School Experiences Research Articles

159 Qualitative insights into the skills development, health outcomes, and school experience of adolescent peer-leaders of a physical activity programme in second level schools

Abstract Purpose The Active School Flag (ASF) is a whole-of-school, physical activity (PA) programme in Ireland. At second level, student leadership is central to ASF, as adolescents aged 15–16 years in Transition Year (TY), are peer-leaders (PL) of ASF in their school. TY is a one-year programme unique to Ireland, that provides adolescents with skills and personal development opportunities. PLs receive leadership training and have a dedicated weekly class to plan the delivery of whole-of-school PA events and surveys. This study explored the impact on PL skills development, health outcomes, and school experience. Methods In April and May 2023, focus groups were conducted with PL (n = 33, 67% female) in eight schools during their second year of ASF. PL were asked about their experience of implementing ASF. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis informed by Braun and Clarke, (2019). Five themes and 29 subthemes were generated. Results Themes included: (1) Enhanced personal development through ASF, (2) ASF builds community in the school, (3) Value and recognition of ASF in the school community, (4) Without ASF school would be plainer, (5) PL experience of their participation in ASF. Findings demonstrate the impact of key ASF intervention components on PL skills, health, and school experience. PL developed transferable skills including verbal and written communication (theme 1) through dissemination of whole-of-school survey results and sharing PA messages with school members. Shared leadership training supported PL to feel part of a group (theme 2) and facilitated a comfortable social and learning environment (theme 4). Attending ASF weekly timetabled class stimulated a positive mood among PL (theme 5). Although PL felt school members supported them (theme 3) during whole-of-school PA events, some PL experienced anxiety and frustration working with school members (theme 5). Conclusions Results provide valuable information to inform school staff and management how leading ASF can influence adolescents, including developing transferable skills, enhancing social and mental health, and supporting a positive school experience. These insights highlight the potential impact of a whole-school PA programme on a broad range of outcomes, demonstrating the added value of student-led initiatives. Funding Source Mayo Education Centre, Healthy Ireland

Exploring teachers' experiences in teaching learners with Dissociative identity disorder at rural schools in the Amajuba district KwaZulu-Natal

This study aims to investigate how Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) affects learners’ academic achievements, engagements, and overall school experience. The objectives were to identify the prevalence of DID among learners in rural KwaZulu-Natal schools, examine the impact of DID on their academic performance, and explore interventions that could support affected learners. The study gained qualitative insight from interviews and focus groups involving learners, teachers, and psychologists. This comprehensive method facilitated a nuanced understanding of DID's effects on learning and academic outcomes. Results indicated a significant correlation between learners with DID and lower academic performance when compared to their peers without DID. Qualitative findings revealed that dissociative episodes, memory lapse, and the psychological stress associated with Dissociative Identity DID adversely affected learners’ participation in class, homework completion, and exam performance. The study further found a general lack of awareness and resources in rural schools to effectively support learners with DID, compounding the challenges they face. The study concludes with several key findings: the need for targeted training for educators in identifying and supporting learners with DID, the importance of integrating psychological support within the school system, and the potential benefits of personalized learning plans for affected learners. The focus should not merely be on academic performance but on creating a holistic experience where every learner, regardless of their challenges, feels included and valued. The study calls for further research and strategies to identify and address dissociative symptoms in learners.

The History of US Menstrual Health, School Nurses, and the Future of Menstrual Health Equity.

In the United States, adolescents suffer from inadequate menstrual health, meaning that adolescents are unprepared for menarche, lack the practical resources they need to comfortably and confidently manage menstruation, and receive inadequate health education and care for menstrual pain and disorders. In this article, we provide a historical analysis of the role of school nurses in addressing menstruation from the early 20th century up to the present day. We contextualize the current realities of school nursing and menstrual health education and clinical support. We argue that the decentralized US school system, a cultural aversion to open discussion about menstruation, and the outsized influence of commercial menstrual product manufacturers have hampered the ability of school nurses to deliver menstrual health education along with menstrual health support. Finally, we discuss implications for today's schooling experiences as well as recommendations for how to support school nurses in aligning our national approach to menstrual health toward the public health perspective of menstrual equity. (Am J Public Health. 2024;114(9):903-908. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307705).

How can a growth mindset-supportive learning environment in medical school promote student well-being?

