Shaping ways of managing diversity in Portuguese schools,from the student's perspective

This article examines the results of an empirical research project that analysed the political socialisation processes of the students at three Portuguese public secondary schools in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area in 2011. Against the background of the implementation of an ‘education for citizenship’ programme in the official Portuguese school curriculum (2001), the project basically sought to know what attitudes the students mobilised in the face of a hypothetical situation involving the presence of ciganos (gypsies) in a school context. In this respect, and based on a pragmatic and comprehensive perspective, we attempted to test the concept of multiculturality and how it is seen and experienced by the students at these schools. Our aim is to answer the question: In a school context, how do students think the coexistence of gypsies and non-gypsies should be managed? In seeking to answer this question, the methodology that seemed to us most appropriate to this study's objectives is founded on the mobilisation of a scenario-based questionnaire, and to this purpose we surveyed 700 secondary students in a classroom environment. We were able to identify and characterise four possible coexistence formats within the overall framework of a synoptic vision of the available ways of managing a multicultural experience: separation; socialisation; universalism; and co-operation.     

When Adoption Is Not an Option: Counseling Implications Related to Surrogacy

Through the author's personal story, this article details a case in which traditional conception and adoption were not options available for starting a family. It gives the author's rational for choosing surrogacy and describes his experience with surrogacy. This article provides an overview of the surrogacy process and concludes with implications counselors may consider and apply to their clinical practice.     

Parent presence and gender‐typicalness of educational choice1

Given parental influence on children's educational choices, new family constellations may impact on sex segregation in school and thus in the labour market. This paper addresses the question of what consequence father absence and stepfather presence may have for choice of the male‐dominated natural science/technology (NT) programme in Swedish upper secondary school. The data include register information on all pupils who attended the ninth grade of the Swedish compulsory school in 1998 and 1999 and their parents (n = 73,824). While children in mother‐only households are less likely to choose the NT programme compared with children residing with two original parents, this is accounted for by differences in socioeconomic conditions and in grade sum. Fathers, like mothers, also have a more direct influence on children's educational choices of field of study via their own education and occupation. However, what has not been noted in previous research is that this also applies to ‘absent’ fathers and, for boys, to stepfathers as well.     

The Quest for Legacy in Later Life

Abstract

Anthropological fieldwork among retirees in a rural New York community revealed that a common feature in people's search for meaning was their effort to create a legacy. The results varied, and included innovative programs, the moral lessons of personal experience, and creative works. New retirees also cared about who would succeed them, either in their former positions, or by carrying on the work, stories, or sensibilities they had forged. Ethnographic vignettes relate these twin themes of legacy and succession to American ideas about debts, personal identity, and moral obligation. These stories are also compared with the way legacies are constructed in other societies.     

A Voice,but not a Vote: A Youth Generation at Risk?

The aim of this paper is to address risks young people in the late 20th and 21st century are exposed to with regard to political participation. Based on qualitative data and ordinary language interviews with 27 Norwegian pupils in upper secondary school, we address how the construction of the political space is understood by young people themselves. By analysing how young people define political interest and engagement, the findings indicate that a gap exists in the perception of ‘own’ and ‘institutionalised’ political participation. This paper concludes that exploring the understanding of politics among the young may reduce vulnerability of this particular group in their democratic participation as well as facilitate their political empowerment.     

The Second Generation in Belgium

A growing proportion of second‐generation Moroccan and Turkish youngsters in Belgium are moving on to higher secondary education and beyond. This trend is greater among Moroccan youngsters than among their Turkish peers. Turkish girls in particular are still married off at a young age, which inevitably affects their educational opportunities. Despite higher participation rates for youngsters from immigrant backgrounds, the educational gap with Belgian pupils and students remains wide. This is largely attributable to differences in socioeconomic background. It appears that the concentration of second‐generation immigrant pupils in certain schools is also a major explanatory factor. Despite their increased participation in education, second‐generation immigrants are still not well represented in the labor market and they are, moreover, employed mostly in less favorable segments of that market. An interesting development among second‐generation immigrants is the polarization that is taking place in relation to the significance of Islam. A growing number of second‐generation youngsters are opting for a more secular way of life, while an increasingly large group is choosing Islamist ideologies or at least a more conscious form of Islam. For young people of the second generation, who often have little to hold on to socially, Islamism can provide a transparent, supportive, and all‐embracing frame of reference.     

Zur Rolle lebensweltlicher Mehrsprachigkeit für das Lernen im Fachunterricht – ein Beispiel aus einer Videostudie der Sekundarstufe II

In this article an exemplary analysis focussing on the role of multilingual communication in upper secondary education at a German school will be presented. In the analysis, we focus on the language choice of two pupils who, during partner work on the analysis of a historical speech in History class, use both the German and Russian language. We reconstruct extracts of their task solving process in the context of a functional-pragmatic discourse analysis. The excerpts of the partner work presented in the text show approaches of multidimensional reflection processes in working with the text, during which it comes to a functional use of both languages. The relevance of our reconstruction of student-student interaction during task solving will become evident through the embedment of the results in the controversial discussion on multilingual communication in mainstream classrooms.     

