Malcom Moffat College of Education

Items

• Examing Services Available to Greek Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD)
• Is this ethnography? The Role of labels in contemporary qualitative research
  In this reflexive piece from the field, I explore possible answers to the question: is my current doctoral project ethnography? Furthermore, I question the necessity of finding and claiming a pre-established label for my emergent work. I first provide a brief overview of my current research based in Kathmandu, Nepal and the personal and institutional challenges I faced in preparing for fieldwork. Ambiguity, though disliked by institutions, comfortably occupies space within my research paradigm. It takes deep reflexivity of positionality and power to navigate different perspectives – mine, institutions’, and the peoples’ I interact with in the field. Each interaction, though argued in academia as laden with dynamics of power, doesn’t always feel that powerful. Some moments, in fact, feel really boring. However, in my approach to research, these moments add up overtime to reveal patterns. Recognizing the value I place on the momentary and the emotional, I come to the main question of this article: is my work ethnography? Rather than develop a specific answer, I review the academic boxes I’ve checked that could suggest what labels I can place on this work. However, after considering Creighton’s (1920) definition of “catchwords”, I argue the process of labelling, rather than pushing us deeper into our research, becomes a test, a gauging of our willingness to fit into traditionally accepted scholarship. From the field, I argue it is more important to focus on making choices rather than labelling them.
• Professor Susan Robertson: Inside the Black-box of Journal Publishing
• The Need for an Application of Dual-Process Theory to Mathematics Education
• Accessible and Inclusive Higher Education for Palestinian Students with Disability: Policies and Practices Review
  As a commitment to promoting social justice and building inclusive society, this study aimed to review Palestinian policies and practices that support the right of students different disabilities to access inclusive higher education (IHE). To achieve this aim, four data collection tools were used: email correspondence, two focus group discussions involving 38 participant students with visual, physical and hearing disability, six individual interviews with senior directors of disability care offices in PHEIs, and content analysis of 11 policy documents. The results showed absence of factual information about Palestinian students with disabilities, lack of support to adopting in IHE in almost all existing policies and strategic goals, a mixture of practices facilitating and hindering implementation of core elements of IHE, and experience-based policies and practices proposed by the participants to make higher education more accessible and inclusive. Before presenting the conclusions, the study offered recommendations for the inclusiveness of higher education.
• A Vygotskyan sociocultural perspective on the role of L1 in target language learning
• Improving children’s oracy skills: a qualitative study highlighting the student’s voice towards different dialogic teaching strategies used in the classroom within one U.K. Primary School
  Throughout the past 50 years, dialogic teaching techniques have experienced some ups and downs. The benefits of dialogic interactions for children's oracy abilities are widely documented in the literature (Maxwell et al., 2015), however the child's perspective is not often highlighted. The current study aims to determine children's perceptions of a sample of dialogic teaching strategies used in one primary setting, as well as how these impact children's self-confidence and participatory processes to engage in educational dialogue. The study focuses on children who face significant socio-economic deprivation because it has previously been discovered that their language development is underdeveloped compared to their more advantaged peers (Millard & Menzies, 2016). The study utilised a semi-structured interviewing technique in an inner-city primary academy in a city located in the southwest of the UK. Eight children aged 9 to 10 and one primary classroom teacher contextualised their experiences during 20-minute semi-structured interviews. Four key themes were extrapolated using thematic analysis. Theme One is an examination of a primary school's overall oracy metacognitive strategy. Theme Two is how this strategy contributes to the development of a dialogic classroom culture. Children from disadvantaged socio-economic backgrounds can directly benefit from Themes Three (Physicality of Talk) and Four (Visual Indicators), which are prominent and recurrent strategies to boost confidence and involvement. The "Physicality of Talk" theme showed novelty in the field of study because there is a paucity of research on how standing to speak affects a child's perception and increases their confidence to participate in educational discourse. The study has several implications for educational policy, teaching practice, and the use of specific research tools to elicit children's voices.
