Katherine Main

More female ADHD students are entering higher education than previously. To date, the experiences of university for this student group are largely unknown. We explored what university is like for 20 female ADHD students across two universities in Queensland, Australia. Data from semi-structured individual interviews were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three major themes were developed, which were self-awareness, strengths, and strategies; external and internal challenges; and relational capital and support networks. Findings showed the importance of understanding these students’ perspectives, the diversity across their experiences and strategies, and how assumptions and supports tailored for males might not address the impacts of ADHD on female students at university. These data help to expand this important area of research to ensure that female ADHD students continue to realise successful university and career outcomes. Additionally, the findings could help shape policies and practices to promote inclusivity and a supportive environment for neurodivergent students in universities.

Outdoor education camps offer adventure programs to schools that deliver camp-based activities that challenge students in various ways. These camps provide students with an opportunity to learn in a natural environment, interact with their peers outside of the classroom, and participate in activities that challenge them both physically and mentally. Youth Adventure Camps also espouse a Christian ethos, Christian values, and spirituality, which are also key focuses. Prior research into outdoor education camps has examined the social, emotional, and physical benefits for students. In this study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five (n = 5) Christian Youth Adventure Camp (CYAC) staff to better understand their experiences and perceptions of their induction, ongoing training, strategies, and pedagogical approaches used to deliver the CYAC camp programs. Targeted observations of camp staff (N = 5) in action were also used to identify the intentional pedagogies they used to embed CYAC’s philosophy within their camp programs. This paper is part of a larger study, and its findings are focused on the perspectives of the camp leaders for two key reasons: First, we wanted to examine the intentional pedagogies of camp leaders, particularly those who were not qualified teachers; and second, our aim was to examine how these camp leaders included the values-based THRIVE philosophy in their day-to-day practice. Our findings show that, despite not being university-qualified educators, camp staff consistently employed intentional pedagogies that were effective in engaging students in opportunities to “thrive” in alignment with the philosophy underpinning their operations and to meet the goals of the school using their programs.

Social identity in adolescence refers to the way young people define themselves in relation to the social groups they belong to, such as their peers, family, cultural or ethnic communities, gender, and sometimes subcultures. All of these areas of a person’s identity are also influenced by the different contexts and the social discourses and expectations that are experienced. Social and emotional skills, competencies, or capacities are internal assets that can be learned and are linked to prosocial behavior and positive social identities. Developing strong social and emotional capabilities is particularly pertinent for young adolescents due to the convergence of developmental effects as they begin to form their sense of personal identity and shift to having a greater sense of independence. This paper presents the findings from a systematic literature review using PRISMA reporting guidelines of studies conducted between 2014 and 2024 that examined the links between social and emotional competencies and a young adolescent’s social identity formation. Four education-focused databases were searched for peer-reviewed articles published in English. Results were mapped against CASEL’s social and emotional skill sets. Very limited literature was found (n = 6) that explicitly addressed young adolescent identity formation and the need for social and emotional skills; however, key findings show that young adolescents utilize all five of CASEL’s social and emotional skill sets to support the development of their social identity. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory is applied to the findings to consider the systemic influences. Questions for future research are also proposed.

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) provide borderless opportunities to engage with content and ideas, with prospective participants from around the globe being able to easily register. The course featured in this study focused on the social and emotional well-being of adolescents, selected because of a recognized need for professional learning related to this topic. It was purposely designed for delivery as a MOOC and was designed as a 6h program around four topics to be completed over two weeks in asynchronous mode. It was delivered seven times from 2019 to 2023, with 32,969 individuals enrolled across these deliveries. The effectiveness of engaging in the course for professional learning purposes is of particular interest to this study. To that end, a convergent mixed methods study was conducted. First, quantitative and qualitative survey data collected at various course stages were examined to reveal the demographic characteristics of participants and their experiences in the course using data from surveys and comments about their experiences. The findings revealed, among other factors, that 65% were female, with just under half (47%) aged 45 years or less, nearly half (44%) held a bachelor’s degree as their highest level of qualification, and 48% were employed within the teaching and education sector. The most active learners were from Europe (48%) and Asia (27%), with active learners from a total of 178 countries. The course has a high course retention index, with 51% of learners completing 51% of the course and 8383 learners completing 90% or more of the course. The qualitative findings reveal the strongly positive experiences reported by the active participants. Secondly, we examined the effectiveness of the MOOC for participants’ professional learning needs by assessing the course using a framework with ten domains related to its core design features, modified for use by the course designers as a self-reflective tool. We found that the domains that scored the lowest were collaboration, interactivity, and, to a lesser extent, pedagogy. The study’s limitations include the incomplete data provided as part of the MOOC protocols, and the use of a self-reflection tool, which may inadvertently incorporate bias. This study points to these gaps in the data, including the need to access longitudinal data that go beyond a focus on the design of courses to extend to the impact and outcomes of the experience.

