School Experiences Research Articles

School psychologists' training and experience in providing grief support

AbstractSchool‐based mental health professionals consistently report that they are either not prepared to support grieving students, or do not have time to integrate crisis intervention support into their hectic schedule. Given that inadequate school mental health services can increase a bereaved student's risk of developing emotional problems, it is critical that school psychologists increase their comfort in grief. This study surveyed 75 school psychologists in the Northwestern United States regarding their training and experience in grief support. A reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes related to the challenges and recommendations in grief support: lack of training, limited role of the school psychologist, lack of formalized grief response system, and lack of school and community resources. Furthermore, only 3% of participants reported taking the lead in providing grief support and 64% provide grief support fewer than five times a year. The majority (81%) reported that they had zero courses devoted to grief support during their graduate degree, with more participants (67%) obtaining grief training postdegree. Study limitations, areas for further research, and implications for schools and school psychologists are also discussed.

Elements of Minority Stress and Resilience in LGBTQ+ Students’ Experience of Education

ABSTRACT This study investigates the experiences of minority stress and resilience among LGBTQ+ students in educational settings and identifies critical contributors to their well-being. To highlight the unique educational experiences of LGBTQ+ participants a qualitative research strategy was employed. We conducted narrative interviews with 27 LGBTQ+ people aged 17 to 41 who are or have been enrolled in primary, secondary or tertiary education in Slovenia. The results indicate that minority stress is a significant in their educational experiences, with various deleterious effects. The testimonies of our respondents indicate, albeit to a lesser extent, that the education system can enhance the resilience of LGBTQ+ youth and mitigate the negative impacts of minority stress. This study confirms prior research on minority stress effects on LGBTQ+ individuals. It asserts that LGBTQ+ youth experience minority stress within the education system, while emphasizing that certain aspects of resilience can significantly mitigate these negative effects. As social support emerged as a significant factor in our study, it would be reasonable to investigate how school personnel can enhance LGBT youths’ resilience in the future. Additionally, it would be beneficial to investigate how the support of peers and (chosen) families influences the school experiences of LGBTQ+ students.

“Harriet Tubman is a Superhero”: Conceptualizing Young African American Children's Sociopolitical Awareness as Imaginative Praxis

Imagination is often relegated to the margins of African American children's schooling experiences. Furthermore, the varied role of children in liberation struggles and their centrality in ushering in just futures remain underexplored. This article examines five African American first graders’ sociopolitical knowledge and how they used their imagination to develop counternarratives of refusal and agentic possibilities. I offer imaginative praxis as a conceptual tool to analyze how young African American children name historical and contemporary racialized realities and generate joyful visualizations of actionable resistance. Young children's imaginative praxis challenges the notion that the fight for liberation is void of joy.

Benefits of Exposing Third-year English Language Student Teachers to Service Learning in One Rural-based University

The study explored the benefits of exposing third-year Bachelor of Education students to Service Learning at a rural-based South African University. Service Learning (SL) is a practice that links community service with learning activities to promote substantive learning. This study aimed to explore whether third-year student teachers could benefit from helping first-year student university students acquire literacy skills through SL. The study was underpinned by the Experiential learning theory (ELT). A qualitative research paradigm underpinned by an interpretative epistemology was used in this study. A non-random sampling technique was used to select participants from the Faculty of Education at the participating institution. Data were generated using observing classroom activities, semi-structured and focus group interviews. Data analysis emerged with themes and sub-themes. Overall, the results revealed that the third-year students gained self-confidence, enhanced self-esteem and enhanced academic skills. The study revealed that exposing students to SL made them gain academic knowledge, cognitive skills, interpersonal skills, and self-confidence as they endeavoured to put theoretical knowledge into practice. As a pedagogy, SL created an enabling environment for learners to express themselves freely – thereby creating space for the expression and consolidation of new experiences. Thus, the study suggested that SL be incorporated into pre-service teacher education programmes from the first year in a spiral curriculum modality up to the fourth (last) year of study. Incorporation of SL into teacher education programmes may be done by infusing it into School experience modules as proposed by the participants.

