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This study examines the intersections of class, social exclusion and education policy during New Labour’s time in office, with the bulk of its focus falling upon secondary schooling. Working against wider political, academic and popular effacements and recodifications of class, and with a particular focus upon its marginalisation within both political and academic discourses of social exclusion, both concepts are mapped out in ways which allow them to be understood in tandem and as rooted within the structures, processes and relations of society and its constitutive institutions. Qualitative in approach, and set within the ebb and flow of long running educational struggles heavily imbued with issues of class, the study uses semistructured interviews with 21 education professionals to explore the impact of the current market-based education policy regime upon the institutional structures, processes and professional practices which confront working class pupils on a daily basis. In turn, it examines the ways in which working class pupils and the shaping of their educational experiences are understood by those trained and charged to teach in an education system intimately bound to the re/production of class inequalities and social exclusion. Parallel to this, the project uses biographically orientated interviews with 17 working class young people in order to explore the variegated ways in which class and social exclusion intersect within their schooling careers as they are shaped along shifting axes through, within, and against the kinds of contexts and conditions mapped out by education professionals. The study provides key insights into the contemporary circulation of class within schools: invoked through crosscutting narratives of ‘ability’, ‘deficiency’ and ‘social constructivism’ by education professionals caught within systemic pressures to perform, and a ubiquitous facet of working class educational experience which is continually stirring, settling, straining to be re/made, and wrought through shifting layers and dimensions of in/exclusion.

In Year 9, when boys and girls are expected to make choices regarding what they want to become when they grow up, many take a crucial decision to drop or side-line IT as an academic subject, which in turn steers them away from a possible future IT career. This thesis examines the reasons why IT careers are not well-imagined or popular amongst teenagers at this critical time of their lives. Taking the widely acknowledged ‘women in IT' problem as a starting point, it focuses specifically on gender differences that exist in relation to how teenagers form their ideas about IT as an academic subject, as a possible career and in everyday life. 79 boys and 85 girls participated in this study from a mixture of 12 state-maintained and nine independent secondary schools (single-sex and co-educational) in Southeast London Borough. This research was exploratory and used an age-appropriate, participatory and mixed-methods framework incorporating: a questionnaire, a creativity map exercise, group and individual interviews, mini-focus groups, and observations. During the interviews, students were also provided with information and opportunities regarding IT careers. I argue this has been of benefit to the students as well as the research, as it has prompted them to think about a career they previously had not even considered. The findings of my study indicate boys were more likely than girls to say that they liked and enjoyed IT/ICT1 as a subject and would consider IT as a career choice for the future. Evidence throughout the study does not suggest girls lack confidence with regard to their general engagement with and use of technology, compared to the boys. Rather, the findings suggest more needs to be done in the area of role models, mentors and careers advice to inform more girls (and boys) about IT careers. The thesis concludes with recommendations for further research, especially in light of the new computing curriculum, which commenced in September 2014.

Στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας διπλωματικής εργασίας θα εξεταστούν οι στερεοτυπικές και προκαταληπτικές συμπεριφορές των εκπαιδευτικών τόσο απέναντι σε γηγενείς μαθητές όσο και απέναντι σε μαθητές πολιτισμικά διαφορετικών ομάδων μέσα στη σχολική τάξη. Είναι γεγονός ότι τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες στο χώρο της ψυχοπαιδαγωγικής έρευνας, η μελέτη της προκατάληψης και των στερεοτύπων αποτελεί αντικείμενο πολλών ερευνών. Βασικό στοιχείο μελέτης της παρούσας εργασίας είναι η συνείδηση των στερεοτυπικών και των προκαταληπτικών συμπεριφορών του εκπαιδευτικού μέσα στη σχολική τάξη. Στόχος είναι η διερεύνηση από έναν συγκεκριμένο αριθμό μαθητών- γηγενών μαθητών αλλά και μαθητών πολιτισμικά διαφορετικών ομάδων της Ε’ και Στ’ τάξης των ημοτικών σχολείων Πάτρας- εάν εντοπίζουν στη συμπεριφορά του εκπαιδευτικού μέσα στη σχολική τάξη την ύπαρξη στερεοτύπων και προκαταλήψεων. Η πρωτοτυπία της παρούσας έρευνας έγκειται στην αναζήτηση στερεοτυπικών και προκαταληπτικών συμπεριφορών του εκπαιδευτικού από τους μαθητές και όχι από τους ίδιους τους εκπαιδευτικούς. Στην ελληνική σχολική πραγματικότητα, η αύξηση των μαθητών από πολιτισμικά διαφορετικές ομάδες, η έλλειψη κατάρτισης των εκπαιδευτικών σε θέματα διαπολιτισμικής παιδαγωγικής και η διαρκής παρουσία στερεοτυπικών και προκαταληπτικών συμπεριφορών και μέσα στη σχολική τάξη οδήγησαν στην επιλογή του συγκεκριμένου θέματος της παρούσας εργασίας. Αρχικά, παρουσιάζεται η αποσαφήνιση των όρων της προκατάληψης και των στερεοτύπων, δύο έννοιες πολύπλοκες που αποτελούν αντικείμενο έντονης ερευνητικής δραστηριότητας τις τελευταίες δεκαετίες. Παράλληλα, παρατίθενται ορισμοί εννοιών συναφών με αυτές των προκαταλήψεων και των στερεοτύπων, έννοιες όπως ρατσισμός, διάκριση, κοινωνικός στιγματισμός και ταυτότητα. Στην ίδια υποενότητα δίνεται και ο ορισμός της διαπολιτισμικότητας, της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης, της διαπολιτισμικής κοινωνικής ψυχολογίας ολοκληρώνοντας με τον τρόπο αυτό την περιγραφή των στοιχειωδών εννοιών της παρούσας εργασίας. Σημαντικό μέρος της θεωρίας αποτελεί και η αναφορά στις διάφορες θεωρίες που έχουν αναπτυχθεί για τις έννοιες της προκατάληψης και των στερεοτύπων. Στο υποκεφάλαιο αυτό παρουσιάζονται επίσης και οι διάφορες προσεγγίσεις για τη δημιουργία των στερεοτύπων (ψυχοδυναμική, κοινωνικο-πολιτισμική, γνωστική προσέγγιση), καθώς και τα τρία γνωστικά μοντέλα για την αλλαγή των στερεοτύπων. Τέλος, ακολουθεί η ενότητα που αναφέρεται στη διαπολιτισμική πραγματικότητα, στην οποία αναλύονται οι αρχές της διαπολιτισμικής εκπαίδευσης, η σχέση του εκπαιδευτικού και μαθητή αλλά και, πιο συγκεκριμένα, η σχέση εκπαιδευτικού και μαθητών πολιτισμικά διαφορετικών ομάδων, καθώς και η διαπολιτισμική πραγματικότητα στην Ελλάδα. Στη συνέχεια παρατίθεται το ερευνητικό μέρος της εργασίας, όπου παρουσιάζονται ο σκοπός και οι υποθέσεις της έρευνας, ενώ δίνεται μια περιγραφή του δείγματος και των ερευνητικών εργαλείων. Έπειτα, ακολουθεί η παρουσίαση και ανάλυση των αποτελεσμάτων της έρευνας μέσω της περιγραφής πινάκων και γραφημάτων. 5 Το τελευταίο μέρος της παρούσας εργασίας περιλαμβάνει τη διεξαγωγή των συμπερασμάτων της έρευνας καθώς και τον έλεγχο –αποδοχή ή απόρριψη-των υποθέσεων. / -

