Sharing Student Projects

Social media is widely used and has many educational advantages in various types of organisations, including higher education institutions, and is considered a platform for university students to collaborate and perceive digital social support. The LRB is a widely used platform in China that receives little attention from the education sector. Little is known about which types of students use LRB for collaboration, how they collaborate, and how different modes of collaboration influence their views of digital social support. By creating structural equation modelling (SEM), this thesis uses a quantitative research approach to analyse the relationship between variables. I found three ways in which students collaborate in LRB using questionnaire data from 199 university students in China: information seeking, information sharing, and information co-creation. Students' characteristics, such as self-efficacy and interest, were positively correlated with the three types of collaboration, with higher self-efficacy being more willing to participate in co-creation and higher interest in learning being more willing to share information. In addition to information sharing, the other two types of collaboration were positively connected with students' perceived digital support.

These study's findings encourage future study by demonstrating that learning through social media promotes student collaboration and access to social support, and hence, the use of social media in education deserves additional attention and research.

Speech, language, and communication needs (SLCN) include difficulties related to all aspects of communication including fluency, forming sounds and words, formulating sentences, understanding others, and using language socially (Bercow et al., 2008). SLCN is estimated to affect 10% of children and young people (Bercow, 2018). Children with SLCN are more likely to present challenging behaviours than peers with typical language development (Yew & O’Kearney, 2013). Yet, SLCN may not be recognised in children and adolescents presenting challenging behaviour (Hollo et al., 2014). Previously undiagnosed SLCN is widespread amongst young offenders (Snow et al., 2015). As teachers manage behaviour daily, they need to be aware of factors that affect behaviour. However, only one study had considered if teachers believe SLCN may affect behaviour, and this took place in the US with preschool teachers (Nungesser & Watkins, 2005). In the UK, secondary school pupils are ten times more likely than primary pupils to be permanently excluded (Gov.uk, 2020). Therefore, this project focused on what secondary mainstream teachers perceive to be the causes of challenging behaviour and their awareness of the link between challenging behaviours and SLCN. Seven current mainstream secondary teachers and one secondary special needs teacher, who had previously worked in mainstream, were interviewed through Zoom. They were recruited to the study through social media rather than through schools to encourage them to speak freely about the topic. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed to look for patterns. Four themes were constructed: impact of home and local area; the indirect role of education systems on behaviour; role models and relationships; and the links between SLCN and social-emotional development. The impact of the home environment on behaviour is consistent with previous research (Wang & Hall, 2018). Similarly, the importance of the student-teacher relationship in behaviour has been previously discussed (Stanforth & Rose, 2020). Generally, teachers have been found not to consider school-based factors to affect behaviour (Wang & Hall, 2018), which was not the case in this project. Teachers believed the curriculum and ability grouping affected self-esteem and behaviour. As this was the first study to consider secondary teachers’ perceptions on SLCN and behaviour, the link that teachers made between SLCN and social-emotional development was a new finding. Teachers in this study showed limited explicit awareness of SLCN. However, they discussed relevant factors such as how pupils struggled to discuss feelings, how teachers used simple questions to help students explain incidents, and how students’ behaviour may show that they are unhappy or finding school-work difficult. This study supports the recommendation that more training on SLCN is needed for education professionals (Bercow, 2018) but would add that the link to challenging behaviour must also be shared. An increased presence of speech and language therapists in secondary schools is also recommended to help schools recognise SLCN and provide additional support for those displaying challenging behaviours.

School leadership could use this dissertation to improve the professional development they offer staff, ensuring awareness of the link between SLCN and behaviour. With increased awareness that SLCN may accompany challenging behaviours, schools and teachers are more likely to arrange for assessments from SLTs and implement SALT programmes. SALT has been reported to improve confidence, communication, and behaviour in YOs (Snow et al., 2018) and similar outcomes could be expected for school students. As challenging behaviours can cause disruptions in learning for peers (Gregg, 2017), SALT could improve outcomes not just for students displaying behaviours but also for others in the class. The findings of this study could be used by universities to improve their teacher training by including content on SLCN and behaviour. Understanding students’ additional needs has been found to impact how teachers appraise behaviour (Hart & DiPerna, 2017) and teachers with less experience have been found to be more likely to engage in exclusionary practices (Stanforth & Rose, 2020). Thus, including SLCN in teacher training may support inclusionary practices amongst teachers who are new to the profession. Finally, the findings of this dissertation may empower parents to seek more support and assessment from schools if their children are displaying challenging behaviour. If parents are more aware of factors that may cause challenging behaviour, they can push for schools to provide the correct assessments and support. This would subsequently improve the wellbeing of students displaying challenging behaviour.

This study examines secondary school teachers' beliefs and perspectives on data-trace ethics when integrating apps into their classroom teaching routines. The literature review revealed that the digitalisation of education has accelerated the extraction and manipulation of children's data. While educators and schools adopt new technologies, they often fail to understand EdTech's ability to extract data and related ethical implications. This knowledge gap influences their ethical adoption of technology. The research is foregrounded in the UNCRC framework, recognising the unique and universal rights of vulnerable children that teachers must protect. The research employed in-depth semi-structured interviews and a focus group with 6 secondary school teachers. The interviews focused on classroom technology use, educators' beliefs on data-trace ethics, and how these beliefs influenced their practices. The findings revealed that the educators' reasons for adopting apps aligned with established technology adoption models. Educators held mildly negative views on data extraction by firms and displayed limited awareness of the data types extracted. They showed diminished personal responsibility regarding data-trace ethics, relying on institutional accountability and showing implicit trust in institutionally imposed technologies. Feelings of futility were prominent, stemming from perceptions of the overwhelming scale of the data being extracted by commercial firms and due to perceptions of the school and children's practices regarding data privacy. The study supported conclusions from previous research concerning educators' limited awareness of data extraction's consequences.

The study's findings highlight the urgent need for educators to understand data extraction techniques and institutions' roles in supporting this. The 'iceberg' model developed in this study offers a potential scaffold for this understanding. Concerns are raised in this research regarding observed apathy to online privacy, and further research exploring this is proposed. Other recommendations include exploring school leaders' perspectives and continuing to explore educator perspectives across more diverse settings.

