Peace Education Program Adaptation: A Sustainable Way for Harmony

Dilara Özel; Zeynep Sümer

doi:10.29333/ejecs/2142

Authors

Dilara Özel Middle East Technical University https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1250-599X
Zeynep Sümer Middle East Technical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9163-2622

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejecs/2142

Keywords:

peace education, refugee-receiving schools, Phenomenological Research, social harmony, Conflict resolution, phenomenology, needs analysis, displaced populations

Abstract

Peace education has evolved over the past century, addressing various forms of violence and fostering values essential for harmonious coexistence. This research underscores the importance of addressing harmony and creating a peaceful environment through education utilizing Johan Galtung's framework on direct and structural violence. This study explores the adaptation of UNESCO's "Learning to Live Together" peace education program to meet the needs of fourth graders in refugee-receiving schools in Türkiye. The adapted program aims to equip individuals with skills for conflict resolution, empathy, and social justice, which are essential for both local and refugee students. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to capture the experiences of school components including local and refugee parents and students, teachers, school counselors, and vice principal, providing insights into the challenges and needs within this unique educational setting. As a result of the analysis of the semi-structured interviews with school components, three themes emerged: (1) Aggravating Factors for Unity, (2) Institutional Needs and Issues, and (3) Facilitative Factors for Unity. The needs analysis revealed significant aggravating factors for unity, such as language proficiency, socio-economic issues, and prejudice, necessitating a comprehensive, culturally sensitive educational intervention. However, factors like parental characteristics and a peaceful school environment can serve as facilitator factors. The study's findings informed the development of a 13-session peace education program for 4^th graders tailored to the identified needs, emphasizing cultural recognition, conflict resolution, and empathy. This research highlights the critical role of peace education in promoting social cohesion and resilience, offering valuable insights for policymakers and educators in similar contexts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

Dilara Özel, Middle East Technical University

Dr. Dilara Özel is a postdoctoral researcher at the UNESCO Chair on Refugee Integration through Education, Language and Arts at the University of Glasgow. She earned her doctorate in Educational Sciences with a focus on Guidance and Psychological Counseling. Her primary research interests include trauma, refugee education, and peace education.

Zeynep Sümer, Middle East Technical University

Prof. Dr. Zeynep Sümer is a professor of Guidance and Psychological Counseling in the Department of Educational Sciences at Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Türkiye. Her research interests include Adlerian counseling, conflict management, satisfaction and commitment in close relations, sexual health education, school violence, intimate partner violence, and risk-taking behaviors in emerging adulthood.

References

Alger, C. (2007). There are peacebuilding tasks for everybody. International Studies Review, 9, 534-554. https://doi.org/10.1111/J.1468-2486.2007.00720.X. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2486.2007.00720.x

Atalan Ergin, D., & Akgül, G. (2023). School belongingness as a mediator in the relationship between self-reported PTSD and cyber victimization: Sex differences. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 211(10), 772–778. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001699 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001699

Başar, M., Akan, D., & Çiftçi, M. (2018). Mülteci öğrencilerin bulunduğu sınıflarda öğrenme sürecinde karşılaşılan sorunlar [The challenges encountered in the learning process in classrooms with refugee students]. Kastamonu Eğitim Dergisi, 26(5), 1571-1578. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.24106/kefdergi.427432 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24106/kefdergi.427432

Baxter, P. (2005). Peace education: Why and how? Forced Migration Review, 22, 38-40.

Bozan, M. A., & Çelik, S. (2021). Mülteci eğitiminde “uyum sınıflarına” yönelik bir değerlendirme [Evaluation of "adaptation classes" in refugee education]. Hacettepe Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 36(2), 317-332. https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2020060235 DOI: https://doi.org/10.16986/HUJE.2020060235

Cranston, J., Labman, S., & Crook, S. (2021). Reframing parental involvement as social engagement: A study of recently arrived Arabic-speaking refugee parents’ understandings of involvement in their children’s education. Canadian Journal of Education, 44(2), 371–404. https://www.jstor.org/stable/27089245 DOI: https://doi.org/10.53967/cje-rce.v44i2.4439

Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE.

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE.

Çelik, S., Kardaş İşler, N., & Saka, D. (2021). Refugee education in Turkey: Barriers and suggested solutions. Pedagogy, Culture & Society, 31(4), 687-705. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2021.1947878 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14681366.2021.1947878

Çelik, Ç., & İçduygu, A. (2018). Schools and refugee children: The case of Syrians in Turkey. International Migration, 57(2), 253-267. https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12488 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/imig.12488

Dachyshyn, D. M., & Kirova, A. (2008). Understanding childhoods in-between: Sudanese refugee children’s transition from home to preschool. Research in Comparative and International Education, 3(3), 281–294. https://doi.org/10.2304/rcie.2008.3.3.281 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2304/rcie.2008.3.3.281

Demir, S. (2011). An overview of peace education in Turkey: Definitions, difficulties, and suggestions. Educational Sciences: Theory & Practice, 11(4), 1736-1745.