• The Pedagogical Implication of Creative Arts Practice by Manga Comic Book Readers in Japan
  How do you express your feelings about your favourite story? It is popular among manga comic book fans to share how much they love the manga work through their own creative works. People draw, upload YouTube videos, cosplay with hand-made costumes, or even create original stories based on their favourite manga characters. These activities are collectively called “fan art,” and the field of fan studies supplements our understanding of the research on creative practice among manga readers in Japan. While not always professional, these creators’ works are artisanal and creative, thereby suggesting a new type of informal learning (Marsick et al. 1990) based on possibility thinking (Craft, 2005). This paper suggests that manga fans’ storytelling could impact pedagogy, which in turn nurtures creativity among youths. I will introduce examples of manga fan art from pixiv (an online platform for artists), YouTube, Fandom, and social networking services, and consider how those works potentially have pedagogical impacts on manga readers. First, I will provide a brief history and definition and discuss the uniqueness of Japanese manga and public responses in Japan. Although manga can be classified as comic books, its origin is in Hokusai Katsushika, a famous Ukiyoe artist (Schodt, 1983) deeply rooted in Japanese culture. Next, employing Arts-Based Research (ABR) perspectives, I highlight three examples of manga readers’ creative art practices online. They draw and discuss “what if” questions—what some scholars call possibility thinking (Burnard et al., 2006)—leading to the practice of creative thinking skills. Lastly, I consider the shortcomings of implementing this pedagogy in formal educational settings and propose research questions for the future.
• The Prevent Duty in Primary Education: A Comparative Study
  In 2015, the Prevent Duty (HM Government, 2015) placed a legal requirement on educational institutions to show ‘due regard’ to the need to prevent young people from being drawn into extremism or terrorism. Following this, training programmes were created so that teachers could fulfil this responsibility. In this study, primary school teachers’ experiences and opinions on the Prevent Duty are compared between two different schools in the same metropolitan council. The first school is situated in a community in which most people living there are Muslim; the second school is situated within a predominantly white, middle-class, non-Muslim community. Teachers were interviewed in semi-structured interviews about their experiences of the Prevent Duty, its training programmes and how relevant they considered it to be for the children they teach in their setting. Their responses to these questions are compared to identify any differences on attitudes towards the Prevent Duty between the two areas. Findings suggest that the way in which the Prevent Duty is viewed by teachers, including the importance they place on it, their experiences of the training programmes and how relevant they see it as being to the children in their setting differs between the two areas
• The importance of verbal language in the development of social understanding in autistic children
  Language has been identified as a significant factor for long-term cognitive, social and adaptive outcomes, such as social understanding. The relationship between verbal language and social understanding has been widely explored in typically developing children. However, the same could not be said for the relationship between verbal language and social understanding in autism. To fill this gap, the following literature review evaluated studies which have employed nonverbal measures to investigate the impact of an absence of verbal language on the development of social understanding in autistic children. Nonverbal measures were used to explore how autistic children attend to and process nonverbal language and social cues such as facial expressions, eye gaze and biological motion. Across the reviewed literature, it was strongly hypothesised that autistic children depend more heavily on verbal language to bring attention and meaning to nonverbal cues they would otherwise miss. Limitations of the reviewed studies were further discussed. Future research investigating this relationship would benefit from discarding a deficit model of autism and instead employing a humanistic perspective which can lend a holistic understanding. In addition, the use of qualitative methods in the form of semi-structured interviews can encourage more participants from under-represented subgroups on the spectrum (i.e., minimally and nonverbal autistic females) to feel empowered in sharing their unique experiences.
