Purpose:

The purpose of this Ignite Talks presentation is to examine and discuss teacher awareness and methods of addressing various student achievement gaps and issues in Scottish secondary council schools. Emphasis will be placed on discussing those acknowledged variables that are recognized by Scottish educators as tangible factors to inhibiting student achievement at the secondary levels. This presentation will also present possible solutions currently being used globally by other educational entities with similar diverse student populations.

Current Policies in Place:

The Scottish Educational System is a devolved one in which the Scottish Government has delegated authority and autonomy to local authorities to determine catchment or district improvement plans for their local student populations.  These improvement plans may vary from district to district. This is seen globally and reflects the current educational policies of the United  Nations G4 Right to a Quality Education. Scotland recognizes that its students are diverse yet marginalized through various inequities. There is an acknowledged commitment to address these inequities through the educational system. The methodology used to do so is yet to be determined or implemented at this time.

Stakeholders in the Educational Process:

The presentation will also discuss the importance of the intersection of recognition and participation of all educational stakeholders (parents, community partners, teachers, therapeutic support and head teachers) in a child’s life. While it is globally acknowledged that this is a global best practice in education, the Scottish educational framework will be examined through this presentation for tangible evidence of a framework to achieve this intersection of educational stakeholders.

Teacher Agency and Activism:

The current educational climate in the United kingdom underscores that teacher agency and activism for positive educational change is visibly evident. Teachers are currently requesting that working conditions, curriculum, assessments and therapeutic support for students must be reviewed for restructuring and tangible change. Teacher preparation at the university level is also being reviewed and revised to meet the needs of a diverse and marginalized student population. Potential teachers are questioning the current status quo with respect to methodology, curriculum content and teacher practice.  All of which will be discussed in this presentation.

Student Agency and Participation:

There appears to be no student agency and activism at the secondary level in Scottish Schools. How are educators empowering students to take ownership over their learning process? Do educators in Scotland see this as viable as global educators? How Can Scottish teachers empower their students to become classroom leaders and thus create sustained student learning engagement in their classrooms?

Parental Engagement and Empowerment:

Marginalized parents in an educational environment may be so for a number of reasons: they may have come through the very system their children are in and were marginalized themselves causing systemic educational trauma for them and their children. Language may be a barrier. And socio-economic constraints may be a factor.  None of this precludes meaningful participation in their children’s education. How do educators in Scottish council schools partner with community stakeholders to empower parents to effectively advocate for their children’s education?

Research Methodologies: (K. Taber; University of Cambridge 2015.) The researcher will use the Observation Technique of information gathering and analysis: That is she will use any and all of the below to obtain data: Student Assessment Closed Ended Questionnaires Diary/Journal Supporting Documents Interaction Schedules Interviews Learning Inventories Open Ended Questionnaires Diagnosis of Student Conceptions Triangulation The researcher is seeking to obtain both formal and informal data results from conducted research to determine her findings. For the purposes of this presentation, observations will be defined as the intuitive and internal reflections of the researcher in the normal classroom and school environment. The Nature of this Technique is 1. Observation of the classroom and or school environment, Students’ Body language, their classroom (peer to peer) and (pupil to teacher) social interactions and activities that allows for the promotion of the interview 2. Observations that are coded using a standardized measure 3. Observations that result in the production of a running record of the internal observation Assumptions underpinning the Technique 4. Accurate interpretation of the behavior in the classroom and school environment 5. Researcher’s ability to notice everything I need to observe Practical Issues that a novice researcher should be aware of and corresponding examples 5. Note taking needs to be done quickly so that the researcher does not miss substantial data o Use shorthand for noting down observations 6. The presence of the researcher may alter the typical behavior of the participants, therefore 7. To Have an initial introductory period that allows both the researcher and the participants to get acquainted so as to better facilitate a less threatening environment 8. Be prepared for unexpected occurrences 9. Allowing extra time in research design Reflection of the Strengths and Limitations Strengths: Eye witness into the details of the natural environment • Limitations: Bias as a result of researcher interpretation, time constraints (Dr Keith Taber; Professor of Science Education at the University of Cambridge.) 2015.

Conclusions: The current educational research in Scotland supports that Scottish council schools recognize a primary perceived and tangible variable for student achievement and that may be socio-economic class. While researchers and educators may be cognizant of other variables such as lack of perceived parental agency to effectively advocate for their children, environmental trauma; cultural displacement (language acquisition) , domestic violence, substance abuse, lack of on-site therapeutic support as well as the need for meaningful curriculum reform to meet the changing needs of a diverse student population, these are not balanced with the socio-economic status of council school students. The current global research supports that educators globally are understanding that they must be the empowerment for positive educational change at the local, regional and national levels. It is the hope of these research findings that Scottish educators are cognizant of their role but do not yet perceive the educational avenues they must navigate in order to effect positive educational change in Scottish council schools. Current data indicates that from an informal perspective teachers in Scotland are aware of all of the constraints that impact their teaching and they are actively and collectively demanding reform in their schools. The research hopes to examine the effectiveness of these demands for reform and the ways in which teachers will galvanize at the local level to begin the collective educational reform process. Many new and veteran teachers are using their classrooms as platforms for educational change. This research seeks to assess the impact of local initiatives on the broader educational scheme. The research has yet to be conducted but will be completed well before the conference with Ignite Talks slides submitted beforehand.

References: https://www.gtcs.org.uk/news/teachers-recognised-as-pioneering-spirits-in-equality-and-diversity-share-gtc-scotlands-saroj-lal-award/ (January 31, 2023). https://www.gov.scot/publications/blueprint-fairness-final-report-commission-widening-access/pages/4/ (January 31, 2023). Sheila Riddell (2009) Social justice, equality and inclusion in Scottish education, Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 30:3, 283-296, DOI: 10.1080/01596300903036889 https://www.eppenetwork.org/post/the-scottish-curriculum-and-minority-representation (January 31,2023). https://www.interculturalyouthscotland.org/ (January 31, 2023).