How a board game can help future teachers work better with parents

How a board game can help future teachers work better with parents

by | NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research, NW 27 Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Working with parents is a central yet often challenging part of teachers’ everyday practice. While teacher education programmes emphasise its importance, many future teachers feel unprepared when they first encounter real-life situations involving parents. This gap between theory and practice raises an important question: how can we better prepare teacher trainees for meaningful home–school collaboration?

Parental involvement is key to student success. Yet, teacher trainees often report that they hear about the importance of working with parents in theory but receive little practical guidance or training. This disconnect between theory and practice inspired us to experiment with game-based learning.

Imagine stepping into the shoes of a trainee teacher who must handle a parent upset about their child’s progress, while also coordinating a school event and supporting students. That’s exactly the kind of scenario our board game lets players experience – without the real-life stress.

Why focus on parental involvement?

Studies across the globe (e.g., Epstein, 2010; Goodall & Vorhaus, 2011; OECD, 2019, 2020) have shown that parental involvement improves student achievement, strengthens school climate, and fosters trust. However, many novice teachers feel unprepared or even reluctant to communicate with parents, especially parents of students from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds (see Pusztai et al. 2025).

In many countries, including Hungary, teacher education provides little practical training for future teachers on building strong home–school partnerships (Epstein, 2018; Graham-Clay, 2024, Pedditzi et al., 2021). Recognising this gap, our research group set out to develop an innovative tool: a board game designed to simulate the real‑life challenges of working with families. This board game was developed within a research project led by Prof. Dr. Gabriella Pusztai and a multidisciplinary design team (Dániel Bodnár, Zsolt Csák, Zsófia Miklódi-Simon and Zsófia Kocsis). We tested this board game in with over 110 participants, including both pre‑service teacher trainees and in‑service teachers (Kocsis et al. 2025).

Learning through play: serious board games for serious topics

Board games are more than just entertainment – they can serve as powerful educational tools. Research has shown that games support active learning, motivation, and collaboration (Ezezika et al., 2023, Radzi et al. 2020, Viray 2016). They also help learners approach complex or emotionally charged topics in a less intimidating way.

Our board game was designed by researchers and students together. The game presents realistic school scenarios. Players face communication challenges with parents, plan joint activities, and respond to unexpected events together as a team. Humour, cooperation, and decision-making are key elements of the gameplay (Kocsis et al. 2025).

The board game – set up

The board game invites players to step into the everyday reality of educators and explore the challenges of working with parents in a playful, collaborative way. The game is built on real-life situations, research findings, and educators’ experiences. While cooperation is key, luck also plays a role, occasionally helping or hindering progress. The game is designed for 4–7 players.

The game is fully cooperative: all players form one team representing the school staff. One player takes on the role of the school principal, while the others take on different staff roles. Cooperation means that players discuss each situation together and must agree on a shared solution. There are no individual winners or losers – the team either succeeds or fails collectively.

A green board game with a 10-space path from start to finish, featuring a school and a teacher. The writing is in Hungarian.

The game follows a school year, represented by a 10-space path, each space corresponding to one month. Each round represents one month in the school year, and players move forward together from one space to the next as the game progresses. Each month is associated with a specific challenge: at the beginning of every round, players draw and read aloud a new Challenge card that introduces the situation they must address as a team. In the centre, players find Parent, Action, and Quiz card decks.

At the bottom of the board, three scales track the school’s indicators in achievement, reputation, and community connectedness. These indicators, inspired by a previous theoretical framework, reflect what players must balance and improve by the end of the game. To keep the game replayable, different difficulty levels are available. The starting status of the school is based on data from the Hungarian 2019 National Assessment of Basic Competencies, resulting in four school profiles that combine levels of parental involvement and school effectiveness.

The cards

A green card with a graphic depicting a teacher, whose name is given as Katedra Károly. The English translation reads: Charles Chair, high school mathematics teacher. Communication: 3, Connectivity: 3, Expertise: 4, and Innovation: 1.

Character

Players take on the roles of school staff members, each with a Character card showing their position and four key competencies: Communication, Connectedness, Expertise, and Innovation.

These form the K.Ö.SZ.I. index and determine how effectively players can handle challenges (The ‘K.Ö.SZ.I. Index’ was created through the combination of these skills. K.Ö.SZ.I. is an acronym made up by the initial letters of the skills’ Hungarian names, respectively). One player must always take on the role of the school principal; other roles can be freely chosen.

Note: A school professional character (high school math teacher). This character is a mature and respected teacher who has experienced a lot in his long career. He is respected for his great knowledge and fairness. However, he struggles to understand the problems of the modern school and does not know the latest and most effective solutions. The English translation of the text directly visible on the card reads: Charles Chair, high school mathematics teacher. Communication: 3, Connectivity: 3, Expertise: 4, and Innovation: 1.

A Parent card showing Yvette, a parent influencer

Parent

At the start of the game, each player draws a Parent card. These cards influence characters’ competencies in different ways:

  • Blue cards represent actively involved parents and usually have positive effects.
  • Red cards represent passive parents and typically have negative effects – though in some cases, the right school role can turn this into a positive.
  • Orange cards represent caregivers such as grandparents or siblings, with mixed effects.

 

Note: Meet Yvette, the influencer mom. Her superpower? Hunting for likes!  She is highly active on social media and brings a creative, trend-aware perspective to school life. Her presence boosts your team’s innovation skills by +1—showing how digital engagement can also contribute positively to the school community.

Challenge

Each round begins with a Challenge card that matches the current “month.” Players respond to the situation by choosing from a shared set of solution options. Once a solution is used, it cannot be selected again for the next two rounds, encouraging strategic thinking and variety.

Action

Action cards introduce unexpected events. Problem Action cards reduce one or more school indicators, while Good Practice Action cards increase a chosen indicator and showcase real-world examples worth reading aloud.

Quiz

At the end of each round, players draw a Quiz card and answer the question as a team. Correct answers allow the group to increase one school indicator by one point. The quizzes range from quick multiple-choice questions to short open-ended tasks, and QR codes link to further information for those who want to dive deeper.

The Solution Table

Players collaborate using a shared Solution Table that outlines possible actions for addressing each challenge. The table offers a range of evidence-informed options, such as home visits, workshops, communication tools, and community-based activities, each linked to different aspects of school–family–community partnerships.

The gameplay

Working as a team, players select and combine actions strategically, taking into account their competencies and the current situation, including the effects of Parent cards. Successful choices contribute to improving the school’s indicators, such as achievement, reputation, and community connectedness.

To summarise the game flow, the main steps of gameplay can be described as follows:

Start of game

  • Select school Character (fixed role throughout game)
  • Set initial school indicators (achievement, reputation, community connectedness)

Each round (1 month in the school year)

  • Move forward on the 10-space school-year path
  • Draw & read Challenge card (new situation)
  • Collaborative decision-making and select a strategy from the Solution Table
  • Apply outcome
  • Draw an Action card
  • Draw a Quiz card (team answers together, and possible further improvement of school indicators)

End of round

  • Discard current Parent cards
  • Draw new Parent cards (symbolising the continuously changing nature of school–family interaction)
  • Next round begins


The game starts at the beginning of the school year (first month) and ends after completing all ten rounds. The team’s success depends on how well they manage and improve the school indicators by the end.

Our results

In our first project, 110 teacher education students played the cooperative, scenario‑based game. They appreciated its collaborative structure, realistic situations and humorous tone. Many reported new insights into parental roles and strategies for effective home‑school communication, suggesting deeper reflection and engagement than traditional theory alone could trigger.

The intervention was in spring 2024. Teachers and teacher trainees participated in separate groups. Based on anonymous identifiers, 31 matched responses were analysed, including 17 pre-service and 14 in-service teachers. The pre-test and post-test were conducted using the same self-developed questionnaire consisting of 70 items measured on a 10-point scale related to PI.

The results (analysed with Wilcoxon signed-rank test and effect-size calculations) showed:

  • In‑service teachers demonstrated greater attitudinal change, particularly in commitment to parent engagement, compared with teacher trainees.
  • Participants improved significantly across multiple indicators: partnership orientation, communication with parents, and social sensitivity.
  • Attitudes toward parent involvement with adolescents remained low both before and after the intervention, underscoring a persistent belief that adolescent students require less parental engagement.
  • Teacher trainees showed more limited change, likely due to lack of real-world experience to connect with the game’s scenarios.

These findings indicate the board game is a promising tool for reflexive learning, especially for teachers with some school experience, boosting both professional attitudes and social awareness in evidence‑based ways.

What we learned

The players highlighted three main benefits:  
  • Cooperative learning: The team-based format fostered a sense of shared responsibility and decision making.
  • Realistic scenarios: Players said they could easily imagine facing these situations as teachers, which made the experience feel relevant.
  • New insights: Many participants reported that the game helped them understand the role of families better and offered strategies they had never considered before.

