Heroes and Villains in the Llives of Children and Young People

Author(s):

Sally Power (presenting / submitting) Chris Taylor (presenting) Kimberley Horton Kathryn Sharp Kevin Smith

Conference:

ECER 2014

Network:

03. Curriculum Innovation

Format:

Paper

Session Information

03 SES 11 B, Curriculum Development in Teacher Education

Paper Session

Time:

2014-09-04

17:15-18:45

Room:

B111 Sala de Aulas

Chair:

Francisco Sousa

Contribution

This paper explores the nature and significance of pupils’ identifications of ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’. As part of our longitudinal study of education in Wales, we asked 1200 children and young people to identify three people they most admired and three whom they most disliked.

Their identifications are socially and educationally significant in a number of ways and throw light on issues connected with the extent to which children and young people have been ‘captured’ by the ‘cult of the celebrity’ and concerns about the lack of appropriate ‘role models’. The responses also reveal the disjuncture between children’s perceptions of who is worthy of admiration or contempt and the kinds of heroes and villains presented to them in the official curriculum

Method

The data derive from the WISERDEducation longitudinal research project which is following children through key stages of their education. The cohorts comprise 1200 pupils, currently in Years 7, 9 and 11, attending 29 different schools across Wales. The questions which we are exploring in this paper come from a survey that they undertook in 2013. In addition to qualitative exploration, their responses will be analysed using descriptive statistical analysis to identify key themes and patterns. As well as examining the range and nature of their ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’, we will explore variations in relation to gender, age and language of instruction.

Expected Outcomes

The paper will contribute to growing understandings in the sociology and social psychology of childhood of the significance of ‘heroes’ and ‘villains’ for children’s identities (eg Lines 2001; Fraser & Brown 2002). As Anderson and Cavallaro (2002: 161) argue ‘what kind of heroes a culture promotes reveals a great deal about that culture’s values and desires’. Children’s attributions of worthiness are also likely to have some influence on the development of their own values and aspirations. The paper will conclude by discussing some of the implications of the findings for curriculum development. It will also outline the potential for international comparisons which will reveal the extent to which particular heroes and villains are local, cosmopolitan or global in their reach.

References

Lines, G. (2001) Villains, fools or heroes? Sport stars as role models for young people, Leisure Studies 20 (4) 285-303. Fraser B.P. & Brown , W.J. (2002) Media, Celebrities, and Social Influence: Identification with Elvis Presley Mass Communication and Society 5 (2) 183-206 Anderson, K.J. & Cavallaro, D. (2002) Parents or Pop Culture? Children's Heroes and Role Models Childhood Education, 78 (3) 161-168.