/library/oar/handle/123456789/32384 2025-11-11T10:22:35Z 2025-11-11T10:22:35Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/38816 2019-01-23T02:38:32Z 2018-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Phillip T. Slee, Grace Skrzypiec and Carmel Cefai (Eds.) (2018) : Child and adolescent wellbeing and violence prevention in schools [book review] Abstract: Can positive school approaches that foster student wellbeing effectively address destructive perceptions of self and others and reduce negative behaviour and violence in school? This was the focus of the first international conference of the Centre for Student Wellbeing and Prevention of Violence in 2016, which was held in Flinders University in Adelaide, Australia. The book under review grew out of the papers presented at this conference.

2018-12-01T00:00:00Z Roberts, Kelly-Marie /library/oar/handle/123456789/38815 2019-01-23T02:38:15Z 2018-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Homelessness and adult education in the UK and Malta Authors: Roberts, Kelly-Marie Abstract: In this piece, I aim to present a critical commentary on the relationship between adult education and homelessness in two different European contexts: the United Kingdom and Malta. As a developing adult educator from the UK, with experience of living in Malta, I am in a privileged position to be able to draw on knowledge and experience in both contexts to illuminate the topic in a comparative way. I position myself as a feminist adult educator who supports a capabilities or asset-based approach to development (see, for example bell hooks, 1994, Sen, 1999, Foot & Hopkins, 2010, and El Khayat, 2018). After several years working in community education with marginalized groups in the UK and Global South (South America and Southern Africa), I recently came to live in the small, southern Mediterranean island nation of Malta, where I undertook a student placement with a homelessness charity (January-June 2018). At the time of writing, there is limited data showing the scale and impact of homelessness in Malta so whilst focusing in particular on Malta and the UK, reference will also be made to research from other countries.

2018-12-01T00:00:00Z Camilleri, Marisabelle De Giovanni, Katya /library/oar/handle/123456789/38814 2019-01-23T02:38:16Z 2018-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: School as experienced by early school leavers Authors: Camilleri, Marisabelle; De Giovanni, Katya Abstract: This research aims at shedding light on the experiences of Early School Leavers and their families; experiences which are very often disregarded or merely neglected when tailoring policies and strategies to combat Early School Leaving (ESL). This research seeks to qualitatively obtain information related to the causes and consequences of ESL, extrapolate data on the background of Early School Leavers and their families as well as give voice to their feelings, prospects, perspectives and experiences, whilst eliciting pertinent recommendations. The semi-structured interviews identify several shortcomings in the local educational system, including the focus on knowledge-based subjects, with little opportunities to opt for vocational subjects. In this research, the vast majority of interviewees advocate for the traditional trade schools. Furthermore, while the working-class parents interviewed feel that they lack the necessary skills and confidence to actively involve themselves in their children’s school life, they suggest an increase in communication between the school and home.

2018-12-01T00:00:00Z Sciberras, Claire /library/oar/handle/123456789/38813 2019-01-23T02:38:17Z 2018-12-01T00:00:00Z

Title: Moving towards an evidence-based practice approach? Exploring the strategies used as part of the support programmes of students on the autism spectrum in primary mainstream, state funded schools in Malta Authors: Sciberras, Claire Abstract: In an era where it has been increasingly recognised that ‘inclusion’ is not simply placing a child in a mainstream setting (Arnot, 2013) but that its aim is to ensure that each learner is an active member in the school life, it is crucial that educators become well-informed about which practices would lead learners to achieve effective outcomes. Such necessity is particularly important in the field of autism as the implementation of methods which are not classified as evidence-based might impede learners to develop their full learning and developmental potential (Simpson, 2005). Due to the limited research in relation to which approaches are being implemented for students on the spectrum within the primary educational context in Malta, this research explored which practices are being included throughout their support programmes. The purpose of gathering such data was to identify the extent of the implementation of evidence-based practices (EBPs) across educational programmes. Through a mixed-methods approach embedded within online questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, and which included the participation of teachers and Learning Support Educators (LSEs), this research revealed that three EBPs tend to dominate the support programmes of learners on the autism spectrum. This research also found that other strategies which are not yet classified as EBPs are also being included across programmes. Hence, a gap in relation to research and practice across the programmes of learners on the spectrum was identified.

2018-12-01T00:00:00Z