This chapter emphasises the complex nature of History (Years 7–10) and the significant opportunities for middle years students to investigate sustainable futures. In the Australian Curriculum History is the only one of the four humanities subjects that is taught in all years from 7 to 10 but, as a subject area has interactions in social, cultural, environmental, economic, business, legal, and political contexts. The authors examine the complexity of History as a subject area and how the pedagogical approaches used and the content covered supports the positive development of middle years students’ cognitive, social, and moral development. The second section of the chapter focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals and the implications for teachers and students in the middle years of schools. The authors challenge the reader to identify practices to support middle years students to be able to explore value-based solutions to contemporary issues in the pursuit of a preferred future.

This chapter explores student engagement in middle years education. Attention is drawn to the significant drop in student engagement during this period and the measurable impact this decline has on academic achievement. The authors examine factors contributing to student engagement/disengagement and provide a descriptive explanation for the multifaceted concept. The chapter draws attention to the three key dimensions of student engagement (behavioural, emotional, and cognitive) and provides a list of student engagement indicators for each dimension. Five levels of student engagement are discussed and offered as a lens for assisting teachers to reflect on and identify disengagement in their classroom. The authors present a series of evidence-based pedagogical approaches and intentional strategies for teachers to assist them with engaging/re-engaging students of this age. The Young Adolescent Engagement in Learning Model (YAEL) is a purpose-designed, whole-school approach for engaging middle years students. The model is explained and recommended as a tool for enhancing middle years student engagement across educational systems.

Teaching Middle Years has established itself as the leading text to focus on the adolescent years of schooling. Recognition of the educational importance of this age group continues to grow as research reveals the benefits of programs designed especially for young people's needs. With a renewed approach, this fourth edition includes new chapters on Indigenous Knowledges, STEAM education, and sustainable practices. A trusted resource, the book continues to provide a systematic overview of the philosophy, principles, and key issues in middle schooling, together with an enhanced focus on the emotional and developmental challenges unique to this age group. There is an emphasis on creating positive learning environments, engaging relational pedagogies, achieving effective transition, the importance of physical activity and health in adolescence, and developing cooperative and collaborative learning. Further, there is an enhanced focus on practical applications right throughout the book. Featuring contributions from leading experts in the field, and fully revised and updated to reflect the latest research, Teaching Middle Years will assist both pre-service and in-service teachers to bring out the very best in their students.

This chapter examines cooperative and collaborative learning in middle years education. The author explores theories that underpin these teaching practices and explains the differences between the two approaches. Working definitions for both are provided along with in-practice examples. The chapter explains how collaborative learning supports the ethos of middle years education and the developmental stage of students in this age group. The social, psychological, cognitive, and academic benefits of collaborative learning for middle years students are discussed. The author provides guidance for teachers on how to plan cooperative/collaborative tasks and explains the need to teach cooperative/collaborative skills to middle years students. Key components and strategies that enhance the success of collaborative learning are explained. The process cycle of group work is considered and the seven factors that determine the effectiveness of the cycle are explained. The chapter establishes that the role of the teacher, that is teacher as facilitator, is critical to the success of collaborative learning activities in middle years classrooms.

This chapter focuses on quality teaching and quality learning for middle years students. The authors explore intentional approaches to quality teaching by revisiting the Signifying Practices framework and the Junior Secondary Guiding Principles introduced in Chapter 1. They compare and contrast pedagogical practices from upper primary, middle, and secondary school to highlight what are appropriate strategies for the developmental stage of middle years students. Four key components are analysed: curriculum, pedagogical response to student characteristics, teacher characteristics, and the physical teaching space. Intentional teaching practices that underpin quality teaching are explained and aligned to student engagement dimensions discussed in Chapter 5. In terms of quality teaching and learning, teacher effectiveness is linked to concepts of teacher self-efficacy and collective efficacy while student engagement with quality teaching practices is associated with student self-efficacy, mindset, and self-regulation. The chapter demonstrates that the provision of quality teaching and learning is one of the most important aspects of achieving effective education for middle years students.