ABSTRACT

Children’s right to participate, at least in rhetoric, is well recognised, but what this means and the associated benefits in schools are less clear. This article synthesises findings of a large mixed-methods Australian study comprising policy analysis, qualitative interviews with students, teachers and policymakers, and the development of a Student Participation Scale, which was then used in a student survey to explore associations between participation and wellbeing. The study found that particular elements of participation (choice, influence and working together – but not ‘voice’) were strongly associated with greater wellbeing, both as a direct link and one mediated by intersubjective ‘recognition’ (relationships founded on reciprocal respect, valuing and care of others). The findings have considerable implications for both policy and practice in clarifying how participation is understood, practised and progressed in different ‘spaces’ in schools, as well as identifying the cultural conditions necessary for simultaneously fostering both participation and wellbeing.

摘要

儿童的参与权，至少在言辞上，得到了很好的承认，但这意味着什么以及在学校中的相关好处还不太清楚。本文综合了一项大型混合方法澳大利亚研究的结果，包括政策分析、对学生、教师和政策制定者的定性访谈，以及学生参与量表的开发，然后将其用于学生调查，以探索参与与幸福之间的关联。研究发现，参与的特定要素（选择、影响和合作——但不是“声音”）与更大的幸福感密切相关，既是直接联系，也是由主体间“认可”（建立在相互尊重、重视和照顾他人）。和幸福。