Mathematical language comprehension is a term used to refer to children’s understanding of the spatial (such as “next to” and “above”) and quantitative (such as “fewest” and “more”) relationships between two or more objects. We know that parental math talk, or the mathematical language a parent/carer uses during interactions with their children, can improve children’s mathematical language comprehension. We also know that children’s mathematical language comprehension is related to their numeracy performance between 3 and 5 years old. However, we do not know whether children’s understanding of spatial or quantitative words has a larger contribution to their numeracy performance. This is important to study because it will help psychologists to make interventions that can improve children’s numeracy skills at home. For this reason, our study looked into whether parental math talk can lead to better numeracy performance, because it increases children’s spatial language comprehension skills. Our study also looked into whether this link had a larger impact on male or female children aged between 3 and 5 years old. We asked headteachers and nursery managers to forward an email to parents/carers of children who attend their primary school or nursery. The email contained information about the study and a link to the online questionnaire. We also posted a QR code on social media platforms that parents/carers could scan to access the questionnaire. Once parents/carers had read the electronic participant information sheet and had agreed to take part, they were asked for information about their child’s sex and age in years. The main study asked parents/carers questions about how often they use math talk with their child (10 questions), as well as about their child’s spatial language comprehension (28 questions) and numeracy performance (7 questions). Our sample included 370 parents/carers of children aged 3 to 5 years old who had no diagnosis of a developmental disorder. Of these, 180 children were male and 190 children were female. We found that parents/carers who used more parental math talk were more likely to have children with better numeracy performance than children who had heard less parental math talk. We also found that parents/carers who used more parental math talk were more likely to have children with better spatial language comprehension, and importantly, these children were more likely to have better numeracy performance than those with lower spatial language comprehension. This means that spatial language comprehension is one reason for how parental math talk is linked to numeracy performance in children aged 3 to 5 years old. Surprisingly, parental math talk had a larger impact on spatial language comprehension for children who were male than female. Our findings therefore build on earlier studies by showing that parental math talk may improve a specific part of children’s mathematical language comprehension: spatial language comprehension. This, in turn, may improve children’s numeracy performance between 3 and 5 years old. These findings provide important recommendations for educational psychologists who want to come up with ways to improve young children’s numeracy skills at home. For example, they could focus on increasing how much parents/carers use mathematical language during conversations with their children as this might help to improve their spatial language and numeracy skills. This is important as children with poor numeracy skills at the beginning of primary school are more likely to have poor numeracy skills in secondary school.

Given our significant findings, the current research has shed light on one mechanism that underlies the association between parental math talk and numeracy performance between 3 and 5 years old: children’s spatial language comprehension. This has important benefits for educational psychologists, who may consider spatial language comprehension as a potential mechanism to be targeted in early home-based numeracy interventions. These interventions may be particularly beneficial for females, who are often exposed to less parental math talk, and are therefore at risk of lower numeracy performance than males in primary and secondary school. Due to the challenges of engaging in conversational math talk throughout the school day, teachers and nursery practitioners could inform parents/carers about the longitudinal impact of one-to-one math talk on children’s numeracy performance, and advise them on the direct and indirect numeracy activities that they could offer to their child within the home environment to meet their particular needs. This will support the development of foundational numeracy skills that children will continue to build on throughout their formal education. Although further research is necessary, parents/carers of older children who are below the expected level in numeracy may also benefit from an increased exposure to parental math talk at home, by supporting them in reaching their academic targets. Longitudinal research could also identify those at risk of poor numeracy performance and whether these interventions are effective as a preventative. It is possible that these changes will have a lasting societal impact by reducing the underrepresentation of females in STEM courses and careers.

Stress is common in secondary school pupils, with high stakes exams, perceived pressure from teachers and parents, homework and tests, all featuring high on the list of common stressors for adolescents. The aim of this research was to understand how positive, emotionally close relationships with teachers can help reduce stress levels in pupils, by promoting the development of trait mindfulness skills. As opposed to trained mindfulness, trait mindfulness refers to an individual’s natural tendency to be mindful. It is believed to consist of four components: awareness (the ability to maintain attention on what is currently happening without being distracted by other events, thoughts and feelings), describing (the ability to use language internally and externally to label the experience), nonjudging (the ability to accept inner thoughts and feelings without worrying or self-blaming), nonreactivity (the ability to accept stress as a natural part of life, and actively detach from negative thoughts). This research aimed to provide new knowledge about how these abilities can be fostered and developed in the school environment. The target population was pupils in Years 9 and 10. This age group was selected as stress increases with age and proximity to exams. These year groups are preparing to sit their GCSEs and may therefore be experiencing heightened stress levels. Pupils this age are also going through an important developmental stage as they become more independent and autonomous. At this time, relationships with parents can suffer, and teachers may become more important as stable, adult, nonparental role models. This was therefore an ideal time to investigate whether positive relationships with teachers can help maximise pupils’ trait mindfulness skills, and in turn buffer their stress levels. The sample in the study comprised 124 pupils from two schools in the North West of England – an independent girls’ school, and a boys’ selective academy converter. Pupils in these schools came from affluent areas and achieved above the national average in KS4 results. Participants completed a short tick 65 box style survey designed to measure how they felt about their relationships with teachers in their school, their levels of trait mindfulness, and how often they have experienced stressful thoughts and feelings over the previous month. The research found that pupils who felt they had more positive, emotionally close, and supportive relationships with their teachers, were also more likely to have higher levels of trait mindfulness skills, in particular the components of awareness, describing and nonjudging. This was expected as adolescents who have supportive and close relationships with other adults in their lives, namely parents and other family members, also have higher levels of trait mindfulness. The findings also underline the important role that teachers play in adolescents’ psychological development. Pupils with higher levels of trait mindfulness, particularly awareness, describing and nonreactivity, also had lower levels of distress, suggesting that implementing strategies that foster these skills could be effective in reducing stress in school pupils. It was expected that pupils with high levels of awareness and nonreactivity would experience less stress, but it was not expected that the ability to describe a situation and label emotions would be linked to lower stress levels. This suggests that younger adolescents may use different skills when faced with potentially stressful situations, compared to older adolescents and adults.