    • What makes this approach valuable? Why it matters

    In many teacher education systems, preparation for engaging with parents is still minimal and inconsistent (Willemse et al., 2018; Jones et al., 2025). Our board game offers one small but practical solution. It helps student teachers move beyond fear or assumptions and encourages them to reflect on how they can build meaningful relationships with families.

    This approach is scalable. The game can be integrated into teacher education courses, adapted for different cultural contexts, or even used in in-service training. More broadly, it demonstrates the value of serious games in bridging the gap between academic learning and the everyday realities of teaching.

    1. Validated outcomes : two empirical studies, including statistical analysis, support claims of attitudinal change.
    2. Relevance across contexts: the game frames challenges that teachers worldwide face, such as collaborating with diverse families or negotiating partnerships for school events.
    3. Reflective, active learning: players explore dilemmas in a safe, teamwork‑based setting, bridging theory and practice.
    4. Versatile application: beyond initial teacher training, the game can be adapted for in‑service training, community workshops or multicultural contexts.

    A call to educators and researchers

    If we want future teachers to succeed, we must support them in learning how to work with families, especially in diverse and challenging environments. Tools like this board game are not replacements for direct experience, but they are a valuable bridge. We encourage colleagues worldwide to explore similar tools, contribute to evidence‑based evaluation, and advocate for experiential pedagogies in teacher education.

    Key Messages

    • Though research shows that parental involvement boosts student achievement, strengthens the school climate, and builds trust, many trainee teachers feel unprepared to work with parents.
    • A new board game lets trainee teachers practice tricky parent conversations without real-life stress, simulating the everyday challenge of home-school collaboration in a fun, cooperative setting.
    • In the study, over 110 student and in-service teachers played the game to improve school-family partnerships, leading to improved attitudes toward parent engagement, better communication skills, and insights that went beyond theoretical teaching.
    • The evidence-based game sees players work as a team to tackle realistic challenges, balance school indicators, and navigate unexpected events.
    • Fun games can have serious potential. The board game shows that playful, scenario-based learning can bridge the gap between theory and practice in teacher education.
    Zsófia Kocsis

    Zsófia Kocsis

    Institute of Educational and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Debrecen

    Zsófia Kocsis is an assistant lecturer at the Institute of Educational and Cultural Studies, Faculty of Humanities, University of Debrecen. Her research focuses on student work and the relationship between work and academic performance. In recent years, she has also expanded her research and teaching activities to include the use of board games in higher education. She led the development of two self-designed board games (K.Ö.SZ.I., Study hard, work hard!), which aim to develop students’ competencies and broaden their knowledge in the given field.

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    Epstein, J. L. (2010). School/Family/Community partnerships: Caring for the children we share. Phi Delta Kappan, 92(3), 81–96 https://doi.org/10.1177/003172171009200326

    Epstein, J. L. (2018). School, family, and community partnerships in teachers’ professional work. Journal of Education for Teaching, 44, 397–406. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324721985_School_family_and_community_partnerships_in_teachers’_professional_work

    Ezezika, O., Fusaro, M., Rebello, J., & Aslemand, A. (2023). The pedagogical impact of board games in public health biology education: The Bioracer board game. Journal of Biological Education, 57(2), 331–342 https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350860649_The_pedagogical_impact_of_board_games_in_public_health_biology_education_the_Bioracer_Board_Game

    Goodall, J., & Vorhaus, J. (2011). Review of best practice in parental engagement. UK Department for Education. Available online: https://purehost.bath.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/146139638/DFE_RR156.pdf (accessed on 30 July 2025).

    Graham-Clay, S. (2024). Communicating with parents 2.0: Strategies for teachers. School Community Journal, 34(1), 9–60. https://www.adi.org/journal/SS2024/Graham-Clay1.pdf

    Jones, C., Sideropoulos, V., & Palikara, O. (2025). Do teachers have the knowledge and skills to facilitate effective parental engagement? Findings from a national survey in England. Educational Review, 1–24 https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00131911.2025.2506802

    Kocsis, Z., Csák, Z., Bodnár, D., & Pusztai, G. (2025). Designing a Board Game to Expand Knowledge About Parental Involvement in Teacher Education. Education Sciences, 15(8), 986. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15080986

    OECD. (2019). PISA 2018 results (volume III): What school life means for student’s lives. OECD Publishing.

    OECD. (2020). Parental involvement in school activities. In PISA 2018 results (volume III): What school life means for students’ lives.

    Pedditzi, M. L., Nonnis, M., & Nicotra, E. F. (2021). Teacher satisfaction in relationships with students and parents and burnout. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 703130. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34659016/

    Pusztai, G., Bacskai, K., Ceglédi, T., Kocsis, Z., & Hine, M. G. (2025). Mission possible? Institutional family-school-community partnership practices and parental involvement in Hungarian majority and minority schools in three central and eastern European countries. Social Sciences, 14(2), 107.  https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0760/14/2/107

    Radzi, S. H. M., Ying, T. Y., Abidin, M. Z. Z., & Ahmad, P. A. (2020). The effectiveness of board game towards soft skills development for higher education. Ilkogretim Online—Elementary Education Online, 19(2), 94–106. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/348213416_The_effectiveness_of_board_game_towards_soft_skills_development_for_higher_education

    Viray, J. S. (2016). Engaging students through board games: Measuring its effectiveness on academic performance. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 6(10), 5–7.  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317032619_Engaging_Students_through_Board_Games_Measuring_Its_Effectiveness_on_Academic_Performance

    Willemse, T. M., Thompson, I., Vanderlinde, R., & Mutton, T. (2018). Family-school partnerships: A challenge for teacher education. Journal of Education for Teaching, 44(3), 252–257. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02607476.2018.1465545

    Parental and Family Involvement in Children’s Digital Learning: Bridging Policy and Practice

    Parental and Family Involvement in Children’s Digital Learning: Bridging Policy and Practice

    by | ESAI, NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

    As education systems adapt to the demands of the digital age, preparing students to live and learn in a technology driven world has become a pressing priority. The successful integration of digital technologies in education is a complex, multi-faceted process that depends on several interrelated factors, including the crucial role of family support and socio-economic conditions (Giannoutsou et al., 2024). This blog briefly explores how European and Irish digital education policies seek to address parental and family involvement in children’s digital learning—a topic we believe deserves greater recognition. We aim to spark discussions about how education systems and school communities can better support families, especially those at risk of digital exclusion. We will conclude with proffering recommendations for bridging gaps in policy and practice to foster inclusive digital learning environments.

    Parental involvement in children’s learning: why it matters?

    A large body of research highlights the benefits of parental involvement on children’s development, both socially and academically.  Whether at home, in school, or both, the more parents actively engage in their child’s education, the better the outcomes.  But what exactly is parental involvement in an educational context? Literature describes it as a ‘multi-faceted’ (Epstein, 1995) and ‘multi-dimensional’ concept (Laranjeiro et al.,2023). As a general definition, parental involvement refers to parents actively engaging in their child’s education both at school and at home. Several seminal publications provide frameworks for understanding the concept of parental involvement, including the Parental Involvement Process model (Hoover-Dempsey & Sandler, 1995, 1997) and Epstein’s six types of parental involvement (1995). These frameworks enable us to understand why and how parents become involved in their child’s education.

    As education systems and schools work towards integrating digital technologies into education successfully, these theoretical perspectives clearly elucidate the central role parents play. By recognising this role, we can work toward building stronger family-school partnerships in the digital age with the ultimate aim of achieving better outcomes for children.

    Policy – the role of parents and families in digital education

    The digital transformation of education, defined as “a realignment of education models utilising digital technology to engage students, teachers, parents, and leaders more effectively at every point in the students’ schooling journey” (McCarthy et al., 2023, p. 9), has seen education systems across the globe develop strategies and policies to guide the integration and use of digital technologies in schools (van der Flies, 2020). Yet, parental involvement in digital education is often overlooked in such policies (Internetmatters.org, 2024), despite research highlighting that strong school-parent relationships are integral to the digital transformation process (Giannoutsou et al., 2024).

    Some recent development suggests a more optimistic outlook. At EU level, a 2023 European Council recommendation called for the “active participation” of parents and other underrepresented groups in digital education reforms. At national level, Ireland’s Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 emphasises empowering parents to support children’s digital learning, acknowledging gaps in adult digital skills. Similarly, Ireland’s Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital Literacy Strategy 2024–2033 aims to expand family digital literacy programmes, particularly for marginalised communities.

