Education and work based learning - Managing a process of change: The arguments of Jennifer Todd, Thomas and Loxley

Nikolou-Walker, Elda (2019) Education and work based learning - Managing a process of change: The arguments of Jennifer Todd, Thomas and Loxley. In: The Wiley Handbook of Global Workplace Learning. Palsole, Sunay Vasant and Kenon, Vanessa, eds. Wiley Handbooks in Education . Wiley Blackwell, pp. 83-95. ISBN 9781119226994. [Book Section]

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to discuss some important developments in inclusive education in respect of special educational needs (2000-2010).

The paper considers approaches from various authors, and chiefly focuses on Jennifer Todd’s ‘Post-structuralist’ theory and how the latter has contributed to furthering the inclusive education argument today.

The work initially delves into the ‘parent-child’ partnership and attempts to highlight both advantages and disadvantages, resulting from this approach. The paper subsequently reviews a number of tools and methods to promote inclusive education and critiques how these have added to, or detracted from, the implementation of inclusive education.

This article also compares and contrasts Todd’s views with those of Thomas and Loxley and draws relative conclusions as to how these might best fit with special educational needs. Though the research methods adopted by all researchers involved differ, these scholars are fundamentally in agreement regarding a common approach towards inclusive education. Todd places herself, for example, in the centre of the research, basing her new theory of post-structuralism, as well as other narratives, on her own experience, usually validated by her fellow educational psychologists (using, amongst other means, ‘face-face’ interviews).

Thomas and Loxley, on the other hand, seem more remote from their, otherwise, similar in nature, research. Thomas and Loxley’s use of ‘passive’ language, ‘third party’ terms and generic terminology makes this research, some could argue, harder to validate.

Attempts are made to indicate that for inclusive education to be successful it is imperative for the traditional roles, usually carried out by individuals representing the various professions (ie: teachers, psychologists etc..), as well as parents and children, to change. This is not, however, a seamless change, but, instead, one which involves a significant ‘culture shift’, in order to accommodate the revised demands being placed upon the developing new roles.

Finally, the paper considers the direction inclusive education is taking and suggests that Work-Based Learning (WBL) may be the catalyst to assisting and/or providing a pragmatic method for its implementation, drawing on the possible benefits of WBL, in order to further inclusive education.

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