Self-images of school dropout in Barcelona: analysis from system justification theory / Autoimágenes sobre abandono escolar en Barcelona: análisis desde la teoría de la justificación del sistema

Sociocognitive theories assume that group membership has a direct impact on social identity. Vulnerable groups can develop different strategies to lessen the psychological discomfort caused by disadvantageous social membership. Some of these mechanisms operate by validating the social order. This article shows how implicit self-stereotypes operate in a group of students who have dropped out of school. The approach is qualitative based on these young people’s discourses on their educational trajectories, their school experiences and their reasons for dropping out. The analysis allows self-stereotypical elements with repercussions at the level of social justification to be identified and is complemented by a brief sociodemographic description to characterize the group in terms of their social disadvantage.

Tips for new educational experiences in the secondary school based on outdoor activities and 3D modelling of rock outcrops equipped for climbing

Tips for new educational experiences in the secondary school based on outdoor activities and 3D modelling of rock outcrops equipped for climbing

Educational Experiences of Children and Youths in Foster Care: A Multidimensional Approach

In the context in which school education can be a source of support for the social integration of children and youths in the welfare system, their educational experiences become relevant. This article pinpoints the school experiences of 65 children and youths in the special residential care system in Romania, with references to several numbers of international studies. Educational experiences are described through a multidimensional approach, from a psycho-emotional, pedagogical, and relational perspective. Based on the perspective of institutionalised children and youths, feelings and emotions related to school, perceptions of the educational act and climate, educational needs, as well as relationships with peers or teachers are explored. The research methods used were mixed; we used both the questionnaire-based survey and the interview. The research results suggest that the voices of institutionalised students need to be heard and valued. These are important resources for restoring the right of these children and youths to a fair education.

잠재프로파일 분석을 통한 진로성숙도 및 학업성취도에 따른 중학생 유형 분류 및 영향요인 분석

Objectives The purposes of this study were to classify the latent profiles of Korean middle school students’ career maturity and academic achievement and also to explore the influence of relevant factors on the identified latent profiles.
 Methods For this purpose, 6,618 responses of the fifth band of the elementary 5 panel (9th grade) of Korea Education Longitudinal Study (KELS) were analyzed. The study analyzed the influence of variables such as personal characteristics, family environment, and school experience in predicting the latent profiles of middle school students' career maturity and academic achievement levels.
 Results The latent profiles of South Korean middle school students' career maturity and academic achievement were classified into five categories: lower career-lower academic group, upper group, middle group, lower group, and upper career-lower academic group. The forms of these profiles were found to be distinct. The verification of influencing factors revealed that gender, creativity, self-management, parental support, interaction with parents, attitude towards lessons, teachers' pressure for achievement, teacher relationships, and peer relationships all had significant impacts.
 Conclusions Based on these results, contemplation on the direction of middle school education in South Korea was discussed, along with academic understanding of the relationship between middle school students' career maturity and academic achievement. Additionally, implications for various support measures were also deliberated.

“We’re Not Walking Schools”: Storying the Pandemic Schooling Experiences of Mothers of Children with Disabilities

This article describes a study designed to better understand the fallout of extended school closures and staggered re-openings for one group heavily impacted by the pandemic, mothers of children with disabilities. Using feminist ways of knowing as the backdrop, we explored how a small group of mothers experienced pandemic-related educational shifts. We aimed to provide solidarity and a space of care. We employed narrative methods to support the storying of their individual and collective experiences. Data were synthesized vis-à-vis participants’ ethic of care, particularly in relationship to the power structures they traversed. Taking a deep dive into the experiences of a small group of mothers allowed us to contribute to the field’s understanding of mothers’ multiple identities and underscores the importance of including them in discussions around educational supports for children with disabilities, particularly in times of crisis.