There is a growing concern for physician and medical student well-being and burnout. Growth mindset, or the belief that ability can be developed, as well as students' perception of their instructors' growth mindset, have been associated with better academic outcomes for a wide range of students. The primary purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of growth mindset on medical student well-being. We recruited all graduating osteopathic medical students in the class of 2023. This survey included items about student demographics (including identifiable items), experiences in medical school, practice plans, along with financial and other information. The survey of 667 items required a median time of 33 min to complete. Our sample consisted of 4,180 students. Students self-reported growth mindset, perception of instructor growth mindset, and four measures of well-being: flourishing, resilience, burnout, and maladaptive psychological symptoms. Growth mindset and perception of instructor growth mindset were significant predictors of medical student well-being. Further, significant interactions showed that these effects were strongest for students from historically marginalized backgrounds. Our work provides a first step toward addressing physician burnout by targeting medical students, which could prevent them from beginning their careers already in a state of burnout. We argue that systemic change is needed to improve student well-being, such as emphasizing growth mindset-supportive pedagogy, which places the emphasis on changing systems instead of individuals. Future research should include causal analyses to better understand the effect and persistence of growth mindset-supportive environments on student well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

“It looks like a tinderbox you know”: Exploring Chinese Perspectives on Ethnic Dynamics in Sarawak, Malaysia

The study examines Chinese perspectives on ethnic dynamics in Sarawak at a personal level and at the national level. The case study involved interviews with three Chinese participants living in Sarawak, Malaysia. They have worked in the civil service, with two who are still in service and another who is retired. The analysis of the interview results shows positive perceptions of ethnic relations at the personal level. Due to their national school experience, the participants felt a sense of closeness with other ethnic groups. This laid the foundation for them to build cross-cultural friendships with friends and colleagues from other ethnic groups. Moreover, early exposure to multiculturalism through their parents engenders positive attitudes and openness towards other ethnicities. Being raised in a mixed-ethnic family can also cultivate a feeling of connection to other ethnic groups. While studying abroad, the participants felt solidarity with fellow Malaysians (in-group) and their shared national identity supercedes racial differences. However, the participants considered ethnic dynamics at the national level to be not satisfactory. They believe race and religion are inextricably linked, and that this connection is sometimes exploited for political gain by creating feelings of “us” versus “them”. Another area of contention is financial assistance not reaching the underprivileged regardless of race. Nevertheless, there are unifying factors like national sports which brings Malaysians together as one. The study proposes a model of ethnic dynamics at personal and national levels based on the Chinese perspective.

Examining the Schooling Desires of Youth During the COVID-19 Crisis

As schools across the US and around the world closed their physical buildings to stop the spread of COVID-19, students, teachers, families, and communities grappled with the shift to online learning. While emerging research examines how educators navigated this shift, little is known about how students experienced schooling as the pandemic unfolded and how their experiences may contribute to emerging calls for reimagining education. In this essay, Joanne E. Marciano, Lee Melvin M. Peralta, and Ji Soo Lee look at how youth navigated online learning in the sixteen months after their schools closed. Using weekly interviews with youth conducted between March 2020 and June 2021, they center the voices of black, Lebanese American, and white students who experienced limited access to economic resources and call attention to the (post)pandemic schooling experiences they needed and desired.

The Impact of Teachers' School Experience on the School Support Competencies of Educational Expert Officiers: A Case Study of ‘A’ Office of Education

The Impact of Teachers' School Experience on the School Support Competencies of Educational Expert Officiers: A Case Study of ‘A’ Office of Education

Behind the Sadness of Teen Girls: A Retrospective Survey Analysis Amidst the COVID-19 Crisis of 2021

(1) Background: Adolescent girls have increasingly faced mental health challenges. We examined prevalence trends and associated risk factors for depression among adolescent girls. (2) Methods: Data for girls aged 12 to 17 years (N = 4346) from the 2021 cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed. Factors associated with depression were examined using multiple regression analysis. (3) Results: Rates of severe depression were significantly higher (p < 0.001) in older girls (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.63, 1.61), those who did not have authoritative parents (AOR: 3.40), and those with negative school experiences (AOR: 4.03). Black and Asian/Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders were less likely to report severe depression than white girls. As previously reported, non-white girls were significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression (p < 0.05). Parents’ characteristics and school experiences had no effect on the likelihood of receiving mental health treatment. (4) Conclusions: Depression has become increasingly common among American adolescent girls, who are now three times as likely as adolescent boys to have had recent experiences with depression. Our results show that family structure, parenting style, and negative school experiences significantly contribute to the rate of depression and that treatment disparities exist with regard to race and ethnicity. The results of our research could be valuable for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educators in developing specific preventative initiatives and support networks that effectively address these unique challenges.

