ISSA Joins Work of UNA Learning Group on Program Development in Contexts of Ethnic Divisions

Zorica Trikic (Center for Interactive Pedagogy CIP, Serbia) was invited to participate in the work of the Learning Group on Program Development in Contexts of Ethnic Divisions as ISSA’s representative.  This Learning Group is – together with five other Learning Groups – part of UNA , a global network on children and ethnic diversity, formerly known as the Joint Learning Initiative for Children and Ethnic Diversity.

Members of this learning group are: Ileana Seda-Santana (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México), Michel Vandenbroeck(Department of Social Welfare Studies, Ghent University, Belgium, Zvi Bekerman (School of Education, Melton Center, Hebrew University, Jerusalem), John Bennett(Senior consultant for UNICEF/OSI/REF research on ECCE for Roma children, France), Karina Davis (Centre for Equity and Innovation in Early Childhood, University of Melbourne, Australia), Silvia Helena Koller (Universidad Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Allegre, Brazil),  Mugyeong Moon (Korea Institute of Child Care and Education, Seoul, Korea), Rebeca Puche Navarro (Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia), and  Rita Swinnen(Consultant, The Netherlands).

The main task of this learning group is to develop two working papers. The draft of the first working paper is already developed and it draws on scholarly literature, as well as “grey literature”, and on the years of experience of the members of this Learning Group. The aim of this working paper is to explore possibilities of innovative programs in early childhood education to reduce ethnic divisions. The second working paper will be developed in 2010 and will address the capabilities of “actors of change”, early years professionals. The first meeting of the learning group was held in Ghent (Belgium) in April 2009. During the meeting, a conference was held where all members had the opportunity to present their work and to discuss with the audience – students and researchers from Belgium and other countries. The second meeting of this Learning Group will be organized in Mexico in January 2010. The closing meeting of all UNA Learning Groups will be organized in May 2010.

Participation in this group is very important for ISSA, because programs and initiatives from the ISSA network are used as examples of good practice, and are therefore visible internationally.  On the other hand, all materials developed as part of the work of this learning group will be shared in the ISSA network, thus bringing new ideas, resources, and contacts to the network.

For more information about this Learning Group, please contact Zorica Trikic.