Sharing Student Projects

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the perspectives of Indonesian primary school teachers regarding SEL implementation. The aim was to establish significant recurring ideas regarding the importance of SEL in enhancing students' social-emotional skills, the concrete strategies used to develop SEL skills, and the challenges that teachers encountered in promoting SEL. The target population for the research was Indonesian primary school teachers. The inclusion criteria were actively teaching and being able to read and write in English (since the research was conducted in English). The participants were initially recruited by convenience sampling using the WhatsApp platform, which involved selecting individuals who were already known to the researcher. Subsequently, snowball sampling was employed, whereby participants were asked to recommend other potential participants. Recruitment was also conducted via sharing information on LinkedIn and emailing schools. The study included thirty teachers, consisting of 21 females and nine males with ages ranging from 24 to 54 years. This sample included those with experience teaching spanning from less than a year to 29 years. The study employed a socio-constructivist approach, which recognises the significance of diverse perspectives. Therefore, an online qualitative survey with open-ended questions was used to gain a comprehensive understanding of the teachers' views and experiences. The data was analysed using a reflexive thematic analysis approach to find recurring ideas in the survey responses and categorise them into themes. The analysis revealed three themes: teachers' valuation of SEL, navigating SEL promotion practice, and recognising SEL promotion challenges. In this context, subthemes arose within the main themes. Regarding teachers' valuation of SEL, teachers emphasised the significance of SEL for both students and themselves. Regarding the SEL promotion practice, teachers implemented classroom management strategies, utilised a personal approach, and involved key settings in order to foster SEL in students. Regarding the challenges, teachers reported encountering difficulties with personal challenges, parental involvement, students' diverse characteristics, and a lack of knowledge and resources. The findings of this study are broadly consistent with previous research, have interconnected explanations between the themes, and provide new insights for further investigation. The background research identified several significant factors that influence the strategies used to promote SEL in students, as well as the challenges teachers faced during this process, which are similar to the findings. Furthermore, this study not only supports previous research on SEL implementation in Asian countries but also provides a deeper understanding of how Indonesian teachers perceive SEL. These findings suggest further implications, highlighting the need for training development and resources to support teachers' SEL implementation in the classroom. Improved collaboration between key settings should also be addressed in order to increase the effectiveness of SEL promotion. Future research might involve a larger and more diverse sample of Indonesian primary school teachers in order to gain deeper insights into the implications for educational practices and policies in Indonesia.

This research may have benefits for teachers, students, parents, the community, and those responsible for policy decisions that influence the development of curricula that incorporate SEL and related topics. These findings imply the need for providing teachers with training programmes to equip them with SEL skills and the knowledge of integrating these subjects into their teaching in order to enhance the effectiveness of SEL implementation in the classroom. The Indonesian Ministry of Education could use this information to establish nationwide SEL training programs for teachers. Furthermore, the findings recommend schools initiate activities and programmes that involve parents, such as arranging workshops to educate parents about SEL practices, to ensure consistency of SEL implementation between school and home environment. Parents need to be mindful of their responsibilities at home, as they have a significant impact on the socioemotional development of students. Schools might also need to initiate collaborations with the community, as they could potentially provide additional support for both schools and families. For example, the community could organise teacher training and provide societal settings where students can practice their SEL skills. Finally, these findings implicate the need for the Indonesian government to improve the quantity and quality of initiatives and policies that explicitly target social and emotional health in school environments.

The notion of achieving the quality education as in the Sustainable Development Goals number 4 is within the next seven years. In Indonesia, similar aim has been postulated in the past two decades, however the effort to achieve it is still unseen in the near future. Quality education in the perspective of this project refers to an equal access to education for all children to help them be whatever they want to become. With that, this narrative review dissertation is aiming to establish 4Ex Learning Framework, a transformative learning framework, that will help middle schools in Indonesia enabling an interest-driven learning. To guide the study of this project, two research questions are fruited from the aim: 1) what are the elements of the learning framework? and 2) how can digital technologies support this learning framework? The advantageous features of formal and informal education practices are merged together in order to produce a new education practice which serves as the principle of the learning framework. As the result of this study, 4Ex Learning Framework is designed to have four elements namely, exposure, exploration, experience, and expertise. The role of digital technologies in this learning framework is significant, as in each element of the framework there is always digital technologies being in used. Since the main target of this learning framework is to help students, schools are encouraged to eliminate the competitive mindset, instead start to build connection and partnerships; with other schools, communities, universities, and industries.

The learning framework established here will be able to transform education practice and deliver a quality education for all whilst also promoting the lifelong learning opportunities.

