Scottish Schools Research Articles

Tło filozoficzne teorii percepcji Thomasa Reida

The subject of this article is not explicity the theory of perception that Reid propounded. To present it would go beyond his modest framework because an essential part of Reid's view was the so-called common sense principles. The nature, number and cognition role of these principles would require a separate discussion. In this text, therefore, I concentrate on the specific preliminaries of the philosophy proposed by the founder of the Scottish school of common sense, which can be interpreted as a "negative reference point", which is the starting point for "positive" solutions, i.e. Reid's proposed theory of perception. He thus began with a critique of the "theory of ideas", which, in Reid's view, was the main reason for the failure to formulate a satisfactory philosophy of mind. Within this critique, we find his reflections on the method of philosophising itself, the differences that occur in the study of such different objects as material objects and cognitive mind, and his interpretation of the consequences of the adaption of the theory of ideas by the philosophers of modernity. The result of Reid's theoretical analyses is the rejection of the assumption of any mutual interaction between matter and mind, the questioning of the possibility of perception of material objects based on similarity of sense impressions and the things perceived, and the accusation of the proponents of this theory of dooming philosophy to idealism and scepticism.

Latin Challenges: Perceptions, Policy and Curriculum for Excellence. Barriers to Teaching Latin in Scottish Schools

Over the last decade, the number of Scottish learners presented for National Qualification exams in Latin has declined. There are a number of factors contributing to this decline. Some of these relate to the study of Classics generally, such as perceptions around the subject being socially and academically elitist, while others are specific to the study of Latin and the challenges arising from it being a language. Some factors are relevant to the situation of Latin internationally, for example the desire for education which is more explicitly relevant to the demands of modern societies, while others relate to specific features of the Scottish education system. Examination of the impact of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence (CfE) and of the Scottish Language Learning policy on education will give context to the current position of Latin within primary and secondary schools. Significant institutional support for the learning of Gaelic and Mandarin and the challenges currently facing all language learning in Scotland in the senior phase of formal schooling must also be considered in any discussion of the barriers to the provision of Latin. The decision of the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA), the body responsible for the accreditation of educational awards in Scotland, to cease offering a National Qualification in Ancient Greek in 2015 was based on low uptake of the subject, making the provision of external assessment no longer viable. It is, therefore, crucial to examine the current status of Latin within Scottish education and to determine the reasons for its decline in order to better understand how to address those issues, where possible, so as to secure the sustainability of the subject in the curriculum as well as its accreditation through National Qualifications.

Sugar, A Morally Ambiguous Substance: Responsibility, Social Class and Pleasure in Scotland’s State Primary Schools

Children’s sugar consumption has been marked out as an important area of public health policymaking in the UK, due to connections between sugar consumption, obesity, type 2 diabetes and dental decay. Yet unlike other regulated substances (alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes), ‘moderate’ or ‘responsible’ sugar consumption, rather than abstinence, is the desired policy outcome. Based on ethnographic fieldwork in Edinburgh in 2018–19 in two demographically mixed Scottish state primary schools, I examine how school staff navigate this space of lenience written into state health policy—whereby some sugar can be consumed, sometimes. The public health dangers of sugar consumption, coupled with its relational pleasures (through associations with kinship, nurture and celebration) help illuminate how schools—as responsible agents—attempt to care for and govern children. It is sugar’s ambiguity, I argue, that enables it to become a crucial tool for children’s socialisation. Where and how sugar can be consumed responsibly, and which pleasures are deemed permissible or excessive, vary contextually: they are shaped through social class, and depend on the school policy being enacted. Beyond being an object to regulate, children’s pleasures in sugar are central to affective, social and class-informed practices of creating morally responsible persons.

Talk‐LD and Talk‐LD+: A pilot trial of school‐based interventions to challenge discrimination and promote inclusion

AbstractTo counteract stigma and discrimination a series of five lessons Talk about Learning Disability (Talk‐LD) to promote young people's understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities were developed for the Scottish secondary school curriculum. This study examined the feasibility of carrying out a randomised control trial comparing the delivery of the lessons alone with the lessons plus an attempt to promote positive contact between participating students and people with intellectual disabilities. The aim was to recruit and randomise 12 schools to receive the lessons alone or the lessons plus contact. The Attitudes Towards Intellectual Disability (ATTID) questionnaire was completed at baseline and a questionnaire about students' understanding of the lesson content was completed at follow‐up alone. Twelve schools were recruited and randomised. The lessons were delivered to 23 classes across the 12 schools. Baseline data were obtained for 480 participants. However, school closures due to COVID‐19 meant that follow‐up data were only obtained from 220 students (six schools) prior to school closures. The attitude measure only detected change in one ATTID scale, indicating students may be more willing to interact with a person with intellectual disabilities post intervention. Three of the six schools randomised to the lessons plus contact group had plans in place for joint activities between students and young people with an intellectual disability. Despite the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic, the findings were encouraging in relation to future research on the Talk‐LD lessons. The schools also engaged positively with the process of promoting positive contact with young people with an intellectual disability.