The research provides new insights into the importance of relationships with teachers as a tool to maximise trait mindfulness skills in pupils, and how pupils utilise these skills when faced with potentially stressful situations. Mindfulness based stress reduction programmes, which teach mindfulness skills, are popular, but results are mixed. The theory behind using mindfulness for stress reduction is that if an individual is able to maintain their focus on the present, and observe and accept a potentially stressful situation and their response to it, they can avoid worrying about past or future events, and respond in a 66 measured way rather than resorting to knee-jerk reactions. This might mean pupils focus on revising for an exam, rather than worrying about the specifics of what might be in the paper, or the results of a previous test. However, while mindfulness training has been found to help reduce stress levels among pupils in the short term, without continued practice the benefits often wear off. The current research suggests that a simpler way for schools to promote mindfulness skills may be through fostering the innate abilities of their pupils to be mindful. These innate abilities are strongly related to the quality of relationships that pupils have with their teachers, and are also important for stress reduction. A focus on nurturing positive relationships between staff and pupils to promote trait mindfulness skills, in particular the components of awareness and describing, could therefore be effective in reducing stress in this age group.

This study investigates the academic and social challenges international PGT students face during their academic transition and their ER strategies. Using a qualitative research method to obtain rich and in-depth data, it targets international postgraduate taught students, a significant but often overlooked cohort in UK higher education. These students face difficulties adapting to the UK educational system and social norms, compounded by being away from their families for the first time, thus highlighting the multiple multi-dimensional transition for international students. After recruitment efforts, ten participants were identified: nine from the SEED, one from the School of Engineering, nine from Asia and one from Africa. Data was collected via online semi-structured interviews lasting up to an hour, allowing for flexible scheduling and in-depth responses. Inductive thematic analysis revealed themes of academic study challenges, social challenges, ER strategies, and related subthemes. This study found that international PGT students face challenges in critical thinking, academic writing, using specific digital tools, adapting to fewer teaching sessions and independent study, student-centred teaching methods, and group study. Socialisation difficulties include language barriers, adjusting to low power distance with teachers, unfamiliarity with British social norms, discrimination, and establishing friendships with domestic students. Participants used cognitive change strategies, situation selection, and attentional deployment to cope with these challenges. While most findings align with previous research, this study found that situation selection, cognitive change and attentional deployment could also be effective even after emotions are triggered, contradicting Gross’s ER process model. Due to the limitations of the sample diversity, future research should include participants from a broader range of ethnic backgrounds to obtain more comprehensive insights. Additionally, due to the recruitment limitations and lack of member checking, future studies should ensure member-checking implementation to enhance data reliability. Future research should also investigate the financial difficulties faced by international PGT students to understand their academic and emotional challenges better, considering the significant tuition fees, visa costs, and limited scholarship opportunities.

Critical implications for UK higher education institutions include offering mandatory preparatory courses on critical thinking and academic writing before PGT programmes begin, informing students about required digital tools and general assessment timelines in advance, providing guidance on group discussions and group work and also academic staff should intentionally organise group work with both international students and home students. Social support should extend beyond welcome week, with continuous activities and mentoring programmes pairing international and domestic students. For ER, universities should engage former international students in interactive sessions and develop a year-long course on ER available to international students. Additionally, counselling services should be emphasised during welcome week, with faculty introducing these services during orientations. The main stakeholders who will benefit from this research will be future international PGT students and UK higher education institutions. International PGT students will have improved academic readiness through compulsory preparatory courses in critical thinking and academic writing, easing their initial transition. They will also benefit from early information on required digital tools to aid their preparation and academic performance. Moreover, advice on participating in group discussions and collaborative work will enhance their engagement and academic outcomes. For UK higher education institutions, ongoing social support and mentoring programmes will boost student satisfaction and retention rates. Additionally, offering long-term support programmes on ER and emphasising counselling services will support students’ mental health, fostering a healthier student body. Implementing these methods will also strengthen the institution’s reputation as a supportive environment for international students, making it more attractive to future students globally.

The dissertation looks at how staff in SEN schools support students with their SMU and how SM impacts student wellbeing. Social relationships can be difficult for students in SEN settings, and their lack of understanding and exposure could leave them vulnerable, so the potential for SM to be a positive or negative could be higher. To explore this, seven teachers and TAs, two men and five women, from SEN settings in the North of England took part in one-to-one interviews over zoom and answered questions around the research aims. The findings from these interviews highlighted that those working closest with SEN students generally saw SMU as a negative thing, rather than a positive, which mirrored other work in the area. The content of SM, particularly the problematic things, like cyberbullying and inappropriate content, were talked about and their impact on students wellbeing. This opened up the question of how to decide if content is appropriate for the user or not, and whether or not SEN students are sheltered, which could make their SMU more difficult. The key resources participants used to support students were their strong relationships with the students they worked with. They reported a range of different support being offered to students, and relationships with staff were key which is a strength for SEN schools, which normally have much smaller staff to student ratios. All the participants talked about the need for more support for parents, and discussed the challenges parents face supporting and protecting SEN students in the digital age. They talked about the responsibility of SM platforms to protect their users and have better controls to help protect more vulnerable people, including those with SEN.

This research has real world applications as it highlights a need for more comprehensive SM training for school staff, to help them understand the positives and negative of SM and help them stay aware of the latest platforms, to allow them to best support students. During teaching and learning, the practicalities of staying safe and using technology and the internet should be integrated with more social education around positive online relationships. It may encourage teaching staff to reflect on their own opinions on SM and consider whether they are colouring their practice, and preventing SEN students from fully engaging with the SM world they are living in. It is useful to guide parents to reflect on the level of control they have over their young person’s SMU, and to decide if it is enough, too much or not enough. It demonstrates the need for more parental support, and possible changes to policy to ensure schools and parents are working together to keep everyone as informed as possible. The study has potential to effect legislation for SM platforms to provide a safer version of apps, which are restricted, to help protect more vulnerable users, or implement a system where users have to show competence and understanding of how a platform works before they can set up accounts. This would mean users on a platform have a basic understanding of what they have signed up for

