In the middle of the beginning

This is the first post on this blog which will accompany me on my journey to Brazil and on the quest of realizing my master thesis project in Salvador, Bahia, during the first semester of 2012.

Although the completed thesis will be presented at Stockholm University sometime in the beginning of June 2012, the project has already begun! I have been working on my research proposal since March this year and in the end of May, after some reconsiderations and clarifications, it was awarded with a scholarship provided by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA).

Basically, what I am going to do is a comparison between public and private schools and their interaction and collaboration with local Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) when it comes to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Through interviews with secondary school teachers and students, NGO workers and participants of non formal local ESD projects I will try to answer some questions regarding the impact of collaboration between different educational settings and methods on the quality delivered. The comparison will not only be made between public and private schools but also between urban areas with different socio economic status. Hopefully this design can give some answers to how the relationship in terms of collaboration, joint projects, dialogue and mutual respect between local NGOs and public and private schools in the field of ESD in Salvador looks like and why? In addition to this, I also like to find answers to what benefits or disadvantages this relationship creates according to the deliverers and receivers?

It is a long way to go until I see the end of this adventure and I am well aware of the many challenges that lies ahead. This blog will be my project diary (although I will not update every day) where I will reason with myself and with my readers when I run in to obstacles, celebrate when I overcome fears and report from amazing places and people I will meet on the way!

I hope you will enjoy reading, comment and share!