Migration intentions of rural youth in the Westhoek, Flanders, Belgium and the Veenkoloniën, The Netherlands

‘Should I stay or should I leave my home region?’ is one of the key life course questions that many young people must address as they grow to maturity. Social mobility increasingly presupposes geographical mobility, especially in rural areas. The consequences of the selective out-migration of socially mobile young people (‘brain drain’) are seen as a threat to the economic development and reputation of rural areas. The out-migration of young rural people is often related to participation in higher education and entrance into the labour market. This paper focuses on the migration intentions of pupils in secondary education in two peripheral rural areas: The Westhoek in Flanders, Belgium and the Veenkoloniën in the Netherlands. It analyses, by means of logistic regression analysis, the migration intentions of 611 pupils in the Westhoek and 294 pupils in the Veenkoloniën in relation to their social background, migration history, perceptions of employment opportunities and the way they identify with their home region. In both regions, perceived employment opportunities and local attachment appear to be the most important factors explaining migration intentions. In the Veenkoloniën, in contrast with the Westhoek, migration history, educational level and representations of the region are also important factors determining the migration intentions of young people. These results can be explained by differences in the structure, culture and landscape of the two regions.     

FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE ATTITUDES,BELIEFS, AND BEHAVIORS OF STUDENTS TOWARD SURVIVORS OF VIOLENCE

Social workers will inevitably encounter survivors of domestic violence or sexual assault in their work. In this study we explore how education, training, and personal or professional experiences influence students' attitudes, beliefs, and behavior toward survivors. Results indicate that education and/or training decreases students' blaming attitudes and beliefs supportive of myths and increases their screening behavior. Additionally, professional experience and indirect personal experience was found to predict screening behavior, whereas direct personal experience did not show any significance. These results provide much needed information for schools to better prepare students to work with survivors of violence.     

Régulation et compétition entre établissements scolaires dans six espaces locaux en Europe

According to this analysis of the dynamics of competition in six school zones in Europe (Charleroi, Budapest, Lisbon, London, Lille and the Paris area), secondary schools pursue “logics of action” that are shaped by an interdependence between local establishments. Parents’ strategies for choosing a school rank establishments and lead to a competitive interdependence with a pattern and intensity that vary depending on the place — the major issue being the capacity to attract and retain pupils. A typology of these “logics” is proposed: establishments pursue a logic of conquest, profit from the status quo, diversification or adaptation depending on their local position and the intensity of competition. Questions are raised about the potentials and limits of public interventions for regulating this competitive interdependence. Competition, along with its deviant effects (segregation and inequality), arises out of the shortcomings and limitations of public interventions and out of the fragmentation of local regulations. A lack of coordination between the authorities in charge, between districts and between the public and private supply of education affects the development of opportunistic tactics by certain establishments. The conclusion draws attention to the need for coordinating regulations.     

Constructive Noncooperation as Political Resistance

Building on the examples of the Rank and File and Settlement House Movements, transformative social workers in the United States today have an obligation to strive to integrate liberation and resistance approaches into a broad range of settings. Liberatory social work practice requires us to challenge oppressive social conditions that regulate people's lives and constrain their options. In this article, we explore constructive noncooperation as an important strategic option in campaigns of resistance by oppressed populations and communities and as a key principle of practice for social workers acting in solidarity with those groups. Václav Havel's concept of living in truth as an individual path of constructive resistance and the construction of cultures of resistance and parallel structures as collective strategies have the potential for progressively shaping more just societies in which human rights can be universally realized.     

The voice of young people – contribution for their involvement in the school

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this action research project was to gain an understanding of, and to mobilise the voices of diverse young people enrolled in a Portuguese secondary school. A case study methodology, in conjunction with action research methodology, was used for this study. The action research data indicated that projects conceived throughout the study were successful in mobilising the voices of 14 young secondary school students in decision-making processes. The young people engaged democratically, made informed decisions about themselves and their peers, managed conflicts, and reinforced the importance of interpersonal relationships. These changes took place at the individual, as well as group levels.     

Understanding youth transition system in Poland through the analysis of partnerships between vocational upper secondary schools and industry

This paper examines the current youth transition system in Poland focusing on the role of industry partnerships with vocational upper secondary schools. On the example of the aviation cluster in the south-eastern Poland, this paper assesses the strong industry-led partnership established in 2007 with local schools and authorities in delivery of aviation-specific programmes, and its impact of local youth transitions to labour market. In contrast to Poland's national trend towards weak cooperation between industry and the vocational education sector, three major dynamics regarding the aviation cluster's influence on vocational education are observable. The region benefits from: strong leadership from local industry in influencing the supply of particular skills by local vocational education and training (VET) schools and universities; a high level of willingness of local government authorities at the mayor's and municipality's offices to support the aviation cluster's influence on VET; and a free-market model of student choice influencing the practice of local VET schools and training centres. Such cooperation is valuable for businesses and local institutes of education. However, these processes affect the equal chances of successful school-to-work transitions for graduates stratified in different educational pathways, and successful transitions are still constrained by the structure of Poland's system, which is increasingly assuming ‘education logic’.     

