This thesis is mainly concerned with gaining critical insights into the development of physical education in Trinidad and Tobago, by drawing on the personal and professional lives of six physical educators. It draws upon a critical approach to qualitative research to portray experiences of physical education within a colonial and postcolonial society. The thesis adopts a critical life history approach to study the case of physical education in schools in the context of a small island state. This approach uses ‘storying’ and methods which critically reflect on these stories to interrogate the life histories of six physical educators in order to provide invaluable accounts of their experiences of physical education as students, teachers and administrators. The new understandings that emerged from this enquiry illustrate a central concern about the contested nature of the term physical education and the quality of experiences that individuals gain from the practice of physical education teachers in schools. The empirical findings also present concerns about the influence of global perspectives on physical education in schools. In particular, emphasis is placed on the historical shifts in policy and practice occurring in education in general and physical education in particular at the school, national, regional and international levels. The research uses excerpts from a collection of personal stories deemed significant by the researcher and the teller of the story, in terms of their contribution to policy development, to show how the historical challenges that physical education faced as a subject, continue to shape current practices of physical education in schools. The thesis presents a critical historical account of physical education in Trinidad and Tobago. The perceptions and attitudes of policy makers, parents, teachers and school administrators globally continue to challenge the legal status of the subject that it is compulsory. This account shows how this twin-island state of Trinidad and Tobago has the capacity and aspiration to reconceptualise how we understand, experience and practise physical education, despite the global challenges. This case study demonstrates how a democratic process towards mass participation in physical education can provide meaningful movement experiences at the level of the school, in order to establish a culture in which lifelong physical activity engagement is encouraged and maintained within a society that favours and embraces freedom of choice and equal rights for all. The thesis also shows evidence of a personal and academic journey, similarly understood in terms of critical incidents.

The purpose of this study is to increase understanding about the experiences of a group of Pakistani young people in a primary school. The literature revealed that there are significant differences between different ethnic groups in terms of attainment levels, social background and levels of special educational need. My aim was to include, specifically, the voice of Pakistani young people and their experience of school. I am approaching this research from a feminist perspective with the aim of uncovering marginalized voices and hidden experiences. In view of previous research which has focussed on the experience of school: my research question is: How do Pakistani young people interpret their experiences of school? I carried out semi-structured interviews with six primary school pupils from Pakistani backgrounds from year six, aged between 10 to 11 years old from the same school. The epistemology underpinning the research is critical realism, which emphasises the personal and social contexts within which people experience what is “real”. I analysed the narratives from these interviews using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). IPA is an interpretative, idiographic approach to methodology which is used to generate super-ordinate and sub-ordinate themes. The analysis found seven super-ordinate themes: the emotional experience of learning, the cultural impact of the school curriculum, the importance of enduring friendships, the impact of the segregation between communities, the impact of gendered power struggles, the impact of bullying and the impact of cultural identity. The possible implications for school staff focused on understanding the benefits of the curriculum, the cultural differences experienced in the school, ethos and anti-racist/sexist programmes. For Educational Psychologists, implications focused on awareness-raising and work with young people from different communities. Recommendations for future research are also discussed including the usefulness of IPA for drawing out rich and detailed narratives providing depth in the analysis.

This research explores teaching experiences of educators within the virtual world of Second Life and pedagogical practices adopted. A Case Study with an ethnographic perspective is employed. A blended approach is applied by using physical classrooms, BlackboardTM, web-based resources, and the virtual world of Second Life in an Information Literacy class for 1st year undergraduate students at an institution in the UK. In reflecting on and evaluating the teaching experiences, evidence is drawn from observations, semi structured interviews, chatlogs, snapshots, and field notes. A thematic approach is used to analyse the data. The findings from the data analysis are presented in terms of seven themes: cybergogy, creativity, trial and error, wow moment, uncertainty, experiential learning, and dynamic relationship. The overall conclusion is followed by recommendations derived from the research, and the implications of the study for potential immersive teaching experiences are discussed.

