What works to promote classroom well-being and learning from the perspective of children and young people?

This workshop takes its point of departure in the recent findings from the first two research phases of a collaborative research project between the Municipality of Greve, Egmont Fund and the University of Aalborg, in Denmark. The aim of the workshop is twofold. Firstly, to unpack the research findings and give participants backstage insights about what students perceive promotes (or hinders) classroom well-being and learning, thereby giving participants new ideas that could be applied in their settings. Secondly, the presenter will gain insights from Australian practitioners concerning the findings and their usability and transferability. Since September 2012, the majority of children with special educational needs in the municipality of Greve (Denmark) have been placed in mainstream school classes with some in-class support. However, there is a lack of evidence-based data concerning the impact that this new practice has on the overall classroom well-being and the learning environment. The aim of this project is to help fill this knowledge gap by investigating what impact this new practice has on classroom well-being and learning from the perspectives of students. The study takes place in ten local authority run schools and contributes towards understanding the micro-processes at play that either promote or obstruct classroom well-being and learning. The workshop draws on data gathered through thirty focus group interviews with children across the school age spectrum as well classroom observations in five classes across 1st, 4th and 7th year. The data show that students view their relationships with teachers and other students as the most important factors to both promoting and inhibiting learning and class welling-being. The workshop aims to present themes that both illustrate what promotes and what inhibits classroom well-being and learning from the perspectives of students.

Presentation Type: 60 minute workshop
Presenter:
Dr. Kevin Anthony Perry (University of Aalborg, Denmark)