A Research Community Far from Home.
I come from Peru, a country of astonishing diversity, but also of deep inequalities. Since arriving at Stanford I have taken every opportunity to connect my work and assignments with Peruvian data and topics; this has helped me remain focused on Peruvian educational issues and stay connected with colleagues in Peruvian institutions. In particular, my main research interest is on rural education and multi-grade schools in Peru, which is the focus of my master’s thesis.
As soon as the classes started, we were encouraged to submit our research proposal for the Comparative and International Education Society (CIES) Annual Conference, which was taking place in Atlanta, Georgia (March 5–9, 2017). This conference congregates students, scholars, policymakers, and practitioners from across the world to engage in discussions and debates over relevant issues in the field of comparative and international education.
The main theme of the conference was “Problematizing (In)Equality: The Promise of Comparative and International Education.” With the support from Freeman Spogli Institute, I was able to attend and present my ongoing research project as part of a group panel on Equity in Educational Opportunities in Latin America. My presentation and research project were on a Peruvian pedagogical coaching strategy for multigrade schools. This topic is critically important since there is an urgent need to assess specific strategies that can improve the quality of teaching and learning in rural schools, as well as shape policy discussions and future educational interventions in Peru and other Latin-American countries. I am pleased with the opportunity I had to share my ideas on a topic I am passionate about, and thus making visible the importance of studying educational issues in rural contexts.
Additionally, my experience at Atlanta was a unique opportunity to attend different presentations about the most recent advances in research in comparative and international education; I was also able to engage in networking and establishing contacts with scholars and policymakers in this field. I attended a business meeting as well, hosted by the Under Represented Ethnic & Ability Groups (UREAG) Standing Committee, where I got to know the organizers and other members of this group and generated a network for future academic collaborations. Besides the panels and presentations I attended during the conference, I also participated in the Stanford Graduate School of Education (GSE) ICE/IEPA Reception. After a long day of interesting discussions and talks the ICE/IEPA was a great opportunity to connect with professors and alumni from the GSE and spend a nice evening celebrating with my fellow classmates.
Written by Silvana Freire, an M.A. candidate in Stanford’s Graduate School of Education. She was awarded an FSI research grant for Winter 2017. Find out more here: https://globalstudents.stanford.edu/research-and-conference-grants.
