Journal of Research in Special Educational Needs doi: 10.1111/1471-3802.12360
Volume 16
Number s1
2016
1104–1107
WHEN EDUCATIONAL TRANSITIONS ARE SUPPORTED BY STUDENTS1 Angeles Parrilla1, Carmen Gallego2 and Silvia Sierra1 1
University of Vigo; 2University of Seville
Key words: Educational transitions, inclusive research, inclusive education, students as researchers.
This paper shows how inclusive and participative research is developed into two case studies of students facing educational transitions. The studies were developed in two different places in Spain describing different approaches to support transitions by students. The first case focuses on activities organised and developed together by students from 8 schools in the same local area to enhance a shared understanding of the experience of transitions and to explore how to facilitate and sensitize to the community about them. The second case involved a student Mutual Support Group consisting of a trained group of three students in the same school who meet regularly with self-referred mates to design personal pathways to face transitions. The paper concludes by reflecting on how student voice and participation provide a genuine and innovative means through which educational transitions can be improved.
Introduction Inclusive education calls for the development of an inclusive research: a research committed to developing ways to build participatory, fair and democratic knowledge (McLeskey, Waldrom, Spooner, et al., 2014; Allan and Slee, 2008). This type of research arises most prominently from certain academic and social movements (Chevalier and Bucless, 2013) that converge in a common interest for developing an alternative orientation towards traditional research, a research that sets out to promote modes of knowing and of building know-how that are socially fair and participating (Nind, 2014a,b). This entails a type of research aiming at democratising the research process itself, committed to combating the usual dynamics of power between the researcher and the 1
The two cases reported here are part of a Coordinated Research, funded by the Spanish MINECO: Parrilla, A. Dir. Escuelas que caminan hacia la inclusion educativa: trabajar con la comunidad local para promover el cambio. MINECO Ref. EDU2011-29928-C03-01. Gallego, C Dir .Escuelas que caminan hacia la inclusi on educativa: trabajar con el apoyo educativo para promover el cambio. MINECO Ref. EDU2011-29928-C03-02
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researched. The arguments and ideas presented by Oliver (1997) and Barton (2011), since the end of the ‘80’s, calling for an equal relationship in research (in the so-called disability studies) point in this direction, as has also been proposed by participatory feminist research (Reinharz, 1992). This involves increasing the participation of the people involved in the research processes, maximising their participation on the basis of an equal relationship, in a research process that must be dialectic. Taking these ideas and principles into consideration, the concept of research used in this work involves the participants in the research process having to be actively involved in studying the processes being analysed and in which they participate. This research must also, and above all, be one that fosters inclusive research values, attitudes and practices. This paper sets out to provide a contribution to the construction of this kind of research, describing and analysing the processes followed in two different case studies (developed in Spain at the University of Vigo and the University of Seville). Two Cases: educational transitions supported by students The case studies described here aim to promote better educational transitions through students’ participation. In both cases, students were invited to participate and organise several actions by themselves in order to promote an inclusive development of educational transitions. Both cases are intended to enable families, schools and community to consider the potential application of innovative approaches facilitated by the students when transitions are analysed and supported by them. Both case studies describe strategic approaches to supporting transitions – from primary to secondary compulsory education and from Secondary education to high school and vocational training – and give a different but equally constructive perspective. The first case was developed supported by the University of Vigo that acted as an external facilitator rather than
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leading the research. It was a process designed by teachers and students mainly through a local inter-school network that meet every two months at the local area. The research was focussed on how to rethink and improve at a community level transition from Primary to Secondary Education. Students from eight different schools (six primary schools and two secondary schools), in the same local area, were invited to organise and develop actions designed to determine how they and others experienced transitions and how to facilitate them. The study was aimed at studying first and later sensitising the socio-educational community regarding the inclusive importance, or alternatively, the risk of being excluded, involved in the educational transition. The valuable point here, therefore, is that transitions have been analysed and redesigned from the viewpoint of its protagonists, clearly intending to put forward improvements that can be developed in all the local schools. To achieve these goals, in each of the participating schools, the following strategies, designed and headed through collaboration between those participating in the study, and the research team were developed and launched:
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Technique: “message in a bottle”, an activity in which Primary education pupils who were going to move to Secondary Education were invited to send a message to an imaginary pupil in Secondary Education, asking him/her questions, expressing queries or fears about the new stage about to be embarked upon. In turn, the Secondary Education pupils were invited to write messages to Primary pupils explaining to them what the new stage is like, how they have adapted to it, their difficulties, etc. A total of 129 messages in a bottle were written. Inquiries with four open questions to Secondary Education pupils on their experience in the transition. A total of 94 inquiries were made. Narratives of the experiences of the students during the transition from primary to secondary school. These stories looked more in-depth and more personally at the transition process. A total of 12 stories were written.
