ABSTRACT Background It is widely recognised internationally that participation in higher education is likely to lead to increased opportunities and resources. However, only a minority of learners from Roma backgrounds continue into post-compulsory education. As important research into inclusion continues, more attention must be paid to the identification of practices that can help break down barriers and support the participation of Roma students in post-compulsory education. Purpose The research sought to gain insight into particular factors influencing the decision-making processes of three students from Roma backgrounds who chose to pursue an academic pathway. Method The setting for this qualitative study was a school in Spain located in a socioeconomically disadvantaged and predominantly Roma neighbourhood whose students had never previously participated in pre-university studies (courses preparing students for university entrance). In-depth interviews were conducted with three Roma students in their last year of compulsory education who were about to move on to pre-university studies, as well as with three significant adults: a Roma mother, a Roma role model working at the school, and the school principal. Findings The analysis of participants’ narratives suggested that, according to their views, the implementation of a set of successful educational actions involving high expectations, the involvement of Roma families, the influence of positive Roma role models and engagement with dialogic interactions contributed to the continuation of these three Roma students on a trajectory towards post-compulsory education. Conclusions The study highlights some noteworthy factors that can be involved in transforming a context from one where access to university is not considered to be an option and towards a new one in which university becomes a real choice.

ABSTRACT Background The transition from primary to secondary education can be difficult for children. This paper reports on an intervention in the Netherlands known as the Talent Classrooms (TC), which aimed to support students’ primary-secondary school transition. The goal of TC was to increase the match between the personal environment of the student and the school environment to facilitate a successful transition, and to help students achieve their potential at secondary school. Purpose With the needs described in the review by Symonds and Galton (2014) taken as a starting point for this investigation, we sought to explore the extent to which TC supported six specific needs during students’ primary-secondary transition period, according to participants’ longer term reflections about their earlier TC experiences. Methods In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with ten former TC students, four to five years after they had participated in the intervention. Data were analysed qualitatively. Findings The analysis suggested that, according to the participants, TC had fostered most needs and this helped to support their transition experience. In particular, participants reported that, via their involvement in TC, they had become more familiar with the physical environment and routine of secondary school, were able to form lasting friendships and enjoyed a challenging curriculum and extracurricular activities. However, findings also indicated that the intervention did not fully succeed in supporting some needs, mainly in the areas of autonomy, competency, and identity development, as it did not seem to have prepared all participants sufficiently for the requirement for independent working they subsequently encountered in secondary school. Conclusions This study highlights how emphasis on the development of autonomy-related skills might be beneficial for interventions designed to assist students with the transition to secondary education. Moreover, it draws attention to the importance of tailoring support to individual students’ specific, varied and evolving needs during this stage of development.

ABSTRACT Background Children develop within a complicated and dynamic textual world. In the primary school classroom, one of the most important tasks for teachers involves the design of learning environments and situations that can support all students’ literacy development. Although the identification of students with weaker skills is relatively well researched, there is a need for deeper understanding of how teachers address the variation of literacy skills within their classrooms. This article focuses attention on teachers’ navigation of complex literacy practices within the primary classroom, which involves supporting the literacy development of children with a variety of needs, abilities and experiences. Purpose The study aimed to investigate how primary education teachers and special educational needs teachers described their intentions and ways of designing learning for complex literacy practices in order to sustain a culture of inclusive education design. Methods A total of 24 primary education and special educational needs teachers across four schools in two Swedish municipalities participated in focus group discussions. In-depth data analysis was based on design-oriented theory, applying the central concepts of intentions and flexibility to the teachers’ accounts of literacy development. Findings According to the analysis, the participating teachers perceived advantages in using multimodal methods, collaborative learning, motivation and joyfulness, as well as learning structures and support. They discussed the challenges around supporting students’ literacy progress, describing their preparedness and the flexibility, or transformation competence (using different teaching resources in different situations at different times) involved in navigating complex literacy practice in the classroom for the benefit of all students. Conclusions The study highlights the significance of teachers’ intentions to prevent, identify and remove barriers to students’ literacy development. It suggests that the part played by flexibility in determining solutions to challenges in classroom practice should not be overlooked in relation to supporting students’ literacy learning progress. Implications also include greater recognition of the importance of continuous professional development to support inclusive practice, with opportunities for collegial learning and collaboration.

ABSTRACT Background There is a recognised need internationally to reduce depression and anxiety among adolescents. As a population particularly sensitive to the amount and quality of social interaction, challenges for young people became magnified during COVID-19, particularly for students from under-represented and marginalised communities across the globe. Purpose This paper reports on a study conducted in Washington State, USA, that sought, via an alliance with students, parents, educators and community leaders, to gain insight into students’ lived experiences during the pandemic. It aimed to better comprehend how experiences affected social emotional learning and use this understanding to explore ways of reducing students’ mental health concerns. Method We created a diverse consortium, drawn from six schools. It comprised 13 students, predominantly students of colour, across the age range 11–18 years. Also participating were five other stakeholders: parents, educators and community leaders. The consortium’s involvement in five online discussion sessions led to the collection of rich data, as participants shared perspectives on pandemic experiences and learning. Additionally, we administered a survey about group collaboration. Data were analysed thematically. Findings The formation of the consortium represented a significant outcome in itself, providing a meaningful way of gaining understanding of the mental health and social emotional concerns of the students, their families and the other collaborators. Another outcome was the opportunity for students and parents to be at the same table and voice concerns about remote learning, sharing views on how changes affected students’ learning and mental health. Conclusion The consortium allowed for all voices to be heard. This research highlights the need for more attention and resources to be directed towards students of colour, not only across schools within the research setting but also elsewhere internationally. The connection of students with educators, parents and community stakeholders, by means of a consortium, can build a foundation through which the mental health needs of students in school may be addressed in future research.

