Collaborative Epistemic Discourse in Classroom Information Seeking Tasks

We discuss the relationship between information seeking, and epistemic beliefs – beliefs about the source, structure, complexity, and stability of knowledge – in the context of collaborative information seeking discourses. We further suggest that both information seeking, and epistemic cognition research agendas have suffered from a lack of attention to how information seeking as a collaborative activity is mediated by talk between partners – an area we seek to address in this paper. A small-scale observational study using sociocultural discourse analysis was conducted with eight eleven year old pupils who carried out search engine tasks in small groups. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed on their discussions using sociocultural discourse analytic techniques. Extracts of the dialogue are reported, informed by concordance analysis and quantitative coding of dialogue duration. We find that 1) discourse which could be characterised as ‘epistemic’ is identifiable in student talk, 2) that it is possible to identify talk which is more or less productive, and 3) that epistemic talk is associated with positive learning outcomes

Learning from the early adopters: developing the digital practitioner

This paper explores how Sharpe and Beetham’s Digital Literacies Framework which was derived to model students’ digital literacies, can be applied to lecturers’ digital literacy practices. Data from a small-scale phenomenological study of higher education lecturers who used Web 2.0 in their teaching and learning practices are used to examine if this pyramid model represents their motivations for adopting technology-enhanced learning in their pedagogic practices. The paper argues that whilst Sharpe and Beetham’s model has utility in many regards, these lecturers were mainly motivated by the desire to achieve their pedagogic goals rather than by a desire to become a digital practitioner

A follow-up study to a randomised control trial to investigate the perceived impact of mindfulness on academic performance in university students

1 Objectives Mindfulness research in education has focussed on its potential to support student well-being. There is a paucity of research on the interaction between mindfulness and academic performance. This qualitative study builds on results of the largest randomised control trial of mindfulness in education to date which suggested mindfulness can have mixed effects on academic performance. A more in-depth understanding of the relationship between mindfulness and academic performance is therefore needed to ascertain if, how and for which students, mindfulness facilitates academic performance. The objective of the study was to capture students’ perceptions of the impact of mindfulness on their academic performance. 2 Methods Thematic analysis was applied to data obtained by six in-depth interviews from three higher and three lower performing undergraduate participants in the mindfulness intervention arm of the Mindful Student Study randomised control trial. 3 Results Three themes emerged, whereby five students described mindfulness having a positive impact on their academic performance. One student felt mindfulness had an initial negative impact on academic performance. All students felt mindfulness enhanced self-awareness and self-regulation of their thinking, feelings and behaviours, and our analysis suggests students perceived these processes underpinned the effect of mindfulness on academic performance 4 Conclusion Differences in students’ psychological distress and study habits may determine the differing initial impact of mindfulness on academic performance

‘Why haven’t I got one of those?’ A consideration regarding the need to protect non-participant children in early years research

It is widely documented that young children participating in research should be protected from harm and that ethical considerations should be applied throughout a research project. What this paper strives to assert, however, is that protecting these participants is insufficient. A research project into children’s speech and language development, using audio–-visual methods, highlighted that children who are non-participants, those on the periphery of research, can also be affected by the research process. It is acknowledged throughout this paper that although ethical procedures were adhered to whilst undertaking a specific research project, this was insufficient. It is therefore argued that all children within a research environment, whether participatory or not, should be given equal consideration with regards to ethical protection when undertaking research. It is asserted that ‘“why haven’t I got one of those’”, or the equivalent, is a phrase to be avoided at all costs when undertaking research with children

High attaining students, marketisation and the absence of care: everyday experiences in an urban academy

This article draws on the work of Nel Noddings to suggest that the current neoliberal, marketised system of education is eroding caring relationships in schools. Data are drawn from a small-scale qualitative study of an ethnically diverse group of high attaining sixth form students from a successful urban academy. Based on this data, we argue that two fundamental aspects of care, students’ relationships with their teachers and an attention to their personal and social concerns, were neglected because of the overriding focus on examination success to maintain the school’s position in the education marketplace. The article offers detailed evidence from the students’ perspective to support the claim that the marketisation of the education system leads to students being valued only in as far as they bring value to the school. It also suggests that care is one of the main casualties in such a system

Herding cats or getting heard: the SENCo–teacher dynamic and its impact on teachers’ classroom practice

This article is based on two key findings of doctoral research into the impact that Special Educational Needs Coordinators (SENCos) in England have on teachers’ skills when addressing the needs of children with SEN in mainstream primary schools. I use data from questionnaires and interviews with SENCos, teachers and headteachers to argue that key indicators for successful teaching of children with SEN include SENCos skilling teachers in their roles as ‘agents of change’ in relation to SENCos’ views of their teaching colleagues, as well as the evolving nature of their own professional identity

Care experienced young people: Agency and empowerment

Empowerment discourses have become fashionable in current policy and practice relating to young people, including those with care experience. Empowerment, however, is a slippery and contested concept, associated with neo-liberal discourses. An ecological understanding of agency offers more theoretically nuanced understandings of empowerment, taking account of the complex, temporal, and relational factors, upon which empowerment is contingent. This paper utilises data generated through an ‘empowerment group’ for care-experienced young people; it illustrates how an ecological understanding of agency, as a heuristic, might further understanding of the lives of care-experienced young people

Lessons from using iPads to understand young children's creativity

This paper explores how iPads can be used as part of a child-centred data collection approach to understanding young children’s creativity. Evidence is presented from a pilot study about 3- to 5-year-old children’s creative play. Researchers’ reflective accounts of children’s engagement with iPad video diaries and free to use apps were logged across two early educational settings over a three-month period. Findings suggest that iPads offer a mechanism to allow children to express their creative play and to encourage involvement in the research process. However, bespoke research software to use with early years children is required to improve this process

The Self stepping into the shoes of the Other: Understanding and developing self-perceptions of empathy among prospective physical education teachers through a special school placement

Teachers who demonstrate a high degree of empathy are said to have more positive attitudes towards pupils with disabilities. Therefore, this article sought to explore the influence of a special school placement on prospective teachers’ self-perceptions of empathy. Thirty-two final year undergraduate students participated in focus group interviews and were selected because they aspired to be a physical education teacher and had attended a placement in a special school. Interview transcripts were analysed and the following themes constructed: Stepping into the shoes of the Other; Frustrated ‘for’ not ‘with’ pupils with disabilities; Empathy for planning inclusive lessons and ‘reading’ pupil body language; and Knowing when not to show empathy. All prospective teachers felt that: (a) they could empathise with pupils with disabilities; (b) situated learning experiences within the placement enabled them to reflect on the ways in which their empathy influences their teaching now and could continue to do so in the future; and (c) it was important that teachers demonstrated empathy. Thus, it is recommended that all prospective teachers gain some experience teaching in special schools. Our research also warns against teachers claiming the last, conclusive word about who children with disabilities are, what they think, how they feel and what they want, in myriad contexts and situations