This study explored the relationship between interactions and perceived learning outcomes (PLO) among DTCE students from University of Manchester in online learning. Perspectives on both direct and vicarious learner-learner interaction (LLI) and direct and vicarious learner-instructor interaction (LII) were collected from 55 participants through an electronic questionnaire. Descriptive data analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis were employed to interpret the survey data. The research findings indicated that participants showed a slightly greater inclination towards LII compared to LLI. When interaction was categorized into direct LLI, vicarious LLI, direct LII, and vicarious LII, participants exhibited a slightly higher tendency towards both vicarious LLI and vicarious LII compared to direct interactions (DI). Both LLI and LII, as well as vicarious interaction (VI), exhibited significantly strong and positive correlations with PLO. Furthermore, DI displayed a moderate positive correlation. The results of the regression analysis indicated that LLI, DI, and VI could be used to predict the levels of PLO. The results of the study proved that the exploration between interactions and PLO was meaningful and that participants did benefit from interactive behaviors. The innovation of this study lies in considering the potential relationship between vicarious interaction and PLO, providing a foundation for future related research, and identifying the limitations of existing frameworks.

The innovation of this study lies in considering the potential relationship between vicarious interaction and PLO, providing a foundation for future related research, and identifying the limitations of existing frameworks.

This project aimed to explore why parents/carers of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) choose special schools and whether special schools meet their expectations. To examine this topic 12 parents/carers (11 mothers and one grandmother) whose child had moved from mainstream to special school in England were interviewed using one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Parents/carers were chosen because they can provide valuable insight into their child’s needs and how to best meet them, yet their voice is underrepresented in the current research. An interview schedule was designed; the first half focussed on why participants chose a special school, and the second half focussed on their expectations and the realities of the special school. Interpretation of the interviews found that participants transferred their child from mainstream to special school due to push factors, negative experiences that led them to conclude that mainstream school was not a good fit for their child. These push factors were mostly related to their child not fitting in at the mainstream school as well as staff not having the skills or knowledge to support children with SEN and demonstrating a lack of understanding. This could lead to emotional distress for the child and parent. These findings matched other studies examining the transfer from mainstream to special schools. However, there is a paucity of studies examining this transition, so more research is needed. Findings highlighted that participants did not feel like they had a true choice regarding their child’s school placement and some participants felt that their views had not been adequately considered by the local authority. This matches several studies which have found that parents of children with SEN feel constrained when choosing their child’s school. Participants had universally expected the special school to be a better fit than mainstream school for their child, but results were mixed regarding how well the school met their expectations. Using a theory called Stage-Environment Fit, this study organised parents’ experiences at the special school into fits and misfits. These fits and misfits were related to the socio-emotional needs of the child, support for their learning, the school atmosphere and the relationship between the parent and school. Participants perceived a good fit when their child’s learning, peer relationships and social skills were well supported and there was proactive home-school communication. Similar fits have been identified by other studies. Findings suggest fits and misfits at mainstream and special school are related to several domains, such as social and academic domains. Therefore, to meet the needs of their students with SEN schools should take a holistic approach to meet their students’ many needs. This study found that parents seek to transfer their child when they perceive a school is not a good fit for their child’s individual needs. However, the research around school choice and fit is still in the exploratory stages in England so more research is needed

This study added to the knowledge base regarding school choice and fit for children with SEN in England. This is important as the number of children identified with SEN has been increasing year on year and the proportion of children with SEN attending special schools has also increased. Therefore, it is important for policymakers to appreciate the decision-making of parents of children with SEN to understand current and future trends in school placement in England. Furthermore, government policy has emphasised that parents’ preferences regarding school choice should be considered, but this study has suggested that parents of children with SEN do not feel like they have a true choice about their child’s school placement. Most participants also emphasised how long and stressful the process to gain a special school place was, which has also been found in several other studies. More support from local authorities around this transition may reduce how difficult parents find this process. This study found that parents seek new schools if they perceive that the school is not able to meet their child’s needs. By highlighting fits and misfits between children with SEN and different schools, this study may help both mainstream and special schools better understand what works when supporting children with SEN and their families.

In the tech start-up industry, learning in the workplace is imperative for the workforce to remain relevant and adaptable to change for the business to succeed. While workplace learning (WPL) generally consists of formal learning using digital platforms and informal learning through communities of practice, most workplace learning analytics (WPLA) solutions do not reflect the holistic learning journey of the individual. There have been different studies about Workplace Learning and Learning Analytics. However, there are few works of literature on which both topics intersect, and even fewer considering the perspective of stakeholders. The purpose of this study is to explore an effective workplace learning analytics solution from the perspective of Learning and Development (L&D) Professionals and Learners presenting the perspective of ‘two sides of the same coin’ related to WPL. Employing qualitative research methods, such as email questionnaires and focus group interviews, this study found that there is a need to align individual growth with organisational goals within WPL. It advocates for an expanded scope of metrics incorporating qualitative insights and behavioural shifts beyond the conventional focus on quantitative data. This study proposes a WPLA framework that integrates micro-meso and macro-level analytics to provide a comprehensive view of the organisation’s overall learning program and the quality of the individual’s learning experience. In addition to the current quantitative data sets, WPLA should include data from dialogues between managers and team members as well as self and peer evaluation of skills. With the introduction of large sets of qualitative data, there is the potential of using Artificial Intelligence, in particular, Large Language Models, to support the analysis. Considering the complexity of the WPL process, the collaborative effort among learners and various stakeholders to collect relevant learning data is also crucial for WPLA to be effective.