Data collected at each school were in a first steep, internally analysed by teachers who were supported in this process by the external research team. Then, results were negotiated and discussed with students. The final version of the content analysis included the following categories: “experiences and fears” of the participants in dealing with the transitions; activities identified as “successful actions” in facilitating the transition to Secondary Education; and “new proposals” and innovative ideas to improve such a transition. This initial analysis of the information led to designing various types of materials and actions, derived from the “new proposals” category. That is, initial results were analysed in a second steep by a more participatory ª 2016 NASEN
and creative activity by the group of students and researchers. The question that leads this second analysis was: What are these results telling us to improve our practices? As the implication of the whole community in the process of transition was identified as a powerful issue, an Educational Exhibition was proposed and articulated. It was held in a public square of the local area, just opposite to the town hall, being aimed at the local community to communicate, transfer and dialogue about the process developed and the emergent proposals aimed to improve transitions. The following activities and materials were produced and presented at the Educational Exhibition: (a) Posters explaining the broad categories of analysis (fears, concerns, expectations, etc.) in order to show and debate with parents and peers on various public stands about the students’ concerns regarding the transition to secondary school; (b) Brochures of how to do and how not to do in case of being in an educational transition, with different ideas for students, parents, and teachers; (c) a Decalogue of actions including the good practices identified and proposals related to how to deal with the transitions by all those involved in it (pupils, parents and teachers), and (d) Printed narratives written by the primary and secondary school pupils, that were read in public, about their stories and experiences related to the transition. In this way, the study went beyond what a work of this kind could entail, by creating the opportunity for people to take part and to share and transfer the process with the clear intention of sensitising and fostering improvements in the transition from primary to secondary school. A new interschool plan for transitions from Primary to Secondary education was started one year later as a result of this process. In the second research, developed at Seville University, a group of students from a secondary school developed a “students support team”, a group of mutual support between students aimed at helping their mates in the same school, which were in transition from secondary education to compulsory education to high school or vocational training. In this second case, students were trained in a cycle of collaborative problem solving (Daniels, Norwich and Creese, 2000) before running the team. Data gathering and data analysis were inspired on participatory methodologies and included the participation of students in different parts of the analysis. In this case, three secondary schools were engaged in the processes of setting up, training and developing Mutual Support Groups (MSG) not only with students but also with teachers, families and pupils. In this paper, we present the setting up and development of an MSG between fourth grade secondary education students. To develop the team, students were trained in order to provide mutual support for the transition from Secondary to higher studies (Professional Training/Secondary Education). Far removed from the expert advisory model, the setting up, 1105
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training and development of the MSG between pupils make it possible to generate new viewpoints, alternatives and more creative contextualised solutions to face transitions. In them, it is the pupils themselves who share the problems of transition with the MSG (three of their mates) and look for solutions through dialogue and collaborative solving problems. The process of setting up the MSG between pupils comprised several phases. It began (first phase) with a training seminar, in which 17 students from ESO fourth grade took part. Two sessions lasting two hours each were organised in which the following collaborative/participatory strategies were developed:
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Photo-elicitation: students dialogue about pictures answering questions such as “How do you feel when you have a problem”? Or “How do you feel about the forthcoming change (transition)?” They express their fears, anxiety over the unknown, lack of support and the need to ask for help in order to solve problems and face the transition. Personal/Professional itinerary design: pupils map out his/her own itinerary, striking a balance between the competencies that he/she has and those that were in need of improvement. This strategy highlights the need to develop a life and professional project at schools as well as to promote the acquisition of competencies for employment, autonomy and personal responsibility. Communication skills: through different activities such as role playing, MSG session simulations, the pupils put into practice and investigate on competencies and communicative techniques, interpersonal skills and collaborative abilities as well as attitudes designed to open up dialogue and empathy.
March to June 2013. All the four cases were related with how to envisage their future training or professional itinerary: “Doubts to find out what to do after secondary school education” (Case 3); “Indecision regarding which secondary education stream to choose: social sciences or health sciences” (Case 4); “Doubts as to which secondary school to go to” (Case 1) and “Indecision about your future: police force or the military corps” (Case 2). To support and facilitate the group work, that was absolute independently, several group meetings with students were developed in this third phase. In those meetings, the members of the TGM and the research team worked in content-oriented questions and needs detected by the students. As an example, a cooperative activity named “Which are our possible ways?” was developed to explore different academic itineraries after compulsory education. This activity was developed in three sessions. Students who were organised in two groups sought, collected and analysed data about the topic, and designed two murals and several brochures about professional and training itinerary , which were later shared with students in the TGM meetings Final Reflections Results from both studies show a different outlook on educational transitions, centred on the students’ viewpoints. Furthermore, the results show some innovative ideas and processes to foster transitions that do not exclude or act as barriers for the change that students have to deal with.