• Becoming a leader? A narrative inquiry into the leadership practice of an English Language Centre Administrator of a higher education institution in Hong Kong
  This paper presents a narrative inquiry into an English Language Centre Administrator of a higher education institution in Hong Kong, China. The participant of this narrative inquiry, Angel, was invited to take up a new role of the Department of English. Using narrative inquiry as a research method and intersecting the narrative analysis by drawing on Bush’s (2010) three dimensions of leadership, the author evaluated Angel’s role as an English Language Centre Administrator and made meaning of her perceptions and contested her assumed responsibilities and the responsibilities she has been assuming. Among the three leadership dimensions suggested by Bush – influence, values and vision, it was perceived that from the participant’s personal practical experience, the three dimensions were not of equal weighting or did not emerge in a linear sequence. Values and vision may be the driving force of the participant’s leadership practice whereas influence may or may not be intentional. It is hoped that the findings will facilitate readers to generate a new understanding of educational leadership, management and administration and gain an insight into the reconceptualisation of leadership. By bringing forth the participant’s first-hand accounts, it is also hoped that this paper may have useful implications for those who are taking up a new role of an organisation, be it fledging or well-established, to excel themselves.
• Glocalization as it Affects East African Female Youth Transitioning out of a Catholic Boarding School in Uganda
• Following the Breadcrumbs: Young Adult Holocaust Novels and their Intertextual Use of Fairy Tales
  This article explores young adult Holocaust literature and its intertextual use of fairy tales, examining the primary text Gretel and the Dark (2014) by Eliza Granville which uses the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel. I discuss the ethical complications of using fiction to represent the un-representable and how intertextual use of fairy tales provides opportunities and limitations for navigating the moral grey area between fact and fiction. I employ Smith’s (2007) framework of intertextuality to examine two methods of intertextuality: explicit incorporation through framed silences and through metafictional discussion of fairy tales. I seek to answer three questions: How are fairy tales used intertextually in this text; what can be gained through the intertextual use of fairy tales; and what problems arise from the intertextual use of fairy tales? I find that the use of non-realist storytelling techniques such as framed silences, meta-framed silences and metafictional elements allows the reader to actively collaborate with the work of fiction in meaning making and to build literary competence. However, intertextuality can potentially be frustrating for a reader unable to grasp the intertextual references or unable to interpret the framed silence. I conclude that the use of fairy tale intertextuality in Holocaust novels creates cracks in the text which point the reader to the fictionality of the text itself, this is significant when negotiating the difficult ethical borders in Holocaust fiction between fact and artistic creation.
• Learner Difficulties and Strategy Choice when Learning to Read in a Genetically Related Language: The Case of a Ukrainian Language Learner
  In both academic studies and anecdotal reports, there is widespread consensus that learners tend to learn a language more easily if it is linguistically close to another language in their repertoire, particularly if the languages are genetically related (i.e. belonging to the same linguistic family tree). While there is evidence for such statement to hold true thanks to the phenomenon of transfer, there seems to be an unspoken overarching assumption that the process of learning a genetically related target language is natural and without major problems, and the role of language learner strategies (LLS) is somewhat undermined in such contexts. In light of this issue, this study purports to investigate two areas within the specific skill of reading: (a) learner difficulties that emerge when learning a genetically related language at beginner level and (b) the underlying mental processes that govern corresponding strategy choices. Taking the form of a single case study under a qualitative, constructivist paradigm, this research depicts the self-studying journey of a male Taiwanese individual, who, as a former Russian language learner, learns to read a closely related language—Ukrainian. With data from reading task sheets, stimulated recalls, and a semi-structured interview, the findings identify four learner difficulties that surface when starting to read in said context, thus problematising the aforementioned general claim that a genetically related target language is largely straightforward to learn. The data also shed light on thinking processes fundamental to the decision of strategies, advocating a critical convergence between the fields of language learner strategies and second language acquisition in the discussion section. Finally, the contributions, pedagogical implications, and limitations of the study are addressed in detail.
