Educational psychology counsellors’ views about children’s participation in educational decision-making: A thematic analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 640-661
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Hesjedal

Abstract The attention to children’s participation has increased dramatically during the last decade. Compared to the literature in the educational field, the literature on children’s participation in the social and health fields seems to be developing rapidly. The aim of this article is to address the importance of educational psychology service (eps) counsellors regarding special educational needs (sen) students’ rights to participate in educational decision-making. This article presents an in-depth study of seven Norwegian eps counsellors’ views about children’s participation in educational decision-making. Procedures for a qualitative inductive thematic analysis were followed to reveal four key themes, namely: parents as key persons; children’s presence on teams as an intervention; the importance of children’s age for participation; and the gap between expert assessments and individual education plans (iep s). The results, which are discussed in relation to Lundy’s (2007) model of participation and other relevant literature, show that there should be more knowledge and interventions to ensure children’s participation in educational decision-making in both research and practice. The results also indicate that structures and procedures in special education need to be considered and further developed from a participation perspective.

2021 ◽  
pp. 104973152098484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karmen Toros

This article explores child welfare workers’ experiences of children’s participation in decision making in the child protection system. The systematic review follows the principles of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement and includes 12 peer-reviewed articles published in academic journals from 2009 to 2019. Findings indicate that children’s participation in decision making is generally limited or nonexistent. The age of the child is an important determining factor concerning whether the child is given the opportunity to participate in decision making. Potential harm for children that may result from participation is considered when deciding on whether to include a child in the decision-making process.


2020 ◽  
pp. 004208592095913
Author(s):  
Melanie Bertrand ◽  
Maneka Deanna Brooks ◽  
Ashley D. Domínguez

Research indicates that youth, especially those facing injustice, such as youth of Color in urban settings, are essential participants in educational decision-making. However, due to adultism and intersecting forms of oppression, their inclusion is not the norm. Grounded in the concept of adultism and the tradition of storytelling, we address the following question: How can educational researchers and practitioners challenge the adultism that constrains youth’s participation in school- and district-level educational decision-making? We share stories about our experiences in urban schools, considering adultism at the interactional, institutional, and curricular levels. Our implications center on using critical reflexivity to challenge adultism.


2022 ◽  
pp. 002248712110707
Author(s):  
Nicole Mittenfelner Carl ◽  
Amanda Jones-Layman ◽  
Rand Quinn

We contribute to the teacher activism literature an understanding of how activist organizations support professionalization processes. We examine how teachers’ involvement in a local activist organization counteracts the de-professionalizing reforms of the standards and accountability movement and fosters the professionalization of teaching. Our findings suggest that the structures of the activist organization provide opportunities for teachers to create and maintain collective knowledge for curricula and practice, sustain their professional commitments to social justice, and build confidence that promotes voice in educational decision-making. We discuss implications for teacher professionalization and identify the need for future studies on the role of teacher activist organizations on teachers, teaching, and the profession.


Author(s):  
Brit Johanne Eide ◽  
Ellen Os ◽  
Ingrid Pramling Samuelsson

Title: Young children’s participation during circle time. Abstract: In day schedules of early childhood education, circle time has traditionally been one of the core situations. According to the Convention on the Rights of the Child, children should be given opportunity to influence their everyday life. This article presents an analysis of circle time in 8 toddler groups. The focus of the analysis is children’s opportunities to participate and take part in the process of decision-making during circle time. The results indicate that the toddlers take part in community of the group, but their opportunities to influence are limited.


Author(s):  
Ali Marzouq Al- Ghamdi

The study aimed to know the reality of participation of the teaching staff of the College of Education at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University in the educational decision making from their viewpoint and its association with the organizational affiliation among them. For fulfilling the study objectives, the research used the descriptive survey method, and the study tool was by applying questionnaires for 157 participants members from the teaching staff of the College of Education at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University in Riyadh. Main findings: overall tool of degree of contribution in decision making and its association with organizational affiliation according to responses of the teaching staff of the College of Education at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University gained total average of (3.95/5) and at the both fields level. Also, the field of contribution of teaching staff member in decision making gained an average of (4.02/5), while the field of organizational affiliation gained an average of (3.88) and both gained a nearly high level. There’s a statistically significant correlation found between degree of contribution of the teaching staff of the College of Education at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University in decision making and organization affiliation (P value= 0.39) which is a moderate positive correlation, in which whenever the contribution in decision making increases, the organizational affiliation increases. According to these results, a set of recommendations and suggestions are given for increasing the level of contribution and improving the organizational affiliation at Imam Muhammad Bin Saud Islamic University particularly and the Saudi Arabian and Arabic Universities generally.


2015 ◽  
Vol 47 ◽  
pp. 50-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Fulantelli ◽  
Davide Taibi ◽  
Marco Arrigo

2021 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 169-198
Author(s):  
Ashley D. Domínguez ◽  
Valencia Clement ◽  
Melanie Bertrand

Research has shown the value of including youth, especially minoritized students, in school- and district-level educational decision-making. However, power dynamics, as related to adultism, along with other inequities, are barriers to youth’s political influence. We elucidate these barriers by exploring the possible relationship between adult-adult power dynamics, on one hand, and levels of student voice in schools, on the other. Interviews with teachers and administrators about youth voice initiatives indicated that bounded rationality illuminates how limiting access to knowledge, a form of power, can impact educator decision-making. In addition, bounded rationality bolsters unilateral power structures and therefore curtails youth voice. However, we also found that building relational power between teachers and students and maneuvering beyond bounded rationality increases opportunities for youth voice.


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