This research offers transformative insights into the workplace learning landscape, paving the way for future research and impactful Learning & Development practices.

This project aimed to explore whether there are relationships between the information that mainstream secondary schools produce about their cultures and values in their ethos statements, and the choices that parents of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) make when choosing secondary schools for their child. To explore this relationship, parents of upper primary aged children (ages 8-10) with SEND were recruited from a range of English regions. 36 participants were ultimately recruited to the study. Participants completed an online survey which required them to rate ethos statements for five English mainstream secondary schools, based on their individual impressions of their inclusiveness for learners with SEND. Participants were also required to rate their likelihood of selecting that school based on this information. Participants provided their ratings for these using a five-point scale and were also given the opportunity to provide text responses to detail the reasons for their ratings. The existing research literature exploring factors influencing school choices of parents of children with SEND is relatively sparse. Many of these studies originate from outside of the United Kingdom, and although relevant, they do not account for factors unique to the context in England. Most studies have used research methods focused on descriptions and observations and have not collected numeric data which would allow analysis of the relationships between influencing factors and parents’ choices. Existing studies have also lacked a theoretical framework to interpret findings. This study collected numeric data which allowed statistical analysis techniques to be used to explore the relationships between parents’ ethos ratings and their likelihood of choosing specific schools. Findings were framed in the context of Ecological Systems Theory (Bronfenbrenner & Morris, 2006), which explores the development and behaviour of individuals in the context of how they encounter, and are influenced by, different systems throughout their lives. The results of the study showed that parental ratings of ethos statements strongly predicted their likelihood of choosing a school. These findings are supported by previous studies which have shown that parents of children with SEND consider factors such as ethos, values, and culture when choosing schools for their children, although the relationship between these factors and their eventual choices were not tested in these prior studies. Evidence from this study indicates that parental views on the inclusiveness of secondary school ethos statements are significant factors in the decisions they make about school choices for children with SEND. To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this study is the first to demonstrate this relationship statistically. Findings have implications for inclusion policy at the school and national levels, and for parents of children with SEND.

The results of this study have implications for inclusion policy in England. Political bodies have highlighted concerns about lack of equitability in SEND provision (House of Commons Education Committee, 2019; OFSTED, 2021), and the Department for Education have expressed concerns about disparities in schools’ inclusive practices (Booth, 2024), and are considering review and reform of national SEND policy more widely (ITV News, 2024; Phillipson, 2024; Weale, 2024). The findings of this study show that through their ethos statements, schools communicate different messages about their culture and values regarding their inclusivity of pupils with SEND. This has an impact upon the school choices of parents of children with SEND, and may further reinforce disparities in inclusive practice and inequitable variations in SEND populations within individual schools. This has psychological, moral, financial, and policy implications at several levels and has consequences for a range of stakeholders, including national government, local authorities, school leaders, teaching and support staff, parents, and children. The current focus on review of SEND policy, funding, and provision would benefit from considering how historic reforms to education policy have interacted with SEND policy, creating tension between the standards and inclusion agendas which has resulted in the inequities observed in mainstream schools under the current SEND system. Placing inclusion and SEND within the remit of the Schools Minister (Whittaker, 2024) is an encouraging first step towards beginning to acknowledge this tension between SEND policy and wider school and education systems. The results of this study show that not all schools portray themselves to be equally inclusive, and that their culture and ethos can appear off-putting and exclusionary to parents of children with SEND. If the current SEND crisis is to be resolved, it will be necessary to consider such factors to improve the inclusiveness of school offers and perhaps more crucially, in improving the lived experiences of SEND families.

In education, literature suggest that strong relationships between teachers and pupils are seen as essential for academic progress. However, often the way in which these relationships are formed or the power dynamic of these relationships are ignored. As long as academic success is achieved, the goal has been reached. Often, pupil perceptions or experiences are used as a surveillance and check box tool disguised as pupil voice, rather than listened to. Yet, it is these pupils who schools and teachers have the purpose to serve. This paper aims to fill a gap in the discourse, identifying the issues surrounding relationships between Pakistani and Bengali pupils and White British teachers, from the perception of the pupil. Through the use of a case-study approach, by using a focus group interview of 7 Pakistani and Bengali pupils at a Northern English Academy, this study listens to the voices of the pupils to understand their perceptions of their experiences and how their perceptions effect relationships with White British teachers. The study found that pupils defined the strength of their relationships with their teachers based on how the time with the teacher was spent and when the time was given. Pupils felt that teachers who did not have strong knowledge about their heritage or religion often made stereotypes and assumptions about them, leading to weakened teacher pupil relationships. As well as this, the findings suggested that pupils felt confused by their identity and the lack of teacher knowledge further fuelled insecure feelings.

