Research and Enterprise Alternative Pathways (original) (raw)

Back to Mainstream: Reintegrating students from Learning Support Zones into the mainstream system

Dissertation, 2012

A substantial number of students in Maltese secondary education experience social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) that interfere with their learning and that of peers. In order to help these students to be included more effectively in mainstream classes, Learning Support Zones (LSZ) have been set up which are aimed at offering these students an opportunity to improve their skills and engage more constructively in classroom learning. The LSZ service consists of regular sessions per week over a one-semester period. This study was aimed at describing the process in which the students attending the LSZ can be effectively reintegrated fully into their mainstream class. An action research approach was adopted. Data was collected on how the researcher managed the reintegration of eight students from the LSZ back to full membership of their class. A qualitative analysis of the data identified eight main factors that influenced the successful reintegration of the students. It is recommended that the reintegration programme is given high importance and forms part of the LSZ programme.

Alternative learning environments by alternative retrofitting processes

2016

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Alternative Education Programs

Precontemplation: At this point there is no recognition of a need to change or a problem that requires a change from the individual. A student at this stage believes the teachers and/or the school is at fault, and they are being stopped in their education by unfair forces beyond their control. Contemplation: There a glimmer of recognition that a problem exists for the individual. While seeing that they have a problem they are still unwilling or unable to act to make the situation different. A contemplative student will see that they need to maintain their education. They are realistic and willing to consider that their anger, inattention, emotional instability . . . . , is causing a problem for them but they are unwilling to work at developing the skills to overcome these attributes. Determination/preparation: This is the planning stage when intentions are clearly articulated and the actions needed to follow through are worked out. For students it involves engaging in a relationship with a teacher, counselor, administrator or other support person, and learning the skills underlying any change in ways to deal with anger, impulsiveness, emotional instability . . . that have been a feature of their attitudes and behavior in the past. They will also examine the difficulties they will have to overcome to make this change. Action: Change occurs as plans and skills are put into action. Students are motivated to follow rehearsed skills and deal with situations with thoughtful, considered actions. Difficulties are met with perseverance. Rather than becoming caught in the negatives and generalisations of old patterns in attitude and behaviour, they use their strength, personal insight and skills to remove long standing barriers to change. Maintenance: Skills are practised until they become automatic. Students find positive actions more natural and a positive response from teachers, peers and parents reinforces the changes made. Moments of doubt and uncertainty are dealt with and momentarily lapses are corrected skillfully and quickly. Relapse: While changes occur they don't always last or remain unchallenged by failure. This stage allows for individuals to move back through the spiral or cycle.

Flexible Learning Spaces: Inclusive by Design?

New Zealand Journal of Educational Studies

The idea that the New Zealand education system will cater to all students, regardless of ability, and support them in developing their full potential to the best of their abilities, is enshrined in the famous 1939 Beeby/Fraser statement. Equality of access policy discourse has shifted to emphasise equitable outcomes, focussed increasingly on preparing students for success in the globalised, 21 st century knowledge economy. In this context, the design and development of innovative new school buildings and refurbishments of existing facilities have been promoted as a policy that will enable, even bring about, modern pedagogical practices that, in turn, will achieve the stated aim of preparing students for the 21 st century global economy. Arguments against retaining traditional single-cell classrooms include their perpetuation of traditional, mainstream ('one-size-fits-all') approaches to teaching and learning, while new, radical building designs hold the promise of enabling the desired 'new' pedagogies. Flexible learning environments encourage and enable teachers to exchange 'front-of-the-room', single teacher presentational approaches for collaborative, dispersed and facilitative styles, often in teams, working with multiple students in shared, common learning spaces. The New Zealand Curriculum has ensured inclusion as an educational principle, and current Ministry of Education policy discourse reminds schools of their commitment to this principle, and specifically links building design and design processes to ensuring inclusivity. So it should be asked whether non-traditional, flexible learning spaces can be inclusive. This article places this question in the context of the historically evolving approach to inclusion in the New Zealand context, and with reference to the 'spatial turn' in recent New Zealand education policy. This turn to enhanced flexibility and innovation has implications for inclusivity, reflected in both Ministry of Education policy discourse and critiques suggesting the exclusionary effects of flexibility. It is argued with reference to Lefebvre that notions of inclusion and exclusion are inherent in social practices that are both superimposed upon material space as much as they are influenced by the design features of that space.