Exploring children's experiences of schooling in Tanzania: How the ‘hidden curriculum’ undermines aspirations for sustainable development

AbstractIn the context of aspirations that firmly position education as the key to multiple global development goals, we raise concerns about how education is experienced by many children, particularly in low‐income, postcolonial contexts. Drawing from two, in‐depth qualitative studies in Tanzania, we demonstrate that existing pedagogical practices, including the use of an unfamiliar language of learning and teaching, constitute a ‘hidden curriculum’ that powerfully undermines the vision of education embedded in the sustainable development agenda. We argue that research that foregrounds children's experiences should have a more prominent role as it enables us to understand the lived implications of global policy‐making.

How do medical schools influence their students' career choices? A realist evaluation.

The career choices of medical graduates vary widely between medical schools in the UK and elsewhere and are generally not well matched with societal needs. Research has found that experiences in medical school including formal, informal and hidden curricula are important influences. We conducted a realist evaluation of how and why these various social conditions in medical school influence career thinking. We interviewed junior doctors at the point of applying for speciality training. We selected purposively for a range of career choices. Participants were asked to describe points during their medical training when they had considered career options and how their thinking had been influenced by their context. Interview transcripts were coded for context-mechanism-outcome (CMO) configurations to test initial theories of how career decisions are made. A total of 26 junior doctors from 12 UK medical schools participated. We found 14 recurring CMO configurations in the data which explained influences on career choice occurring during medical school. Our initial theories about career decision-making were refined as follows: It involves a process of testing for fit of potential careers. This process is asymmetric with multiple experiences needed before deciding a career fits ('easing in') but sometimes only a single negative experience needed for a choice to be ruled out. Developing a preference for a speciality aligns with Person-Environment-Fit decision theories. Ruling out a potential career can however be a less thought-through process than rationality-based decision theories would suggest. Testing for fit is facilitated by longer and more authentic undergraduate placements, allocation of and successful completion of tasks, being treated as part of the team and enthusiastic role models. Informal career guidance is more influential than formal. We suggest some implications for medical school programmes.

Understanding the impact of COVID-19 Outbreak on Primary School-aged Children in Sindh: A Contextual Analysis of Post-Pandemic Education

COVID-19 has changed the way we lived, worked and learnt. It has adversely impacted everyone, especially the most vulnerable groups: people with disabilities, senior citizens and children. The negative effects on children's health, socio-psychological development, and intellectual advancement are regarded to be unprecedented in recent human history. This paper examines the educational system of Hyderabad, a city in Sindh, Pakistan during COVID-19 and it investigates the negative effects on children and their school learning. This study is interdisciplinary, focusing on Applied Anthropology and Education policy and pedagogy. Mixed methods both qualitative as well as quantitative are used to collect and analyse the data. For qualitative data collection, ethnographic research methods such as participant observation, semi-structured interviews and case study are used. Surveys through digital sources such as email, WhatsApp, Facebook and SMS are implied to collect quantitative data. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in a Government Primary School (GPS), Hyderabad, Pakistan. The findings of the study reveal that post COVID-19 has impacted the school learning and experience of educational attainment in multiple ways to the primary school aged going children. Moreover, it has also revealed the uneven socio-economic opportunities for learning, and discloses the government's inability to reach out to the most vulnerable class of the society in the time of emergency.

“I Really Wanted to Further My Education but That Wasn’t Possible”: Out of School Experiences of Youth with Disabilities in Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa

ABSTRACT Leaving school prematurely can have lifelong repercussions, and further entrench inequity and cycles of poverty faced by youth with disabilities on the African continent. This manuscript shares the experiences of youth with disabilities in Ethiopia, Ghana, and South Africa who left education sooner than desired. It highlights the barriers leading to these educational inequalities, and facilitators that created necessary access and support systems. Method: This was a participatory research study with youth with disabilities implemented in three sites, namely, Ethiopia, Ghana and South Africa. This sample size for this paper was a total of 41 participants, which included males and females between 14–35 years of age, who self-identified as having a motor, communication, vision, and/or hearing impairment. Seven focus groups across the three sites were held. Results: Our analysis identified three key themes related to educational experiences: social environment, physical environment, and managing health challenges. Conclusion: The interdependence of relationships and support facilitated participation and inclusion in the education systems. We have framed recommendations using a feminist ethics of care, as it relates to attentiveness, responsibility, competence, responsiveness, and integrity.

