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Article
Publication date: 1 December 2003

Catherine Blaya

School safety and a positive school social climate have become one of the main concerns of the education systems in England and France in recent years. Teachers complain about a…

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Abstract

School safety and a positive school social climate have become one of the main concerns of the education systems in England and France in recent years. Teachers complain about a supposedly increasing difficulty in teaching and dealing with challenging behaviour. This study sets out to carry out a comparative survey on the social climate in schools in England and France, focusing on the teachers’ perceptions of their working conditions in socially deprived urban secondary schools and more particularly on the issue of school violence since the two aspects interact. The research sets out to investigate the issue of teachers’ initial and in‐service training as well as professional socialisation and the way it affects their perceptions of school social climate and violence. It highlights key differences that in England provide teachers with a safer and more positive environment.

Details

Journal of Educational Administration, vol. 41 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0957-8234

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 April 2012

Patricia Mannix McNamara, Sharon Moynihan, Didier Jourdan and Raymond Lynch

National policy in Ireland states that all teachers are teachers of Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE). However national evaluations identify that all teachers do not…

2003

Abstract

Purpose

National policy in Ireland states that all teachers are teachers of Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE). However national evaluations identify that all teachers do not subscribe to this view. This research aimed to examine the experiences and attitudes of undergraduate students towards teaching SPHE.

Design/methodology/approach

An on‐line questionnaire including closed and open questions was distributed to all undergraduate post primary teacher education students (N=1105) in the University of Limerick which is the largest provider of teacher education in Ireland. None of the respondents had exposure to third level education in SPHE or more generally in health education.

Findings

A response rate of 44.7 per cent was achieved (N=494). Only 24.5 per cent indicated that they plan to teach SPHE on graduation. There were significant gender differences in relation to students' intention to teach SPHE on graduation. Incentives to teach were less altruistic for males (money and job security) than females (personal interest in the subject).

Research limitations/implications

The convenience sampling approach was useful in illuminating the attitudes of the undergraduate students sampled, however replication across teacher education programmes nationally is warranted. Inclusion of teacher educators' perspectives would also be valuable.

Practical implications

There is a clear need for health promotion to be placed on the pre‐service teacher education curriculum. In addition, it is necessary to take into account pre‐service teacher attitude towards SPHE and gender differences in the design of the post primary teacher education curriculum.

Originality/value

This paper offers insight into how pre‐service teachers perceive their role in SPHE. It illuminates some challenges facing teacher educators in this field.

Details

Health Education, vol. 112 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2016

Didier Jourdan, Carine Simar, Christine Deasy, Graça S. Carvalho and Patricia Mannix McNamara

Health and education are inextricably linked. Health promotion sits somewhat uncomfortably within schools, often remaining a marginal aspect of teachers’ work. The purpose of this…

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Abstract

Purpose

Health and education are inextricably linked. Health promotion sits somewhat uncomfortably within schools, often remaining a marginal aspect of teachers’ work. The purpose of this paper is to examine the compatibility of an HP-initiative with teacher professional identity.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research design was adopted consisting of semi-structured interviews. In total, 49 teachers in two school districts in the Auvergne region in central France were interviewed in depth post having completed three years’ involvement in a health promoting schools initiative called “Learning to Live Better Together” (“Apprendre a Mieux Vivre Ensemble”).

Findings

Teachers in the study had a broad conceptualisation of their role in health promotion. In keeping with international trends, there was more success at classroom than at whole school level. While generally teachers can be reluctant to engage with health promotion, the teachers in this study identified having little difficulty in understanding their professional identity as health promoters and identified strong compatibility with the HP-initiative.

Practical implications

Teachers generally viewed professional development in health promotion in a positive light when its underlying values were commensurate with their own and when the context was seen as compatible with the school mission. The promotion of health in schools needs to be sensitive to professional identity and be tailored specifically to blend more successfully with current teacher identity and practice.

Originality/value

The promotion of health in schools needs to be sensitive to professional identity and be tailored specifically to blend more successfully with current teacher identity and practice.

Details

Health Education, vol. 116 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2015

Stéphane Clivaz

– The purpose of this paper is to present French Didactique des Mathématiques (DM) to the Lesson Study (LS) community.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present French Didactique des Mathématiques (DM) to the Lesson Study (LS) community.

Design/methodology/approach

This theoretical paper presents the origins of DM in the Theory of Didactical Situations (TDS) by Brousseau. It elaborates about didactical engineering, fundamental situation and other fundamental concepts. It briefly presents other Didactique theories: the theory of conceptual fields, the anthropological theory of the didactic, the joint action theory in didactics and the double approach. It considers importance of the (TDS) and influences over teaching of mathematics. This paper finishes by highlighting the ways Didactique and LS could contribute to each other in a profitable dialogue.