This qualitative research project aimed to discover how EWB of SEN children was promoted and supported through interventions, within mainstream primary schools. EWB, is a complex multi-dimensional aspect of well-being which relates to self-esteem, self-reliance and self-efficacy. For this project, EWB has been defined as crucial for children’s emotional health, happiness and functioning. Over recent years, the UK government has advocated for improving EWB by developing children’s social and emotional skills, to buffer against emotional dysregulation and dysfunction. More specifically increases in numbers of children with SEN attending mainstream primary school, has coincided with a decline in well-being. Educators have identified these children are showing increases in maladaptive behaviours resulting in inattentive outbursts within the classroom. Yet, these psychophysical behaviours are indicators of dysregulation which affect EWB. Therefore, this project aimed to identify how teachers perceived interventions as promoting and supporting SEN children’s EWB.Considering this educational climate, the target population of teachers were selected to provide detailed insights from their experience of delivering interventions in everyday practice. Following liaison with several primary schools, teachers with five or more years mainstream teaching experience were selected from diverse socio-economic regions, across the Northwest. All teachers consented to take part in an online semi-structured interview which consisted of 13 questions related to the three research aims. Semi-structured interviews and a flexible interview style, allowed topical trajectories to be probed to develop insightful lines of inquiry. Data collected from interviews was systematically coded using the analytical process of thematic analysis. Patterns in the data were abductively coded and interpretated using themes from literature and the data with three main themes identified: intervention implementation and delivery, emotional regulation and staff knowledge and experience. Further review of the data enabled three subthemes for each theme to be established.Historically research has shown that universal interventions are crucial for developing children’s emotional and social skills. However, findings from this project have more specifically illustrated that both interventions support the development of SEN children’s higher cognitive (e.g: evaluation) and language skills required for emotional regulation, competence and awareness, key components of EWB. Interestingly, participants observations revealed that targeted interventions when purposively adapted had sustained a greater impact for reducing maladaptive behaviours. Yet the success of both interventions was interdependent on external factors of adoption, cost and fidelity, which influenced the delivery and implementation in practice. Overall, these findings bridge a gap between policy and practice, providing insight into how interventions provide therapeutic and preventive support, to buffer against emotional dysfunction. Therefore this project makes several recommendations, that interventions are purposefully applied to ensure that SEN children can receive consistent and sustained EWB support. To ensure educators make informed implementation and delivery decisions, compulsory government backed-training should be introduced. More specifically, this training should provide SEN specific guidance recommending how interventions could be adapted for diverse SEN children. Additionally, adopting a selection criteria would support teachers to make informed decisions regarding how to effectively deliver interventions. This would ensure that SEN children are accurately identified for a specific intervention and school-based outcomes. Thus, fulfilling wider policy requirements for a child’s needs to be met, continuing to make age-related progress alongside their peers.

This project has implications for educational research, UK educational policy and practice. It provides insight into how interventions can be used purposefully as therapeutic and preventative strategies, to support SEN children’s EWB. The project highlights that SLTs and SENCOs can drive policy change through implementing school-based intervention. Advancing this, the project acknowledges the importance of voicing teacher perspectives that provide crucial insights into SEN specific EWB needs. At the classroom level teachers can be essential agents of change, driving school and policy based decisions to improve EWB. Notably, the success and quality of this depends on teachers feeling secure in their knowledge and skills to purposefully adapt interventions to meet identified socio-emotional needs. Therefore, providing mandatory training on interventions specific to SEN, would develop a collective awareness of how to evaluate the effectiveness of school-based interventions to more accurately target EWB priorities.

This dissertation explores how Chinese players understand, feel, and learn from the cultural elements in Black Myth: Wukong, a 2024 Chinese action role-playing game adapted from Journey to the West. Existing research often focuses on Western-developed games, leaving a gap in understanding how domestic players interpret culture-rich Chinese titles. This project aims to fill that gap by examining how cultural recognition, emotional identification, and informal learning take place during gameplay. The study involved four Chinese participants, including two players who had completed the game and two non-players who were familiar with Chinese culture but had not played the game. The interviews explored three research questions (RQs): how players recognise and interpret cultural elements (RQ1); the emotional and identity connections they form (RQ2); and their willingness for further cultural exploration beyond the game (RQ3). All interviews were conducted in Mandarin to ensure accurate expression of cultural concepts. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, including live reactions to selected gameplay footage. The transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis, combining both deductive coding, guided by the “games-as-text / games-asaction” framework, and inductive coding to capture new insights emerging from the data. Findings show that players recognise cultural elements along two main pathways. First, some symbols trigger immediate recognition, such as Erlang Shen’s third eye, Zhu Bajie’s pig hooves, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, or traditional Chinese instruments like the xun and suona. These elements draw directly on shared cultural memory and are quickly identified. Second, other interpretations develop more gradually through gameplay, particularly when players must understand unfamiliar mechanics, follow complex boss narratives, or uncover the meanings of objects like the Root Bones. This reflects a “learning through doing” process similar to situated learning. Emotionally, players expressed strong feelings of nostalgia, cultural pride, and identity connection. Music like the Qinqiang opera scene or melodies from the 1986 Journey to the West TV series triggered childhood memories and cultural familiarity. The protagonist’s journey also evoked a sense of growth and self-cultivation, reinforcing identification with the hero figure. Finally, the study found that engaging with the game often motivated players to explore Chinese culture beyond the game world, such as researching myths, reading character backstories, or discussing design elements in online communities. However, this wasn’t true for everyone, showing that a game’s educational effect depends on the player’s own interests and background. Overall, the study concludes that Black Myth: Wukong can serve as both entertainment and a resource for cultural reflection and identity construction. Its educational value, however, is not automatic; it emerges from how players choose to interact with and interpret the game’s cultural layers. The research contributes a player-centred, qualitative understanding of how culturally embedded games are experienced by their domestic audience.