ABSTRACT Background Reflective teaching has long been regarded as playing an important, and potentially empowering, role in teachers’ professional learning. The study reported in this paper considered the longer-term significance of teachers’ self-reflective learning in the course of their daily emergency remote teaching during COVID-19, and how this supported teacher agency. Purpose This small-scale case study sought to explore, in depth, teachers’ perceptions of how their professional learning was realised through reflective practice during emergency remote teaching. Method Three teachers from primary, junior high, and high schools in mainland China participated in the case study during the spring and fall semesters in 2020. They considered the accommodations they made for emergency remote teaching and the corresponding implications for their professional learning and sense of agency. Data were collected via four-monthly, semi-structured interviews, resulting in a total of five interviews per teacher. These charted the progress of their emergency remote courses in the spring, and allowed for final reflections via a follow-up interview in the fall. Data were analysed thematically. Findings The resultant four themes and eight categories related to aspects including pedagogical strategies, home-school communication, classroom management, and teachers’ technological literacy. Within these, approaches to blending online and offline coursework, valuing sociocultural concerns in classroom interaction, and developing adaptive mindsets were among areas identified as relevant to teachers’ professional learning beyond the emergency remote teaching situation. Conclusions The findings highlight the multiple ways in which professional learning took place through reflective teaching in the remote teaching environment. They draw attention to the importance of situating some professional learning in everyday practice. Understandings gained during remote teaching have broader implications for educators’ professional learning and growth in pre-tertiary education.

ABSTRACT Background Micro-credentials are increasingly considered a key mechanism through which to empower learners by enabling flexible upskilling and reskilling. Despite their apparent importance for higher education institutions (HEIs) and learners, empirical research is limited. More needs to be understood, particularly about the ways in which micro-credentials can shape institutional practice and provide benefits to learners. Purpose Using a foresight approach, this study sets out to explore the potential for micro-credential adoption in relation to national and international policy initiatives and rapidly developing technologies. Its intention is to offer findings of interest internationally, particularly to those involved in strategic activities around micro-credentials. Methods A four-step Delphi study approach was used to explore how micro-credentials may shape higher education (HE) in the next 5–10 years. Educational experts undertook a consensus-building activity utilising workshops and surveys: (1) initial identification of enabling factors (i.e. drivers) and beneficial outcomes (i.e. impacts) of micro-credentials; (2) prioritisation based on importance; (3) identification of enabling factors considered essential for each beneficial outcome and (4) analysis of the extent to which micro-credentials might be accepted in HE, with participants reflecting on the importance of the previously identified enablers and outcomes for alternative scenarios. Findings The analysis sheds light on three alternative possible futures for micro-credentials. Expert consensus indicated that the potential of micro-credentials lies especially among educational institutions and the networks of institutions innovating beyond, and within, traditional study offerings and programmes. Future wide-scale adoption of micro-credentials was considered unpredictable, due to external factors at the ecosystem level, and beyond institutions’ own strategies and control. Conclusion The findings suggest that, for the successful uptake of micro-credentials, the same benefits do not need to accrue for institutions and learners: a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach is not necessary or optimal. In order for the wider-scale influence of micro-credentials to be felt, there is a need for considerable international and national strategy development and implementation to overcome a variety of policy- and technology-related barriers that HEIs cannot influence or tackle on their own.

ABSTRACT Background In order to continue educational provision during the Covid-19 pandemic, many education systems switched to some form of Emergency Remote Teaching (ERT) in 2020. Research suggests that this may have disproportionately affected students from underprivileged communities. In this context, there is, therefore, a pressing need to consider how ERT may have impacted learners who are likely to be most affected by educational inequalities, including newly arrived migrant students (NAMS). Purpose As studies have highlighted the particular importance of interaction for effective distance learning, the research aimed to examine how NAMS in Flemish secondary schools experienced interaction with learning content, teachers and fellow students in online classes during ERT. Methods A total of six semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted with 23 NAMS from six secondary schools in Belgium. The interviews were centred on questions about participants’ experiences with online interaction and participation. All focus groups were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, after which transcriptions were coded and analysed qualitatively. Findings The analysis revealed that, during ERT, participants reported experiencing a higher amount of learner–content interaction, mainly consisting of self-study material and tasks. Participants also indicated a lack of learner–teacher interaction, which was attributed to the shortage of speaking opportunities and students’ decreased inclination to interact with instructors. In addition, most participants reportedly experienced few opportunities for learner–learner interaction during online classes. Conclusions Study findings provided insight into the NAMS’ experiences of being suddenly and unexpectedly compelled to be autonomous learners during ERT. Students’ reports suggest that the quality of learner–content interaction may have been compromised by limited learner–teacher interaction in the ERT situation. This draws attention more generally to the importance of interactive learning in the support of NAMS and the need for educators to be empowered to develop interactivity-rich remote learning environments.