International students' perspectives on medical school and internship: 'Oh international? Are you international?'

International students account for a significant proportion of medical graduates Australia-wide, and most opting to remain in Australia for their first year of practice (Internship). Hence, understanding this particular demographic's perspectives is crucial for curriculum and workforce planning. Despite this, very few studies have addressed this demographic, and none have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international medical students specifically. A qualitative design was used to explore the perspectives of final-year international medical students at an Australian medical school as they prepared for transition to internship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants engaged in a semi-structured interview about the pandemic's personal and professional implications. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Seven out of 34 final-year international medical students at the University of Adelaide participated. The main themes identified were that isolation was magnified, institutional support was lacking and that uncertainty was challenging. The pandemic did not deter participants from pursuing an Australian internship, as Australia was considered a desirable place for internship compared to their home countries. While the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, many of the challenges identified by international students already existed. Issues such as social isolation, racial discrimination, financial hardship and lack of institutional support have been prevalent for decades. Insights from this study reveal a need to improve the medical school experience. Australian Universities have a responsibility to ensure fair treatment of international students by training faculty, implementing support programmes and ensuring an inclusive and culturally safe learning environment.

Australian parents of gender and sexuality diverse children: Labouring through the schooling experience

This paper focuses on 16 parents of gender and sexuality diverse (GSD) children and their experiences of negotiating their child’s education in Australian public schools. It reports on the ways these parents worked to protect their child/ren from an educational climate that is frequently, but not always, institutionally and interpersonally hostile towards, and/or uninformed about, gender and sexuality diversity. Applying a descriptive thematic analysis to qualitative data arising from an online forum, the discussion illustrates how parents of GSD children provide considerable labour to foster the well-being of their child at school. Several themes illustrated this labour, including: building understanding; seeking external support; checking in and proactive problem solving; addressing marginalisation and abuse; dealing with bureaucracy as well as curriculum surveillance and monitoring. Much of the parent labour stemmed from hetero-cis-normative educational policy, curriculum, practice and environments.

Student wellbeing in vertical schools: a multilayered student voice approach for inclusion and influence

AbstractVertical schools are a new type of school in Australia, with little research available to guide designers and school leaders how to address the physical and social challenges that density and interiority add to the students’ schooling experience. As students capably communicate their experiences and perspectives about school spaces for wellbeing, pioneering students in three new vertical schools demonstrated the power of student voice in the Thriving in Vertical Schools project, a 3-year mixed-methods Australian Research Council Linkage project. Young people showed adults how their school spaces enable them to be, feel, and do activities where they feel capable, and how the vertical school environment contributes to wellbeing. Students communicated their voice through multiple layers: the student voice processes (methods), stories with sensory atmospheres (experience), and participating in impactful discussions with adults (action/influence). Adult designers and education leaders were interviewed several weeks after listening to students, identifying how student perspectives had influenced their work. This paper demonstrates how the combination of participatory voice-inclusive methods enabled students to communicate immersive experiences that brought light to interactions for school wellbeing at a level of granularity that adults had not had access to before to influence future designs. This paper argues for the value of attending to student voice and sensitivity in providing choice and options when doing so, so that students are supported to express themselves and their rich experiences in ways of their choosing and ways comfortable to them.

Social Skills Training For Future Leaders: Nurturing Social Awareness Through Kampus Mengajar Program

Introduction/Main Objectives: This paper examines the Kampus Mengajar (KM) program, a government initiative aimed at addressing learning loss among primary students in Indonesia due to the COVID-19 pandemic while enhancing the soft skills of college students by giving them teaching experience in schools. Background Problems: The issues investigated in this study are how Kampus Mengajar facilitates the development of social awareness and social responsibility among its participants and its relation to leadership potential. Novelty: This paper analyses the Kampus Mengajar program, its impact on developing social awareness and social responsibility, and its correlation with leadership potential among its participants. While the previous batch focused on its impact in addressing learning loss, more research needs to be done on its potential to enhance socioemotional skills. Research Methods: The research method used in this paper is a qualitative analysis of survey data as primary data and a monitoring report as secondary. The data were analysed using thematic analysis to identify keys related to social awareness and social responsibility themes. Finding/Results: The empirical findings suggest that while Kampus Mengajar does facilitate the development of social awareness among its participants, it may not necessarily facilitate social responsibility. Conclusion: The study concludes that Kampus Mengajar facilitates the development of social awareness among its participants but may need to be supplemented with additional interventions to enhance social responsibility. This study has also indicated that implementing socio-emotional learning at schools, which facilitates social awareness, has increased participants' leadership potential.

