Schools and their communities: pupil and teacher perceptions of community action

Lecture


Durrant, I., Peterson, A., Hoult, E. and Leith, L. 2011. Schools and their communities: pupil and teacher perceptions of community action.
AuthorsDurrant, I., Peterson, A., Hoult, E. and Leith, L.
TypeLecture
Description

In England over the last two decades, there has been a growing interest in the role of English schools in developing, facilitating and supporting young people’s community participation. A number of policy initiatives have sought to build the capacity and opportunities for youth participation. Research suggests, however, that pupils and schools are often prohibited by significant barriers from becoming involved with community activities, particularly those which might occur beyond the school environment itself. In March 2010 the UK Labour government launched a Youth Community Action initiative for England, piloted across five local authorities, which aimed to involve young people of 14-16 years-of-age in community action. Following the UK general election in May 2010, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government terminated these pilots but was quick to announce the launch and piloting of a National Citizen Service for 16-19 year olds in England.

Purpose
Drawing on research conducted with participants in one Youth Community Action pilot project, the aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and understandings of young people regarding their involvement in community action activities and how this compared to the perceptions and understandings of the teachers responsible for co-ordinating such activities.

Sample
In the final synthesis, the sample comprised 614 pupil questionnaires, representing a response rate of 24 percent of the pupils in the 9 participating schools. 11 semi-structured interviews and one focus group interview were conducted with pupils in 6 of the schools, with a further 8 semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers in these 6 schools.

Design and methods
A questionnaire was administered to pupils participating in the Youth Community Action pilot, enabling an exploration of self-reported behavioural attitudes and perceptions. The data collected was analysed thematically, with an identification of common themes in responses. In addition, factor analysis and a series of Chi² tests of association were carried out. The use of semi-structured interviews, the data from which were analysed thematically, enabled a qualitative exploration of pupils’ and teachers’ self-reported perceptions of community action activities.

Results
The findings of our questionnaires report that those pupils who know more about their local neighbourhood and community are likely to report greater levels of concern for what happens within it. This suggests that pupils’ learning about their neighbourhoods and community is likely to be beneficial toward developing affective attachments to them. For the pupils in our data-set, simply possessing pro-social behaviours and attitudes was not a sufficient or necessary condition for their community awareness and involvement. It suggests that, at least for a notable number of pupils, active engagement in the community requires cultivation and learning beyond pro-social behaviours. The semi-structured interviews report that pupils identify the school as the key source of information about community engagement opportunities, but also indicate that there is a marked difference in the activities which teachers identify their pupils as having undertaken, and the ability of pupils to vocalise these themselves. A further notable finding was a focus on the practical (time, distance, age-constraints) and social (peer-pressure) barriers to community action activities to the exclusion of specifically educational (lack of understanding and skills) barriers.

Conclusions
Results from this study suggest that schools represent an important source for pupils’ community involvement, but that in our sample pupils often lack the vocabulary with which to explain the extent and nature of such engagement. Pupils and teachers identify a range of barriers to and benefits of community involvement, but these do not include a lack of understanding or skills. The research raises important questions in the context of recent policy trends in England.

KeywordsYouth Community Action; participation in the community; National Citizen Service
Year2011
ConferenceAmerican Educational Research Association Annual Meeting (8-12 April, 2011), hosted in New Orleans, Louisiana
File
FunderCanterbury Christ Church University
Publication process dates
Deposited15 May 2012
Output statusUnpublished
Permalink -

https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/8692v/schools-and-their-communities-pupil-and-teacher-perceptions-of-community-action

Download files

  • 81
    total views
  • 20
    total downloads
  • 1
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