Demir Başaran, D. (2020). Being the teacher of Syrian refugee students: Teachers’ school experiences. Education and Science, 1-24. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2020.9182 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2020.9182

Deng, S. A., & Marlowe, J. M. (2013). Refugee resettlement and parenting in a different context. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies, 11(4), 416–430. https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2013.793441 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/15562948.2013.793441

Dilts, A., Winter, Y., Biebricher, T., Johnson, E., Vázquez-Arroyo, A., & Cocks, J. (2012). Revisiting Johan Galtung's concept of structural violence. New Political Science, 34, 191-227. https://doi.org/10.1080/07393148.2012.714959. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/07393148.2012.714959

Durgunoglu, A. Y., & Nimer, M. (2020). A holistic approach to new language and literacy development of refugee woman: The case of Syrians in Turkey. In G. Neokleous, A. Krulatz, & R. Farrely (Eds.), Handbook of research on cultivating literacy in diverse and multilingual classrooms, (pp. 448-471). IGI Global. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-7998-2722-1.ch021

Ekin, S., & Yetkin, R. (2021). Teachers’ attitudes to Syrian refugee students in Turkey. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 7(1), 383-396. https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911458 DOI: https://doi.org/10.32601/ejal.911458

Erden, Ö. (2020). The effect of local discourses adapted by teachers on Syrian child refugees’ schooling experiences in Turkey. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 27(56), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1839797 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2020.1839797

Erden, Ö. (2017). Schooling experience of Syrian child refugees in Turkey (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Indiana University, School of Education.

Flowers, N. (2007). Pusulacık: Çocuklar için insan hakları eğitimi kılavuzu [Pusulacık: A guide to human rights education for children]. İstanbul Bilgi University Publications.

Fountain, S. (1999). Peace education in UNICEF. United Nations Children Fund.

Fox, B. H., Perez, N., Cass, E., Baglivio, M. T., & Epps, N. (2015). Trauma changes everything: examining the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and serious, violent and chronic juvenile offenders. Child Abuse & Neglect, 46, 163–173. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.01.011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chiabu.2015.01.011

Galtung, J. (1969). Violence, peace, and peace research. Journal of Peace Research, 6(3), 167-191. https://doi.org/10.1177/002234336900600301. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/002234336900600301

Harber, C., & Sakade, N. (2009) Schooling for violence and peace: How does peace education differ from ‘normal’ schooling? Journal of Peace Education, 6, 37-41. https://doi.org/10.1080/17400200903086599 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/17400200903086599

Harris, I. (2004). Peace education theory. Journal of Peace Education, 1, 5-20. https://doi.org/10.1080/1740020032000178276. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1740020032000178276

International Alert Foundation. (2016). Teaching peace, building resilience: Assessing the impact of peace education for young Syrians. Background Paper.

Isik- Ercan, Z. (2018). Rethinking “parent involvement”: Perspectives of immigrant and refugee parents. Bank Street Occasional Paper Series, 3(39), 1-17. DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1178

Johnson, D., & Johnson, R. (2005). Essential components of peace education. Theory into Practice, 44, 280 - 292. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4404_2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1207/s15430421tip4404_2

Kabasakal, Z. T., Sağkal, A. S., & Türnüklü, A. (2016). Effects of peace education program on the violence tendencies and social problem-solving skills of students. Education and Science, 40 (182), 43-62. https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2015.4704 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15390/EB.2015.4704

Kalman, M., & Can, F. E. (2023). Going beyond structural integration: Exploring the role of mainstreaming and adaptation classes in the educational integration of Syrian schoolchildren in Turkey. International Journal of Whole Schooling, 19(1), 49-74.

Kaysılı, A., Soylu, A., & Sever, M. (2019). Exploring major roadblocks on inclusive education of Syrian refugees in school settings. Turkish Journal of Education, 8(2), 109-128. https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.496261 DOI: https://doi.org/10.19128/turje.496261

Kugler, E. G. (2009). Partnering with parents to support immigrant and refugee children at school. Center for Health and Health Care in Schools, School of Public Health and Health Services, The George Washington University.