Educating Resilient Practitioners

Many social workers face challenges maintaining professional optimism and personal well-being in their chosen career. The retention of capable practitioners is important to employers and the wider profession. This paper reports on elements of an ongoing study into practitioner resilience in social work in health and non-statutory practice settings. The project aims to explore experienced social workers' understanding of their resilience in the face of workplace demands and stressors. Findings from a small, qualitative study of experienced practitioners in New Zealand suggest that social work education contributes in multi-faceted ways to preparing resilient practitioners. The authors recommend the strengthening of these elements in pre-service education.     

Integration, integrity and effectiveness

Until the mid-1990s, debates about integration tended to focus on the rights of disabled children to attend mainstream schools. However, more recent research has raised new concerns about the politics of integration from the 'standards' perspective. This Internet-based research project was designed to follow the 20 secondary schools in England, where more than 10% of the pupils had statements of special educational needs (SEN). Several of these schools are now being threatened with closure. This is either because they are failing to meet the Government's benchmark targets of 5+GCSEs at grades A-C, or because they are failing to attract sufficient numbers of mainstream pupils. However, these schools may well be seen as popular and successful by the parents of pupils with statements of special educational needs. Little appears to be known about how schools juggle these competing priorities successfully, and the author calls on readers of this journal to promote our understanding and their survival through a national conference.     

The roles of humour and laughter in youth focus groups on school food

The article examines young people's group interaction and the roles of humor and laughter in relation to school food and school lunch situations. The analysed focus group discussion data is drawn from a broader case study (2012?2013) with 9th grade students (15–16 years old; 62 pupils; 25 boys and 37 girls; 14 groups; 4?6 pupils per group) in a Finnish secondary school. The analysis is based on existing interpretations and classifications of humor in literature, which is complemented by notions drawn from the study's data set. It is argued that an analysis of humor and laughter can provide valuable notions of how collective attitudes towards school food are constructed, enforced and distributed among students, while also providing insight regarding what kinds of issues around school lunch practices are considered important and worthwhile in the context of students' informal peer cultures. The results illustrate how humor and laughter functioned for the students as a space for (1) Constructing ‘us’ versus ‘them’; (2) Negotiating social order; and (3) Engaging in fun and safe interaction. Results are discussed in the light of how humor and laughter uphold or divide social groups, as well mediate shifts between formal conventions and students' informal worlds.     

Roma pupils’ attitudes towards education – a case study

When analysing the reasons behind the academic underachievement of Roma pupils, some teachers suggest that Roma people do not value education and that Roma children have negative attitudes towards school. With increasing frequency, Roma pupils from low socio-economic backgrounds are being researched and the research primarily adopts the perspectives of teachers and schools’ professional staff. The present study analyses attitudes towards education held by Roma pupils whose socio-economic status is comparable to the majority population and considers their perspective. The research was conducted with Roma pupils attending primary school in Maribor, Slovenia. To collect data, interviews were conducted. The study results suggest that the majority of Roma pupils from Maribor like attending school and value formal education; the majority indicated that they want to complete primary school and continue their education. The results also show that Roma pupils can be highly academically motivated if improved life conditions and improved education opportunities are provided to the Roma population.     

A test of distance-learning technology: an assessment study of the Open University Russia Project

Technological developments have created a revolution that challenges teaching in general, and in higher education in particular calls for a re-assessment of traditional teaching methodologies and their effectiveness. The article is an empirical study of the outcomes of a distance-learning project conducted by the Open University of Israel in states of the former Soviet Union (FSU). In 2008, over 5000 students from 11 FSU states participated in the Open University Russia Project. This study explores the characteristics of the participants, their reasons for participation and their expectations, their satisfaction with the project, the project's contribution to participants' knowledge and its impact on their ties to Judaism and Israel, their intention to emigrate to Israel and their desire to attend a higher education institution in Israel. Findings show that the distance-learning courses developed by the Open University and the learning method developed by the Open University made a significant contribution to the target population's knowledge in topics related to Judaism, the Jewish people and the State of Israel, and enhanced their desire to study in higher education programmes in Israel and to emigrate to Israel.     

Theoretical Voices Directing the Career Development Journey: Holland,Harris‐Bowlsbey,and Krumboltz

The counselor's role in facilitating career development remains dynamic as lifelong learning, expanding lifestyle options, and the changing workplace present new opportunities. In response, most practitioners follow some common theoretical assumptions as their foundation. As the career development field celebrates its place and embraces the millennium, the work of John Holland, the developmental perspective promoted by JoAnn Harris‐Bowlsbey, and John Krumboltz's social learning theory are captured through this personal view of the career development journey. Unique insights about the context of their work and view of the future workplace are shared.