! We are proud of you and look forward to following the progress of your careers so please stay in touch by joining the UEL Alumni at http://www.uel.ac.uk/alumni/.

Why you need to register your modules for 2009/10

It is important that you register for the modules you will take in the next academic year because otherwise there might not be enough places on the modules to accommodate everybody. If you are not able to do a core module, because there are not enough places, it may lead to your having to delay the progress of your studies and having to stay on another semester in order to complete your degree, possibly even paying more fees to complete your degree.

By registering for your modules now, in addition to making sure there are sufficient places on the module, you can also give yourself a head start by starting to prepare for your studies next semester.

It has been established that primary school students forget a lot of what they have learned in long breaks (Cooper, H et al. (1996) 'The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores: A Narrative and Meta-Analytic Review' Review of Educational Research, v66 n3 p227-68 Fall 1996) and it is likely that this is also the case with Higher Education Students. In fact, some of you have told me that this has happened to you.

A good way to ensure that you do not 'forget' what you have learned this semester is to revisit the readings and UEL Plus sites of modules you have taken in 2008/09 to consolidate your knowledge and understanding and to be in a position to build on it next year.

It will help you next semester if you prepare for the modules you will be taking by becoming familiar with the aims and objectives, learning outcomes and readings for the modules you will be taking. You should also try to do some of the reading for the module before the start of the semester. You will find reading lists in the Module Guides which you can download from the Education Undergraduates Notice Board in UEL Plus. You should also be able to find module reading lists on the Library Reading Lists page at https://uel-mail1.uel.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://161.76.217.1:8080/talislist/index.jsp . By doing this you will start to become familiar with some of the key issues and concerns the modules address as well as the key concepts and theories they use. You may not understand everything you read before lectures begin, but you should be able to make better use of lectures and tutorials when they start because the material will not be new to you.

If you are continuing at level one then, these are the core modules that you must do if you have not done them already:

ED1000: Critical Reading and Writing - if you are a continuing student, you should already have done this module. You only need to know the times when it will run if you have failed the module and also fail the resit you must submit by 2 pm on 31 July)
ED1002: The Sociology of Education (Wednesday EVE and Friday AM in Semester A and Semester B)
ED1004: Communities, Learning and Education (Tuesday AM in Semester A and Thursday AM and Tue EVE in Semester B)
ED1015: Diaspora Communities in the UK (Tuesday EVE in Semester A and Monday AM in Semester B)

At level one your options are:

ED1010: Children in Their Social Contexts (Monday EVE in Semester A and Wednesday AM in Semester B)
ED1025: Introduction to Special Needs and inclusive education (Monday EVE and Thursday PM in Semester A and Thursday PM in Semester B)
ED1033: ICTs in Educational Settings (Monday AM in Semester A and in Semester B)
ED1902: Language, Society and Culture (Friday AM in Semester B only)

At level 2 , your core modules are:

ED2000: Research Design and Method (Monday PM and Monday EVE in Semester A and in Semester B)
ED2001: Professional Development (Monday AM, PM and EVE in Semester A and in Semester B)

ED2010: Community Development; Politics, Policy and Practice (Tuesday AM in Semester A and Wednesday EVE in Semester B)

ED2023: Voluntary Work in the Community (Wednesday EVE in Semester A and Tuesday AM in Semester B)

At level 2 your options are:

ED2003: Challenging Disability (Tuesday EVE in Semester A and Tuesday AM in Semester B)
ED2028: Multi Cultural Education (Friday PM in Semester A and Thursday AM, PM and EVE in Semester B)
ED2033: E- Media in Education,: Evaluation and Pedagogy (Tuesday PM in Semester A and Tuesday PM in Semester B)
ED2905: Language Change Contact and Creoles (Wednesday AM in Semester B only)

At level 3 your core modules are:

ED3000 Independent Research Project (Monday PM and EVE in Semester A and in Semester B)
ED3002 Contemporary Issues in Education and Training (Thursday EVE in Semester A and Thursday PM and Tuesday EVE in Semester B)

At level 3, your options are:

ED3004: Educational Issues and SEN and Inclusive Education (Thursday PM and Wednesday EVE in Semester A and Thursday PM in Semester B)
ED3008: Educational Practices in a Multilingual Setting (Tuesday PM in Semester A and Tuesday EVE in Semester B)
ED3020: Negotiated Work-Based Learning (Monday EVE in Semester A and Semester B)
ED3022: Gender Security and Education for All (Wednesday EVE in Semester A and Thursday PM in Semester B)
ED3031: Education Systems in Comparative Perspectives (Friday AM in Semester A only)
ED3033: E-Learning; Communication, Cooperation and Collaboration Online (Monday PM and EVE in Semester A and Semester B)
ED3902: Language Identity and Community (Friday AM in Semester A only)

Remember:

• Cores are modules that you have to do while options are the modules you can choose from.
• You must do 6 modules at each level.
• There are 4 core modules at levels one and two, so you only need to choose two options at these levels to make up the 6 you must do at each level.
• There are only two core modules at level 3 but one of them is a double module. This means that you must choose 3 options at level 3.