Lincoln, Y. S., & Guba, E. G. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0147-1767(85)90062-8

Mayring, P. (2014). Qualitative content analysis: Theoretical foundations, basic procedures and software solution. GESIS. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9181-6_13

McBrien, J., Dooley, K., & Birman, D. (2017). Cultural and academic adjustment of refugee youth: Introduction to the special issue. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 60, 104-108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2017.07.001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2017.07.001

McClearly, J. S., & Horn, T. L. (2023). Process for culturally adapting behavioral health interventions for people with refugee backgrounds: A scoping review. American Journal of Community Psychology, 73(1), 250-266. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12709 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajcp.12709

Miller, E., Ziaian T., & Esterman, A. (2018) Australian school practices and the education experiences of students with a refugee background: A review of the literature. International Journal of Inclusive Education, 22(4), 339-359. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2017.13 65955 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603116.2017.1365955

Neuendorf, K. (2002). The content analysis guidebook. SAGE.

Nevo, B., & Brem, I. (2002). Peace education programs and the evaluation of their effectiveness. In G. Salomon & B. Nevo, (Eds.), Peace education: The concept, principles, and practices around the world (pp. 300-312). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Osterman, K. F. (2000). Students’ need for belonging in the school community. Review of Educational Research, 70(3), 323-267. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543070003323 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2307/1170786

Özel, D., & Erdur Baker, Ö. (2023). Struggles of refugee-receiving schools in Turkey. Social Sciences, 12(4), 231-250. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040231 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12040231

Özel, D., & Yurtsever, A., (2023). The gap analysis of peace education components in English language classroom: A case study. Kalem Uluslararası Eğitim ve İnsan Bilimleri Dergisi, 13(24), 325-245. DOI: https://doi.org/10.23863/kalem.2023.261

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.). SAGE. PIKTES. (2020). Suriyeli çocukların Türk eğitim sistemine entegrasyonunun desteklenmesi projesi (PIKTES) [Project to support the integration of Syrian children into the Turkish education system (PIKTES)]. https://piktes.gov.tr

Ramzy, L. M. (2012). Immigrant refugee adolescents: The relationships between peer connectedness, academic self-efficacy, educational barriers, parental monitoring, and school engagement. ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. https://www.proquest.com/dissertations-theses/immigrant-refugee-adolescents-relationships/docview/1237175133/se-2

Schipolowski, S., Edele, A., Mahler, N., & Stanat, P. (2021). Mathematics and science proficiency of young refugees in secondary schools in Germany. Journal for Educational Research Online, 13(1), 78-104. https://doi.org/10.25656/01:22066 DOI: https://doi.org/10.31244/jero.2021.01.03

Sinclair, M. (2001). Education in emergencies. In J. Crisp, C. Talbot, & D. B. Cipollone (Eds.), Learning for a future: Refugee education in developing countries (pp. 1–84). United Nations Publications.

Sinclair, M. (2004). Learning to live together: Building skills, values, and attitudes for the twenty-first century. UNESCO.

Sommers, M. (2001). Peace education and refugee youth. UNHCR.

Şafak-Ayvazoğlu, A., Kunuroglu, F., & Yağmur, K. (2021). Psychological and socio-cultural adaptation of Syrian refugees in Turkey. International Journal of Intercultural Relations, 80, 99-111. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2020.11.003. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijintrel.2020.11.003

Tadesse, S., Hoot, J., & Watson-Thompson, O. (2009). Exploring the special needs of African refugee children in U.S. schools. Childhood Education, 85(6),352–356. https://doi.org/10.1080 /00094056.2009.10521400 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00094056.2009.10521400

Tapan, Ç. (2006). Barış eğitimi programının öğrencilerin çatışma çözme becerileri üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesi [Investigating the effects of the peace education program on students' conflict resolution skills] [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Dokuz Eylul University.

UNHCR. (2024). Turkey fact sheet. https://reporting.unhcr.org/sites/default/files/UNHCR%20Turkey%20Fact%20Sheet%20-%20September%202020_1.pdf

Van Tubergen, F. (2010). Determinants of second language proficiency among refugees in the Netherlands. Social Forces, 89(2), 515–534. https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2010.0092 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/sof.2010.0092

Walker-Dalhouse, D., & Dalhouse, A. D. (2009). When two elephants fight the grass suffers: Parents and teachers working together to support the literacy development of Sudanese youth. Teacher and Teacher Education, 25(2), 328–335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.07.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2008.07.014

Yastıbaş, A. E. (2021). Integrating pace education into English language teaching in primary schools. International Online Journal of Primary Education, 10(2), 308-318.

Zeiger, S. (2000). Teaching peace: Lessons from a peace studies curriculum of the progressive era. Peace & Change, 25, 52-70. https://doi.org/10.1111/0149-0508.00141 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/0149-0508.00141