Outdoor provision for babies and toddlers: Exploring the practice/policy/research nexus in English ECEC settings
Josephidou, Jo, Kemp, Nicola and Durrant, Ian 2021. Outdoor provision for babies and toddlers: Exploring the practice/policy/research nexus in English ECEC settings. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal. 29 (6). https://doi.org/10.1080/1350293x.2021.1985555
Making connections with their world: Outdoor provision for under-twos in early childhood settings in Kent
Kemp, N., Josephidou, J. and Durrant, I. 2020. Making connections with their world: Outdoor provision for under-twos in early childhood settings in Kent . Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
Educating children with life limiting and life threatening conditions
Robinson, S. and Durrant, I. 2018. Educating children with life limiting and life threatening conditions. Teaching Transforms Lives: How Can Teacher Education Help Address Social Inequality. Discovery Park, Sandwich, Kent 19 Jun 2018
Teachers communicating about life-limiting conditions, death and bereavement
Robinson, S., Ekins, A., Durrant, I. and Summers, K. 2018. Teachers communicating about life-limiting conditions, death and bereavement. Pastoral Care in Education. 36 (1), pp. 57-69. https://doi.org/10.1080/02643944.2017.1422007
Civic republican social justice and the case of state grammar schools in England
Peterson, A. 2017. Civic republican social justice and the case of state grammar schools in England. Studies in Philosophy and Education. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11217-017-9580-5
Civic virtue and global responsibilities: the possibility of a character-based approach to educating global citizens in Australia?
Peterson, A. 2015. Civic virtue and global responsibilities: the possibility of a character-based approach to educating global citizens in Australia? in: Print, M. and Tan, C. (ed.) Educating ‘Good’ Citizens in a Globalising World for the Twenty-First Century Rotterdam Sense.
Developing inclusive civics and citizenship education for diverse learners
Peterson, A. and Tudball, L. 2016. Developing inclusive civics and citizenship education for diverse learners. in: Peterson, A. and Tudball, L. (ed.) Civics and Citizenship in Australia: Challenges, Practices and International Perspectives London Bloomsbury.
Connecting values and religion with civics and citizenship education
Peterson, A. and Bentley, B. 2016. Connecting values and religion with civics and citizenship education. in: Peterson, A. and Tudball, L. (ed.) Civics and Citizenship in Australia: Challenges, Practices and International Perspectives London Bloomsbury.
Social justice and education for citizenship in England
Peterson, A. and Davies, I. 2016. Social justice and education for citizenship in England. in: Peterson, A., Hattam, R., Zembylas, M. and Arthur, J. (ed.) The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan.
Global justice and educating for globally oriented citizenship
Peterson, A. 2016. Global justice and educating for globally oriented citizenship. in: Peterson, A., Hattam, R., Zembylas, M. and Arthur, J. (ed.) The Palgrave International Handbook of Education for Citizenship and Social Justice Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan.
Global learning and education: key concepts and effective practice
Peterson, A. and Warwick, P. 2014. Global learning and education: key concepts and effective practice. London Routledge.
Education, globalization and the nation
Chong, K., Davies, I., Epstein, T., Peck, C., Peterson, A., Ross, A., Schmidt, M., Sears, A. and Sonu, D. 2015. Education, globalization and the nation. Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan.
Compassion and education: cultivating compassionate children, schools and communities
Peterson, A. 2017. Compassion and education: cultivating compassionate children, schools and communities. Basingstoke Palgrave Macmillan.
Educating children with life-limiting conditions. A practical handbook for teachers and school-based staff
Ekins, A., Robinson, S., Durrant, I. and Summers, K. 2017. Educating children with life-limiting conditions. A practical handbook for teachers and school-based staff. London Routledge.
Inclusive educational provision for newly-arrived unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children: a study in a single school in Kent
Peterson, A., Durrant, I., Meehan, C. and Ali, Z. 2017. Inclusive educational provision for newly-arrived unaccompanied asylum-seeking and refugee children: a study in a single school in Kent. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
What are the educational needs and experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee children, including those who are unaccompanied, with a particular focus on inclusion? - A literature review
Peterson, A., Meehan, C., Ali, Z. and Durrant, I. 2017. What are the educational needs and experiences of asylum-seeking and refugee children, including those who are unaccompanied, with a particular focus on inclusion? - A literature review. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
The contested place of religion in the Australian Civics and Citizenship curriculum: exploring the secular in a multi-faith society
Peterson, A. 2016. The contested place of religion in the Australian Civics and Citizenship curriculum: exploring the secular in a multi-faith society. British Journal of Religious Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/01416200.2015.1113931
A case for cautious optimism? Active citizenship and the Australian Civics and Citizenship curriculum
Peterson, A. and Bentley, B. 2016. A case for cautious optimism? Active citizenship and the Australian Civics and Citizenship curriculum. Asia Pacific Journal of Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/02188791.2016.1142424
Education for citizenship in South Australian public schools: a pilot study of senior leader and teacher perceptions
Peterson, A. and Bentley, B. 2016. Education for citizenship in South Australian public schools: a pilot study of senior leader and teacher perceptions. Curriculum Journal. 28 (1), pp. 105-122. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585176.2016.1184579
Different battlegrounds, similar concerns? The “history wars” and the teaching of history in Australia and England
Peterson, A. 2016. Different battlegrounds, similar concerns? The “history wars” and the teaching of history in Australia and England. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education. 46 (6), pp. 861-881. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057925.2015.1049978