This PhD is about the transition of young people with multiple impairments from a segregated special schoo l into adult life, focusing on their own views and aspirations about their futures. A qualitative research study is presented which explores the role of ‘advocacy’ partly through the lens of the researcher’s own experiences as a person with multiple impairments and partly through research-led advocacy sessions created with young disabled people which enabled discussions with them about their futures. Data collected in the context of the research-led advocacy sessions, plus data gathered through conversations and events which took place as part of the daily life of the school over a four-year period have been analysed to consider the importance of opportunities for advocacy for young disabled people in segregated settings. Analysis was complemented by drawing on autobiographical material from the researcher’s own experience so that dimensions of ethnography and auto-ethnography are also at the heart of the project. The complimentary forms of data are brought together through analysis and critical reflection. The issue of transition from segregated school for young disabled people is discussed with the social model of disability as the central theoretical framework. The value of social model thinking in enabling young disabled school leavers becomes clear in contrast with the medical model approach which characterises many aspects of the young people’s experience of segregated education. The main finding of the research is that young people with multiple impairments are concerned about their transition from segregated school to adulthood and these concerns do need to be heard, listened to and acted upon more robustly than was evident at the time of this study. A further key finding of this piece of work is that young people with impairments can and should take part in research concerning their own experience. Moreover, the study shows how a researcher with multiple impairments can conduct valuable disability research. It is argued that the quality of data gathered by a disabled researcher can be enhanced, rather than impeded, by the researcher’s experience of impairment. There are several important findings to this study; segregated schooling limits the capacity for young disabled people to be prepared for life beyond school; opportunities for advocacy are essential for positive transition beyond school for pupils who attend segregated settings; people with impairments have a unique and crucial role to play in the production of research that will break down segregating and disabling barriers.

This is a qualitative research with an ethnographic flavour. It seeks to understand the experiences and perspectives of a group of Jamaican students with learning disabilities (LD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on their transitioning from primary to high school. At present, Jamaica does not have a transition policy and many students with disabilities transition to high school but are not receiving the level of support, and accommodations they need. Interviews were used in this research to gain an insider view of the students’ transition experiences. The students’ stories of high school were compared for similarities and differences using thematic analysis. Through inductive and deductive analysis their stories were examined and interpreted. Four general themes were identified as factors that influenced how students experienced school. These themes were pedagogy, ableist beliefs, the hidden curriculum and social networks. These themes were related to the theories of social capital and sense of belonging and it is argued that social capital and sense of belonging are likely to significantly impact students’ transition experiences, and future outcomes. The findings suggest students use their social capital in the form of social networks to navigate high school and access academic, emotional and social support. Belonging to a social network is associated with positive feelings towards school, as well as with a greater sense of connectedness to their school. Recommendations include the creation of a national transition policy to encourage a smooth transition of students from the primary to the secondary level of schooling. It is also suggested that teachers create opportunities for students to build social networks thereby increasing their social capital in schools. This research contributes to knowledge by presenting a Caribbean perspective on transition. It adds to the literature by giving voice to an often silent minority that is, Caribbean students with disabilities.

This thesis explores the extent to which democratic values and ideals have informed Irish primary school education since independence in 1922. The examination reveals how undemocratic structures, principles and practices have been maintained in primary education by denying equality and freedom of conscience to those not of the majority Catholic faith. It describes how the unique predicament of religious hegemony has persisted because of legislative machinery which, by guaranteeing protection of religious ethos, allows discrimination in enrolment policies, employment practices of primary school teachers, indoctrination across the curriculum and religious control of all teacher training colleges. The social, cultural and political factors which have produced this anomaly of a democratic State having an undemocratic education system are examined, as well as why this situation persists. The possibility for evolution of the democratic discourse within education as well as the forces currently obstructing change is also considered. The arguments presented emerge from a critical policy analysis which draws on democratic theories. In particular, a historical account of Irish primary education is outlined which is informed by Dewey’s philosophy of education, theories referencing participatory democracy and those contemporary sociological concepts which emphasise the role of education in the process of social reproduction and transformation. Gramsci’s ideas on hegemony are applied to analyse the power structures controlling education and theories of selective knowledge, as propounded by Williams and Apple, are applied to the Irish context to highlight the political nature of the curriculum and how it is manipulated to exercise power. Contemporary schooling as a site of conflict and contest is analysed in the light of the potential of counter-hegemonic groups to challenge existing patterns and tradition. The main findings are that the grip which hegemonic forces have had on Irish society has produced a conservative culture contributing to a democratic deficit in terms of social reform and civic participation. Although the Irish social order has changed significantly there is still a mismatch between society’s expectations and the ideology and practice which defines primary schooling today. Education is not keeping pace with the requirements of contemporary Irish culture.