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The project looks at the collaborative planning and evaluation of a journalistic writing unit for secondary English student where a group were working towards a shared goal, it will be something all teachers will be able to utilise and hopefully it will have future impacts for teaching and learning going forward. Additionally, I am hoping it solves the issue of teachers being unclear or confused on what is expected of them when a completely new scheme of work is expected to be delivered by them when they have had no input in the planning. My research questions were developed after the completion of my literature review as a lot of my academic research pointed to the fact that using pupil voice aids student performance and engagement. Does collaborative planning lead to a more successful implementation of a scheme of work?  What are the recommendations with regards to using collaboration to improve curriculum planning in schools? Does involving pupil voice in a scheme of work lead to higher engagement and academic achievement? A summary of the findings is as follows: Collaborative planning is integral to ensuring consistency across the teaching of a scheme of work. All future schemes of work should involve an initial meeting with all teachers to outline what should be included and what needs to be assessed. Planning of a scheme of work should fall on one teacher to ensure fluidity and consistency with the scheme and subsequent PowerPoint presentation. The teacher who conducted the planning must be given time during departmental meetings, prior to the scheme being launched, to discuss the scheme, make any final adjustments and clear any misconceptions from other teachers. Following the teaching of a scheme all teachers must provide honest feedback and recommendations for improvements.

Collaborative planning is integral to ensuring consistency across the teaching of a scheme of work. All future schemes of work should involve an initial meeting with all teachers to outline what should be included and what needs to be assessed. Planning of a scheme of work should fall on one teacher to ensure fluidity and consistency with the scheme and subsequent PowerPoint presentation. The teacher who conducted the planning must be given time during departmental meetings, prior to the scheme being launched, to discuss the scheme, make any final adjustments and clear any misconceptions from other teachers. Following the teaching of a scheme all teachers must provide honest feedback and recommendations for improvements.

Children develop a vital set of emotional competencies during their infant years, such as the ability to recognise and understand different emotions and the ability to respond appropriately to different emotions (often referred to as ‘emotional regulation’). These competencies lay the foundation for a range of important outcomes, such as academic achievement (Blankson et al., 2017; Ursache et al., 2020), social relationships (Denham et al., 2015) and pro-social behaviours (Fatahi et al., 2023; Ornaghi et al., 2017). It is therefore essential to understand what influences the successful development of these emotional skills in children, in order to optimise their later life outcomes. Adults play an important part in shaping a child’s emotional competencies through the way that they react to children, particularly during situations when the child is experiencing a negative emotion, e.g. fear, anger and sadness (Davidov & Grusec, 2006). Studies have shown that when adults respond to these situations in a positive way (e.g. accepting, coaching, problem-solving approaches) it facilitates children’s emotional competencies, but that when they respond to situations in a negative way (e.g. dismissive, punitive, critical approaches), it hinders their development (Denham et al., 2000; Eisenberg et al., 1996; Scrimgeour et al., 2016). Whilst parents have an important role in developing their child’s emotional skills by responding to them supportively, so too do staff within the child’s educational/care setting. Existing evidence from the USA has shown that experience and qualification level could influence how practitioners respond to children’s negative emotions (Denham et al., 2017). However, given the international differences in early years education systems, it is important that this is explored within the context of English settings. Therefore, this study investigated the factors which could influence how pre-school practitioners respond to children’s negative emotions, by exploring the role of: setting type (private/voluntary or school-based), qualification status and experience level. An online survey was completed by 109 pre-school practitioners working in different setting types across England. The sample represented a range of experience and qualification levels, although it was more skewed towards highly experienced, degree-qualified practitioners. The online survey included a series of hypothetical scenarios of a child experiencing a negative emotion that are likely to be encountered in a pre-school environment, such as losing their favourite toy and becoming upset. For each scenario, participants were provided with six statements describing different ways of reacting, and were asked to rate their likelihood of reacting to the given scenario in that way. These reaction statements could be grouped into supportive and non-supportive categories. Analyses were carried out to explore how different groups of practitioners, according to setting type, qualification and experience, responded to the different scenarios. The findings show that qualification and experience levels have a combined effect on likelihood to respond to situations, and that less experienced practitioners without a degree are more likely to react in a non-supportive way than those with a degree. The type of setting that practitioners work in does not appear to influence how they respond to children’s negative emotions. However, this warrants further research as the sample in this study was not as representative for the private/voluntary sector workforce as it was for the school-based workforce. Studies have also demonstrated that stress and emotional wellbeing can negatively influence how an adult responds to children using supportive strategies (Buettner et al., 2016). This is an important avenue for future research, in order to identify if there are differences in stress and emotional wellbeing according to setting type, experience and qualification level, and the resulting impact of this on practitioners’ ability to respond to children in a supportive way.