    Enacting these policies and strategies at school level requires the engagement of key actors, particularly school leaders and teachers (McCarthy et al., 2023). By promoting parental involvement in children’s digital learning, they play a key role in fostering stronger family-school partnerships, which work towards enhancing student outcomes (Yulianti et al., 2022). However, with school leaders and teachers already managing numerous policies and initiatives, implementing additional actions to support digital education policies requires substantial investment in both physical and human resources in our educations systems.

    What does this look like in practice? Some examples of digital resources and programmes

    Building on the understanding of parental involvement as active engagement in children’s education both at home and in school, here are some Irish initiatives and resources designed to support family-school partnerships in the digital age:

    • Programme to Enhance Digital Literacy (PEDL): This school-based programme in Ireland is designed to support and shape parents’ digital confidence and competence, enabling them to better support their children’s digital learning. Read more about the programme here.
    • European Year of Digital Citizenship Education (2025): Hosted by the Council of Europe, this initiative offers tools and ideas to help parents and carers support their children in becoming ethical individuals who can actively participate in online and offline communities. You can access the resources for parents here.
    • Digital Wellbeing Resources: Many available resources for parents focus on supporting aspects of their children’s digital wellbeing, such as internet safety. Two notable examples from Ireland include Webwise Guides for Parents, which addresses issues like cyberbullying and online safety, and Barnardo’s Parent Section, offering practical guidance to foster safe digital environments at home.

    These links offer a brief insight into some of the materials available to schools which could be used to foster parental involvement in children’s digital education. For maximum impact, we recommend complementing these resources with training for members of the school community to provide in-person sessions, which facilitate direct engagement and stronger connections between parents and schools. Furthermore, we echo Gonzalez-DeHass et al. (2022) in highlighting the need for further research into meaningful home-based digital learning practices, as well as the development of tailored resources specifically aimed at shaping parents’ competence in using digital learning tools and platforms for education.

    Recommendations

    To support parental involvement in children’s digital learning, we propose the following actions:

    Allocate a Dedicated Parent and Family Support Position in Schools:

    Providing dedicated staff to support parents can strengthen family-school relationships. In Ireland, the Home School Community Liaison Officer (HSCLO) role is designed to support parents of students at risk of educational disadvantage. While this position is currently limited to schools with DEIS (disadvantaged) status, its benefits could extend to all schools, fostering greater parental involvement and support across diverse educational contexts. An OECD review (2024) highlighted that even non-DEIS schools see the HSCLO role as a valuable asset. Expanding this position to all schools, with a focus on families at risk of digital exclusion, could significantly enhance parental involvement.

    Implement School-Based Interventions to Enhance Parents’ Digital Self-Efficacy:

    Low levels of digital self-efficacy hinder parents’ ability and motivation to engage with their children’s digital learning (Gonzalez-DeHass et al., 2022). With adequate training and resources, schools can support the implementation of targeted, in-person interventions to build parents’ digital skills and competences. Such programmes would not only foster stronger family-school relationships but also increase parental involvement in digital learning. To ensure success, school leaders should follow established frameworks, such as those outlined by Qualter (2024). However, for such interventions to be successful, they must be adequately resourced by education systems. This includes providing funding, training, and support for schools to design and deliver these programmes effectively. Without this systemic backing, school leaders and teachers—already stretched by existing demands – will naturally face challenges in implementing these initiatives

    Key Messages

    • Parental involvement plays a central role in children’s educational outcomes.
    • Building meaningful, collaborative family-school partnerships is essential for creating inclusive approaches to digital education and mitigating digital exclusion.
    • Parental involvement is increasingly recognised in digital education policies as a key factor in addressing digital exclusion, but more actionable steps are needed to turn this recognition into practice.
    • Expanding the Home School Community Liaison Officer (HSCLO) programme, or similar roles, to all schools – regardless of status – can strengthen family-school relationships and provide targeted support for families at risk of many forms of exclusion, including digital.
    • School-based interventions designed to enhance parents’ digital self-efficacy can increase their engagement in children’s digital learning and foster more inclusive educational environments.
    • Schools must be equipped with adequate human, physical, and digital resources, alongside comprehensive training, to effectively involve families in digital learning and ensure all students benefit from the opportunities of the digital age.
    • Successful policy implementation depends on adequate resourcing (see point above). Without this, overburdened school leaders and teachers may struggle to deliver the intended impact of digital transformation initiatives.
    Declan Qualter

    Declan Qualter

    Practice Placement Supervisor, University College Dublin, School of Education

    Declan Qualter works in the School of Education at University College Dublin, Ireland, where he is the Practice Placement Supervisor for the UCD Bachelor of Education with Gaeilge and/or Modern Languages programme, and he also teaches on the UCD Professional Masters in Education programme. In addition, Declan is a PhD candidate at the UCD School of Education, where his research focuses on parental involvement in children’s home-based digital learning. His other research interests are focused on the digital transformation of education, particularly the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in educational settings.

    Linked in – https://www.linkedin.com/in/declanqualter/

    Orcid – https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4872-0343

    Research gate – https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Declan-Qualter 

    Dr Rachel Farrell

    Dr Rachel Farrell

    Assistant Professor, University College Dublin, School of Education

    Dr Rachel Farrell is Assistant Professor of Initial Teacher Education (ITE) and the Director of the Professional Master of Education Programme (PME) in the School of Education at University College Dublin. Rachel’s main research interest is in the area of Democratic Pedagogical Partnerships and Expansive Learning in Initial Teacher Education (ITE). Rachel has led many collaborative initiatives including: effective use of immersive technology in post-primary education with SchooVR, an evaluation of digital portfolios in ITE with MS Education Ireland, cyber resilience education with the Department of the Environment Climate and Communications (DECC) – see www.cyberwise.ie, The Look See What I Can Be: Changing Mindsets/Impacting Futures in STEM funded by SFI and supported by the Professional Development Services for Teachers (PDST), SFI funded Science Week initiative in 2021 and the PDST Young Economist of the Year national awards for post-primary students in association with multiple universities and government agencies.

    X – @econrachel

    LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachel-farrell-phd-ucd/

    Ordid – https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5828-7938 

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    Epstein, J. L. (1995). School/Family/Community Partnerships: Caring for the Children We Share. The Phi Delta Kappan, 76(9), 701–712. http://www.jstor.org/stable/20405436

    Giannoutsou, N., Ioannou, A., Timotheou, S., Miliou, O., Dimitriadis, Y., Cachia, R., Villagrá-, S. S., & Martínez-, M. A. (2024, January 29). Unpacking the impact of digital technologies in Education. JRC Publications Repository. https://doi.org/10.2760/214675

    Gonzalez-DeHass, A. R., Willems, P. P., Powers, J. R., & Musgrove, A. T. (2022). Parental involvement in supporting students’ digital learning. Educational Psychologist, 57(4), 281–294. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2022.2129647

    Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1995). Parental involvement in children’s education: Why does it make a difference? Teachers College Record, 97(2), 310–331. https://doi.org/10.1177/016146819509700202

    Hoover-Dempsey, K. V., & Sandler, H. M. (1997). Why do parents become involved in their children’s education? Review of Educational Research, 67(1), 3–42. https://doi.org/10.2307/1170618

    Internetmatters.org (2024, September 6). Children’s Wellbeing in a Digital World — Index Report 2024. Internet Matters. https://www.internetmatters.org/hub/research/childrens-wellbeing-in-a-digital-world-index-report-2024/#full-report

    Laranjeiro, D., Antunes, M. J., & Santos, P. (2023). Using Design-Based Research for a Technological Intervention to Promote Parental Involvement in Kindergarten. SN Computer Science, 4(3), 278. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42979-023-01666-8

    McCarthy, A. M., Maor, D., McConney, A., & Cavanaugh, C. (2023). Digital transformation in education: Critical components for leaders of system change. Social Sciences & Humanities Open, 8(1), 100479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssaho.2023.100479

    OECD. (2024). OECD Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland. OECD. https://doi.org/10.1787/3433784c-en

    Qualter, D. (2024). From Digital Exclusion to Digital Inclusion: Shaping the Role of Parental Involvement in Home-Based Digital Learning – A Narrative Literature Review. Computers in the Schools, 41(2), 120–144. https://doi.org/10.1080/07380569.2024.2322167

    van der Flies, R. (2020). Digital strategies in education across OECD countries: Exploring education policies on digital technologies. OECD Education Working Papers, Vol. 226. https://doi.org/10.1787/33dd4c26-en

    Yulianti, K., Denessen, E., Droop, M., & Veerman, G.-J. (2022). School efforts to promote parental involvement: The contributions of school leaders and teachers. Educational Studies, 48(1), 98–113. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2020.1740978

    COVID-19 pandemic and the mental health and well-being of secondary school children

    COVID-19 pandemic and the mental health and well-being of secondary school children

    by | BERA, NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

    This blog piece discusses the main findings from a research project funded and supported by York St John University and Liverpool Hope University into the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on young people’s mental health and wellbeing. Our research suggests that the pandemic and associated restrictions and disruptions exacerbated an already serious situation for children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing (Wood, Su and Pennington, 2024)

    The study

    To gain an understanding of young people’s wellbeing, it is essential to access the views of young people themselves (The Children’s Society, 2022).

