Research Methods for Social Justice and Equity in Education offers researchers a full understanding of very important concepts, showing how they can be used a means to develop practical strategies for undertaking research that makes a difference to the lives of marginalised and disadvantaged learners. It explores different conceptualisations of social justice and equity, and leads the reader through a discussion of what their implications are for undertaking educational research that is both moral and ethical and how it can be enacted in the context of their chosen research method and a variety of others, both well-known and more innovative. The authors draw on real, practical examples from a range of educational contexts, including early childhood, special and inclusive education and adult education, and cultures located in both western and developing nations in order to exemplify how researchers can use methods which contribute to the creation of more equitable education systems. In this way, the authors provide a global perspective of the contrasting and creative ways in which researchers reflect on and integrate principles of social justice in their methods and their methodological decision making. It encourages the reader to think critically about their own research by asking key questions, such as: what contribution can research for equity and social justice make to new and emerging methods and methodologies? And how can researchers implement socially just research methods from a position of power? This book concludes by proposing a range of methods and methodologies which researchers can use to challenge inequality and work towards social justice, offering a springboard from which they can further their own studies.

This textbook presents an integrative approach to thinking about research methods for social justice. In today's education landscape, there is a growing interest in scholar-activism and ways of doing research that advances educational equity. This text provides a foundational overview of important theoretical and philosophical issues specific to this kind of work in Section I. In Section II, readers engage with various ways of thinking about, collecting, and analyzing data, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Finally, in Section III, through case studies and research narratives, readers will learn about real scholars and their work. This book takes a wide-ranging approach to ways that various modalities and practices of research can contribute to an equity mission.

There is growing pressure on teachers and other educators to understand and adopt the best ways to work with the various races, cultures, and languages that diverse learners represent in the ever-increasing culturally-diverse learning environments. Establishing sound cross-cultural pedagogy is also critical given that racial, cultural, and linguistic integration has the potential to increase academic success for all learners. To that end, there is also a need for educators to prepare graduates who will better meet the needs of culturally diverse learners as well as support their students to become successful global citizens. The Handbook of Research on Social Justice and Equity in Education highlights cross-cultural perspectives, challenges, and opportunities pertaining to promoting cultural competence, equity, and social justice in education. It also explores multiple concepts of building a bridge from a monocultural pedagogical framework to cross-cultural knowledge. Covering topics such as diversity education and global citizenship, this major reference work is ideal for academicians, researchers, practitioners, policymakers, instructors, and students.

Case Studies on Diversity and Social Justice Education offers pre- and in-service educators an opportunity to analyze and reflect upon a variety of realistic case studies related to educational equity and social justice. Each case, written in an engaging, narrative style, presents a complex but common classroom scenario in which an inequity or injustice is in play. These cases allow educators to practice the process of considering a range of contextual factors, checking their own biases, and making immediate- and longer-term decisions about how to create and sustain equitable learning environments for all students. The book begins with a seven-point process for examining case studies. Largely lacking from existing case study collections, this framework guides readers through the process of identifying, examining, reflecting on, and taking concrete steps to resolve challenges related to diversity and equity in schools. The cases themselves present everyday examples of the ways in which racism, sexism, homophobia and heterosexism, class inequities, language bias, religious-based oppression, and other equity and diversity concerns affect students, teachers, families, and other members of our school communities. They involve classroom issues that are relevant to all grade levels and all content areas, allowing significant flexibility in how and with whom they are used. Although organized topically, the intersection of these issues are stressed throughout the cases, reflecting the multi-faceted way they play out in real life. All cases conclude with a series of questions to guide discussion and a section of facilitator notes, called points for consideration. This unique feature provides valuable insight for understanding the complexities of each case.

This book presents a series of analyses of educational policies – largely in the UK, but some also in Europe – researched by a team of social scientists who share a commitment to social justice and equity in education. We explore what social justice means, in educational policy and practice, and how it impacts on our understanding of both ‘educational science’ and ‘the public good’. Using a social constructivist approach, the book argues that social justice requires a particular and critical analysis of the meaning of meritocracy, and of the way this term turns educational policies towards treating learning as a competition, in which many young people are constructed as ‘losers’. We discuss how many terms in education are essentialised and have specific, and different, meanings for particular social groups, and how this may create issues in both quantitative survey methods and in determining what is ‘the public good’. We discuss social justice across a range of intersecting social characteristics, including social class, ethnicity and gender, as they are applied across the educational policy spectrum, from early years to postgraduate education. We examine the ways that young people construct their identities, and the implications of this for understanding the ‘public good’ in educational practice. We consider the responsibilities of educational researchers to acknowledge these issues, and offer examples of researching with such a commitment. We conclude by considering how educational policy might contribute to a socially just, equitable and inclusive public good.

The issue of social justice has been brought to the forefront of society within recent years, and educational institutions have become an integral part of this critical conversation. Classroom settings are expected to take part in the promotion of inclusive practices and the development of culturally proficient environments that provide equal and effective education for all students regardless of race, gender, socio-economic status, and disability, as well as from all walks of life. The scope of these practices finds itself rooted in curriculum, teacher preparation, teaching practices, and pedagogy in all educational environments. Diversity within school administrations, teachers, and students has led to the need for socially just practices to become the norm for the progression and advancement of education worldwide. In a modern society that is fighting for the equal treatment of all individuals, the classroom must be a topic of discussion as it stands as a root of the problem and can be a major step in the right direction moving forward. Research Anthology on Instilling Social Justice in the Classroom is a comprehensive reference source that provides an overview of social justice and its role in education ranging from concepts and theories for inclusivity, tools, and technologies for teaching diverse students, and the implications of having culturally competent and diverse classrooms. The chapters dive deeper into the curriculum choices, teaching theories, and student experience as teachers strive to instill social justice learning methods within their classrooms. These topics span a wide range of subjects from STEM to language arts, and within all types of climates: PK-12, higher education, online or in-person instruction, and classrooms across the globe. This book is ideal for in-service and preservice teachers, administrators, social justice researchers, practitioners, stakeholders, researchers, academicians, and students interested in how social justice is currently being implemented in all aspects of education.

