Apathy or lack of civic education? Why young people don’t vote

The consistently low turnout rates among young people are often interpreted as apathy. But this is not the case, explains Iro Konstantinou. She writes that the curriculum must be widened to include more practical democratic issues than just traditional party politics, and take into account the socio-economic background of students so that it talks about the social issues that matter to them

Establishing a centre for evidence‐informed practice within a school : lessons from the Research and Evidence Centre

Despite the numerous attempts to engage teachers on a practical level with evidence-informed pedagogies, there is little empirical research that maps the journey, from the inception to the implementation and practical applications, of a research centre within a school with the aim of embedding evidence-informed practice within the school. This paper will seek to address this empirical gap by providing the case study of one school that set up such a centre. Data for this paper was collected through 10 interviews and 42 questionnaires with staff at the school as well as by outlining the case study of how the centre came to be. Our preliminary findings suggest that for a centre for evidence-informed practice to be successful there needs to be a clear direction from senior management and give time for engagement, teachers can be sceptical of research which can be too opaque and jargonistic and the job of the researchers should concentrate on making everything accessible but not simplistic. We also found that a centre for evidence-informed practice can be best utilised for creating partnerships and collaborations with other schools, it can enhance the digital education capacity of teaching staff and should provide a diversity of resources to cater to the various interests and needs of the teaching body. Despite the uniqueness of the case study, we argue that findings can aid schools that are thinking of embarking on a similar process and provide ideas of how this can be done successfully

Constructions of class, race, ethnicity and tolerance : the case study of St Aber's and Mawerley

This thesis explores constructions of class, race, ethnicity and tolerance in a ‘monocultural’ private school; whose white, middle-class make-up, was a reflection of its affluent London setting. The study focuses, in particular, on how the school community made sense of the discourse of Fundamental British Values being promoted within UK schools. In this research, the notion of ‘British Values’ is utilised as the basis for an analysis of the values that were seen as significant within the school and exploration of who and what became valued vis-à-vis the school’s (and the wider community’s) normative behaviours. The ethnographic nature of the case study allowed for various avenues for collecting qualitative data. Interviews, with staff, pupils and other members of the community, observations, events at the school and Mawerley; all provided me with great insights of the workings of the school and the locality. The case study developed a number of key findings. Fairness and meritocracy which are considered to be core British values, and also placed at the heart of St Aber’s ethos, can form the basis for justifying exclusions. The school and the area formed a bubble which became a space for privileged white and middle-class practices to become habitual, acquiring moralistic nuances. Questions of British Values led to discussions around race, class, gender, and national belonging, transcending the confined boundaries of the school. The thesis argues that practices of exclusion and inclusion did not only revolve around Britain, and her values, but extended to the school and the locality’s practices. In this sense, I take these two contexts to form a total locale which shapes notions and ideologies and generates concealed boundaries within the all-encompassing nature of a middle-class white bubble

Collegiality, emotional labour and compassion in the academy : an autoethnographic study of Covid-19

The paper draws upon autoethnographic accounts from two academic staff in a private higher education institution (HEI) in London, UK who try to make sense of their teaching and learning practices during the pandemic. Even though studies have looked into the impact of Covid-19 on teaching and learning and on students, this paper reflects on the experience of lecturers with a focus on their emotional labour and stressors during remote teaching and working. Design/methodology/approach This is a small case study of two colleagues from a small private institution in London, UK, which is based on autoethnography. The authors draw on personal notes, emails and other written artefacts alongside our memories of our lived experiences of the pandemic. Findings The authors’ reflections focus on the need for institutional collegiality as avenues to network and collaborate beyond institutions which have been limited (despite the increased interactions online) and the need to acknowledge emotional labour while providing spaces for staff to discuss their everyday experiences. The authors argue for a renewed importance for creating a sense of community during times of uncertainty and beyond. If these structures are put into place, the conditions to support teaching and learning will also strengthened. Originality/value There is a dearth in research which discusses emotional labour and the importance of community and collegiality on campuses and in the new way of working remotely. This paper adds to the empirical basis of such research and hopes to encourage others to share their experiences of emotional labour in the academy

Investigating Gen Z attitudes to charitable giving and donation behaviour : social media, peers and authenticity

Even though there are studies which look at the motivations and trends of charitable giving and donations among Millennials, there is little empirical evidence which discusses how Gen Z perceive charitable donations and philanthropic work. As this generation moves into full employment, it is worth considering what influences they perceive as important for them to invest money, time and effort in when it comes to charitable giving, especially at the aftermath of COVID-19 which has shaped perceptions of community, charity and donation behaviour. Our paper draws from focus groups with participants in the age range of 21–24, all based in the southeast of the UK. We explore the influences of peers, social media and personal interests in how Gen Z chooses which charitable causes to support during and after COVID-19, a formative time in young people's lives. Our study shows that Gen Z are a generation who want to feel personally connected to the charities and causes they support. Social media and its influences are also a major driver in what Gen Z perceive to be pivotal in their expressions of charitable giving. Peer influences are important since recommendations by friends are likely to be authentic and genuine, something which is essential for Gen Z who do not want to be perceived as jumping on the bandwagon when they support causes but want to see long-lasting impact. Our findings show that Gen Z prefer to be approached online rather than in person and feel empowered in their choices. We conclude by recommendations to marketers and those who are looking to engage Gen Z in their charitable endeavours and make them espouse their goals, especially in a (post) COVID-19 world in a UK context