    A National Health Service (NHS) study in the UK shows that before the COVID-19 pandemic, increasing numbers of children and young people were experiencing poor mental health and wellbeing (Newlove-Delgado et al., 2022). Our research drew on the views of young people about the development of factors conducive to their wellbeing and mental health in school and the sorts of factors that enable this.

    A qualitative multi-method research design was used, consisting of an online questionnaire survey (n=605) and follow-up focus group interviews (n=16). The research took place in three secondary schools in one local authority area in England. Year 9 and Year 10 students aged between 14 and 15 years from these schools participated in the study.

    The study addressed the following questions: to what extent has the Covid-19 pandemic affected secondary school students’ mental health and wellbeing in England? What do students value most for their mental health and wellbeing in a secondary school context during the pandemic? What are the implications for the post-pandemic future?

    Findings

    The analysis evidenced the social and emotional impacts of a number of other factors too including anxieties about family members’ employment security, health and circumstances at home during the pandemic on young people’s mental health.

    Significantly, transition back to in-person schooling brought its own challenges. One particular message that emerges from this study is that in the return to in-person schooling, the dominant emphasis on ‘catching-up’ to make good the learning loss, appears to have been too restricted and narrow and in need of an accompanying focus on: the restoration and regeneration of friendships and social bonds that lie at the heart of schools as communities and human flourishing; and sports/physical activity, arts and cultural pursuits .

    The findings of the study show that the pandemic and associated restrictions had a detrimental effect on the lives of a very large proportion of the young people in our study, with a greater impact on girls than boys. From the analysis, the resilience and ability of the participants to ‘bounce back’ from the upheavals caused by the restrictions was apparent. However, for a significant minority, the adverse impacts on their mental health and wellbeing continue to affect their lives.

    Findings suggest the Covid-19 pandemic had a bigger impact on girls than boys, for example:

    • The reported impact on daily life was greater for girls ( 85%) than for boys (71%)
    • The continuing impact was greater for girls (37%) than boys (24%)
    • Friendships were more adversely affected for girls (54%) than boys (34%)
    • More girls reported an adverse effect on mental health and wellbeing (55%) than boys (25%)
    • Fewer girls felt supported by school (64%) than boys (79%)

    Due to the scope of our study, specific reasons for the gender differences were not established. However, our study does suggest that there is a need for a holistic response to young people’s mental health and wellbeing issues, which gives prominence to addressing the gendered impact and recognises the importance of friendships, social bonds, arts, cultural and sports activities as well as the more academic domains of schooling.

    Wider implications – insights from experts in the field

    Findings and implications from the research have been widely shared at a number of briefings with school senior leaders, children’s services agencies, youth work organisations, and other partners from the local authority area in which the research took place.

    In addition, the findings are being used to inform the annual report of the local Director of Public Health. The principal dissemination event to discuss our study findings with national and regional stakeholder groups was the ‘Symposium on Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing’, which took place in York on 19th March 2024. At the Symposium event, important insights were shared by the following expert panel members.

    Anne Longfield, Chair of the Commission on Young Lives, UK, argued there is a need for joined up services and cross agency working to support children’s education and mental health and an extended role for schools in their communities. She stated that ‘I, for a long time, have been a big proponent of schools being fully open to their communities and making their precious resources more accessible to children and families’.

    Alison O’Sullivan, Chair of the National Children’s Bureau, UK, suggested that the social contract between schools, parents and children has broken down and stressed the importance of renegotiating the relationships between children and families, communities and schools. She also expressed that ‘evidence increasingly demonstrates that children and young people’s sense of belonging plays a decisive role in shaping their social, emotional and mental health outcomes’.

    Charlotte Rainer, Coalition Manager at The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, UK, suggested two possible solutions – firstly, to increase early intervention support with dedicated funding; secondly, to create children’s mental health and well-being drop-in hubs in the community.

    Dan Bodey, Inclusion Adviser, City of York Council, UK, observed that ‘school attendance has been significantly low since the Covid-19 pandemic particularly for children who have special education needs (SEN) and those who are on free school meals. In addition, the school exclusion rate has increased noticeably’. He also highlighted the importance of cross agency working to address these issues as part of post-pandemic recovery.

    Conclusion

    This study shows that the pandemic and associated restrictions had a detrimental effect on the lives of a very large proportion of the young people in our study, with greater impact on girls than boys. These effects have significant implications for the ways in which school and services develop their responses to the question of children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing.

    Key Messages

    Overall, the principal insights affirmed the importance of:

    ·   responding to the continuing adverse effects on mental health and wellbeing for a significant minority of young people, taking account of the gendered nature of these impacts

    ·   ensuring young people’s voices are brought into decision making and policy formulation

    ·   easily accessible early help and support

    ·   inclusive educational practices to strengthen a sense of belonging for all children and placing children’s mental health at the heart of education provision.

    ·   an inclusive curriculum which focuses on the whole person rather than an overemphasis on academic achievement and high stakes assessment and testing.

    Dr Margaret Wood

    Senior Lecturer in Education at York St John University, UK

    Dr Margaret Wood is a Senior Lecturer in Education at York St John University, UK. Her recent research and publications have explored the centralizing tendencies of much current education policy and its relation to community and democracy at the local level, and the development of academic practice in higher education.

    Dr Feng Su

    Associate Professor and Head of the School of Education at Liverpool Hope University, UK

    Dr Feng Su is an Associate Professor and Head of the School of Education at Liverpool Hope University, UK. His main research interests and writings are located within the following areas: education policy, the development of the learner in higher education settings, academic practice and professional learning.

    Dr Andrew Pennington

    Post-doctoral researcher at York St John University, UK

    Dr Andrew Pennington was a senior officer in two local authority education and children’s services departments. He is now a post-doctoral researcher at York St John University, UK. His main research interests are concerned with democracy, power and community engagement in the governance of schools.

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    The Children’s Society (2022). The Good Childhood Report 2022. The Children’s Society. https://www.childrenssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/2022-09/GCR-2022-Full-Report.pdf

    Newlove-Delgado, T., Marcheselli, F., Williams, T., Mandalia, D., Davis, J., McManus, S., Savic, M., Treloar, W. & Ford, T. (2022). Mental Health of Children and Young People in England 2022. NHS Digital. https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/mental-health-of-children-and-young-people-in-england/2022-follow-up-to-the-2017-survey

    Su, F., Wood, M. and Pennington, A. (2024). ‘The new normal isn’t normal’: to what extent has the Covid-19 pandemic affected secondary school children’s mental health and wellbeing in the North of England? Educational Review. DOI: 10.1080/00131911.2024.2371836

    Silent heroes – Celebrating Peru’s Early Childhood Educators in times of crisis

    Silent heroes – Celebrating Peru’s Early Childhood Educators in times of crisis

    by | BERA, NW 10 Teacher Education Research, NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

    We are counsellors, we are nurses, we are legal helpers, even parish priests, we are multifaceted.

    Maria

    Leader/Teacher, Peruvian public school

    These are the words of a Peruvian public-school early childhood educator/leader, as she described how her role morphed into one of holistic accompaniment, not just to her young students, but to their families as well during the extended period of school closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. They highlight one of the many challenges thrust upon a previously maligned and disenfranchised workforce in a moment of crisis, but much more than this, they offer us a glimpse into the lives of early childhood education(ECE) stakeholders in Peru during this period. 

    The Peruvian Context

    Life in Peru was severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent social distancing requirements, which meant that education institutions were closed to in-person teaching for more than 18 months. Educational outcomes, whilst seeing an upward trend in the years leading up to the pandemic in terms of PISA scores, were still below the OECD average (OECD, 2018). The system was still considered to be struggling in terms of providing equal access to quality teaching and learning experiences as ‘poor, rural, indigenous girls are 91% more likely to be left behind in quality education than their wealthier, urban, non-indigenous peers’ (Alcázar et al., 2020, p12).

    Public school teachers are historically perceived as having low prestige and relatively low pay in comparison to other professions (Saavedra & Gutierrez,2020), a significant contextual consideration when we ponder the critical role they not only played in ensuring educational opportunities for children, but also in support and guidance for families.