Securitisation and/or Westernisation: dominant discourses of Australian values and the implications for teacher education
Peterson, A. and Bentley, B. 2016. Securitisation and/or Westernisation: dominant discourses of Australian values and the implications for teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching. 42 (2), pp. 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1080/02607476.2016.1143141
Evaluation of Mencap’s Inspired Educators project
Ellis, S., Durrant, I. and Lynne Graham-Matheson, L. 2015. Evaluation of Mencap’s Inspired Educators project.
Teaching for Life
Durrant, I., Robinson, S., Ekins, A., Summers, K. and Jones, H. 2014. Teaching for Life. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
Teaching for life
Robinson, S. and Durrant, I. 2014. Teaching for life.
Can creativity be assessed? Towards an evidence informed framework for assessing and planning progress in creativity
Blamires, M. and Peterson, A. 2014. Can creativity be assessed? Towards an evidence informed framework for assessing and planning progress in creativity. Cambridge Journal of Education. 44 (2), pp. 147-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/0305764X.2013.860081
Can creativity be assessed? Towards an evidence informed framework for assessing and planning progress in creativity
Blamires, M. and Peterson, A. 2013. Can creativity be assessed? Towards an evidence informed framework for assessing and planning progress in creativity.
Creatividad, cultura y education: creativity culture and education
Blamires, M. and Peterson, A. 2013. Creatividad, cultura y education: creativity culture and education. University de Las Tunas.
Earning its keep: a social return of investment study of CCCU Arts & Culture at the Old Lookout Gallery, Broadstairs
Durrant, I. and Shepherdson, S. 2013. Earning its keep: a social return of investment study of CCCU Arts & Culture at the Old Lookout Gallery, Broadstairs. Broadstairs Canterbury Christ Church University.
The impact of extended services in Kent
Durrant, I. 2012. The impact of extended services in Kent.
Civic republicanism
Peterson, A. 2012. Civic republicanism. in: Arthur, J. and Peterson, A. (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Education Abingdon Routledge. pp. 20-27
Where now for citizenship education?
Peterson, A. 2011. Where now for citizenship education? in: Arthur, J. and Cremin, H. (ed.) Debates in Citizenship Teaching Abingdon Routledge.
Issues of truth and justice
Davies, I. and Peterson, A. 2012. Issues of truth and justice. in: Arthur, J., Waring, M., Coe, R. and Hedges, L. (ed.) Research Methods and Methodologies in Education London SAGE. pp. 108-113
An introduction to education and values
Peterson, A. 2013. An introduction to education and values. in: Arthur, J. and Lovat, T. (ed.) International Handbook of Religion and Values Abingdon Routledge.
Civic republicanism and civic education: the education of citizens
Peterson, A. 2011. Civic republicanism and civic education: the education of citizens. London Palgrave.
The common good and citizenship education in England: a moral enterprise?
Peterson, A. 2011. The common good and citizenship education in England: a moral enterprise? Journal of Moral Education. 40 (1), pp. 19-35. https://doi.org/10.1080/03057240.2011.541763
Republican cosmopolitanism: democratising the global dimensions of citizenship education
Peterson, A. 2011. Republican cosmopolitanism: democratising the global dimensions of citizenship education. Oxford Review of Education. 37 (3), pp. 421-435. https://doi.org/10.1080/03054985.2011.564849
Education and schooling 11-16 years
Peterson, A. and Leighton, R. 2012. Education and schooling 11-16 years. in: Arthur, J. and Peterson, A. (ed.) The Routledge Companion to Education Abingdon Routledge. pp. 190-198
Post secular trends: issues of faith and education
Bowie, R. A., Peterson, A. and Revell, L. 2012. Post secular trends: issues of faith and education. Journal of Beliefs & Values: Studies in Religion & Education. 33 (2), pp. 139-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/13617672.2012.694057
Pupil and teacher perceptions of community action: an English context
Durrant, I., Peterson, A., Leith, L. and Hoult, E. 2012. Pupil and teacher perceptions of community action: an English context. Educational Research. 54 (3), pp. 259-283. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2012.710087
The impact of extended services in Kent
Durrant, I. and Peterson, A. 2012. The impact of extended services in Kent. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
Student teacher understandings of active citizenship
Knowles, C. and Peterson, A. 2007. Student teacher understandings of active citizenship.
Student teacher understandings of active citizenship
Knowles, C. and Peterson, A. 2007. Student teacher understandings of active citizenship.
The formation and expression of character: schools, families and citizenship
Peterson, A. 2010. The formation and expression of character: schools, families and citizenship. in: Arthur, J. (ed.) Citizens of character: New directions in character and values education Exeter, UK Imprint Academic. pp. 131-150
Moral learning in history education
Peterson, A. 2010. Moral learning in history education. in: Davies, I. (ed.) Debates in History Teaching Abingdon, Oxford, UK Routledge. pp. 161-171
Citizenship: making links with history
Peterson, A. 2010. Citizenship: making links with history. in: Gearon, L. (ed.) Learning to Teach Citizenship in the Secondary School: A Companion to School Experience London Routledge. pp. 172-184
Active citizenship: a preliminary study into student teacher understandings
Peterson, A. and Knowles, C. 2009. Active citizenship: a preliminary study into student teacher understandings. Educational Research. 51 (1), pp. 39-59. https://doi.org/10.1080/00131880802704731
Civic republicanism and contestatory deliberation: framing pupil discourse within citzenship education
Peterson, A. 2009. Civic republicanism and contestatory deliberation: framing pupil discourse within citzenship education. British Journal of Educational Studies. 57 (1), pp. 55-69. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8527.2009.00426.x
Guides for measuring the impact of educational programmes
Durrant, I. and Schmit, A. 2009. Guides for measuring the impact of educational programmes. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.
Local Authority Development Collaboratives 2008-09 report
Leith, L., Durrant, I., Moore, Joanne and Timothy, A. 2009. Local Authority Development Collaboratives 2008-09 report. Canterbury Canterbury Christ Church University.