Gaining a better understanding of the factors which influence how an adult responds to a child’s negative emotions is crucial in being able to direct support appropriately, to ensure that children have optimal opportunities to develop their emotional competencies. This exploratory study is the first of its kind in England and offers a valuable insight into the combined role of experience and qualification in determining how practitioners are likely to respond to children’s negative emotional expressions. The findings of this research would be useful for pre-school leaders who are responsible for the professional development of staff within their setting. It is important that all staff, regardless of experience and qualification level, are equipped with the skills to use supportive strategies to develop children’s emotional competencies. This research would help to give pre-school leaders a better awareness of potential training needs that early-career professionals without a degree might have. The research findings may also benefit course leaders and tutors working in college-based settings that offer non-degree training routes into Early Years careers (e.g. apprenticeships, NVQ diplomas). It is essential that training programmes sufficiently prepare practitioners to be able to supportively develop children’s emotional competencies. Therefore, course leaders and tutors should consider whether their course content and training support includes this extensively enough within the programme of study.

This research aimed to understand barriers faced by disadvantaged students (as identified by the PP criteria) from the perspectives of secondary school teachers. There has been a long-standing attainment gap between disadvantaged students and those from higher SES backgrounds. The research was viewed through several theoretical perspectives, which in combination provided a more holistic understanding of the PP situation. The predominant psychological framework was that of Risk and Resilience, which identifies risk (difficulties) and protective (resilience) factors. In addition, this research considered the particular issues inherent in the post-COVID cost-of-living crisis period. The research topic, time period and use of several analysis frameworks is not prevalent in the wider research literature. The study took place in a secondary school in Oldham, which has areas of deprivation and thus a high proportion of PP students. Eight teacher-participants were selected for the study via purposive convenience sampling (i.e. those teachers replying first being selected). One-to-one, audio-recorded semi-structured interviews (i.e. open-ended questions with opportunities for discussion) were the chosen method of data gathering. This qualitative approach aimed to gather in-depth (‘rich’) viewpoints, as opposed to quantitative (statistical) generalisable data. The interview transcripts were explored via an inductive thematic analysis (identifying, themes and patterns within the data); three themes then emerged: Parent and school partnership; Contextual factors affecting education; Pedagogical (teaching methods) responses and approaches of teachers. Viewing the data through the Risk and Resilience framework, the following risk and protective factors were identified and were found to be consistent with existing literature. Those factors, which are external influences include: cultural capital (defined as the knowledge, skills and cultural experiences required to progress in an educational context) of PP students being insufficiently rich enough for the National Curriculum and cultural capital which is different from the requirements of the National Curriculum. These factors stem from the habitus (deeply ingrained set of attitudes and dispositions) that are the foundations of the home lives of many PP students. These findings are as per the seminal work of Bourdieu’s theory of social practice. The resulting consequences are that much defined National Curriculum school work has little connection or appeal to PP students and the psychological response is that many PP students have reduced motivation, which can then lead them being open to resistant-behaviour. In addition, the post-COVID cost-of-living crisis has created significant financial burdens and time constraints, leading to reduced support from parents. Another identified external risk factor, but one currently not present within existing literature to any great extent, is the: further marginalisation of students subject to the effects of a digital divide due to teachers relying on greater IT utilisation to reduce teaching workload. This has arisen from improved IT self-efficacy in the teaching profession during COVID-19. Factors that the research identified that support academic attainment and thus build resilience in PP students are external protective factors of: caring and strong support networks (between teachers/students, teachers/parents) and include school connectedness; a positive classroom emotional-climate; developing educational skills in parents (e.g. developing parents’ understanding of university financing). These have been implemented via structures and policies that include: QFT and Breakfast Clubs. These also aid in providing cost-of-living support. All these policies aim to increase the internal resilience in students. The findings are consistent with wider literature. For future studies, it is recommended that a longitudinal study be conducted of the long-term effects of COVID-19 and the subsequent cost-of-living crisis on the educational attainment of PP students.

The research is particularly useful for the target-school, which can benefit from obtaining an enhanced overview of the understanding of their staff on the PP situation, and the views of teachers on the PP strategies that are currently in place. This could help senior leaders to allocate PP monies more effectively. Further to this, the research could be especially valuable for secondary school teachers across the Oldham local authority, and also to those who teach in similar demographics but in different locations throughout England. Such schools may have similar risk factors and all schools would benefit from the implementation of the protective (resilience) factors. Nevertheless, representation of geographically diverse areas in the study is limited and thus the findings may not be applicable to other locations in England. Therefore, applicability of the study needs to be considered carefully. Issues arising concerning the marginalisation of disadvantaged students will need to be considered from a wider educational and curricula context. Educational policies and curriculum content may need to be altered to align more with the cultural capital of PP students. However, this may give rise to the debate on whether the curriculum may become at risk of being less challenging. As well as this, other educational establishments can benefit from the research as they can gain an insight into other PP strategies and structures to implement protective factors. Furthermore, the teaching profession can utilise the findings of this dissertation-research to support in the structuring of their own interventions and support strategies, leading to optimisation of the distribution of PP monies, and ultimately resulting in a narrowing of the PP educational attainment gap. The findings can also support PP parents in understanding how they may be impacting on their child's academic resilience, and consequently aid parents to become better equipped in supporting their child’s education and well-being, and advocating for resources and support to enable their child to prosper.