    The challenges faced by early childhood educators

    Within this complex context, initial findings from my multiple case study doctorate research project, where semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents, leaders and teachers at four early childhood settings, suggest that early childhood educators across private, public, rural, and urban areas faced several significant challenges. These included increased workload burdens, adaptation to the use of technology, their own emotional well-being, connecting in meaningful ways with children, and dealing with the day-to-day uncertainty. And from the outset of the strict social distancing measures put in place, they were bombarded with the demands of work.

    If, for example, they did not have their child’s next call scheduled, or they didn’t know the questions to ask them, or they had a problem sending their evidence, there would be messages at midnight or at one in the morning… even at four in the morning, the phone rang. It didn’t matter if it was Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, the same. 

    Catalina

    Teacher, Peruvian public school

    Significantly, access to high-quality internet and devices in Peruvian homes is limited, so online lessons were not an option for many families. Instead, they relied on sending and receiving messages, usually via WhatsApp or SMS texts, which resulted in early childhood educators being the first point of call for parents, reframing their role in society.
    And our role was more emotional accompaniment for the families, not only with children, with families too
    Almudena

    Teacher, Peruvian public school

    If educators were able to connect virtually with children, they were faced with the challenges of adapting their pedagogical approach to foster relationships and engage young children through screens. A task that was initially faced by just the educators working in the private sector but soon by many in the public sector too.

    It has been a very difficult time. For me, as a professional, no? Because in spite of having made every effort to bond with my students, it’s a dehumanising process, you are in front of a computer and have no contact with them.

    Rosario

    Teacher, Peruvian private school

    Implications and conclusions

    This blog post, rather than endlessly listing the challenging circumstances faced by early childhood educators in Peru during the pandemic, seeks to draw attention to their resilience and achievements, providing a voice to those often overlooked in vulnerable communities.

    Resilience in educators was evident in the mere fact that ECE was able to be adapted and continued regardless of the extreme and unprecedented challenges faced. However, as Gu (2014) states, resilience in educators is not merely coping in the face of adversity; it encompasses a moral and vocational-like commitment to make a difference and support learning. Critical to this dedication was their ability to develop positive interactions with parents and foster supportive relationships with peers, as they shared online teaching practices and provided emotional accompaniment. These coping strategies are underpinned by collaboration, which was key in bringing the ECE community together, and ensuring the best outcomes for children.

    This has significant implications for the future as the relationships forged between parents and teachers, alongside the new professional and personal skills developed by teachers, can be vital in addressing learning gaps and bridging inequalities. In highlighting these issues, there is the potential for the profession’s low prestige in Peruvian society to be changed or at least challenged.

    Key Messages

    • Celebrating the efforts and dedication of early childhood educators during the pandemic provides a voice to those often overlooked in vulnerable communities
    • Resilience in educators includes a moral and vocational-like commitment to make a difference and support learning
    • The development of positive interactions with parents was critical, as was the fostering of supportive relationships with peers
    • The relationships forged, and the professional and personal skills developed by teachers during the pandemic, can be vital in addressing learing gaps and bridging inequalities.
    Tom Chalmers

    Tom Chalmers

    PhD Student at the University of Greenwich, UK

    Tom Chambers is an early career researcher studying a part-time PhD at the University of Greenwich, London. His research is focused on exploring the impact of the pandemic on the key stakeholders associated with early childhood education (ECE) in Peru. The research will not only have implications for educational policy and practice but also highlight the inequalities in accessing high-quality ECE in countries in the Global South.

    He has recently completed a two-year period of part-time volunteer work as a desk researcher with La Fundación Baltazar y Nicolás, a Peruvian NGO involved with supporting parents of young children in Peru. Tom is an experienced early years/primary educator and holds a Master’s in Education also from the University of Greenwich

    Twitter/X: @TomChambers1984 LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tom-chambers1984 ORCID: 0009-0000-4439-9592

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    Alcázar, L., Bullard, M., &Balarin, M. (2020). Poor education and precarious jobs in Peru: Understanding who is left behind and why. Southern Voice, 64. https://southernvoice.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Education-Jobs-Peru-Alcazar-Bullard-and-Ballarin-2020.pdf

    Gu, Q. (2014). The role of relational resilience in teachers career-long commitment and effectiveness. Teachers and Teaching: Theory and Practice, 20(5), 502–529. https://doi.org/10.1080/13540602.2014.937961

    OECD. (2018). Programme For International Student Assessment (PISA) Results From PISA 2018. In OECD COUNTRY NOTE. https://www.oecd.org/pisa/publications/PISA2018_CN_PER.pdf

    Saavedra, J., & Gutierrez, M. (2020). Peru: A Wholesale Reform Fueled by an Obsession with Learning and Equity. In F. M. Reimers (Ed.), Audacious Education Purposes: How Governments Transform the Goals of Education Systems. Springer.

    Peru: A Wholesale Reform Fueled by an Obsession with Learning and Equity | SpringerLink

    Growing (with) EERA Network 14

    Growing (with) EERA Network 14

    by | 30 Years of EERA, NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

    EERA is celebrating 30 years in 2024, and as part of our anniversary celebrations, we have invited people who have been at the heart of the association to share their memories and reflections. In a series of blog posts, which will run throughout 2024, we will share those precious memories, from the people who helped foster the global EERA community.

    Joana Lúcio, former Link Convenor of Network 14, reflects on her time with EERA, and how the growth of the network went hand in hand with her professional and personal growth. 

    I attended my first ECER in 2010, during the second year of my doctorate. I presented two papers – one pertaining to my PhD and another related to a smaller group research project I was involved in at the time – both within Network 14, and in the context of a session chaired by then-Link Convenor Rune Kvalsund. Rune was (and has been) a very generous and engaging chairperson, and kindly invited me to attend the Network meeting the following day. I remember feeling very welcome and “at home” within that plural and international group of researchers. I was immediately keen to engage with the Network to the best of my ability. At the end of the following year’s conference, in Berlin, Rune and Linda Hargreaves (another one of NW14’s longest-serving convenors, and former Link Convenor) inquired about my availability to take over the role of Link Convenor in 2012, when Rune planned to step down. I was in equal parts thrilled and terrified by that invitation and the inherent responsibility. The following year, shadowing Rune Kvalsund and learning the ropes of EERA and ECER – while also completing my PhD – was one of much professional, academic and personal growth.

    Network 14 thankfully experienced exponential growth during my tenure as Link Convenor (2012-2015). We grew from a group of 5-6 reviewers assessing 20-30 submissions a year, to a team of over 18 reviewers going through over 90 submissions annually, while also promoting collaborations (joint calls or sessions) with other networks. It was one of the most hectic, exciting, enriching and unforgettable experiences of my life!

    Stepping down as Link Convenor after three years was an organic process, as it was in line with what previous Link Convenors had done. Nevertheless, I remained as connected with the Network as before. In 2015, I co-edited a special issue of the European Educational Research Journal with John I’Anson (Network 25), featuring contributions from a joint two-part symposium that took place at ECER 2013 (Istanbul). For ECER2015 (Budapest), I co-authored NW 14’s special call for papers. Later, I co-edited a special issue of the Australian and International Journal of Rural Educating, featuring contributions resulting from a special call for ECER 2016. I have remained a convenor (reviewing and moderating) and a participant in Network 14’s activities, both before, during, and in the aftermath of ECER.

    Between special calls for papers, handbooks, edited journal issues, seasonal schools, etc., Network 14 has remained one of the most prolific, while also one of the longest-established networks within EERA.

    In recent years, the number of submissions received annually by Network 14 has stabilized at around 60-70. Our convenor team continues to evolve, welcoming new collaborators whenever (or wherever, topic-wise) necessary. This is a testament to how the Network continues to foster young and less-experienced researchers, as it did for me fourteen years ago. It is just as much a testament to how the issues of schooling, communities and families remain pertinent within educational research. Finally, it is a clear indication that evidence-based research (in fields such as rural/urban schooling, place-conscious education, educational trajectories and transitions, school-family-community links, parental and familial involvement in schools, etc.) is, and should be, at the forefront of European and international agendas.

    The EERA Office – The view from within the spaceship

    Angelika Wegscheider explains what it is like to steer the ‘spaceship’ of the EERA office, the changes she has seen over the years, and the lessons she’s learned from her time with the organisation.

    Read More

    A European Space for Educational Research and Dialogue

    Past Secretary General of EERA, Professor Lisbeth Lundahl on the importance of EERA as an open and welcoming space for educational research and discourse.

    Read More

    20 Years a-going – Reflecting on two decades with EERA

    Past President, Professor Joe O’Hara takes a walk down memory lane to celebrate EERA’s 30th anniversary, and reflects on the developments and achievements of the organisation.