Findings

The paper contrasts DM with some LS main features. It highlights the parallels despite fundamental differences in the initial goals of the perspectives. It shows that these differences could lead to productive dialogue by producing more practice-oriented forms of didactical engineering for the first and making teachers’ principles for lessons more explicit for the latter.

Originality/value

The paper presents a very quick overview of the parallels between DM and LS. Additionally, this paper gives many accessible references in English for the reader to explore Didactique further.

Details

International Journal for Lesson and Learning Studies, vol. 4 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2046-8253

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 August 2012

Houria Bencherif, Farès Boubakour and Sabry Mehieddine Kassouri

This paper aims to present a picture of the training and assessment of drivers in Algeria, to identify the key weaknesses that characterize it, and to propose improvements.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to present a picture of the training and assessment of drivers in Algeria, to identify the key weaknesses that characterize it, and to propose improvements.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology adopted was to question driving instructors, driving examiners and drivers themselves on the operation of driving schools, training programmes and the teaching methods used. The research was conducted from January 2008 to December 2009. The sample consists of 960 individuals, distributed as follows: 240 driving schools, 672 drivers and 48 examiners. The work then involved direct observation of training and assessment to ascertain the actual conditions under which these operate.

Findings

Results shows the adverse conditions in which training takes place on one hand and field practices in contrast with the principles of safety and quality on the other. Quality training requires an improvement of those conditions and practices.

Originality/value

This study is a first qualitative approach to specific driver training in Algeria. The results should produce a statement on the situation and provide recommendations to improve training and evaluation.

Details

Industrial and Commercial Training, vol. 44 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0019-7858

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2016

Sharon Moynihan, Didier Jourdan and Patricia Mannix McNamara

– The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) in Ireland.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) in Ireland.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was administered to all post-primary schools in the country (n=704). Data were analysed with the support of the software packages, SPSS and MaxQDA.

Findings

A response rate of 56 per cent (n=394) was achieved. Over half of these schools (56 per cent) self-identified as health promoting. Schools reported success in the areas of environment and curriculum and learning, however, partnerships and policy and planning required more attention. Some models of good practice emerged from the data but these were in the minority. Many schools, when asked to describe health promotion in their school, placed emphasis on physical health (diet and exercise) and curriculum predominately rather than the broader whole school conceptualisation. Only 35 per cent of HPS schools had a team supporting HPS developments. Only 36 per cent identified the existence of a school policy to support HPS. This suggests that further coherence for sustained and comprehensive implementation of HPS is necessary.

Research limitations/implications

The research was conducted with school staff, in the first instance who self-reported their school’s level of HPS engagement.

Originality/value

This paper offers the first national baseline data available in relation to engagement in HPS in Ireland. It provides a valuable starting point from which further research with schools in this field can be conducted.

Details

Health Education, vol. 116 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0965-4283

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 December 2021

Myriam Radhouane, Abdeljalil Akkari and Consuelo Guardia Macchiavello

This study aims to understand the social justice commitment and the pedagogical advantage of teachers with a migrant background in Switzerland. Through semi-directive interviews…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to understand the social justice commitment and the pedagogical advantage of teachers with a migrant background in Switzerland. Through semi-directive interviews with four of them, the research team analyses how these teachers use their background as a resource in their teaching practices. Linking their personal life experiences related to migration and schooling and their professional identity, results show that their history influences their teaching practices but moreover their commitment to social justice within school.

Design/methodology/approach

For this study, the authors conducted four semi-directive interviews with teachers with a migrant background. The research team transcribed all the interviews and analyzed them through Nvivo software. The analytical process followed the logic of content analysis as developed by Miles and Huberman (2003). The research team used several layers of categories and codes to produce a deeper understanding of the data. On this basis, the authors refined their categories and codes and created research memoranda including all the information to establish the profile of each teacher interviewed.

Findings

This study’s data showed that “teachers with a migrant background” is a broad category of individuals, all entering the teaching profession with their own life experiences, their own relation to diversity and their own personal background. It also showed that teachers with a migrant background seem committed to social justice in different ways. This relates to Mantel’s study (2021) that established three types of teachers with a migrant background. All of them developing a different pattern of commitment to social justice.

Originality/value

This study aimed at understanding teachers with a migrant background’s social justice commitment and pedagogical advantage in Switzerland (Canton of Geneva). If this field has been developed in North America, it is not well studied in Switzerland. Yet, the number of teachers with a migrant background is important in some part of the country and might be increasing in the next years. Exploring their potential is therefore a matter of representation and legitimation.

Details

Journal for Multicultural Education, vol. 16 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-535X

Keywords

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