ABSTRACT Background Prior to approaching any field site activity, the question of how researchers in education will interact with the participants in terms of positionality requires careful thought. Observation is often used by educators and researchers as a means of collecting informal data on children’s development and learning in early childhood education and care (ECEC) classroom settings. As data collection often involves varying degrees of observation and participation, there is a need for a clear articulation of researcher involvement. When the classroom is an outdoor, nature-based setting, particular challenges can arise in this regard. Purpose This small-scale study sought to explore these challenges in the context of early years of STEM teaching and learning. The research was situated within bush kindergartens (also known as ‘bush kinders’), a developing context in Australian early childhood education. The open spaces of nature reserves, forests, beaches and paddocks all constitute settings for bush kinders. Method The study employed an ethnographic lens to the teaching and play activities of around 10 educators and 120 four- to five-year-old children in four Australian bush kinders during 2015, 2017 and 2020. Much of the study was devoted to observation and participation in the activities that the children were undertaking. Influenced by a research tradition that places researcher participation and observation on a continuum of completeness, differences in researcher involvement that occur in nature-based education and care settings were categorised. Findings It was determined from this categorisation that researcher involvement with participants ranged from low to high. The in-depth analysis allowed identification of how this range of involvement provides both benefits and limitations upon the researcher’s involvement with teacher and child participants. Conclusions This paper offers a contribution to the methodological discourse on ethnographic research in ECEC outdoor settings. In drawing close attention to the ways in which researcher involvement in the field may vary, it provides a framework of reference that could be helpful to other researchers engaged in designing and carrying out ECEC research in diverse outdoor settings.

ABSTRACT Background Despite widespread interest in the leadership and establishment of professional learning communities (PLCs), the ethical dimension may be overlooked. This article examines, in a Norwegian context, how principals have to deal with different sorts of ethical dilemmas in leading professional learning communities. Purpose The study aimed to investigate the leadership strategies and interventions that principals implemented in professional learning communities and the nature of ethical dilemmas that were apparent in establishing a professional collective culture. Methods Participants were from two different schools, both of which had challenging environments. Data were collected through observations and interviews with the principals (including follow-up interviews after a year had passed), middle managers, two groups of teachers and two groups of students in the two schools, and also with a district-level representative. In total, 15 interviews were conducted with 41 informants. Data were analysed qualitatively. Findings Analysis suggested that establishing a professional learning community, building on an inclusive ethos, pedagogical collaboration and democratic leadership are all important strategies. Leadership practices were anchored in an ethical perspective that emphasised responsibility not only for personal morality but for the enhancement of civic moral education that leads to self-knowledge and community awareness. Conclusion This research draws attention to how school leadership, especially in challenging environments, is closely connected to the democratic purpose of the school. Ethical thinking and decision-making can be developed in discussions between leaders at school and district level and between leaders and teachers in the learning communities in the school. To lead such discussions, school leaders should increase their knowledge and understanding of ethical decision making, which can help develop their own ethical leadership practice.

ABSTRACT Background Animal-assisted Education (AAE), including Reading to Dogs (RTD), is an area of growing interest internationally across all phases of education, and increasingly considered an innovative approach to improving pupil outcomes. As creating RTD interventions necessitates a combination of expertise from the fields of education and human-animal interactions, finding effective ways to achieve collaboration in RTD intervention design is imperative. Purpose We sought to develop and work within a collaborative framework in order to co-design an AAE intervention, drawing upon researcher and teacher knowledge, experience and expertise. Our specific collaboration had the goal of co-designing an RTD intervention focused on supporting primary-aged children’s reading and wellbeing. This paper describes the co-design process, and our evaluation of the collaborative process and framework. Methods Three teachers, from different school contexts and educational authorities, and a researcher engaged in a structured co-design process to create the RTD intervention. A three-phase co-design framework was developed, implemented and evaluated. The framework ensured that theoretical and empirical research (via the researcher) and professional and pedagogical expertise (via three teachers) informed the intervention design. Findings The three-phase framework – initial preparation, recruitment and online platform creation, and intervention co-design – enabled a productive and meaningful collaborative process which led to the development of an RTD intervention informed by a synthesis of research and practice. In our evaluation, the collaborating teachers were very positive about the framework, reflecting that it provided effective facilitation of the co-design and observing that working with teachers from other authorities offered a valuable and motivating learning opportunity. Conclusions The co-design of interventions by researchers and teachers offers a way to synthesise theoretical and empirical research insights with professional and pedagogical expertise. It can help to create interventions that are research-informed but also more likely to be acceptable to the education community and feasible for classroom practice. This framework could be drawn upon by researchers, teachers and school leaders across a range of disciplines who seek to develop AAE and other interventions collaboratively.