Religious and moral education in Scottish non-denominational primary schools: charting curriculum change through school handbooks

ABSTRACT Religious and Moral Education (RME) in primary schools has been an under-researched aspect of state-funded schooling in Scotland. It has received little scholarly comment, and even less empirical research has been conducted on the extent and nature of provision since the implementation of Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence from 2010 onwards. Using the findings from a document analysis of ninety school handbooks from one local education authority, this article contributes to the limited scholarship on this topic. Through a discussion of the themes of compliance, content, and community, the article highlights ongoing challenges concerning implementing CfE RME in the primary sector. It concludes by considering the marginalisation of RME and suggesting that focusing on professional learning and further empirical research are vital next steps.

Ensuring robust OSCE assessments: A reflective account from a Scottish school of nursing

AimThis paper reflects on the experience of one Scottish University in conducting a face-to-face Objective Structured Examination (OSCE) for large cohorts of student nurses. It outlines the challenges experienced and learning gained.Borton’s model of reflection frames this work due to its simplicity, ease of application and cyclical nature. BackgroundThe theoretical framework for the OSCE is critical thinking, enabling students to apply those skills authentically. OSCE’s are designed to transfer classroom knowledge to clinical practice and offer an authentic work-based assessment. DesignValidity and robustness are key considerations in any assessment and in OSCE, the number of stations that students encounter is important and debated. We used a case-study based OSCE approach initially over four stations and following reflection, changed to one long station with four phases. ResultsIn OSCE examinations, interrater reliability is a necessity, and students expect equity of approach. We identified that despite clear marking criteria, marks were polarised, with students achieving high or low marks with little middle ground. Review of examination papers highlighted that although students’ overall performance was good, some had failed in at least one station, suggesting a four-station approach may skew results. On reflection we hypothesised that using a one station case study-based, phased approach enabled the examiner to build up a more holistic picture of student knowledge and skills. It also provided the student opportunity to develop a rapport with the examiner and standardised patient, thereby putting them more at ease. We argue that this approach is holistic, authentic and student centred. ConclusionsOur experience highlights that a single station, four phase OSCE is preferrable, enabling students to integrate all aspects of the assessment and provides a holistic view of clinical skills and knowledge.

Teacher responses to racially motivated bullying in Scotland

Racially motivated bullying remains pervasive across Scottish schools. Teachers have a critical role in nurturing a safe and inclusive environment and preventing stigmatisation and oppression by intervening when a racially motivated bullying episode occurs but also by actively developing an anti-racist climate within their school by providing an anti-racism curriculum and advocating on behalf of minority ethnic youth. Despite the crucial role teachers can play in providing a safe environment, there is a paucity of literature examining the issue. Whilst some limited research is available in England about the barriers to embedding an anti-racist curriculum, there is no research about how teachers respond to racially motivated bullying episodes, the potential barriers to responding, and the processes and factors that influence teachers’ judgement calls when a racially motivated bullying incident happens. Similarly, in the Scottish context, there is a lacuna of knowledge about the strategies employed by teachers already within the education system and their perceptions on the support that they need to respond to racist incidents. This study aims to add to our knowledge about this issue by investigating Scottish teachers’ strategies when they are confronted with a hypothetical racially motivated bullying incident in their school. Eleven interviews were conducted with a sample of teachers from different levels of education in Scotland. Teacher responses indicated reluctance and, at times, inability to recognise and name incidents as racist. Further data highlighted the reliance on strategies such as using the victim of an incident to educate their peers, one-to-one discussions with both pupils and perpetrators, and a dependence on using their own ‘instinct’ to appraise an incident and response. Further sub themes emerged, including the perceived influence of generational and geospatial factors on both practitioners and the communities in which they practise and the resounding sentiment that practitioners lack engagement with anti-racist training. Our findings highlight the need to invest in schools, communities, and young people in order to create the social conditions in which teachers’ capacities to respond to racism can develop and flourish.

