Designing for Educational Resilience to Reduce School Dropout: A Case Study of Namibian San Learners

Abstract

School dropout amongst minority groups is a serious problem worldwide. Focusing on educational resilience can offer a novel beneficial approach to overcome the challenge. In this paper, we focus on San learners in Namibia, gaining a deeper understanding of the adversities they face resulting in school dropout, and identifying personal and environmental factors that promote the development of educational resilience. Narrative interviews were conducted with ten San who completed secondary school and ten who dropped out of school, to identify challenges and factors. Rich picture sessions with twelve primary learners were used to identify current challenges. Based on an in depth analysis of the local adversities, a mobile digital application was designed, deploying a role model approach with local content. This empirical study provides a contribution to local technology design for social and mental well-being as part of a holistic solution for resilience building among marginalized learners.