    Read More

    Twenty years of participating in EERA’s 30 years

    In this blog post, Professor Emeritus of Educational Sciences at Utrecht University in the Netherlands, and previous EERA president, Dr Theo Wubbels reflects on his involvement in EERA over the years, and where the organisation’s future lies.

    Read More

    My EERA story – from novice doctoral researcher to ERG Link Convenor

    ERG Link Convenor Dr Saneeya Qureshi looks back on her journey, from her first conference, to her professional and personal growth with EERA, and the friendships made along the way.

    Read More

    Establishing Network 27 – and trends in didactics of learning and teaching over the past decades

    Professor Emeritus Brian Hudson on the establishment and development of Network 27, and the associated trends in didactics of learning and teaching over the past few decades.

    Read More

    EERA’s unique buzz – and the lessons I’ve learned

    Professor Emeritus Terri Seddon explains why the European Conference on Educational Research became her ‘first-choice’ academic conference, and worth the long-haul flights from her home in Melbourne. 

    Read More

    Experiences and benefits from collaborating in the international ethnography network

    Four long-term Network 19 members, currently serving as network convenors, share their stories and insights into what the network means to them.

    Read More

    Developing an EERA Network Identity – NW 20 through the years

    As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, Professor Raimonda Brunevičiūtė reflects on her EERA journey, and the development of Network 20, Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environment.

    Read More

    Past reflections and future horizons

    Read More

    Growing (with) EERA Network 14

    As part of our 30 years of EERA celebrations, Dr Joana Lúcio reflects on her time as Link Convenor of Network 14, and her professional and personal growth.

    Read More

    Pleasure, confusion, and friendship – 30 years of EERA

    EERA’s first Secretary General and founding editor of the EERJ, Professor Martin Lawn, looks back at the sometimes rocky road of EERA, the developments into the organisation it is today, and considers where the journey should go next.

    Read More

    Improving the quality of education – EERA Network 11 through the years

    To celebrate EERA’s 30th anniversary, Dr Gento takes a look at the activities of Network 11 to improve the quality of education, within EERA and in the wider educational research community.

    Read More

    Serendipity in Action: Being a link convenor for the ERG was a vibrant thread in the vast tapestry of my academic life

    For the 30th anniversary celebrations of EERA, Dr Patricia Fidalgo reflects on her time as Link Convenor of the Emerging Researchers’ Group, and the joy this fulfilling role brought her.

    Read More

    A Transformative Journey: Nurturing Emerging Researchers at the European Conference for Educational Research.

    In our blog series celebrating 30 years of EERA, Professor Fiona Hallett reflects on the sense of belonging within a supportive community of scholars.

    Read More
    Dr Joana Lúcio

    Dr Joana Lúcio

    Dr. Joana Lúcio (PhD) holds a Doctorate in Education Sciences by the University of Porto (PT), with a thesis focused on the Educating Cities movement, through the lens of social and educational mediation. She has conducted and/or been a part of several research-intervention projects in the field of Local Development, with a particular interest on non-formal and informal educational processes, and the roles of citizens’ associations, local government and SMEs.

    In 2018, she finished a post-doc in Sociology of Education, at the Institute of Education of the University of Minho, Braga (PT). She is currently a researcher at CIEd – Research Centre in Education, University of Minho, Braga (PT) and a convenor for Network 14. Communities, families, and schooling in Educational Research, at the EERA.

    The perceptions of minoritized pupils on student-teacher relationships

    The perceptions of minoritized pupils on student-teacher relationships

    by | NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research, NW 7 Social Justice and Intercultural Education

    At ECER 2023 in Glasgow, Julia Steenwegen from the University of Antwerp will present her research about the minoritized students, and their perceptions of the student-teacher relationships in mainstream and supplementary schools. We asked Julia to give us an overview of her research, and the implications for minoritzed students in Belgium, and beyond.

    Student reflections

    This is the response of a pupil when asked about the differences between her supplementary school and her Flemish mainstream school as part of a project investigating minoritized pupils’ views on the relationship to their teachers.

    Some background – Minority students in Flanders, Belgium

    Against a backdrop of persistent inequality in education throughout Europe, and in Flanders specifically, studies find that there is a gap not only in academic achievements between minoritized pupils and their peers, but also in the quality of student teacher relationships. The student-teacher relationship is of crucial importance to students’ educational pathways, yet teachers indicate feeling ill-prepared in teaching the diversity of their classrooms [1]. Students with a migration background tend to evaluate the relationship to their teachers as not as positive as their majority peers [2].

    Other research has shown that some teachers hold ethnic prejudice towards their minority students  [3], this is particularly worrisome as only a very small percentage of teachers in Flanders have a migrant background [4]. The difference in ethno-cultural background – called Ethnic incongruence [5] – between teachers and students in mainstream schools is often hypothesized as an explanation for the different evaluation of student-teacher relationships. What is currently missing from the research is the perception of those minoritized pupils.

     

    Our research methods

    Supplementary schools pose a unique vantage point from which to study minoritized pupils’ views on the student-teacher relationship.  They are educational spaces [5] organized by minoritized communities to support their youth, usually take place during the weekend, and they often focus on teaching heritage language and culture. These schools are widespread, with as many as 45% of pupils in Flanders attending them at some point, as a yet unpublished paper by Coudenys and colleagues shows. That makes them particularly interesting to study in light of this project. After all, contrary to the mainstream Flemish schools in which most teachers are of white majority backgrounds, teachers in the supplementary school tend to share their pupils’ migrant backgrounds.

     Pupils attending both mainstream schools and supplementary schools are in an exclusive position to compare two different settings and reflect on what is constructive to a strong relationship, in their experience. To this end, we conducted group interviews with 29 minoritized pupils in two supplementary schools. The pupils were between 9 and 12 years old and voluntarily decided to take part in the interviews, either alone or with a friend.

    Our findings

    To our surprise, we find that throughout all these interviews, in which the pupils recount and reflect on their relationship to their teachers in the mainstream Flemish school as well as in the supplementary school, not one of the pupils points towards the ethno-cultural background of the teachers. Rather, they give a nuanced depiction of their relationships in each context both on an academic and an emotional level. This is in line with other research [6] suggesting that children do not rely on ethnic categories to organize their world.

     On an emotional level, the pupils indicate that they find the teachers in the mainstream Flemish schools to be less available to them overall. The children point towards factors such as class size to make sense of this lack of availability. Many of the pupils describe situations in which the teacher did not intervene in fights or altercations in the classroom, negatively impacting the quality of the relationship. The children are especially grateful to those teachers that show an interest in their cultural backgrounds. Some pupils remember teachers who asked about their supplementary schools fondly, while acknowledging that such interest is rare.

     While there is not always a clear-cut difference in the pupils’ perception of the teachers from one context to the next, they do almost uniformly declare a difference in the support they receive academically. The pupils report that they are reluctant to ask their mainstream teachers for help because they expect to be turned down. The children relate how they keep their questions to themselves, and then ask their teachers in supplementary school to explain to them at the weekend.

    Implications for practice, beyond Belgium

    We conclude by highlighting some important implications of our findings. Importantly, there is ample research [7] that emphasizes the importance of diversity in teacher staff in terms of countering prejudice, academic expectations, role models and more. The findings of this project do not seek to diminish that importance. Rather, in a reality of ethnic incongruence in student-teacher relationships we make some suggestions to better support pupils of minoritized backgrounds. First, pupils appreciate curiosity from their teachers. Interest in their cultural backgrounds and, relatedly, asking questions about their experience in the supplementary school is clearly beneficial. Second, the pupils were very perceptive of the pressure their teachers experience, and therefore they found them less approachable. And third, there are ample resources available in the supplementary schools. There could be much gained from a meaningful exchange between these different educational contexts.

    Key Messages

    • Supplementary schools pose an interesting vantage point from which to study the perspectives of minoritized pupils.
    • We study the student-teacher relationship from an academic and an affective dimension.
    • Pupils describe that they feel better emotionally supported by their teachers in the mainstream school when they show an interest and open attitude towards their ethno-cultural background.
    Julia Steenwegen

    Julia Steenwegen

    PhD Researcher

    With past experience as a primary school teacher, Julia’s research focus is on inequality in education. Her main focus is on the resources in children’s networks that provide support in their educational pathways.

    Orcid: 0000-0001-6743-9788

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    [1] Berkovich, I., & Benoliel, P. (2020). Marketing teacher quality: Critical discourse analysis of OECD documents on effective teaching and TALIS. Critical Studies in Education, 61(4), 496-511.

    [2] Agirdag, O., Van Houtte, M., & Van Avermaet, P. (2012). Ethnic school segregation and self-esteem: The role of teacher–pupil relationships. Urban Education, 47(6), 1135-1159.