This research offers practical insights for multiple groups, particularly in cultural communication, education, and the creative industries. For general audiences, the findings show that commercial games can act as an accessible entry point into traditional culture. They can strengthen cultural confidence and reconnect young people with traditional stories, art, and music. Features such as opera, painting styles, and mythological symbolism can spark curiosity and encourage people to revisit their cultural heritage in modern contexts, thereby supporting meaningful cultural inheritance. For educators, the study highlights how digital games can support informal learning. Even when players do not intend to “study,” they still absorb cultural knowledge through exploration, interaction, and emotional engagement. This encourages teachers and educational practitioners to consider using culturally rich games as supplementary resources in courses related to literature, citizenship, or art appreciation. Even short gameplay clips or discussion-based sessions could help students connect classroom knowledge with lived cultural experiences. For the gaming industry and cultural institutions, the results emphasise the value of embedding cultural depth into design. Participants responded positively to authentic cultural cues, such as Qinqiang Opera and traditional design, and felt pride when these elements were presented confidently. This reinforces the idea that thoughtful cultural design, such as foreignisation strategies, authentic symbolism, and high-quality audiovisual elements, can increase both domestic acceptance and global visibility. Museums, cultural organisations, and content creators may also benefit from understanding how games can drive public interest in mythology, classical literature, and traditional arts. Finally, the research contributes to wider discussions on cultural dissemination. It shows that well-designed Chinese games can help counteract cultural discount and promote cultural diversity, suggesting digital games can serve as bridges between traditional heritage and contemporary media ecosystems.

This dissertation aimed to investigate parenting styles, self-esteem, and academic procrastination in an adult UK sample. Specifically, authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive parenting styles were studied. Authoritarian parenting is characterised by high levels of restrictions and discipline, and low warmth. Authoritative parenting is characterised by a medium-to-high amount of rules and restrictions, but high warmth. Permissive parenting is characterised by low rules and restrictions, and high warmth. Previous research suggests that the parenting styles used by one’s mother and father may influence one’s academic procrastination. Self-esteem is also believed to impact academic procrastination, and previous studies have found that individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to procrastinate. In the present study, it was hypothesised that self-esteem would be partially responsible for the relationship between parenting styles and academic procrastination. Gender differences were also investigated. 205 participants were included using online surveys. An independent samples t-test suggested that gender differences were only significant in paternal authoritative parenting. Men were significantly more likely to report authoritative fathers. Paternal authoritativeness was the only parenting style that negatively predicted academic procrastination in a regression model. Paternal authoritativeness was also the only parenting style that was significantly associated with self-esteem, indicating that the significant gender difference in paternal authoritativeness was potentially important. Because paternal authoritativeness was the only parenting style that was significantly predictive of both self-esteem and academic procrastination when other parenting styles were controlled for, it was the only parenting style included in the mediation model. The mediation model indicated that self-esteem does not significantly explain the relationship between parenting style and academic procrastination. Despite the gender differences in paternal authoritativeness, gender did not add any explanatory power to the mediation model. These findings differ from those of Pychyl et al. (2002) who found gender differences in this relationship. The different findings in the present study may be explained by the age of participants. The present study used adult (ages 18 to 49) participants, while Pychyl et al. (2002) used adolescent (ages 13 to 15) participants. Gender differences in self-esteem tend to lessen over time from adolescence to adulthood (Kling et al., 1999), which might explain why findings were different in an adult sample. Additionally, paternal permissive, maternal authoritarian, and maternal permissive parenting styles were positively and significantly associated with academic procrastination when other parenting styles were controlled for, in line with previous research (Batool et al., 2020; Zakeri et al., 2013). Future research should explore the potential roles of self-efficacy, self-regulation, and perfectionism in explaining the relationship between parenting styles and academic procrastination.

The findings of this study have real-world implications for interventions, parents, and future research. Much of the research on academic procrastination has focused on intrapersonal, rather than interpersonal factors (McCloskey, 2012). This study contributed to knowledge on the interpersonal impact of parenting styles on academic procrastination. Knowledge around the impacts of different parenting styles on factors like academic procrastination and self-esteem are important in informing parents and empowering them to make appropriate decisions that will benefit their children. The present study contributed to knowledge around academic procrastination by indicating that self-esteem is not the mechanism by which parenting influences academic procrastination in adult higher education students. This is relevant for informing academic procrastination interventions, which are currently under-researched, potentially due to the wide variety of correlates of academic procrastination (Zacks & Hen, 69 2018). The present study helped to clarify the relationship between two correlates of academic procrastination, which can inform future research on academic procrastination interventions.

This study aimed to understand why teachers choose to stay in the profession despite many challenges. With many teachers leaving their jobs, this research identifies the key factors helping teachers remain committed to their careers. By exploring these factors, the study has been able to conclude strategies to improve teacher retention and support. Target Population and Sample The study focused on ten UK state primary school teachers, with a diverse mix of ages, genders, and teaching experience years. Their insights were crucial in understanding teacher retention. Method and Procedure To gather in-depth insights, the researcher conducted semi-structured interviews with the participants. These interviews allowed teachers to share their personal experiences and perspectives on the challenges and the reasons they stay in the profession. The interviews were conducted online, recorded, and then transcribed for analysis. The data was analysed using thematic analysis, a method that helps identify common themes and patterns in qualitative data. Findings and Literature Comparison The study identified four major themes: Workload and Professional Pressures: Teachers highlighted excessive workload, including lesson planning, marking, administrative tasks, and preparation for inspections, as major stressors. These tasks often lead to physical and mental exhaustion, affecting work-life balance. Coping Through Developing Resilience: Teachers use various strategies to cope with stress, such as exercise, mindfulness, and prioritising sleep. Support from colleagues and professional networks also plays a crucial role in managing stress. Positive Impacts and Personal Fulfilment: The intrinsic rewards of teaching, such as the positive impact on students and personal satisfaction, are significant motivators for teachers. They value the role they play in shaping students' lives and find fulfilment in their professional efforts. Commitment to the Profession: Teachers' commitment to their educational values and the sense of duty towards their profession are strong protective factors. Despite the challenges, their passion for teaching and belief in its importance keep them motivated. Summary Conclusion and Recommendations The findings suggest that financial incentives alone may not be sufficient to retain teachers. Instead, improving working conditions, providing strong support systems, offering professional development opportunities, and promoting a positive school culture are crucial. These strategies can help alleviate the stressors teachers face and enhance their job satisfaction and retention. The research underscores the complex nature of teacher retention, revealing that a combination of systemic, professional, and personal factors influence teachers' decisions to stay in the profession. Despite the widespread challenges, teachers remain committed due to intrinsic motivations, such as positive impacts on students and their passion for teaching. The findings challenge the idea that financial incentives are the primary solution for retaining teachers. While competitive salaries are important, they are not sufficient on their own. Teachers highlighted the need for a supportive work environment, manageable workloads, opportunities for professional development, and recognition of their efforts as crucial elements that contribute to their job satisfaction and decision to stay in the profession. By focusing on these areas, schools and policymakers can create a more supportive and sustainable teaching environment. This approach not only benefits teachers but also enhances student outcomes and overall school performance by fostering a stable and experienced teaching workforce. By implementing the recommendations of this dissertation, schools and policymakers can create a more supportive and fulfilling work environment for teachers. This approach not only addresses the immediate challenges faced by educators but also promotes long-term retention, leading to a more stable and effective education system. These strategies are designed to ensure that teachers feel valued, supported, and empowered to continue making a positive impact on their students' lives.