This study was done as current national educational policy regarding moral development is limited in guidance regarding how schools could support moral development, therefore this study aimed to explore the relationship between adolescents’ perception of their school’s moral atmosphere and how important they personally think showing moral behaviours is. This study seeks to contribute to wider academic discussions surrounding moral education by providing empirical data regarding adolescents’ perception of their school’s indirect moral messaging. The target population for the study were older adolescents, aged 16-18 years old. This age group were selected due to this group being able to reflect on their full time at secondary school, and also due to adolescence being identified as an important period for the emergence of moral identity. 12 participants took part in an online survey with 51 questions. These questions asked them to rate on a 5-point scale, where 1=Strongly Disagree and 5= Strongly Agree, how much they agreed with statements about their approach to different situations and also about their perceptions of their school. Participants were recruited through social media groups on Facebook and via the social media application TikTok. Participants were also recruited via initial participants distributing the survey to other people within the target population. This study found that there was no significant relationship between rating of school moral atmosphere and moral identity. The data showed a moderate negative relationship between perception of social relations within school and moral integrity. These findings indicate that adolescents who rate the social relations within their secondary school lower are expected to have higher moral integrity scores. This goes against previous research that found a positive relationship between similar variables of moral competency and social relationships. However, it should be considered that the participants in this study all experienced significant disruption to their learning during the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This may have affected to their rating of their school moral atmosphere, as they may have had brief periods of online learning along with less consistent access to their regular physical school environments. Replications of this study could adopt a mixed methods approach, with the use of the two measures in this study and also interviewing participants to explore how they perceive their school moral atmosphere in the aftermath of the peak of the pandemic compared to prior to the pandemic.

I think teachers and adolescents would benefit from this research. As discussed in the literature review, there is a lot of freedom, but also lack of clarity regarding best practises for provision for moral development within schools. From the findings of this study, I would highlight one key point for educators to consider within their classrooms and wider school. The findings of this study suggests that adolescents’ perception of social relations and sense of community within the school decreases if they place a higher value on acting in a way that is consistent with their personal moral values. This may indicate that adolescents’ feel that their personal moral values may not align with the moral atmosphere promoted by their school as an institution and as a community. Educators could adopt aspects of the Just Community approach to engage with their older pupils to discuss their moral values and what has contributed to these values being internalised. This may be achieved within classrooms through supported moral discussions between pupils and between pupils and teachers (Boheim et al., 2021), and also within the wider school environment through allowing pupils to help shape school ethos’ and behaviour codes. For adolescents, this study is impactful through acknowledging the value of their perspectives on their school environment. The School Moral Atmosphere Questionnaire emphasises that adolescents are engaged and important social actors within their school environment, therefore their perspectives are valuable to consider when considering non-academic educational policy that aims to support their personal development. Additionally, the findings could be interpreted as schools not having an impact on adolescents’ moral development. Further research using qualitative methods could provide an insight into what institutions or aspects of society adolescents feel contribute to their moral development, which then could be reflected in changes to current guidance for moral development provision in schools and wider socio-political discussion regarding adolescents and their morality.

How knowledge is constructed, who decides what is taught, and when and how it is measured have long governed discussions around educational policy. Yet, dialogue around how our ‘knowledge-rich’ national curriculum sits within its contemporary, cultural context is far quieter. This dissertation reports on an inquiry into activating knowledge during maths lessons in a Year 1 setting in Greater Manchester. It explores themes of knowledge and power, place-based education and how these work in relation to activating knowledge. Qualitative data gleaned from student voice indicates that students are building their knowledge of maths far wider than school, revealing a plethora of ‘hidden’ adults and places. This makes the case for teachers building their awareness of students’ contexts and how these intersect with learning opportunities, especially in early education and especially where their socio-demographics differ to those of the school. Furthermore, this study found that one government-endorsed maths scheme does not match some research recommendations for how prior knowledge is most effectively activated through structural as opposed to surface tasks. This indicates that school bought schemes and subscriptions should not be blindly accepted, rather, subject to teacher discretion and adaption for student need. Finally, this project indicates that leading models of cognitive architecture and activation of knowledge, upon which policy is in at least part predicated, don’t yet adequately capture the idiosyncrasies and fluidity of knowledge in ways that can be monitored and used effectively in a classroom of Year 1 students. As these models form part of the dominant discourse of learning, there can only be benefit in apportioning space for teachers to learn more about the origins of ideas, the contexts in which they are used and their underlying ambiguities.