A place to belong: student–adult relationship-building activities in a transitional school year program

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of student–adult relationship to students’ experiences of school belonging, little is known about the activities that create and sustain these relationships. In the present article, we examine the interpersonal and institutional relationship-building activities described by students and adults following a transitional school year in Norway. The transitional school year is a program provided for students at risk of early school leaving. We conducted reflexive thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews involving 17 students and 5 employees. The most prominent topic was activities that involved being seen, heard, and responded to. Additionally, students and adults took part in both institutional and interpersonal relationship-building activities. Implications for practice are discussed.

"The faculty was really hearing what I had to say and really validating who I was": Learning from validation theory to support students of colour in undergraduate medical education.

Medical students of colour face numerous challenges during their undergraduate training period, reflecting the harmful norms and cultures in the learning context of medical school. Despite negative experiences for students of colour in medicine, there are episodes of support and encouragement that come from faculty or staff. This asset-based qualitative study uses Rendón's Validation Theory to illuminate specific ways faculty at a community-based medical college support medical students of colour, thereby challenging structural injustices in medical school. This study is grounded in a humanising and asset-based perspective, where participants are viewed as legitimate knowers from whom researchers can learn. Twenty-four medical students of colour and 14 faculty identified by students as supportive participated in five focus groups where participants shared how they felt validated and supported during their undergraduate medical school experiences. Inductive open-coding followed by deductive thematic coding using Validation Theory-a theory that describes how external validation is a necessary component of fostering students' personal and academic drive-and literature about the context of medical school informed the three findings. Three major themes provide examples of ways faculty validated students. First, participants indicated the importance of acknowledging identities and experiences to understand the socio, historical and cultural context of learning. Second, participants implored the value of giving praise and offering encouragement to work against professional expectations. Finally, participants shared the intimacy of fostering personal relationships to reduce hierarchies. This study offers concrete guidance on teaching practices faculty can use to support students of colour. As medical schools may seek to move toward a more student-centred approach, promoting feelings of validation for students of colour can be a key practice in teaching and learning to ensure support for medical students throughout their medical school journey.

The Design Posture: A Collaborative Learning-By-Doing Approach

In September 2021, Codesign Toscana1 organised a pop-up school animated by a concept implicitly present in many design-related debates and around which our practices as an interdisciplinary collective have developed over the last five years: the “Design Posture” (hereafter DP). By relying on a collaborative design framework, we experimented with a cooperative learning approach using the urban context as a non-formal education platform and, following the direct experience of the pop-up school, named “Response/Ability” we discuss the possibility of new horizons in the urban context to organize educational platforms that rely on reclaimed city spaces and that generate insights for young generations.

Learner experiences of safety at public high schools in three South African townships: Baseline findings from the National School Safety Framework learner surveys

Background Despite progressive policies and frameworks on school safety by the Department of Basic Education, safety remains a concern in South African schools. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed using the National School Safety Framework (NSSF) 152-question learner survey, exploring perceptions and experiences pertaining to eight safety domains: dangerous objects, drugs and alcohol, bullying, verbal abuse, physical violence, discrimination, sexual violence, and journey to and from school. Grade 9-11 learners from 15 government-funded high schools in the Girls Achieve Power trial in Khayelitsha, Soweto, and Thembisa townships were surveyed (March 2018 - April 2019), sampling 10% of the school population. Data analysis included Principal Component Analysis (PCA), reducing correlated variables into fewer questions, then analysis on a scree plot by calculating eigenvalues; repeated PCA with those that had a minimum eigenvalue of 1 and Cronbach Alpha test for internal reliability. Eleven composite variables were included in the final analysis. Results In total, 1034 learners completed the NSSF learner survey; 52.9% were female and the mean age was 16 years (SD=1.36). Results show statistically significant associations between four of the 11 composite variables in relation to sex. Over half (55%) of males have experienced peer provocation and relational aggression (p<0.001). Fifty-eight percent of females reported feeling unsafe on their way to and from school (p<0.003). Over half of males reported that their school was not effective in enforcing discipline (p=0.002) while 58% of females noted they could comfortably report any form of experienced or witnessed violence at school, to their educators (p<0.000). Conclusions Violence continues to be a concern in South African schools. Interventions should work across the ecological model to effectively prevent and reduce violence at school and community levels. Strengthened NSSF implementation is critical to achieving this. We recommend NSSF learner survey adaptations to increase utility and implementation.

Violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic: types of occurrences from an ethnic perspective

This study arose from an interest in finding out the profile of women who experienced violence during the Covid-19 pandemic. Given that black and brown women are more vulnerable to these occurrences, the aim was to comparatively describe the occurrence of types of violence in women in the state of Rio de Janeiro, considering their ethnicity and the period before, during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a documentary, descriptive, retrospective study with a quantitative approach. Government documents obtained from the virtual platform of the Public Security Institute of Rio de Janeiro - ISP on the occurrence of violence against women from 2019 to 2022 in the state of Rio de Janeiro were analyzed. Among the main results, it was identified that women with a low level of schooling experience more violence than women with a higher level, as well as black and brown women experiencing more violence than white women. The low level of schooling (directly related to economic conditions) and skin color (being black or brown) showed an increase in women's vulnerability to experiencing violence. It was also possible to identify that the majority of employed women suffered more violence than unemployed women, as well as the fact that the main place of aggression was in the victim's home. Considering the results, there is an urgent need for socio-political actions to combat violence, valuing ethnicity, as well as other indicators of groups of women who are more vulnerable to violence.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE CONSTRUCTION OF SELF AND BURNOUT IN TEACHERS

The objective of this research was to understand whether there is a relationship between burnout syndrome and the false self, described by Winnicott in his studies on primitive emotional development. Faced with the great demand for productivity established by the capitalist system and contemporary culture, most people feel exhausted, often becoming chore people. The culture of tiredness does not enable the experience of creativity and authenticity, often resulting in various pathologies, including burnout syndrome, which presents a growing and impactful demand on the lives of the working individual and the collective. Based on the indication of possible stressors in the work of teachers, from public institutions of primary and secondary education, in a city in the interior of São Paulo, an exploratory research was carried out with 38 teachers, 7 male and 31 female, age minimum of 23 years old and maximum of 62 years old, with teaching experience in primary schools. For data collection a questionnaire was used, prepared by the researchers based on the theoretical basis on the false self, with the aim of identifying its characteristics and also the Brazilian Burnout Scale (EBBurn) for preliminary identification of burnout in the population of this study. The findings from the quantitative analysis showed there is no significant relationship between the two constructs, however, from a thorough qualitative analysis it was possible to perceive a convergence between the false self and burnout, since the false self presents characteristics of focusing on environmental demands, as well as the subject's lack of perception of their most genuine needs, such as rest, which, over time, can culminate in burnout.

Science Textbooks: Aids or Obstacles to Inquiry Teaching? Science Teachers’ Experiences in Norwegian Secondary Schools

AbstractTextbooks have several important functions in science education. By interviewing six teachers, this study shows how secondary school science teachers perceive and use textbooks as resources, especially in inquiry teaching. The results show that textbooks aid inquiry teaching by offering teachers easily accessible suggestions for practical and inquiry activities in accordance with the curriculum to be implemented in science lessons in addition to presenting scientific content adapted to students’ level in which they can use to easily link theory to their practical inquiry. However, the use of textbook inquiry activities can restrict the degrees of freedom in implementing inquiries, as textbooks are perceived to rarely include inquiry activities with many degrees of freedom. In addition, some teachers adjust their textbook inquiry activities to have fewer degrees of freedom to meet the challenges they experience, such as time pressure and uncertainty about students achieving curriculum content knowledge goals. These results build important knowledge about textbooks’ role in planning and implementing inquiry teaching in science. They should be of interest to teacher education programme developers and textbook authors who desire to contribute to a more inquiry-oriented practice in school science teaching.