Potential Benefits and Stakeholders The research has real-world applications and could benefit various stakeholders, including: Schools and Educational Institutions: By implementing the recommended strategies, schools can create a more supportive environment for teachers, reducing attrition rates and improving educational outcomes. Educational Practitioners and Policymakers: The findings provide valuable insights for developing policies and practices that support teacher well-being and retention. Teachers: Enhanced support and professional development opportunities can improve job satisfaction and reduce burnout, contributing to a more positive teaching experience. Students and Parents: Retaining experienced teachers can lead to more stable and effective learning environments, benefiting student achievement and overall school performance. The General Public: Understanding the challenges and motivations of teachers can foster greater appreciation and support for the teaching profession, promoting a positive societal attitude towards education. The impacts of this research could include: Educational: Improved teaching practices and teacher retention can enhance student learning outcomes and overall school performance. Societal: Greater awareness and appreciation of the teaching profession can lead to more robust community support for teachers. Cultural: Promoting a positive school culture and valuing teachers' contributions can foster a more supportive educational environment. Policy and Practice: The findings can inform the development of policies that address teacher workload, support, and professional development needs, leading to systemic improvements in education.

This study sought to understand the experiences of educational professionals in relation to the development of school belonging in students with SEND. The principal research questions for this project were: RQ1: How do secondary school staff promote school belonging in students with SEND? RQ2: What are the identified barriers to development of school belonging for students with SEND? The research’s target population was mainstream secondary school staff across four LAs within the CGMA who had sufficient experience working with students with SEND. The participant sample consisted of seven participants, four male and three female, from four LAs within the CGMA. Their schools reflected student population sizes ranging from 800 to 1300, and measures of deprivation from 1st to 7th Index of Multiple Deprivation decile. The study received ethical approval from the University of Manchester Ethics committee (Appendix F) and informed consent was obtained from all participants. All identifying participant information was removed from transcripts and participants were referred in accordance with identification codes which are used in Chapter 3 to evidence quotations. The research used semi-structured interviews conducted online via Zoom. Interviews took place across a period of 24 days, with each interview lasting between 48 and 70 minutes. Interview audio was recorded for transcription purposes, before being securely deleted from encrypted storage. Nvivo-14 was used to host the dataset and support organisation of analysis. The data were coded with a hybrid approach using reflexive thematic analysis without attempting to shape it into pre-existing frameworks. Analysis was guided by Braun and Clarke’s (2013; 2022) recommended steps to reflexive thematic analysis. The research took a constructionist epistemological approach in assuming that data is influenced by those active in the research process, including researchers and participants (Willig, 2022). This study took the Big Q approach to data interpretation, acknowledging the role of the researcher in determining what the data represents in terms of themes (Braun & Clark, 2013; Willig, 2022). From a constructionist paradigm, the data were analysed with the aim of understanding the complex world of lived experience from those within it (Mertens, 2020; Schwant, 1994). Data were analysed as a process of meaning making, rather than of truth seeking, in accordance with the study’s epistemological position. Findings highlighted school staff efforts in promoting feelings of school belonging for students with SEND. Two key themes were central to this: acceptance and identity, and culture, community and relationships. Staff attitudes and trusting relationships were found to be particularly influential in determining the school’s culture of inclusion and belonging for those with SEND. Feeling safe in school was also recognised as crucial to fostering school belongingness. Participants reflected on barriers to the development of school belonging for students with SEND. These barriers were primarily rooted in resource demand challenges, both on the school and LA level, which limits access to sufficient and appropriate SEND provision. Findings also indicated that an evolving landscape in terms of SEND identification and increasing student need was an additional barrier to school belonging. This study’s findings broadly align with pre-existing literature on the topic of school belonging for students with SEND. Perhaps most noteworthy to consider alongside this study’s findings is Allen et al.’s (2016) socio-ecological framework of school belonging (Figure 1) which uses Bronfenbrenner’s EST (1979) as a basis for understanding how students develop a sense of school belonging. These findings build upon pre-existing definitions of school belonging to include recognition of deep connection with trusted adults, alongside connection with social groups, physical places and individual collective experiences (Allen et al., 2021). The barriers to developing school belonging identified in this research are also consistent with earlier findings, particularly in relation to the influence of staff training, staff attitudes and teacher-student relationships (El Zaatari & Maalouf, 2022; Mulholland & O’Connor, 2016; Pit-ten Cate et al., 2018). These findings indicate the importance of staff competency and confidence in recognising SEND-related behaviour and responding to this appropriately, which echoes pre-existing discussions regarding the usefulness of behavioural sanctions and the value of suspensions and PEx as a behaviour management strategy (Allen et al., 2021; Lehane, 2016; Pyne, 2019; Williams et al., 2018). This study reiterates the importance of staff attitudes and stakeholder relationships in enabling students with SEND to feel accepted and understood in their school setting. Findings indicate the pressures experienced by mainstream secondary schools in including students with SEND in school communities within day-to-day practice. This research raises further questions regarding how those with SEND can be supported to develop school belonging, given the identified challenges. Future research which sought first-hand student views would be particularly valuable to examine this.

The findings of this study can be applied to various stakeholders, perhaps most notably senior leadership teams, SEND staff and class teachers working in mainstream secondary schools. It also has relevance for LA professionals who closely liaise with mainstream secondary schools. This study could have tangible educational impact on inclusive practice, behaviour policy, alongside teaching and learning strategies to enable students with SEND to feel a sense of belonging within the classroom. These findings also indicate the need for reflection at the level of senior policy making in relation to the resource difficulties discussed and the long-lasting societal impact of this on the development of inclusive school communities, as called for by Salamanca (UNESCO, 1994) and the Warnock Report (Warnock Committee, 1978).

