Attunement as a Pedagogical Starting Point

For many teachers, the value of pedagogical reflection is missing from practice. Rational educational approaches that prioritize judging and measuring students overshadow the relational dimension of teaching. Our study investigated this relational gap to explore more fully teachers’ attunement to the child as a unique person. We examined lived experiences of six teachers pedagogically engaged with children (K–12) participating in an active outdoor living program. The program aimed to develop a youth network of friends, nurturing positive self-esteem and youth leadership. Using a phenomenological method, we facilitated open-ended interviews to show teachers’ pedagogical awareness through hermeneutic conversations. We present the data as three anecdotes representing a synthesis of teacher reflection, writing, and on-going conversation. Our findings reveal the importance of being-in-time with children as teachers relate pedagogical moments with children learning outdoors. Through attunement as the flexibility to adapt educational challenges and approaches to suit the moment and uniqueness of the child, teachers became careful observers, allowing students to be children without the competing tensions of institutional expectations.

Online Communities, Gen Y and Civic Engagement: An Investigation of Youth Leadership Development Potential in the Context of Social and Democratic Issues

<p>Leadership is an extensively discussed and researched concept in scholarship. A vast amount of literature focuses on adult leadership, especially in a political and organizational context. Adult leadership places emphasis on the role of individual leaders, whilst youth leadership takes a participatory approach. Leadership scholars indicate that this participatory approach to youth leadership, involves young people addressing community concerns and at a civic level, engaging in planning and decision-making. Social participation traits and civic identity are developed during adolescence yet very little research has been undertaken in this area since the 1960s. This suggests that youth leadership is an overlooked research stream. Current studies on Gen Y indicate that this demographic are technologically proficient especially with regard to Web 2.0 tools, but also disengaged from their community. This research project examines the use of online communities to influence the leadership skills of a Gen Y cohort in the context of social participation and civic engagement. In this study a focus group and an online wiki were used to investigate how Gen Y teenagers in Wellington, New Zealand used online communities to develop and exercise their leadership skills through civic and social action endeavours. Results from the study indicate that youth leadership, in an online context, centres on the role of organisers who foster civic participation through online community networks. Thus youth leadership is strengthened through participation in civic and community issues using online communities. Adult perceptions of youth and the low credibility of online communities, as perceived by youth, were found to act as barriers to online youth leadership. The findings highlight the importance of adults acknowledging youth in social participation and civic endeavours. This study extends research in the youth leadership stream and enhances our understanding of Gen Y and their use of online communities.</p>

Online Communities, Gen Y and Civic Engagement: An Investigation of Youth Leadership Development Potential in the Context of Social and Democratic Issues

<p>Leadership is an extensively discussed and researched concept in scholarship. A vast amount of literature focuses on adult leadership, especially in a political and organizational context. Adult leadership places emphasis on the role of individual leaders, whilst youth leadership takes a participatory approach. Leadership scholars indicate that this participatory approach to youth leadership, involves young people addressing community concerns and at a civic level, engaging in planning and decision-making. Social participation traits and civic identity are developed during adolescence yet very little research has been undertaken in this area since the 1960s. This suggests that youth leadership is an overlooked research stream. Current studies on Gen Y indicate that this demographic are technologically proficient especially with regard to Web 2.0 tools, but also disengaged from their community. This research project examines the use of online communities to influence the leadership skills of a Gen Y cohort in the context of social participation and civic engagement. In this study a focus group and an online wiki were used to investigate how Gen Y teenagers in Wellington, New Zealand used online communities to develop and exercise their leadership skills through civic and social action endeavours. Results from the study indicate that youth leadership, in an online context, centres on the role of organisers who foster civic participation through online community networks. Thus youth leadership is strengthened through participation in civic and community issues using online communities. Adult perceptions of youth and the low credibility of online communities, as perceived by youth, were found to act as barriers to online youth leadership. The findings highlight the importance of adults acknowledging youth in social participation and civic endeavours. This study extends research in the youth leadership stream and enhances our understanding of Gen Y and their use of online communities.</p>

Strengthening Pancasila Characters Through The Role Of Mosque Youth Organizations: A Mixed Method Study

The human character of Pancasila which is based on faith in God. This research aims to identify the nationalist character produced through the Leadership Camp program, measure the level of nationalism character education, and analyze the strategies carried out by the mosque youth organizations at the Al Azhar Youth Leadership Institute in strengthening the nationalist character of youth. The quantitative method with the type of survey to 100 respondents uses EFA and the nationalism character education index. According to students in the Leadership Training, the nationalist leadership they get is integrity, cooperation, character, nationalism, devotion to worship, and independence. Religious nature consists of morals and obedience to worship. The nationalist Character Education index calculation is 92.51%, which means that the program classifies as a high portion of the nationalism character education learning. The best strategy that AYLI can choose is consistency with a program that is already running well.

North America needs Youth, Peace and Security: young people shifting tides for positive peace

The United Nations' Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda ensures and demands the protection and recognition of young people's roles in peace and security. This article focuses on why domestic YPS implementation is needed with the rise of social justice activism by young people in North America. The rise of youth activism and youth leadership in social justice movements has given a space for the global political agenda to challenge traditional approaches to "peace and security" frameworks. This includes challenging pre-conceived notions of YPS - and its policy frameworks - as a 'foreign' agenda by North American and other Western countries. We argue that this global shift in youth social justice activism demonstrates the need for critical domestic implementation and policy priorities for the YPS agenda within traditional donor- or Western- States, using Canada and the United States as case studies.

THE PROBLEM OF LEADERSHIP IN THE STATE-ORIENTED YOUTH ENVIRONMENT

Рассматривается актуальность развития лидерского потенциала молодежи, проблемные вопросы и меры по формированию эффективного лидерства, высказываются предложения по развитию лидерских качеств в государственно-ориентированной молодежной среде. The article covers relevance of the development of youth leadership potential, problematic issues and measures for the formation of effective leadership, offers suggestions for the development of leadership skills in a state-oriented youth environment