Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2010 Educating for Democratic Citizenship: An Analysis of the Role of Teachers in Implementing Civic Education Policy in Madagascar Carrie Kristin Antal Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION EDUCATING FOR DEMOCRATIC CITIZENSHIP: AN ANALYSIS OF THE ROLE OF TEACHERS IN IMPLEMENTING CIVIC EDUCATION POLICY IN MADAGASCAR By CARRIE KRISTIN ANTAL A Dissertation submitted to the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Degree Awarded: Fall Semester, 2010 The members of the committee approved the dissertation of Carrie Kristin Antal defended on October 27, 2010. ________________________ Peter Easton Professor Directing Dissertation ________________________ Jim Cobbe University Representative ________________________ Sande Milton Committee Member ________________________ Jeff Milligan Committee Member Approved: _________________________________________________________________ Patrice Iatarola, Chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members. ii I dedicate this work to all those seeking security and fulfillment in the face of daily tyranny and poverty. May humanity‟s collective efforts one day prove successful in ensuring equal opportunity for all. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Peter Easton, for his guidance, insight and generous support throughout the course of my graduate studies and particularly in the completion of this project. His experience and wisdom have been an invaluable source of knowledge and inspiration that will shape my perspective for a lifetime to come. Many thanks to my committee members, Dr. Jim Cobbe (Development Economics), Dr. Sande Milton (Education) and Dr. Jeffrey Milligan (Philosophy of Education), as well as former committee members Dr. Ozge Kemahlioglu (Political Science) and Dr. Gary Crow (Education), the professors of the ELPS Department, and the many others whose knowledge and experience have enriched this project and my own learning. To the ELPS staff that facilitated the administrative side of my years as a graduate student I likewise express heartfelt appreciation. I look forward to applying all I have learned at FSU toward combating global inequities as a development education specialist. I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to my parents, David and Michelle, who pushed me to become a life-long learner and supported my aim to pursue an intellectually and ethically meaningful career path. I extend my thanks to my brother Patrick, all my family and friends, Clive Harber at the University of Birmingham UK and the many others who offered their patient ears and stimulating perspectives throughout my journey from student to specialist. I am particularly thankful to Max Raveloson, Miora Razafindramala and to my colleagues and friends at the American Cultural Center who offered their vital assistance in translating, transcribing and interpreting many hours of teacher interviews. This project offers a more complete and nuanced understanding of the complex role teachers play in democratization because of your diligent effort and kind support. My gratitude goes out to everyone in Madagascar who aided me throughout the data collection period, including the staff at the CISCOs and CRINFPS who made the iv arrangements for visits to schools and then tirelessly accompanied me three hours out into the bush to serve as interpreters, the INFP staff who arranged the necessary authorizations to gain access to data collection sites and the supportive staff at the Ministry of Secondary and Basic Education (MINESEB) in Madagascar whose documentation and conversational exchange of ideas contributed so much to my understanding of civic education issues in Madagascar and the identification of this research project‟s priorities. I especially thank the interview participants for being willing to take the time to share their experiences and perceptions with me despite the sensitive nature of the subject matter. In particular, this project would not have been possible without the goodwill and generous contribution of time and effort on the part of Romain Kleber Ndrianjafy of the Institut nationale de formation pédagogique and Secrétariat du Ministère, and Jean- Jacques Rakotoarison of the Office de l’éducation de masse et du civisme. I thank them both for their commitment to this project and our many stimulating discussions and enlightening exchanges of perspectives. I hope the relationships forged through the experience of this project have been as rewarding to my colleagues and friends as they have been for me, and that time will only serve to strengthen and deepen them further. v TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................... xi LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................ xii LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................. xiv ABSTRACT .................................................................................................................. xviii 1. INTRODUCTION..........................................................................................................1 Problem Statement ............................................................................................................3 Purpose .............................................................................................................................6 Research Questions ............................................................................................................7 Significance of the Research ...............................................................................................8 Limitations and Assumptions ..............................................................................................9 2. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................... 11 Democratization............................................................................................................... 12 Institutional Perspective ............................................................................................... 12 Economic Development Perspective .............................................................................. 15 Cultural Perspective ...................................................................................................... 17 Civic Education ................................................................................................................. 22 Developing Democratic Competencies .......................................................................... 24 Democracy and the Learner-Centered Classroom .......................................................... 29 Teacher Effectiveness ....................................................................................................... 33 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................... 37 3. METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 38 Qualitative Approach ....................................................................................................... 40 Population and Sample..................................................................................................... 43 Interviews .................................................................................................................... 43 Sampling Strategy ......................................................................................................... 45 CRINFP Zone and Administrative Region........................................................................ 45 vi Teacher Training Background ........................................................................................ 46 Stakeholder Population and Sampling Strategy ............................................................. 48 Classroom Observations ............................................................................................... 55 Document Sampling...................................................................................................... 56 Data Collection Procedures and Instrumentation .............................................................. 57 Interviews .................................................................................................................... 57 Invitation to Participate ................................................................................................ 58 Interview Procedure ..................................................................................................... 59 Document Procurement ................................................................................................ 62 Schedule for Data Collection ......................................................................................... 62 Data Analysis ..................................................................................................................