Document Type

Journal Article

Publisher

Routledge

Faculty

Faculty of Computing, Health and Science

School

School of Psychology

RAS ID

3079

Comments

This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of: Stumpers, S. A., Breen, L. J., Pooley, J. , Cohen, L. , & Pike, L. (2005). A critical exploration of the school context for young adolescents completing primary education. Community, Work & Family, 8(3), 251-270. Available here. ‘This is an electronic version of an article published in Community, Work & Family, 8(3), 251-270. The article in Community, Work & Family is available online at: http://www.informaworld.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1366-8803&volume=8&issue=3&spage=251

Abstract

Many schools have adopted relational approaches to attend to the social context in which learning transpires. More recently however, such approaches and their supporters have been criticized for not examining the school context in its entirety and the student experience within this context. The current research sought to critically explore young adolescents' experiences within the context of their school. Fifteen year seven students in an Australian primary school were interviewed about their experiences of their school context. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis and a question-ordered matrix was constructed to aid the detection of themes and sub-themes from the data. Three major themes were identified as a result. These included: the people within the school context, the social roles of the adolescents', and the values the school espouses. These findings suggest that there are a number of factors in addition to relational aspects within the school context that impact on young adolescents. This exploratory qualitative study offers a 'counter adult-centric' view of young adolescents' experiences within their school. It also illustrates the potential value in transforming the school context to provide opportunities to experience influence, responsibility, self-determination, meaningful participation and community within the school.

DOI

10.1080/13668800500142228

Access Rights

free_to_read

Included in

Psychology Commons

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Link to publisher version (DOI)

10.1080/13668800500142228