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Education, philosophy, research: opening space for moves towards social justice in research
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Research-philosophy-pedagogy as an event in the world: What’s the big deal?
Schools, communities and social capital: building blocks in the 'Big Society' (Research associate full report)
"This study looked at how effective schools engage with their communities. Its aim was to identify key
mechanisms that promoted community engagement. It also sought to determine the impact this had on the
amount and nature of social capital available to pupils, parents and the wider community. Effective schools
were found to generate significant amounts of social capital within their institutions as demonstrated by the
degree of trust, reciprocity, civic engagement and social cohesion. Pupil voice was a powerful mechanism in
developing a sense of control and self-efficacy. Recently created posts such as family workers, therapists and
social work placements extended much of this impact into the family.
Schools that went further to promote social capital in the neighbourhood were those with a more
aspirational vision that went beyond simply engaging the community to aid school improvement. They
viewed community empowerment as key to the success of their pupils and families within the wider social
context. They encouraged community leadership and decision-making, often through informal learning
approaches, and truly became ‘hubs of the community’, facilitating community development and promoting
community cohesion. The findings suggest that a more reciprocal view is needed of the relationship between
school and community and that schools could play a central role in creating the ‘Big Society’.
How to stop "weevil" damage in stored grain
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