How nurturing is our school—Implementation and impact of a whole‐school approach in one Scottish primary school

AbstractThis paper outlines the journey of one Scottish primary school in taking nurturing approaches forward over a 5‐year period, with the aims of improving staff understanding of their role and feeling skilled in using nurturing approaches and improving pupil's health and well‐being and confidence. Using an action research methodology and the local authority How Nurturing is our school framework (Fife Council Educational Psychology Service, 2022), an audit of current practice was undertaken, and priorities identified at universal, additional and intensive levels were put in place. Evaluation data were gathered in a variety of formats from pupils, staff, and parents. Analysis of the evaluation data indicates that pupils had improved understanding of their emotions and how to manage these, staff were experiencing improved relationships and ethos across the school and parents were happy with the support their children were being offered via the nurturing approaches. There was visible improvement in the physical environments, staff thrived on the personal coaching offered and more nurturing practice could be seen and heard throughout the school. It is concluded that the project has made a sustained impact on the health and well‐being of pupils and is now embedded in the school culture.

Modernism, modernity and contemporality: conceptualizing the modern in Scotland’s modern studies

ABSTRACT This paper offers an analysis of Modern Studies, a school subject unique to Scotland. First taught in the 1960s, Modern Studies was originally conceived as an option for students discontinuing their studies in history and geography. Since then, though, Modern Studies has carved a distinctive curricular niche and has become one of the most popular subjects in Scottish schools. Despite this popularity—or, perhaps, because of it—Modern Studies has not received the same critical analysis as other subjects in the school curriculum. The subject remains one defined by its content (political literacy, social issues, and international relations), rather than by its disciplinary or epistemic underpinnings. This paper uses Toulmin’s (1990) conception of modernity to analyse course documents and examination papers. This analysis suggests that Modern Studies was imbued from the start with three foundational assumptions. First, a positivist ontology that believes certainty about the social world is possible. Second, a belief that Weberian means-end rationality is the most appropriate approach to evaluating and making sense of social relations. Third, a telos which positions liberal capitalism as the inevitable end-state of human affairs. Modern Studies is, therefore, not just ‘modern’ but modernist. The paper explores and develops these critiques with reference to specific examination questions and concludes by proposing a programme for renewing and reinvigorating the subject in an age of epistemic uncertainty and global environmental crises.

Encounters with Care in a Scottish Residential School in the 1980s

The meaning of care in residential child care is under-developed. It can often be represented through its absence, seen as offering at best basic physical tending but lacking emotional connection or warmth. At worst, residential care settings said to be institutionally abusive can be characterised as being antithetical to what we might imagine care should be. Residential schools and especially those run by religious orders attract particular opprobrium in this regard. In this article, I adopt a broadly autoethnographic approach to reflect on how boys (now men in their late 40s and early 50s) brought up in the 1980s in a Scottish residential school recall being cared for. The article uses Axel Honneth’s theory of recognition and its three pillars of love, rights and solidarity to group themes from how former pupils speak about their experiences of care. These accounts challenge the received narrative of such settings failing to offer care. The discussion reflects some ideas around care and about how we understand public care historically.

Spaces for play: listening to children’s voices

ABSTRACT This paper explores young children’s voices about their play spaces in one Scottish primary school. 45 children (ages 5–7 years) participated, choosing from a range of creative methods (e.g. InPhoTours, drawing, mapping) to share their voices. Using a ‘Playful Research Ethics Framework’, a developmentally appropriate framework which involved the use of visual aids, puppets, songs, Makaton symbols and discussions as well as attention to any cues of disengagement, this research aimed at achieving children’s ongoing informed assent. Four themes were identified: (a) the ‘whole child’ in the space, (b) space and relationships, (c) function of space, and (d) impact (or lack) of children’s voices about space. Children expressed differences in ownership, creativity and imagination in indoor and outdoor spaces. Further, despite perceiving there to be a lack of agency, children were willing to share their voices. There are implications for both practice and research in terms of adults willing to effectively listen to children’s voices and acting on them. This study makes original and significant contributions which have the potential to impact research and practice with young children internationally.

Teaching Scottish medical students about global health in partnership with LMIC institutions. Does it change their views on volunteering in LMIC settings?