    [3] Van den Bergh, L., Denessen, E., Hornstra, L., Voeten, M., & Holland, R. W. (2010). The implicit prejudiced attitudes of teachers: Relations to teacher expectations and the ethnic achievement gap. American Educational Research Journal, 47(2), 497-527.

    [4] Nulmeting herkomst leerkrachten in het Vlaamse onderwijs

    [5] Thijs, J., Westhof, S., & Koomen, H. (2012). Ethnic incongruence and the student–teacher relationship: The perspective of ethnic majority teachers. Journal of school psychology, 50(2), 257-273.

    [6] Steenwegen, J., Clycq, N., & Vanhoof, J. (2022). How and why minoritised communities self-organise education: a review study. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, 1-19.

    [7] Sedano, L. J. (2012). On the irrelevance of ethnicity in children’s organization of their social world. Childhood, 19(3), 375-388.

    [8] Goldhaber, D., Theobald, R., & Tien, C. (2019). Why we need a diverse teacher workforce. Phi Delta Kappan, 100(5), 25-30.

    Fostering collaborative educational research: An EERA Network case study

    Fostering collaborative educational research: An EERA Network case study

    by | NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

    The book ‘Research and Schooling in Rural Europe: An Engagement with Changing Patterns of Education, Space and Place’ by Gristy, Hargreaves and Kučerová, was published in 2020, with seminal chapters on educational research schooling in rural Europe. It was quickly and widely reviewed and praised. According to Redford(2021, p 633), it is a book ‘that sets a new standard for educational research and schooling in rural Europe.

    This book is a hugely important contribution to the field. Its development and success are a direct result of collaboration through an EERA network. The book includes contributions from a wide range of authors from across Europe, for some their first publication in English.

    We asked one of the book editors, Cath Gristy, and Link Convener of Network 14, Laurence Lasselle, to explain the process. They explained how at each stage of the book’s journey, the editors and authors made excellent use of the resources available within EERA (European Education Research Association) and its networks: Network Members, ECERs (the European Conference on Educational Research) and Network Funding.

    Context – EERA Network 14 and ECER

    As with all EERA Networks, EERA Network 14 (Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research) fosters communications between researchers and aims to facilitate collaborative research. Its major activity always takes place during the European Conference for Education Research (ECER), organised annually by EERA.

    ECER is organised around 34 EERA Networks. Researchers from across the world submit their proposals to EERA Networks in the form of academic papers, symposia, posters etc. Proposals are then reviewed by reviewers within each network. Accepted proposals are subsequently presented at the annual conference. The format of the conference offers plenty of networking opportunities, as it has a packed programme of sessions of 90 minutes, breaks for tea and coffee and lunches and other social events, meetings with publishers and Network meetings.

    Network 14 is one of the original EERA networks [1]. It was created by Dr Linda Hargreaves and Prof Rune Kvalsund in 1995. A group of European researchers started to share interests in the role and the place of small (or rural) schools in educational research. Over the years, the study of the relationship between school and community and place-based education would become one of the most popular thematic streams. More and more conference proposals regarding the topic were submitted to ECER, leading to more ECER sessions and more participants. An early collaborative work of the Network stream can be found in the special issue of the International Journal of Educational Research in 2009.

     In 2012, Cath Gristy – one of the current fourteen EERA Network 14 co-convenors, attended her first EERA conference and participated in EERA Network 14 sessions. Here she met a group of researchers, including Linda, Rune and Silvie Rita, who shared an interest in education in rural places.

    Initial concept developed at the EERA network-funded seminar 2013 in Prague

    Every year, EERA finances various projects fostering Network activities, including researchers’ collaboration and publication. This NW14 group set out to begin a publishing project.

    With an awareness of the importance of including the growing number of researchers from Eastern Europe, they successfully bid for EERA network funding to finance a seminar in Prague in 2013.

    The group of seminar attendees (which included colleagues from Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia) worked together on a plan to promote research and publications in the field. Indeed, it was clear that there was a significant body of research work on education in rural places from Eastern Europe that was not available in English. One reason for this was the financial challenges many researchers were facing. By the end of the seminar, the plan for collaborative work coalesced around a collective book.

    An Informal Meeting within ECER 2015 Budapest

    The outline proposal was developed by Cath, Linda and Silvie Rita at an informal meeting of the group who met with other international rural educational researchers from Canada and Australia while participating in ECER 2015 (Budapest). The goal of the proposal was to gather a unique set of European scholars from a range of social science disciplines, including education, geography, pedagogy, psychology, and sociology, who would elaborate on the context and challenges faced by rural (or small) schools and their communities in several European countries, including the Eastern and Central European countries.

    The book proposal to the US publisher IAG (Information Age Publishing) ‘Current research in rural and regional education’ Series, managed by Michael Corbett and Karen Eppley in 2016, was successful.

    Further development of the proposal at ECER 2016 Dublin

    ECER 2016 (Dublin) offered the opportunity for the three book editors (Cath Gristy, Linda Hargreaves and Silvie Rita Kučerová) to meet some of the book contributors and to give an oral report of the book progression at the Network meeting taking place during the conference (cf. the Network report).

     At the same conference, Cath and Linda convened a two-part symposium entitled ‘Educational Research and Schooling in Rural Europe: An Engagement with Changing Patterns of Education, Space and Place’, focusing on a series of case studies located in Norway, Serbia, Czechia, Finland, and England., The three editors met and supported the contributing authors to ensure the good progress of each chapter. Contributions were now covering 11 countries: Austria, Czechia, Finland, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Serbia, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

    Second successful EERA Network Funding in 2017

    The editors were keen to support authors who were publishing in English for the first time. All contributors had published their research findings in national academic journals or reports and/or regularly presented their contributions at English-speaking conferences, including ECER. However, some had not contributed to academic journals or books published in English for academic purposes.

    The three editors were successful in their bid for Network Funding to support the book publication in 2017. Their application was in the spirit of Network 14 and EERA. It ensured the best development of a community of scholars from various fields and different countries, including enhancing their writing skills. It fostered scholarly collaboration and the dissemination of high-quality research.

    After the Publication: Book reviews and Participation Activity in Network 14

    By 2019, the 395-page, 16-chapter book was ready for publication. It was now time to make it known to the community outside Network 14.

     The editors approached key international journals in the field as well as potential reviewers, all with links to Network 14 and/or ECER. Within 18 months, six reviews – all recommending the book – were published: Hernan Cuervo for the Journal of Research in Rural Education, Paul Flynn for the British Journal of Educational Studies, Rebecca Ipe for the International Review of Education, Robyn Henderson for the Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, Laurence Lasselle for the Center for Educational Policies Journal and Morag Redford for the Journal of Education for Teaching.

    Contributors continue to be active within Network 14 by submitting proposals to ECERs, and one of them joined the Network 14 co-convenors team in 2021!

    Tips for publishing within the EERA Network

    1. Engage with a community of scholars within an EERA Network and beyond
    2. Build the community around a strong and topical idea
    3. Submit symposium proposal to ECER
    4. Identify publication opportunities
    5. Look for EERA funding opportunities
    6. Disseminate the publication
    Cath Gristy

    Cath Gristy

    University of Plymouth (UK), Plymouth Institute of Education

    Cath is a Lecturer at Plymouth University in the United Kingdom, and her current research focuses on issues of inclusion and education in rural contexts. She is one of the co-conveners of EERA Network 14 (Communities, Families and Schooling in Educational Research).

    Laurence Lasselle

    Laurence Lasselle

    Senior Lecturer, University of St Andrews (UK), School of Management

    Laurence is a Senior Lecturer at the University of St Andrews in the United Kingdom, and her current research focuses on widening participation in Scottish Higher Education with a particular focus on access to Higher Education for Scottish rural and remote communities. She is the link convener of EERA Network 14.

    Other blog posts on similar topics:

    References and Further Reading

    Book:

    Cath Gristy, University of Plymouth, United Kingdom, Linda Hargreaves, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom, and Silvie R. Kučerová, Jan Evangelista Purkyně University, Czechia, Educational Research and Schooling in Rural Europe: An Engagement with Changing Patterns of Education, Space and Place, Information Age Publishing, INC, 2020; 406 pp, ISBN: 978-1-64802-163-3.