African Migrant Learners’ Experiences of Xenophobia in South Africa

This article draws on the social identity theory to understand the real life schooling experiences of the migrant learners (from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe) within three South African schools. It adopted a qualitative, narrative research methodology, using open-ended interviews and photovoice as its methods of data collection. The findings reveal complex and pervasive dynamics of xenophobia. These took the form of denigrating stereotypical constructions of African migrants and resulted in the mistreatment, exclusion, and rejection of the African migrant learners. The study recommends further research on issues on African migrant learners schooling experiences in South Africa and for schools to embrace acceptance of African migrant learners for enhancing an inclusive schooling agenda.

Should I Stay, or Should I Go Now? Neighborhood, Family, and Youth Predictors of Intracity Mobility.

The effects of residential mobility on youth development outcomes related to violence and victimization have traditionally been understood from an outward mobility perspective. Less attention has been paid to predictors of intracity moves, a more common mobility practice. Research, however, should identify factors associated with intracity mobility before scholars can explore and fully understand the impacts of moving within the city on youth development outcomes such as violence and victimization and whether they are akin to those identified for moves beyond city limits. Using data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods, we apply a multilevel ecological framework to assess neighborhood, family, and youth factors associated with intracity mobility. We employed hierarchical generalized linear modeling to examine within and between-neighborhood models of intracity mobility among youth and their families who moved within Chicago (N = 426) and those who did not (N = 867). Our investigation highlights as important factors family dynamics instability and aggression and violence at the neighborhood level. Findings show that parental divorce/separation, harsh disciplinary practices, negative school experiences such as racial/ethnic conflict, gangs, or heightened security measures, and exposure to violence predict intracity mobility. Critically, negative school experiences proved to be a robust determinant of moving as cross-level interactions suggest neighborhood crime significantly shapes how these experiences inform intracity mobility. This study emphasizes the importance of examining mobility beyond urban city limits, noting distinct predictors of intracity mobility across systemic levels. The findings fill a gap in our understanding of neighborhood turnover and stability, while also providing a foundation for exploring within and between-neighborhood differences in intracity mobility.

Impacts of religious secondary schools in Hong Kong on student attitudes towards school life

ABSTRACT Research shows that religious schools foster academic achievements among middle and high schoolers. However, research into student attitudes towards the quality of school life in religious schools remains scarce. This study utilised a questionnaire to assess the relationship between a school’s religious affiliation and students’ religious affect, life satisfaction, personality, age, gender, and attitudes towards school. A sample of 4,468 secondary students (mean age: 14.1 years) was surveyed in Hong Kong. School life was measured by the six aspects: general school character, experience, worship, stewardship, relationships, and religious character. One-way MANOVA analyses revealed that school religious affiliations and personality factors have distinct effects on their attitudes towards school life. The importance of considering individual and contextual factors in understanding and strategies to enhance students’ positive attitudes towards school life is discussed.

Impact of dental school critical thinking demonstrations carryover to practice: Survey of 5-year graduates.

Little literature exists on graduates' application to practice for explicit critical thinking skills learned in dental school. Discern the (1) degree to which graduates apply explicit critical thinking skillsets in practice; (2) degree of adaptation of critical thinking skillsets to practice; (3) frequency of use for critical thinking skillsets in practice; and (4) perceptions to improve critical thinking learning guidance in dental school. Five critical thinking exercises/skillsets were selected that had been in place over 5 years with at least one paper: geriatrics, treatment planning, technology decision making, ethics, evidence-based dentistry; each followed concepts from an emulation model in critical thinking. Electronic survey administered in 2023/2024 to alumni graduated in the last 5 years. Of 98 (from 320 distributed) returned, 56 completed the entire survey. Dental school experiences positively influenced use of critical thinking skills in practice. On a five-point scale, mostly 4s and 5s were reported for "…benefit your thinking." Fifty-three percent reported "using ideas from the exercise and developed my own thought processes," 35% reported "using the thought process largely as offered in the college" and 5% reported "do not use the exercise." Sixty percent reported using the skillsets hourly or daily. With minor variations all skillsets were reported positively for use in practice. A positive influence of critical thinking skills was gained from the college experience with explicit positive impact for each of the five critical thinking experiences. The questions may be a model for future follow-up studies of explicit dental school critical thinking exercises.