The Department for Education (DfE, 2014a, 2014b) stated that Young People (YP) with Special Educational Needs (SEN) may face many barriers which make it more difficult for them to get the support they need, achieve their potential and to succeed in education. The debate relating to what represents SEN, how YP with SEN should be educated and, indeed, where these YP should be educated is still a source for debate amongst researchers (Croll & Moses, 2003; Dyson, 2001; Norwich, 2009). This thesis aimed to explore and evaluate the use of an e-learning programme (ELP) with YP who are non-mainstream learners, specifically those with Medical Needs (MN) and Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD), through a mixed methods design. An attitude scale was designed and distributed to 31 YP in order to elicit their attitude to e-learning, enhanced with eight semi-structured interviews. The perceptions of eight staff were accessed through the use of a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews. The main aims were to investigate the YP’s attitudes and staff’s perceptions, compare their views and see if anything could be learnt about the ELP for YP who are non-mainstream learners. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. All the staff and a high number of YP felt that the ELP was helpful in supporting them with their learning. Sub-areas such as social interaction, motivation and rewards emerged from the findings with suggestions for the ELPs future development. Implications for educational psychology practice and future research are considered.

Within this study I aimed to promote the voices of a subset of children and young people (CYP) who often go unheard: CYP with behavioural-type difficulties who have experienced a managed move, a grey exclusion. I also wanted to explore the stories of parents and professionals involved in managed move protocols in an attempt to access a specific knowledge-set. Other researchers had suggested that it may be beneficial to explore the narratives of CYP, parents and professionals (Carlisle, 2011 and Bagley, 2012) in order to compare stories and identify significant motifs which may emerge. I approached this research through a social constructionist lens and was aware that by engaging with my participants, that I too was shaping their constructs. I acknowledge that the results are the outcome of an interactive construction of the participants realities; realities which will have been created within our social interactions, within my post-reflections and within my attempts to capture and communicate the essence of these important conversations. The findings of this study will enhance my personal practice and appreciation of CYP’s experiences of managed moves and will be of interest to my local authority (LA) and the educational psychology profession in general.

The purpose of this study is to explore the professional identity of nurse lecturers in the Irish higher education setting which includes both universities and institutes of technology. An experience-centred narrative research approach was used. Data were gathered from seventeen nurse lecturers using semi-structured focus group and individual interviews and a participant survey. A thematic narrative analysis of the data, using ATLAS.ti, resulted in the identification of eight main themes and their associated sub-themes. The main themes are context, role, identity, change, nursing, teaching, clinical practice and communities of practice. A number of theories and concepts relating to identity, social identity, professional/academic identity formation and communities of practice were used to analyse the data. Results suggest that nurse lecturers have fragmented identities. They describe teaching as their main priority despite evidence from their narrative texts to suggest that teaching is not valued in the higher education setting. There appears to be an emphasis on research instead. Whilst communities of practice exist in universities and institutes of technology nurse lecturers articulate significant differences on how they are perceived in each sector. There is evidence to support the presence of academic incivility and oppressed group behaviour particularly in the university sector. Based on these findings the presence of academic incivility and oppressed group behaviour within the university sector needs to be addressed by academic leaders. The tension which exists between teaching and research may be addressed through a review of workload models, facilitation of lecturers to engage in research and the recognition and reward of teaching excellence.

Global nomads and third culture kids (GN/TCKs) are defined as those individuals who have lived a portion of their lives in a country other than their passport country, due to the occupation of one or more parents (McCaig, 2002; Pollock and Van Reken, 2009). The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of GN/TCKs on U.S. college campuses. Three themes emerged from the literature review: belonging, identity, and introspection; determined to be similar for all U.S. HE college students in this age group and were used to understand the participants’ experiences on campus. The experiences of the participants were measured against the backdrop of U.S. Student Development Theory (SDT); the name given to identity development models addressing the development of traditional aged (18-22 years) U.S. college students. The experiences were also compared to Pollock and Van Reken’s (2009) four cultural domains, hidden immigrant, foreigner, adopted and mirror. The method of investigation was a survey distributed through multiple online avenues, as well as six one-on-one interviews conducted via Skype® and telephone. The data analysis was guided by SDT, specifically social identity theories as well as Pollock and Van Reken’s (2009) four cultural domains. Elements of the participants’ experiences mirror those of mono-cultural U.S. HE students, and the universal themes of belonging, identity and introspection were evident in their narratives. The findings revealed most of the participants fell into Pollock and Van Reken’s hidden immigrant category; an individual who looks alike yet thinks differently than the majority culture. Evident in the analysis was the participants’ lack of understanding of U.S. culture; I classified this as a lack of national identity. A pictorial model that integrates the development of a national identity is included. The need for a new student development theory focused on the identity development of GN/TCKs is discussed.