Visual depiction of impact is provided:

Since the Enlightenment, the notion of scientific rationality and abstraction has been closely associated with the male gender more so than the female. Mathematics is seen as a subject that deals with the abstract using rational logical methods of inquiry. Transitively, then in mathematics has become known as a subject more suited for males to pursue as a career. Societal stereotypes and narratives in a patriarchal society have propagated this association throughout history through the use of binary oppositions that privilege the personality traits commonly associated with the male gender. What effect, therefore, has this had on female pupils studying mathematics? This research explores the influences on the self-perceptions of mathematical ability of high attaining female pupils during their GCSE years of study. In my professional life as a teacher and through news reports on every GCSE results day, we find that female pupils are just as good as, if not better than, male pupils in GCSE subjects. However, when we look at a level participation, we find that a notable majority of mathematics students are males. What is happening to those high attaining girls so that they do well in GCSE mathematics, but decide not to pursue mathematics at A Level? As well as analysing and explaining how self-perceptions affect mathematical aspirations, we will also compare female self-perceptions with male self-perceptions of mathematical ability. This will allow us to evaluate the extent to which this dualistic opposition thinking from the Enlightenment still permeates contemporary societal thinking about mathematics attainment and aspirations. This research aims to answer two research questions: 1.     How do high attaining female pupils perceive their own mathematical ability and aspirations? 2.     What is the difference between self-perceptions of mathematical ability and aspirations in high attaining male and female pupils? Through the use of pupil questionnaires and pupil focus groups, the notion of gender socialisation, intersecting with GCSE mathematics lessons is analysed. How the different gender groups view this socialisation and the influence on their mathematical aspirations (or lack thereof) were evaluated to conclude whether archaic gender stereotypes about mathematics as being a ‘male subject’ is still affecting high attaining students.

The community I have chosen for my Dissemination of Impact presentation is the mathematics department at my school of employment. The reason I have chosen them is because my research is an exploration into the self perceptions of some of our pupils. Recent narratives in education have focused on white, working class boys or engage low attainers, however, as my research has shown, high attaining girls also need focusing on. The purpose of my research was to find out about the self perceptions of my high attaining class and why it was that they were not choosing to do A level maths in college. This was a problem, not just in my high attaining classes, but others too (as shown by the pupil questionnaires I conducted). Therefore, my findings and recommendations are extremely relev ant to

my mathematics colleagues in school, as they can then use my research to inform their own practice. By using the recommendations, and reflecting on the ideas that I have discussed, they can better their own teaching so that they can become a more feminist teacher. The effect of this should be that narratives in our school that exclude girls, or treat maths as a subject for boys, will be eradicated. Hence, high attaining girls have a more positive self perception of mathematical ability and feel empowered to take maths at A level if they so wish. If the department wish to implement my recommendations and use the issues I have raised to further reflect on our teaching practice and the way we talk about mathematics, then the effect should be a more inclusive classroom, where female (high attaining) pupils feel more open to the possibility of continuing with mathematics study post GCSE.

About a year before writing this dissertation, I stumbled across a University of Birmingham article titled: “Mind the gap: What is missing in the autism research agenda?” in which I read a poignant story of Jim Simpson: “Jim Simpson, an autistic author and activist in the US, tells a story of meeting a child with autism. The child was amazed to meet Jim. Having never heard of an adult who had autism, he had assumed that autistic children died before they grew up.” Reading this made me realise that I had an integral role in ensuring that all children believe they will grow up and can blossom in their own space. My dissertation's main aim was to better understand how lecturers support autistic university students, specifically at the University of Manchester. This was done by answering two key questions: Q1: How does university lecturers’ awareness and understanding of autism correlate with their ability to support autistic students? and Q2: What critical pedagogical strategies do university lecturers employ to support the diverse academic and social needs of autistic students? As a case study, this dissertation used semi-structured interviews to interview four lecturers in our University's Education field. Data were then inductively and thematically analysed. The findings reflect that: 1. Lecturers are adept at naming autistic traits and the varied presentation of autism, 2. Lecturers have minimal experience with autistic students, 3. Lecturers rarely have access to inclusion-related training, and more bespoke autism training needs to be provided to lecturers, 4. Lecturers have different ways of equipping themselves with skills to support autistic students, 5. Lecturers display high levels of willingness to support students, and 6. Lecturers highlight that all university stakeholders must contribute to developing an autism-friendly university. All of the findings can also be seen in the illustrated materials below. Therefore, taking inspiration from lecturers’ interview responses, the dissertation proposes plausible, practical changes for the university in this case study. Possible university-wide changes are as follows: 1. To adopt the Autism & Uni framework or develop a bespoke autism training, 2. To facilitate more university-wide conversations about intersectional autistic identities and recognise good staff support practices, and 3. To create dedicated spaces and visibility for autistic students and academics. However, it must be noted that, once again, due to the heterogeneity of autism and how universities operate differently, this suggestion is only applicable as a response to the findings of this dissertation as a case study. Moreover, research in this area is still sparse and collective efforts, involving autistic students themselves, can be a great way to begin tapping into best inclusive practices in higher education. For example, future research might decide to conduct university-specific focus groups with lecturers and autistic students, bridging any knowledge gap and co-creating materials to support autistic students.