• Forwarding the Vision
• Torn Between Expectations and Imagination: Alternative Forms of Communicating Education Research
• Manga Otaku Meets Lynda Barry: Bodily Making Comics for Finding Yourself
  This paper aims to deliver an analysis on Lynda Barry’s making comics philosophies. Barry’s practice, based on the author’s experience as her student, can be theorized as a pedagogical tool that encourages us finding yourself and embracing your past, though she doesn’t emphasize such theorization. My argument is derived from the concept of autobifictionalography from Barry’s significant book, One Hundred Demons (Barry, 2002). Some cartooning methods are introduced in this essay: namely, spontaneous drawing, drawing with eyes-closed, collaborative exercise. These recipes aid to overcome hesitation in drawing with serendipities, and enrich the body and sense awareness. Further, such methods cultivate the discussion on the problem of transnationality in Comics Studies (Eisner, 1985; Groensteen et al., 2007; Kern, 2016; McCloud, 1993; Meskin, 2009). The daily diary method (Barry, 2019) inspires in self-exploration over time and space by blurring fiction and nonfiction, which challenges the idea of fixed subjectivity. In regard of relational subjectivity and anti-perfectionist approach, Barry’s autobifictionalography aligns with posthuman theories (Barad 2007; Haraway 1985/1991). With such relationship, I consider that Barry’s method helps understand posthumanism’s complex idea. Finally, I discussed the posthuman ideas and Barry’s method along with Ghost in the Shell (Shirow, 1991), which is significant manga relating to posthumanism. In conclusion, I believe that Barry’s method will benefit anyone, so I am keen to invite more scholars and practitioners to study. As a manga scholar having found my transnational identity by Barry’s method, I hope to provide thoughtful connections beyond disciplines.
• How do Young People Think They Learn? A Learning Theory Taxonomy Devised from Pupil Preferences
  This paper reports the findings from a small-scale survey of school pupils aged 10-18. It places in order of preference, the learning theories of Behaviourism, Cognitivism, Constructivism, Experientialism, Social & Emotional Learning Theory together with the use of Metacognition. The research is qualitative and quantitative, drawing on responses to a survey with follow-up interviews. The responses were gathered from 109 respondents from every school year group from Year 6 to Year 13 in three schools and compared to the responses from a group of teachers for contrast. The research consisted of a survey about common teaching strategies, each reflecting an overarching learning theory, according to findings from the literature review (and shown in Tables 1-6). Once the strategies were placed in order of preference it was possible to filter the data to reveal a learning theory taxonomy. Findings showed that all learning strategies were judged to be of some benefit but Social & Emotional Learning (SEL) approaches were considered the most important amongst young learners. Adults’ learning preferences were also surveyed and found to be different to those of young people and there were also marked differences between the sub-groups of young learners: school key stage, possession of a computer at home, and home language. A possible implication of the findings is that it may help teachers to consider the theoretical basis on which they plan for effective learning in the classroom across Key Stages.
• Shifting Settler-Teacher Mindsets: Critical Self-Reflection on Positionality, Bias, and Privilege
  Utilizing the Following Their Voices (FTV) education initiative, a framework designed to raise the educational achievement of Saskatchewan’s First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FMNI) students by enhancing relationships between students and teachers, this study examines settler-teacher FTV participants’ abilities to explore positionality, bias, privilege, and critical self-reflection for improving the educational experiences for Indigenous students. Current research lacks insight into how settlerteachers examine and process mindsets deeply ingrained with Eurocentric ideals and colonial identities; to foster change in FNMI students’ educational experiences, it is essential to evaluate the FTV initiative through participant insight, as these mindsets significantly impact those experiences. Critical race theory provides the overarching lens while an interpretivist research methodology is used to make meaning of the participants’ interpretations. The major findings indicate that implementation, lack of continuity, and not normalizing critical self-reflection proved to hinder progress throughout the program and continues to be a barrier. For authentic, sustained change to occur, consistent critical self-reflection, affective processing, and meaning making are recommended to enhance relationships and learning outcomes for Indigenous students.
• CORERJ Volume 5
• What Role Does Working Memory Play in Primary School Reading Achievement?