Seldom is the practicing P-12 educator, the P-12 practitioner, considered a scholar. R.A.C.E. Mentoring and P-12 Educators: Practitioners Contributing to Scholarship explores the unrecognized and infrequently considered teacher scholar, principal scholar, counselor scholar, librarian scholar - the practitioner scholar who if provided the platform and access can produce a unique and complex narrative and knowledge base to fields of study. This volume extends the current Research, Advocacy, Collaboration, and Empowerment (R.A.C.E.) knowledge in educational leadership, theory and practice, curriculum and instruction, teaching and teacher development, social justice, and diversity, equity and inclusion. R.A.C.E. Mentoring and P-12 Educators: Practitioners Contributing to Scholarship presents ways to conceptualize quality in educational research by engaging practitioners, researchers and policy makers in cross-disciplinary partnerships to provide an intentional platform for scholars and researchers in the P-12 school systems and pre-service programs, particularly those with/or seeking an active and emerging research and publishing agenda. This volume is divided into four interrelated sections. Section I focuses on mentoring practitioners as scholars during pre-service and in practice. Chapters in this section promote the use of methods coursework, narrative analysis and culturally relevant pedagogy to enhance practitioner agency and roles as scholars. Section II includes Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) as a way to recognize and address the historical examples and barriers to practitioner social justice activism. These chapters center the school setting and graduate coursework, using practitioner scholarship as a way to cultivate critical consciousness and the use of counter-narratives to combat racism, settler colonialism, and classism among school staff. Section III engages practitioner scholarship as a revolutionary approach through case study, auto-ethnography, review of literature, mental models, and phenomenological study. This section fosters the value of practitioner voice as agency to disrupt oppressive ideologies and beliefs that sustain inequitable and unequal school environments. Section IV provides curriculum, instruction, and parent involvement as examples of practitioner advocacy via personal and collective identity development, Black/Crit, Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) and engagement strategies. These final chapters provide details of policy and practice transformation methods that empower practitioner sustainability of student and parent access to equitable and inclusive school experiences.

Action Research in Practice presents a collection of stories from action research projects in schools and a university. Topics include discussing action research, social research and partnerships in research.

Questions in Qualitative Social Justice Research in Multicultural Contexts take readers on an accessible and inspiring journey to critically self-reflect on current or future research practices to encourage and facilitate greater equity, inclusion, and social justice in qualitative research. In a diverse world, "doing" qualitative research needs unpacking and developing awareness of interconnected perspectives and challenges. However, as researchers, there is not always a chance to fully prepare or self-reflect on the processes and experiences. This book raises awareness of key multidimensional aspects of social justice, such as power, privilege, trust, insider-outsiderness, ethics, arts-based, co-produced, and decolonial research. The authors connect theory and conceptual constructs with practical in-field realities, guiding researchers through the dynamic, evolving steps to give voice to and promote social justice practices in research. The book includes the following features to guide thinking for researchers and students: Bolded key terms and questions for self-reflection. Boxed case studies from both top international scholars and emerging scholars. Glossary of key terms. This foundational book can be used as a jumping-off point to engage and critically self-reflect about research moving us towards decolonizing research practice, creating more inclusive, equitable, and socially just research. It will be suitable for upper-level and postgraduate students and all researchers interested in qualitative methods in education and the social and behavioral sciences.

Critical qualitative research informs social education through a lens that ensures the investigation of issues in education tied to power and privilege, ultimately leading to advocacy and activism. The concept of critical is increasingly challenged in this age of neoliberal reform; nevertheless, critical implies questioning, investigating and challenging in terms of equity and social justice, leading to critical consciousness (Freire, 1970). While we resist defining social education, as hopefully these ideas / concepts are fluid, the idea stems from a continual analysis and synthesis of critical theory/ critical pedagogy, media and cultural studies, social reconstruction / social justice, and social studies education framed by culturally responsive pedagogy. A social education take on critical qualitative research thus suggests multiple truths and perspectives and focuses on questions rather than answers. While many have written on qualitative educational research and some have attempted to integrate critical pedagogy and qualitative research, few have explored the specific idea of social education and critical qualitative research. A major issue is that social education claims that there are no set procedures, scripted approaches, or narrow definitions as to the possibilities of research endeavors. Social education researchers make the process and investigation their own and adapt questions, procedures, methods, and strategies throughout the experience. This reflects an ever changing criticality in the bricolage of the research (Steinberg, 2011). Critical qualitative research and social education are vital for the world of the 21st century. The onslaught of neoliberalism, corporatization, standardization, testing, and the continuing attack on public schools and educators necessitate critical approaches to teaching and learning along with critical qualitative research in social education. Ongoing issues with equity and social justice tied to race, ethnicity, class, orientation, age, and ability linking to schooling, education, teaching and learning must be addressed. The struggle between unbridled capitalism and democracy warrant these investigations in the 21st century, hopefully leading to advocacy and activism.