Students facing public exams for the first time in three years are in a different context to the cohorts who went before them and to those that will come after. The most recent A-Level year group have had their General Certificate of Secondary Education and Advanced Subsidiary Level exams cancelled and significant portions of their education in the last three years disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This academic year, however, has been largely uninterrupted and with a sense of a return to something closer to normality, A-Level students have now sat their exams. This dissertation was designed to explore some of the experiences of these students. In particular, the aim of this dissertation was to investigate whether a student’s perceived ability to manage their own learning (or self-regulated learning) had an impact on the level of anxiety they were experiencing in relation to their exams (or test anxiety). It also sought to explore if the context of COVID-19, and how well students felt they had been able to prepare effectively for their exams, had an influence on the relationship between their self-regulated learning and test anxiety. This is important because the context of COVID-19 meant that students had to manage their studies more independently and it also had an impact on mental health and well-being. As test anxiety is a separate, though connected, experience to other forms of anxiety, it was an appropriate focus for this particular situation, in which exams have returned as a part of students’ experience of this phase of their education. By using a survey that was shared through teachers with A-Level students in six schools in England, this research attempted to capture the perceptions of students in this particular moment in time. It gave a sense of how these concepts may be correlated with one another and if self-regulated learning predicts test anxiety. It could not say whether one element was causing the other or identify specific changes in this population overtime. However, by statistically exploring the extent to which test anxiety can be predicted by self-regulated learning and by exploring whether this relationship was influenced by a student’s perception of how well they were able to prepare for exams during COVID-19 disruptions, the dissertation was able to come to some key findings. The research found that there were differences in the relationship between self-regulated learning and test anxiety, depending on what element of test anxiety was being considered. Self-regulated learning did predict overall test anxiety, and cognitive test anxiety, which is related to the thoughts and worries that someone might experience in relation to an exam. Self-regulated learning, however, did not predict affective-physiological test anxiety, which is related to the emotions and physical sensations, like increased heart rate and sweating, that might be associated with test anxiety. Students with lower selfregulated learning tended to have higher test anxiety and cognitive test anxiety. The research was also found that how well a student felt they had managed the disruption to their exam preparation due to COVID-19 accounted for most of the relationship between self-regulated learning and test anxiety. Another key finding was that the COVID-19 exam preparation element changed the relationship between self-regulated learning and test anxiety – if a student’s COVID-19 experience was very positive, it was more likely that their level of test anxiety would be lower, even when their self-regulated learning level predicted it would be higher. Some things are 69 still not clear, however, for example whether self-regulated learning had a direct role in how well the students managed their exam preparation during COVID-19 disruption, or what these connections might mean for these students in their future education or other experiences.

This dissertation may have an impact in several areas. For example, it may be that schools or other educational institutions that wish to address levels of test anxiety that their students are experiencing should target self-regulated learning as a potential source of resilience during exam preparation. Although this research cannot say that an intervention such as this would be successful, it may have a few benefits. It could support students in providing them with strategies for learning and managing their time and resources well. It may develop their confidence and clarify for them how their exams will challenge their skills and knowledge, through strategies such as self-testing. By better preparing students for exams, self-regulated learning interventions may help them in experiencing less test anxiety. Conversely, using levels of test anxiety as one way to measure the success of such an intervention may help to further illuminate the relationship between test anxiety and self-regulated learning. Another area of impact may be by highlighting the need to support this cohort of students. In experiencing a very different few years of school compared to what they might have expected, the students from this year’s A-Level cohort may have different needs to others as they enter the workplace, university, or other fields of training. Although we cannot say it is because of the pandemic, it appears that the level of test anxiety experienced by these students is high. Other research has concluded that students and adolescents who were impacted by the pandemic have higher levels of mental health issues, as well as significant lost educational experiences. Recognising the potential for different or additional support for students and working to gain insight into the needs of these students may be important for their future success.

This research aimed to collect the viewpoints of Teaching Assistants (TAs) on shy children and how they become socially and emotionally school ready by the end of Reception. Growing research has shown that shyness in early childhood is a risk factor for a host of social, emotional, and school adjustment difficulties (Hipson et al., 2019). However, not all shy young children experience poor social and emotional adjustment to school to the same extent (Zhu et al., 2021). This research used the standards set by the Early Years Foundation Stage for personal social and emotional development to pose research questions centred around what strategies shy children use to build relationships, manage themselves, and self-regulate in the Reception environment. Understanding the strategies shy children use to be socially and emotionally school-ready by the end of Reception will help to raise awareness of shyness amongst practitioners and policymakers so that environments are adapted to meet their needs in Reception. Teaching Assistants (TAs) were chosen as participants because they have a rich insight into children’s everyday lives in school, yet their voice is historically underrepresented in research (Webster et al., 2011). Eight participants took part and were split into two focus groups. Each focus group lasted an hour and loosely followed three or four questions that were matched to each research question. A pre-focus group activity was emailed to the participants one week before the focus group and allowed the participants time to think about the topic and come up with potential examples. Findings showed that to build relationships, shy children were using verbal, nonverbal, and empathic communication to create a sense of belonging. They also used internally driven strategies to seek support or were reliant on support initiated by adults so 71 that they felt emotionally secure enough to grow in confidence to manage themselves in the Reception environment. However, some children were unable to self-regulate effectively using short-term coping strategies such as hostility, withdrawal, and refusal to protect their self-worth. This research has helped show how shy children are using strategies that centre around meeting three core needs. These core needs are (1) a sense of belonging, (2) emotional security, and (3) self-worth. As the literature has predominantly focused on children with different temperaments and their personal social and emotional development (PSED), this research has shown that shy children are forging different pathways to becoming socially and emotionally school-ready, and teacher expectations need to cater for this. Remote video observation of shy children in their Reception environment is important for further research as it would help build on this research’s findings and centre shy children’s experiences in Reception.