An elective placement is a core part of most United Kingdom (UK) medical degrees, and a significant proportion of students choose to pursue their elective in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). There is a risk that students are ill-prepared for some of the ethical challenges that they will face during these placements, and that they have little appreciation for some of the negative effects that their placement can have on the host healthcare system. This study sought to address some of these negative consequences by exploring the preparation of medical students for these experiences, and the effect of including the LMIC perspective in preparation materials. This qualitative study used thematic analysis to explore the attitudes of final year medical students at a Scottish medical school to international volunteering, after completing a module on global health. This module was designed and delivered in partnership with academics from Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia, thus incorporating a strong LMIC perspective. This study demonstrated the ability of a global health module with a strong LMIC perspective to influence the attitudes of final year medical students in the following ways: 1) Challenging assumptions around international volunteering and, in particular, around some of the negative effects of international volunteering that had not previously been considered. 2) Changing future practice around international volunteering. This study provides good evidence that having a strong LMIC voice in preparation materials for medical students embarking on LMIC electives has the ability to increase awareness of some of the potential harms, and to positively influence how they plan to have discussions around and approach such experiences in the future.

Report on ‘Better arguments in Scottish classrooms’

AbstractThis report describes a new project, ‘Better Arguments’, which seeks to teach learners in Scottish secondary schools about what constitutes a good argument, how to identify a bad argument and how to build their own ‘better’ arguments. The unit of lessons uses extracts from Cicero's Pro Caelio as a means of modelling both good and bad arguments, with the aim of equipping learners with a framework by which they can analyse and evaluate not only Cicero's arguments but arguments generally. By way of background, the report explains the current provision of Classics teaching within Scotland and the challenges facing those who are working to reinstate Latin and Classical Studies, particularly at National Qualification level. In this context, the ‘Better Arguments’ project is one strategy to increase the Classics provision in state schools. The report explains the rationale behind the design and content of the unit and then goes on to highlight the benefits of teaching this unit, especially the educational, cultural and social gains to be made. It identifies some of the potential challenges to the implementation of these lessons and offers some solutions to them. Finally, it considers the ways in which this project might be viewed as a starting point, with suggestions as to how the skills developed here might be further built upon through the use of other classical texts in future units of work.

Expectations of progression to university among pupils in rural communities: the role of social influences

ABSTRACT This paper examines the social influences determining S5/Year 12 and S6/Year 13 (final year) pupils’ expectations of progression to university in a Scottish rural context in which pupils are less likely to go to university. In particular, we investigate the extent to which perceived support from parents, peers, and school, taking into account pupils’ own evaluation of their qualifications, is associated with their self-assessed likelihood of university entry. Our sample is drawn from a repeated questionnaire completed by pupils at three Scottish state secondary schools whose catchment areas are mainly rural. Our results are twofold. First, it is the perceived enthusiasm of their parents and peers, rather than their school, which is primarily correlated with pupils’ expectations of progression to university all else equal. This is true whether pupils report low or high qualification barriers to university entry. Second, perceived parental support is stronger for those whose parents had themselves attended university, especially for pupils identifying low qualification barriers. Given that school support appears to lack significance in pupils’ expectations of progression to university in this context, there is potentially scope for policymakers, universities and schools located in these rural communities to strengthen this influence.

Children's voices through play-based practice: listening, intensities and critique

PurposeThis paper offers a reflection of a research process aimed at listening to young children's voices in their everyday school life through a play-based context in a Scottish school. Throughout the research process, the complexity of conducting this research was kept in mind as listening to children's voices presents methodological and conceptual difficulties and tensions. Reflecting on the research process after the data was collected, the process was critiqued using Deleuze-Guattarian ideas. The critique aims at opening and challenging each researcher, allowing them to think-again about the next research project aimed at listening to children's voices.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved an observation study that took place over one week in a primary school in Central Scotland. As part of the educators' approach to play-based pedagogy, children had the opportunity to engage in free play throughout the day. Observations were chosen as the main approach to “capture” children's voices in their natural settings.FindingsThe empirical research brought forth two main ideas, that of children as agents, and how children amplify their voices through play. The reflective part offers the possibility of understanding the intensities and forces when conducting such research and the possibilities of engaging with these.Originality/valueThis paper offers a critique of research aimed at listening to children's voices. The aim is not to limit engagement in researching children's voices but to open, or make complex, such processes.

Class reproduction theorising a head teacher’s auto-ethnography of a Scottish primary school

ABSTRACT This critical auto-ethnography is a case study of schooling practices in a state primary school. It narrates the ethnographer’s research experience in spaces of social class reproduction when he was the school’s head teacher. Lukes’ model of power is incorporated into understanding forms of domination in this setting. Over the two-year period of his professional doctorate, the ethnographer recorded observations of teacher-student interactions in his research diary. The school is situated in an area of structural disadvantage and in class terms its demography is working-class. The study highlights challenges facing a head teacher seeking an enlightened ethos where power is perceived as invested in a unionised primary school workforce and local authority employer. The ‘specific moments’ referred to in the article’s opening extract hint at what Alfred Schutz calls a ‘lifeworld’ which is iterated through the findings reported in this article.

Prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences and autism in Scottish primary schools 2018-2022.

This study investigated the prevalence of neurodevelopmental needs among children in primary schools in Scotland. Two groups were identified: autistic learners and a larger group of learners who had neurodevelopmental differences. These differences encompassed any need for additional support in various domains, including communication, interaction, emotional regulation, coordination, movement, and cognition. A two-phase process was employed, drawing on data from a cross-sectional study followed by a secondary analysis of a population census. In the first phase, a random sample of 688 children with additional support needs from 22 schools participated. Demographics, support characteristics, and neurodevelopmental needs were identified. Results revealed that 76.89% of children with additional support needs exhibited a need type consistent with a neurodevelopmental difference. In the second phase, data from the Scottish Government Annual Pupil Census, covering all state-provided primary school children between 2018 and 2022, were analyzed. Modeling was conducted using data from the first phase to estimate prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences. Data on autism were directly extracted from the census. Analysis revealed an increase in the prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences and autism. The prevalence of autism rose by 31.98%, with 2.60% of primary school children identified as autistic in 2022. Similarly, the prevalence of neurodevelopmental differences increased by 10.57%, with 16.22% of primary school children exhibiting such differences in 2022. Across 32 localities, regional variations in prevalence were observed. These findings show the substantial number of neurodivergent children within Scottish primary schools and emphasize the need for a neurodevelopmentally informed approach to inclusive education.

Teacher's Views of Art Education in Primary Schools in Scotland

AbstractThe majority of art education research in the United Kingdom originates from England; however, the devolved nations each have responsibility for education resulting in four different curricula working concurrently across Great Britain. It can be argued that in comparison to England, art and design education research in Scotland is an under‐researched area though one that is increasingly garnering interest. This paper contributes to the field by presenting and discussing some of the findings from a survey of teachers focused on art and design education in Scottish primary schools in 2022. A total of 110 teachers participated and the survey examined the value of the subject, the current delivery in schools, the future of the subject and support for teachers. A wealth of data were gathered so this paper focuses particularly on the value of the subject among staff, confidence levels regarding delivery and the role of training and professional learning. The paper concludes that while the value of the subject among staff is strong, confidence levels with regard to teaching the subject are not. Staff felt that training had left them unprepared to teach the subject, and there was limited awareness of professional learning opportunities in their geographical area.

‘Wayfarers: Confronting the past through traditional music in schools’

This paper discusses an inquiry-based school-university partnership project conducted by history and music education specialists in Scotland. The project was music-led with history underpinning it, namely the musical migration of Scots and Irish to the Eastern United States. From the 18th century onwards thousands of Scots and Irish moved to Appalachia – ‘the wayfarers’ in our title. Their heritage now features in the Scottish school curriculum. However, the wayfarers encountered a range of challenging factors, including forced migration and segregation, which are not yet fully considered in schools. To address this need we co-developed resources with a specialist school to enhance secondary school practices surrounding music education and pupil engagement with challenging histories. This paper critically considers the project stages, supported by secondary and primary sources, including group interviews. In the conclusions we make suggestions for future policy, research and practice, such as to frame traditional songs in schools in their historical context.

The Interactional Organisation of Co-Teaching in Language Educational Settings: The Case of Mandarin Language Teaching in Scotland

ABSTRACT Co-teaching is a common feature of language education in schools. It usually involves two adults holding different sets of expertise and working jointly with the same group of learners. Despite the prevalence of co-teaching in language educational settings, little is known as to how co-teaching is organised and negotiated in classroom talk. Drawing on Membership Categorisation Analysis, this paper aims to shed light on the interactional organisation of co-teaching in language educational settings. To do so, we differentiate the institutional label of “classroom teacher” from the practical social identity of “teacher-hood” and investigate who, in a co-teaching setting, performs “teacher-hood” (or in other words, who is “doing being” the teacher). We take the case of a Chinese student volunteer who teaches Mandarin alongside a classroom teacher in a Scottish primary school and present a series of ethnographic vignettes where the teacher and the student volunteer find multiple and creative ways of negotiating “teacher-hood.”