Hungary is a deeply stratified society,marked by stark social, spatial and educational divisions, disproportionately affects Roma families, who are overrepresented among the multiple disadvantaged. Educational outcomes and life opportunities are tightly linked to a student’s family background, and social mobility remains very low by international standards. Schools in Hungary fail to provide equal educational opportunities due to school segregation, insufficient funding and teacher shortages. Opportunity enhancing pedagogical methods are an exception due to traditional, teacher-centered instruction being the standard. This presentation reports on a qualitative case study in a vocational secondary school that serves as a refuge for so-called “problematic” students. Many have repeated classes, dropped out, or faced disciplinary and legal issues. As the principal formulates: “We had to do something!”, because teaching seemed to be almost impossible. In response, the school introduced an alternative, project-based pedagogical approach grounded in mutual respect, collaboration, and more horizontal power relations between teachers and students. Initial outcomes suggest that this approach significantly improves school climate and mitigates some of the challenges that students face. Drawing on year-long classroom observations, documentary analysis, teacher interviews, and student focus groups, the study provides evidence that project-based education can help break cycles of disadvantage.

Authors:
Alma Mira Demszky, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Hungary

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. habil. Alma Mira Demszky is Associate Professor of Sociology at MATE Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Research fields are Sociology of Education and Social Inequality.

See this presentation on the full schedule – Sunday Schedule

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