These findings impact how practitioners and policymakers can better calibrate how shy children may be able to overcome their temperamental bias to become socially and emotionally school ready in Reception. Training provided for EYFS practitioners that centres around the ways that shy individuals create a sense of belonging would facilitate the space for shy children to have the freedom to use their communicative strategies to successfully build relationships. Because shy children’s feelings of security are likely to increase when they were in small groups, a policy change that allows for smaller class sizes, which are currently set at 30 children per teacher, could arguably help shy children become more confident to manage themselves in the classroom. The research also impacts LEA and staffing budgets for schools because it highlights the need for smaller key worker-to-child ratios in Reception. The familiarity of one adult, 72 who understands their individual needs, may help them to build new, longer-lasting selfregulatory strategies to deal with situations that may be unfamiliar or difficult for them. This could help address the short-term coping strategies shy children are using in unfamiliar situations.

The emergence and widespread adoption of online learning tools and collaborative platforms has opened up new possibilities for teaching and learning (Alahmari, 2019). Colleges and universities and faculty are steadily integrating collaborative learning technologies into their online courses to help promote effective learning strategies. This mixed-methods study explored the impact of online collaborative learning tools on student engagement and learning outcomes in a graduate educational technology course. Fifty-six students were surveyed and three students were interviewed to understand their experiences and perspectives. Quantitative results showed that most students were satisfied with online collaboration, felt it increased engagement and interaction, and wanted further guidance and training from the school and instructor levels. However, fewer felt that online collaboration had improved outcomes. The qualitative findings revealed challenges with the tools and a desire for enhanced interfaces, functionality, guidance and peer supervision. Combining these two aspects suggests that online collaboration tools are positive, but ensuring their benefits relies on strategic implementation and social support.

The study's findings underscore the need to refine technology design, pedagogical integration, training and community building when utilising online collaboration in higher education.

"Bereavement in primary schools is a crucial aspect of inclusion, as it directly impacts a child’s emotional and social well-being. Inclusive education aims to provide all children with equal opportunities to succeed, recognising that bereavement can present significant challenges that require tailored support. According to Child Bereavement UK (2021), traumatically bereaved children experience distress beyond typical grief, which can often go unrecognised by educators and caregivers. As a result, schools play a pivotal role in ensuring that these children feel understood, supported, and included in the learning environment. A key component of inclusive practice is acknowledging that children respond to grief in different ways. Some may withdraw, struggling with concentration and engagement, while others might exhibit behavioural challenges that stem from heightened stress levels (Anna Freud NCCF, 2022). In my placement, I observed a pupil who had recently lost a close family member. Initially, they displayed withdrawal behaviours, often disengaging from class discussions and group tasks. Recognising this, the class teacher implemented strategies that promoted emotional expression, such as guided journaling and participation in structured group activities. These small adjustments allowed the pupil to gradually re-engage with learning, demonstrating how inclusive practices can create a sense of belonging.

Literature highlights key strategies to support bereaved children in mainstream classrooms. The Trauma and Grief Network (n.d.) emphasises the importance of communication, trust, and care, which can be fostered through consistent routines, honest discussions, and opportunities for participation in extracurricular activities. In my experience, I have seen how reliable routines and designated safe spaces help grieving children manage overwhelming emotions. For example, a ‘calm room’ in the school provided all children with a quiet retreat when needed, enabling them to self-regulate and return to learning when ready, this space was monitored at all times by a member of staff.

A whole-school approach is essential to addressing bereavement inclusively. The Department for Education (2016) underscores the importance of fostering emotional resilience through activities like music, art, and cultural events. During my placement, I noticed how creative expression helped bereaved pupils process their emotions. In one instance, a class project involving poetry and storytelling encouraged a child to articulate feelings of loss in a safe and supported environment. This approach aligns with the UK Trauma Council’s (2021) recommendations, which advocate for trusted relationships, home-school collaboration, and continuous monitoring of children’s well-being.

However, there are barriers to ensuring effective support for bereaved children. The Department of Education (2018) highlights challenges such as limited staff training and delayed mental health support, which can hinder timely interventions. During my placement, I observed how time constraints and curriculum pressures made it difficult for teachers to provide consistent emotional support. This reinforces the need for structured professional development, equipping educators with the skills to identify and respond to grief-related needs effectively.

Adapting lessons to support bereaved children requires sensitivity and flexibility. Tian and Cook (2012) suggest creating opportunities for emotional expression and integrating discussions about bereavement into class reading. In practice, I have seen how literature can help normalise grief and reduce stigma. For instance, reading a book that subtly addresses loss provided a bereaved pupil with an entry point for discussing their feelings, reinforcing the importance of embedding inclusive narratives within the curriculum.

Ultimately, inclusive education for bereaved children involves a multi-faceted approach, combining emotional support, structured interventions, and strong relationships. By embedding these practices into daily school life, educators can help grieving pupils navigate their emotions while continuing to access meaningful learning experiences."

"This poster discussion and my reflection on inclusive practices in general have significantly deepened my understanding of effective teaching, particularly in addressing misconceptions, managing cognitive load, and fostering psychological safety. Vygotsky’s theory of assisted problem-solving has reinforced the importance of providing structured support, ensuring that learning remains within students’ zones of proximal development (Gredler, 2012). This highlights the role of scaffolding in enabling students to engage with challenging tasks while developing independent problem-solving skills. Cognitive load theory has emphasised the need to carefully sequence lesson content, breaking down complex concepts into manageable steps to prevent cognitive overload (Shibli & West, 2018). By structuring lessons effectively, I can help students retain and apply knowledge more successfully.Additionally, the importance of psychological safety in the classroom has become increasingly clear. A secure learning environment fosters engagement, encourages risk-taking, and supports both academic and personal growth (Hardie et al., 2022). When students feel safe to express their ideas without fear of judgment, they are more likely to participate actively and develop confidence in their learning. Recognising this, I will continue to prioritise creating an inclusive and supportive classroom culture.

These insights will directly shape my future teaching practice. I will strive to implement strategies that balance challenge with support, ensuring students have the guidance needed to develop their understanding. Furthermore, I will be mindful of lesson design, aiming to reduce unnecessary cognitive demands while maintaining high expectations. Ultimately, this reflection has reinforced the importance of being intentional in both instructional methods and classroom management, ensuring that all students are given the best opportunities to succeed."