  Working memory (WM) has consistently been related to reading ability, but the precise nature of this relationship remains unclear. This systematic review aims to evaluate the different pathways by which working memory may influence reading. The included papers were categorised into direct, indirect, and hierarchical effect models and presented using a narrative synthesis. The findings suggest that working memory has an indirect impact on reading ability as part of a hierarchical relationship via lower and higher order cognitive abilities. Furthermore, the nature of this relationship changes over time. As skills such as decoding become automatic, the role of WM is reduced and reserved for more complex comprehension. This review sheds light on the relationship between working memory and reading and may help to frame future research into the topic.
• The Path to Higher Education After Incarceration: A Qualitative Case Study with Project Rebound Students
  Education can act as a motivational, and changing, force in any individuals’ life – specifically for those who are experiencing incarceration. Project Rebound, an educational support program housed in the California State University system, has reported a >0.1% recidivism rate for its members. However, California’s overall recidivism rate is at 41.9% (Correctional News, 2024). This study uses qualitative research methods to examine the path to higher education for formerly incarcerated individuals. Seven active students enrolled in Project Rebound from a large southern California university participated in a one-on-one interview that lasted between 30 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Each interview was audio recorded, and then transcribed for coding purposes. Participants were asked about their experiences in higher education, Project Rebound, and the juvenile justice system. After thematic analysis using inductive, then deductive coding, four main codes were prevalent across the participants – Change is Possible, Education as a Catalyst; Early Experiences with Incarceration; Educating Others; and “It’s a Part of my Story, but not the Whole Thing.” Overall, these findings highlight the impact education, specifically higher education, can have in changing incarcerated individuals’ lives.
• Are native English-speaking teachers more qualified? A Critical Review of Blum and Johnson’s (2012) Article ‘Reading Repression: Textualizing the Linguistic Marginalization of Non-native English-Speaking Teachers in Arizona’
• Between Idealism and Realism: Critical Peace Education in Divided Post-Conflict Contexts
  This paper navigates through Critical Peace Education (CPE), a concept that emerged in response to criticisms of peace education as ‘politicised’, ‘propaganda’, ‘not objective’ and ‘lacking criticality’. CPE aims to develop students’ critical consciousness that would enable them to explore contradictions in their social, political and economic realm. It would also prepare them to act against these contradictions. This paper compares and contrasts theoretical grounds of CPE with three other approaches to education, namely Allport’s (1954) Contact Theory, Taylor’s (1994) Multiculturalism and Gallager’s (1996) ‘teaching contested narratives’. Building on the epistemological similarity between CPE and these three other approaches and given the scarcity of CPE application and evaluation (Bajaj, 2015), I find that scrutinising applications, evaluations and implications of these approaches in conflicted contexts must yield valuable insights to CPE. Accordingly, I explore two conflict/post conflict contexts, namely Rwanda and Palestine- Israel. I review relevant literature that examines and evaluates these approaches and I highlight three challenges to their application; ‘The power of the victor’, ‘identity accentuation’, ‘social transformation: The individual or structural asymmetry?’. The paper concludes with suggesting three parameters that are worth considering when conceptualising CPE: ‘Practicality’, ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Scalability’.
• Learner Agency in Feedback: A Review of Conceptualisations and Related Constructs
  Learner agency in feedback, commonly referred to as learner feedback agency (LFA), has garnered significant scholarly attention over the last decade. Despite growing scholarly interest, a comprehensive understanding of LFA’s conceptualisations remains limited. This review critically evaluates existing publications to gather insights into the characteristics of prevailing conceptualisations of LFA. Findings indicate an increasing number of studies directly exploring LFA, yet the majority of reviewed literature centres on five key constructs overlapping or encompassing LFA: feedback uptake, feedback engagement, student voice in feedback, student autonomy in feedback, and feedback-seeking. Furthermore, this review identified a network of seven interrelated facets that underpin current conceptualisations of LFA, namely behavioural, cognitive, affective, dispositional, relational, societal, and material facets. Employing the metaphor of a knot, this review attempts to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of LFA by considering it as an intricate and dynamic entanglement among these facets. This review contributes to the field by offering a theoretical synthesis and foundation for future research and discourse on LFA.