Once the seminar ended, a second phase was launched with the start-up of the MSG between pupils. Here, the pupils developed a prior activity that we have termed “publicity”, in which they made different materials such as posters, datasheets, announcements on the school website, etc., advising on the creation of the group, showing their signs of identity as a collaborative group. For example: “If you are worried about your future, come to the MSG and we’ll talk about it among ourselves”; the time and place where the meeting will be: “Thursday, 11:30– 12:30 a.m.. “You can find us in the Resources Room”, etc.
The freedom to be creative, to design new proposals to face transitions or to study between peers the difficulties of classmates, was a real benefit to the approach adopted in this study. Students were engaged in the process at different levels of participation; but in any case, their work provides relevant insights on transitions. The more relevant difference between the two cases was the role adopted in each study by pupils. Meanwhile in the first case, students were mainly invited to give and discuss ideas about transitions; in the second, the students had the entire responsibility to guide and propose ways to face real problems for students in the process of transition. The evidence collected by and from students indicates that collaborative work developed by students in both cases produced events, materials, working ideas and innovative activities, making use of existing experience (analysing the own processes, thinking together. . .). This means that as “transitioners,” students should be considered and valued when the improvement of the processes of transitions are considered.
The third phase supposes the development of the MSG sessions with other students, and also some support from the research team to the MSG members of the team. The MSG between pupils covered four cases from
Moreover, we can highlight the value as a promoter of changes and social innovations that inclusive research can have in the communities in which it is developed. The process followed, involving designing, analysing and taking
As a closing activity at the seminar, pupils democratically selected the three pupils that were to be members of the MSG, taking into account the profile required to be part of the mutual support group.
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decisions jointly both facilitates and helps the participants to accept and take on change with less risk, as they move out of the so-called “comfort zone”. In this study, the process followed has also made mobilisation and social organisation of specific, joint strategies possible (such as the Educational Exhibition and Mutual support groups) regarding an issue that has traditionally been dealt with from the standpoint of sector-based and expert suggestions. The conclusions also point out the power of dialogue to deal with research. As regarding the research process followed in both studies, consideration should be given as to how the process followed in both cases has assisted participants in accessing new ways of learning that confirm the potential of the shared construction of knowledge on the basis of collaboration of participants in the processes under study. These results also coincide with previous studies that underline the transforming power of inclusive research (Nind, 2014b). More than anything, this inquiry has provided opportunities for students to reflect on their own and others’ experience of educational transitions. In this way, this research has provided genuine knowledge, as opposed to the traditional scientific knowledge, because of the participatory processes followed to construct it. This is also due to the meaning given in both cases to transform the very reality. Because of all these reasons, we venture to point out the added value of the democratisation of the research processes since this has created a context of opportunities for improving transitions.
References Allan, J. & Slee, R. (2008) Doing Inclusive Research. Rotterdam: Sense Publishers. Barton, L. (2011) ‘La investigacion en la educaci on inclusiva y la difusion de la investigacion sobre discapacidad.’ Revista interuniversitaria de Formaci on de Profesorado, 25 (1), pp. 63–76. Chevalier, J. M. & Bucless, D. (2013) Participatory action Research. Theory and methods for Engaged enquiry. New York: Routledge. Daniels, H., Norwich, B. & Creese, A. (2000) Supporting collaborative problem-solving in schools. In H. Daniels (Ed) Special education re-formed: Beyond rhetoric. London: Falmer. McLeskey, J., Waldrom, N., Spooner, F. & Algozzine, B. (eds) (2014) Handbook of Research on Effective Inclusive schools. New York: Routledge. Nind, M. (2014a) ‘Inclusive research and inclusive education: why connecting them makes sense for teachers0 and learners democratic development of education.’ Cambridge Journal of Education, 44 (4), pp. 525–540. Nind, M. (2014b) What is inclusive research?. London: Bloomsbury Academic. Oliver, M. (1997) ‘Emancipatory research: realistic goal or impossible dream?’ In C. Barnes & G. Mercer (eds), Doing disability research, pp. 15–31. Leeds: Disability Press. Reinharz, S. (1992) Feminist methods in social research. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Conflicts of Interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.
Address for correspondence Angeles Parrilla, Facultad de Ciencias de la Educaci on y del Deporte Campus A Xunqueira 36005 Pontevedra University of Vigo, Email:
[email protected]
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