Toward Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership from Structured Critical Self-Reflection (CRILS)

ABSTRACT This study analyzes a principal preparation course structured by Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) and critical educational leadership research. Introducing CRILS (Culturally Responsive Instructional Leadership Structured by critical self-reflection), the methodology aims to humanize school experiences for Black and racially minoritized students. Through qualitative inquiry, including interviews and analysis of racial autobiographies, the study found that critical self-reflection helped participants recognize biases and confront negative emotional responses. CRILS extends CRSL by incorporating lessons from pre-Brown practices and emphasizes reflective practices among all school-affiliated adults to foster student learning and guidance opportunities.

Ethical dilemmas of translanguaging pedagogy in L2 and basic literacy education for adults: social justice and ethics of care

ABSTRACT This paper explores the ethical challenges and possibilities of conducting responsible and transformative translanguaging pedagogy in adult education for second language learners with limited previous experience of schooling. We identify and explore ethical dilemmas in teachers’ interaction and multilingual teaching practices. The data was produced in a linguistic ethnography and action research project. It consists of classroom observations and interviews with teachers who teach in the programme Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). The teachers express and embody ambivalence in relation to the students’ use of their whole linguistic repertoires and the students are not always treated as competent to make informed decisions about their own use of linguistic repertoires. This touches on issues of citizenship and democracy and here the framework ethics of care offers context-specific ways of understanding and responding to the ethical challenges of multilingual teaching.

How do school experiences in adolescence affect educational investment in adulthood? The case of parental investment in private tutoring in Germany

AbstractThis article examines the role of parents’ school experiences in adolescence on their educational investment strategies for their own children in middle adulthood. We focus our analysis on the parents’ decision to organize private tutoring (also called shadow education) for their children. Previous international research largely agrees that families with a high socioeconomic status (SES) are more likely to invest in tutoring to achieve competitive advantages in the educational race for higher credentials and maintain a high social status. In Germany, however, recent studies suggest that tutoring in Germany primarily serves underperforming children from les educated families to acquire relatively higher school degrees by compensating the higher demands of academic school tracks. We propose a theoretical decision model based on rational choice and life course theory incorporating psychological factors related to school performance of the parents (such as performance anxiety and ability self-concept) and operationalize four components that are intended to explain the (un)equal use of tutoring: (1) children’s school background, (2) parents’ cost and (3) benefit considerations, as well as (4) parents’ school biography. In addition, we hypothesize on the intergenerational transmission of performance-related factors from parents to their children and how this affects SE investment. We test our hypotheses quantitatively through logit regressions and a structural equation model using unique longitudinal data for 558 families (parents and their children) from the German “LifE” study (1979–2012). Our study produced two key findings: On the one hand, the parents’ previous school performance plays a direct role in the extent to which they themselves are able to provide their children with the necessary support in the event of poor performance. On the other hand, the performance-related experiences of the parents during school are to a certain extent transmitted to their children and thus influence their grades, ability self-concept and performance anxiety. These factors, in turn, are decisive for the decision to organize SE. Our findings indicate that instead of reducing the decision-making process for SE to absolute dimensions of student performance and parents’ SES and related cost-benefit calculations, dynamic factors behind this family decision related to intergenerational transmission and individual characteristics should be considered.

Supporting equitable and anti-racist practices in early childhood programs: a framework for starting differently

Research has found that as early as preschool, children from diverse backgrounds are more at risk than their peers to experience bias and racism from teachers and negative behavioral outcomes. Given these negative early childhood school experiences can create greater risk for children and more stress for their families, it is important that research is utilized to change such experiences and support more positive development outcomes for young children. The purpose of this article is to prevent an approach to organize and participate in school differently. Our approach involves developing equitable systems that supports early childhood centers to develop equitable systems by building upon the foundational principles of anti-racism, equity, and barrier prevention rather than seeking to intervene upon inequitable systems through professional development and attempting to remove barriers that have already caused harm as is with traditional approaches.