Although I have given the approximate times when the modules will be taught, these times may change because the timetable is still not fixed. I will keep you posted about any changes to the timetable here so that if any problems arise as a result of changes you can get in touch to change your module registration where necessary.

You can inform me of your module choices by email to a.m.ogunsola@uel.ac.uk and you can also email queries to the programme blog using the comment box below.

Maisha Solutions: independent learning and the empowerment of young people

Education and Community Development Seminars

Maisha Solutions: independent learning and the empowerment of young people

Presenter: Toyin Agbetu
Ligali (www.ligali.org/)

Toyin Agbetu writer, film director, poet and the founder of Ligali, the Pan African human rights based organisation where he is head of social and education policy, will screen and discuss (a shortened version of) his latest film, Maisha Solutions in which he shares the results of his three year journey across three continents in search of solutions to the many problems African people currently face as a result of Maafa. Rejecting the classic ten point plan method, Maisha Solutions instead features contributions from various voices across the world with a strong emphasis placed upon independent learning and the empowerment of young people and women.

As this will be the final seminar in the series, and because it will include a screening, the seminar will begin at 6.30 and end at 8.30

Wednesday 13th May 2009
6.30 – 8.30 pm
Cass School of Education
Stratford Campus
Room: TL300

Please contact Abiola Ogunsola if you would like to attend.
a.m.ogunsola@uel.ac.uk

Click here for directions.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDG) in action: a case study from Ipaja Community Link in Lagos

Wednesday 6 May, 4 - 5.30 in R1.14,

University of East London Stratford Campus.

Please email a.m.ogunsola@uel.ac.uk if you would like to attend.

Skills acquisition at ICL

Although the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) have been dismissed by some as unachievable, and therefore of doubtful significance, the values and the focus of the MDG have mobilised people and resources for development.

In this seminar, Yomi Oloko and Jennifer Bryam will discuss how the Millennium Development Goals inspire and inform the work they do at the Ipaja Community Link (ICL), in Lagos State, Nigeria. Yomi is the project co-ordinator at ICL and Jennifer Bryam is a Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) volunteer based at ICL.

Ipaja Community Link is supported by Development Impact for Nigeria (DIFN), a UK based Nigerian diaspora development agency (http://www.difn.org.uk/). It was volunteering with DIFN in London and visiting ICL when he could, that inspired Yomi to give up his job in London and go to Nigeria in order to lead the co-ordination of Ipaja Community Link. Volunteer Jennifer Bryam writes the ICL blog (http://ipajacommunitylink.blogspot.com/ ) documenting the activities of the workers, the community and the experience of volunteering in Nigeria.

Yomi and Jennifer's presentation will include a photo show as well as an introduction to a range of volunteering and placement opportunities in Nigeria for students, professionals and anybody looking for a rewarding experience volunteering in Africa.

Equality and justice for all our children: the problem of school exclusions

In this seminar, Gerry German, founding member and director of CEN ((https://uel-mail1.uel.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.compowernet.org/) will discuss the implications of CEN’s research into the extent and character of school exclusions for schooling in Britain.

Gerry will also ask participants in this seminar to consider making their own enquiries into exclusions and truancy data in the boroughs where they live, as well as into the extent to which their local schools reflect Britain's multi-ethnic, multicultural, multilingual and multifaith society in terms of (a) governance (b) staffing (c) enrolment (d) setting and examination entries (e) curricula and teaching resources (f) parent participation (g) student councils (h) school exclusions and (i) academic outcomes. These could be subjects for students’ independent research projects.

Facts to be considered: annually there are about 9000 permanent exclusions, 50,000 fixed term exclusions and 9 million half-days lost through truancy. 90,000 pupils are absent daily.
Communities Empowerment Network (CEN) was established in 1999 to provide advice, support and representation for people experiencing problems in education and employment, especially exclusion from schools. 95% of CEN’s clients are from the black communities.