In the 1990s, the leadership of organised, mainstream British Jewry was preoccupied with the challenge of Jewish continuity. Essentially, there were two narratives: a dominant one emphasising the dangers of assimilation and the decline of the community and a second, emerging narrative highlighting opportunities for, and indicators of, revival. During 1991-2000, attempts were made to establish a centrally-coordinated, national framework for mainstream Jewry: this inquiry focused upon Jewish Continuity (1993-98) and UJIA Jewish Renewal (1997-2000 – it continued to operate thereafter). The context of British Jewry was examined for the purposes of the study. Thereafter, the research presented an analysis of the historiographical implications, addressing ontological and epistemological issues. Positivist and post-modernist approaches were contrasted and a qualified and cautious positivist approach was adopted, recognising the concerns of more relativist/interpretative perspectives. The methodologies of interviewing and documentary analysis were also examined in terms of hermeneutic issues and practical application. It also considered the research areas of triangulation, validity, reliability, reflexivity and ethical concerns. In addition, the data-gathering process was recorded and explained. A documentary analysis was conducted with unrestricted access to the available primary organisational documents. A literature review revealed a limited body of writing specific to these events and developments. The purposive interview sample comprised thirty-five semi-structured interviews with lay and professional leaders from the organisations themselves and their partners; expert informants were also included in the sample. The Findings emerged around the following themes: Vision and Planning; Organisation and Implementation; Leadership Roles and Personalities; and the Challenges of Cross-communalism, Relations with Communal Partner Organisations, Funding and Communications and Expectations. Finally, the Conclusion was presented within the following framework: assessment of the current situation; presentation of an inspiring vision and purpose; clear articulation of compelling messages; motivate and mobilise key community leadership; develop a fundraising plan; assemble the right personnel and leadership in appropriate decision-making structures; negotiate obstacles and challenges; identify and address key stakeholders and partners; establish the educational model and operational approach; generate an implementation plan based on evidence-based strategic planning; create operational structures; encourage and enthuse people around the initiative. The research has implications and insights for youth and community education and community development practitioners, as well as academic value.

This research study examines the issue of gender equality in high schools in Vietnam through the lenses of Vietnamese educators and Vietnamese students and compares the situation in that country with measures taken in England to promote gender equality in education. The sample consisted of staff and students in Vietnam and staff in England. In order to achieve the required in-depth analysis of the social experience of students and educators the research approach employed was qualitative and the main research tools were semi-structured interviews. Data was analysed by the combination of grounded theory and narrative analysis. The main findings of the research were threefold: firstly, dichotomies exist between what Vietnamese educators espouse and what they enact in terms of gender equality, thus revealing a critical disjunction between policy and practice; secondly, embedded gender stereotypes of both educators and students exist in Vietnamese high schools which place women at a disadvantageous position; thirdly, the curriculum operant in Vietnamese high schools is problematic in that it fails to challenge gender stereotypes and reinforces traditional views of girls and women. In addition, the comparative element in the research reveals many similar beliefs about the theories of gender and education in Vietnam and England such as the acknowledgement of the role of education in promoting gender equality and a commitment by both government agencies and schools to guarantee gender equality between boys and girls. Nonetheless, many interesting differences between the two countries emerged in dealing with gender issues attributable to the different culture norms in the two nations. Recommendations include the suggestions that the Vietnamese government should undertake more significant steps to target gender inequalities by issuing further legislation regarding gender equality in both education and in the wider society in order to close the gap between policy and practice. The researcher also offers the recommendation to improve the training of Vietnamese school leaders and teachers in terms of gender equality, especially in relation to the learning activities provided in schools. In addition, the researcher suggests amending the Vietnamese curriculum in order that it should become more gender neutral. Finally, the researcher suggests that Initial Teacher Training (ITT) programmes in Vietnam should be developed further in order to give greater emphasis to gender issues in the curriculum and to encourage practical classroom strategies to address such issues in the educational environment.