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Please cite the source as: Alvarado, B. (2010). Voices and Agencialities in the Education of Young Rural Andean Women. Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa, 12 (2). Retrieved month day, year from: http://redie.uabc.mx/vol12no2/contents-alvarado.html

Revista Electrónica de Investigación Educativa
Vol. 12, No. 2, 2010

Voices and Agencialities in the Education of Young Rural AndeanWomen: A Qualitative Look Voces y agencialidades en la educación de la joven rural andina: una mirada cualitativa
Beatriz Alvarado alvarado.24@osu.edu Universidad Alas Peruanas Facultad de Educación y Humanidades Urb. Daniel Alcides Carrión Dist. José Luis Bustamante y Rivero Arequipa, Perú
(Received: October 12, 2009; accepted for publishing: March 8, 2010)

Abstract
This qualitative studydescribes the voices and agencialities of female rural Andean students enrolled in high school. The study explores how educational practices and discourses in the school and family context impact these young women‘s voices and agencialities. Also analyzed are the actions they are taking to change their existing situation. The post-structural approach and theories of resistance, voice and powerinform the literature review and analysis of the study, which describes the many educational and sociocultural obstacles the young women face: an educational curriculum not adapted to their needs, untrained teachers with low expectations for their students‘ future, and an educational environment that silences their voices. The results show that despite of all obstacles, these women have a firmdetermination to seek a different future, rather than

Alvarado: Voices and Agencies in Rural Andean Young Woman

live under the oppressive patriarchal cycle their mothers and female relatives have endured. Keywords: Gender, educational strategies, secondary education.

Resumen
El presente estudio cualitativo describe las voces y agencialidades de estudiantes andinas rurales inscritas en laescuela secundaria. El estudio explora la forma en que las prácticas educativas y discursos en el contexto escolar y familiar impactan las voces y agencialidades de estas jóvenes; asimismo, se analizan sus acciones para cambiar su situación actual. El enfoque post-estructural y las teorías sobre resistencia, voz y poder informan la revisión de literatura y análisis del estudio, mismo que describe losnumerosos obstáculos educativos y socioculturales que enfrentan estas jóvenes: un currículo educativo no adaptado a sus necesidades, maestros/maestras sin preparación y con bajas expectativas sobre el futuro de sus estudiantes y un ambiente educativo que silencia sus voces. Los resultados señalan que a pesar de todos los obstáculos, estas jóvenes están firmemente decididas a buscar un futurodiferente en lugar de vivir bajo el ciclo patriarcal y opresivo que han padecido las mujeres de sus núcleos familiares. Palabras clave: Género, estrategias educativas, educación secundaria.

I. Introduction Despite the fact that Peru has expanded educational opportunities during the last two decades, its basic educational system faces problems of poor-quality instruction, lack of equity, weakadministration, insufficient financing, and inadequate infrastructure. The proportion of students attending school is relatively high compared to other Latin American countries. However, the achievement level of those who graduate is low. Peru has the largest proportion of students (80 percent) at Level I and below, which indicates that students are having serious difficulties using reading to advance andextend their knowledge and skills in other areas (OECD & UNESCO, 2003). Important factors contributing to this low quality of education include: a scarcity of quality teaching materials; a lack of water, sewage, and electrical services; unsafe, unstable school buildings; inappropriate teaching methods; and deficiencies in the curriculum's scope, sequence, and adaptability (CEPAL/ UNESCO, 1992;...