At a glance, my dissertation is particularly important for key decision-makers at any given British university. From time constraints to sheer lack of knowledge, the dissertation illuminates some vital changes needed with university-wide inclusion training and support for staff. To support a marginalised group of students, we have to support the staff who are the gateway to these students’ success in education. If anything, the dissertation emphasised that lecturing staff are highly willing to support students but that universities are required to help pave the way for this to happen. On another note, this research contributes to an existing (albeit small) pool of participatory papers on autism. As an autistic person, more people (autistic or not) need to be able to read research written with some lived experiences in mind. One of the key things identified in the literature review leading up to this complete research found that autistic researchers are implicitly barred from writing ‘research that matters’ due to research bureaucracy and fears of getting the research methods ‘just right’. In consulting with writings from established autistic researchers in various fields, a 2022 paper by autistic research by Sandra Jones forefronts this debate, ensuring me that asking meaningful questions can be as valuable as being able to use technically complex research methods. Moreover, this research aims to reach children like those mentioned in Jim Simpson’s story. Currently, degree completion rates of autistic students are lower than those of who are non-autistic; employment rates also prove a similar gap. If someone as reading this summary and could feel a flicker of hope that good work is being done in higher education (HE) to make sure that people like them (or rather, like us) can be in HE, then this research has had its intended impact. Creating meaningful research requires all types of individuals, and I would not be at University writing my dissertation today if it were not for pioneers before me. Equally, if we carry any form of privilege with us, we must acknowledge it and use it to liberate others who are less able to do so. The Education research world might appear small and tight-knit, but it is wide enough for all of us.

Prize - Best Dissertation for BSc Education

This dissertation explores students' and teachers' perceptions of technology's role in the secondary mathematics classroom. The research used a case study approach to focus on individuals’ views and experiences of using technology to support learning in the case school, where heavy emphasis was placed on using technology in classes. The study aimed to contribute rich, small-sample contextual data to existing research and build on existing research conclusions in the field of education technology. The research demonstrated how students and teachers both aspired to use the technology to access and provide, respectively, more direct and personalised learning than traditional methods would allow. Technology was used in the case school by teachers to leverage students’ engagement and motivation, while both parties leveraged aspects of the technology to improve the accessibility of learning. Students used technology to gain more autonomy and independence. Key barriers and limitations were the high demands on infrastructure to support the technology, friction with the traditional classroom, and the prevalence of off-task student behaviour. The study concluded that to realise the perceived benefits of the technology used in the case school, there must be thorough and precise training in the technology for both teachers and students, an explicit understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of technology that could be leveraged when planning programs of learning, and robust infrastructure.

I disseminated my findings and recommendations to SLT at the case school. This is because these individuals have the capability to enact the recommendations, should they be persuaded. They also do not necessarily have daily first-hand experiences or oversight of how technology is being used around the school, due to the high-autonomy norms of the school and could benefit from the insight given by this research. I had met with some key members of the leadership them – the head teacher, the head of secondary, and the head of maths – before embarking on my project, to discuss and be transparent about my research as I would be using school time and access in part to complete it.At this time, they expressed interest in project and I would like to show my appreciation by involving them in this final stage. SLT has a need to plan effectively with knowledge of how technology is being used in the school. SLT is responsible for planning continuous improvement by making key decisions about the curriculum, staff development and resourcing. In my research, I provide SLT with this insight and knowledge. I also make recommendations, based on the findings, about how this planning and decision-making could be most effective. I have generated knowledge on how to improve the effectiveness of technology in the case school, by drawing upon the experiences and perceptions of individuals in the case school who interact with it daily. I have provided SLT with information about how technology is currently being used and perceived in the school, the potential for its development and how we might begin to bridge this gap. The knowledge will impact this audience by giving them the means to recognise and work towards achieving the potential of technology in the case school. The audience here is in a unique position to achieve this due to the school’s existing priority focus and heavy resourcing for technology. SLT can recognise the impact of my study by enacting the recommendations I set out: initially by acknowledging the findings of the study in determining the value and best use of technology, and then by following the further recommendations on how to realise this in context.

A great number of Chinese students continue to speak mute English and struggle to write in English after learning this language for many years. The reasons for the poor productive skills are suggested to be related to insufficient practice in the classroom and limited opportunities to use them in everyday life. Research has shown FC may be able to improve students’ language skills by increasing their engagement with learning both in and outside of the classroom. This research aims to investigate the effectiveness of FC in enhancing student engagement and their attitudes towards this mode of learning in IELTS speaking and writing classes in the Chinese higher education context. A mixed research method including observations, questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews was utilised to obtain data from the teacher’s and students’ perspectives. After triangulating the data obtained from observing 15 students and their responses from 13 questionnaires and 11 semi-structured interviews in both the IELTS speaking and writing classes, the findings of this research show FC can enhance student emotional and social engagement, and students perceive positive attitudes towards this mode of learning. But more research is needed to further understand whether FC can enhance student behaviour and cognitive engagement.

The results indicate FC is able to enhance student learning time outside of the classroom; the time for group work, class discussions, practice, and feedback in class is also increased, which is likely to enhance learning effects.