    A volume in Current Research in Rural and Regional Education, Series Editors: Michael Corbett, University of Tasmania, Australia and Karen Eppley, Penn State University, USA, Series Editors

    Link to book: https://www.infoagepub.com/products/Educational-Research-and-Schooling-in-Rural-Europe

    Reviews:

    Hernan Cuervo (2021) Book review of “Educational research and schooling in rural Europe: An engagement with changing patterns of education, space and place.”, Journal of Research in Rural Education, 37:5, 1–5, DOI:10.26209/jrre3705 

    Paul Flynn (2022) Education research and schooling in rural Europe. An engagement with changing patterns of education, space and place, British Journal of Educational Studies, 70:2, 261-262, DOI:10.1080/00071005.2021.1978773

    Rebecca Ipe (2021) Educational research and schooling in rural Europe: An engagement with changing patterns of education, space and place, International Review of Education, 67, 715–717, DOI:10.1007/s11159-021-09916-8

    Robyn Henderson (2022) Book Review: Gristy, C., Hargreaves, L., & Kučerová, S. R. (Eds.). (2020). Educational Research and Schooling in Rural Europe: An Engagement with Changing Patterns of Education, Space, and Place. Information Age Publishing, Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 32:2, 151–153, DOI: 10.47381/aijre.v32i2.343

    Laurence Lasselle (2021) Book Review: Gristy, C., Hargreaves, L., & Kučerová, S. R. (Eds.). (2020). Educational Research and Schooling in Rural Europe: An Engagement with Changing Patterns of Education, Space, and Place. Information Age Publishing, CEPS Journal, 11 (Special Issue), DOI:10.26529/cepsj.1301

    Morag Redford (2021) Educational research and schooling in rural Europe: an engagement with changing patterns of education, space and place, Journal of Education for Teaching, 47:4, 632-633, DOI: 10.1080/02607476.2021.1928482

    EERA networks:

    [1] Maria P. Figueiredo, Ian Grosvenor, Marit Honerød Hoveid, and Natasha MacNab (2014) The dynamic and changing development of EERA networks, European Educational Research Journal 2014 13:4, 404-417, DOI: 10.2304/eerj.2014.13.4.404

     You can find other blog posts from the EERA Network 14 here.

    Similar but Different: Small Rural Schools in Northern Ireland

    Similar but Different: Small Rural Schools in Northern Ireland

    by | BERA, NW 14 Communities, Families, and Schooling in Educational Research

     As children returned to school after the summer break in 2021, five small rural schools in Northern Ireland didn’t reopen their doors. What that means for the former pupils and their communities has barely been given any attention.

    What is a ‘Rural School’?

    Many small rural schools in different European countries were also forced to close last school year due to declining pupil numbers and financial pressures. In our recent review of the European research literature, we found that small rural schools have been defined in different ways.

    While many definitions relate to the number of pupils enrolled (typically between 70 and 140 for primary schools), in the Republic of Ireland, for example, they are defined as schools employing four teachers or fewer. However, north of the border in Northern Ireland (United Kingdom), there is no official definition of small schools despite a history of small and very small schools in the region, partly because of its rural character and the segregated nature of the school system. In fact, in 1964, there were over 450 schools with between 26 and 50 pupils, although by the early 1990s, there were less than 150 schools with such number of pupils.

    In 2006, an Independent Strategic Review of Education (otherwise known as the Bain review) indicated that there was an excess of schools in Northern Ireland because of falling pupil numbers and the existence of many school sectors. The review argued that there should be fewer, larger schools, and established that primary schools in rural areas should have at least 105 pupils enrolled. So, in the context of Northern Ireland, we understand a small rural school to be a primary school situated in a rural area (i.e., settlements with a population of less than 5,000 and areas of open countryside), with 105 pupils or less enrolled.

    Small rural schools in Northern Ireland

    There is scarce research on small rural schools in Northern Ireland, as most studies have concentrated on schools in urban areas. Between April and July 2021, we conducted an online survey of principals of small rural schools in Northern Ireland. Out of 201 principals invited, 91 took part (86 completed responses and 5 incomplete). In this post, we are sharing three themes that emerged when analysing the survey data.

    1. SEGREGATED SCHOOLS SERVING SEGREGATED COMMUNITIES:

    Northern Ireland society is segregated along ethno-sectarian lines between an Irish Catholic group and a British Protestant group. This is reflected in its school system, so most pupils from a Protestant community background attend Controlled (de facto state) schools (in which the Protestant churches have a formal role), and most pupils from a Catholic community background attend Voluntary Maintained schools, owned by the Catholic church. There is also a small number of integrated schools, which are attended by children and staff from Catholic and Protestant traditions, as well as those of other faiths, or none.

    From the survey results, it was clear that the 

    schools were serving very segregated communities. Thus, the majority of Controlled school principals described the communities their schools served as mostly Protestant, and the majority of Catholic maintained school principals described them as mostly Catholic. Only a few described them as mixed or fairly mixed. Surprisingly, all three principals from integrated schools described their communities as mostly Catholic.

     

    In both Catholic and Protestant rural communities, the churches appeared to have a significant role, with most principals (90%) identifying them as key institutions in the communities their schools served. However, we found a clear difference between school types. While 91% of Catholic Maintained school principals identified the sports association as another key organisation, only 12% of Controlled school principals did so. That is because in many Catholic communities, the GAA club is very influential. GAA stands for Gaelic Athletic Association, and it is Ireland’s largest sporting organisation (which promotes Gaelic games). Community voluntary groups and cultural associations were less likely to be identified by principals, and they were selected by a larger proportion of Controlled school principals rather than principals in Maintained schools.

    2. CHALLENGES:

    According to the principals surveyed, the main challenges these schools were facing were similar to those found in other research in different European countries. The ones that were most identified by the survey respondents were:

    • financial pressures and lack of funding (selected by 74 out of 90)
    • staff’s intense workloads (72)
    • increasing numbers of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (47)
    • declining pupil numbers (45)
    • pressure or threat of potential closure (28).

    However, in contrast with other studies, difficulties in staff recruitment and retention were barely ever selected as current challenges (just two principals did).

    Some of the comments written by principals highlighted the main challenges they encountered:

    “… Our school, that twenty-thirty years ago would have had 7 straight classes, now is struggling with 4 composite classes.  Our parents ARE supportive of our school but small numbers means we are struggling to survive in this community.  ….”

    “There is now so much paperwork and accountability not just educationally but from a health and safety and financial perspective that I feel the role of a teaching principal is no longer feasible.”

    “Unfortunately, the threat of closure is ever present and this has stopped some families enrolling at the school thus resulting in a fall in our enrolment numbers which are hard to recover from. Our physical site also needs a lot of investment but this does not fail to materialise because of question marks over our future which results in the local community not having faith that our school will remain open and so they choose to travel further away.”

    3. AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY?

    The connection between the schools and the families and wider community was generally described as strong. Most principals (80%) considered the school as a key institution or organisation of the community they served. This is also clear from many of the principals’ open-ended comments:

    “Our school is the heart of the rural community. Our families often have no other outlet or community-based organisation to support them. We offer support for parents and work closely with community groups to offer social events. Many of our parents do not drive and have no public transport, meaning they live isolated lives apart from their connection to the school.”

    “The local community is very important. Pre-pandemic we had good contact and well attended events. We had a great Mums and Tots group.  Our PTA are fantastic at organising and promoting school events.”

    “The school is a central part of our rural community. Enabling local groups to access our facilities assists local groups and clubs to exist.”

    The most common ways schools engaged with the communities they served were:

    • Church/ religious leaders coming regularly to the school to visit pupils and teachers (78%)
    • Community leaders being on the board of governors of the school (77%)
    • Pupils being actively encouraged in the school to get involved with particular community organisations (63%); and
    • After-school (or outside of school hours) activities organised by community/sporting/religious organisations/institutions taking place on school grounds or being advertised by the school (64%).

    We asked whether the pandemic had had an impact on the level of engagement of parents/families and the wider community with the school. As expected, most principals believed that the pandemic had a negative impact – 88% believed there had been less engagement between the school and the wider community, and 57% believed there had been less engagement between the school and parents/carers.

    In conclusion, small rural schools in Northern Ireland face similar challenges as other small rural schools in Europe, but their situation differs mainly because of the segregated environment in which they are immersed. Also, small rural schools in NI are not a homogenous group. Some schools appeared to be experiencing more challenges than others, some have more resources than others or are considerably bigger/smaller, etc., and their community contexts are also distinct.

    If you would like to find out more about our study, please visit our study blog.

    Montserrat Fargas-Malet

    Montserrat Fargas-Malet

    Research Fellow

    Montserrat Fargas-Malet is a Research Fellow at the School of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast. Her background is in Sociology (BSsc), Women’s Studies (MA), and Education (PhD). She has over 15 years of experience in social science research and an excellent publication record.

    Professor Carl Bagley

    Professor Carl Bagley

    Professor of Educational Sociology

    Carl Bagley is Head of Social Sciences, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast where he holds a Chair in Educational Sociology. He has held research posts at the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and the Open University (where he obtained his PhD) and previously held a Senior Lectureship in Sociology at Staffordshire University, before Joining Durham University in 1999, obtaining a Chair in 2008 and serving as Head of the School of Education from 2013-2017.