Zhang, Mengyao (2022) Implementing children’s participation : a case study of a participatory initiative in a primary school in China. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.

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Abstract

The human right of the child to express their views freely in all matters affecting the child has been enshrined in Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in 1989, signed by the Chinese government in 1990 and ratified in 1992. Since the UNCRC, there has been rapidly growing research on children’s participation rights in various fields in Western countries, but few studies on children’s participation rights in decision-making in China. This research privileged an in-depth investigation of the perspective of children and teachers on children’s participation in decisions affecting their school life. It is a qualitative case study with thirty participants (twenty-eight children and two teachers) in one participatory initiative in a primary school in China. The primary methods of data collection for this case study were participant observation, interviews, focus groups and document examination.

Results indicated that the children perceived their participation as expressing and listening, acquiring knowledge, developing competence, and contributing to the school. Besides, children improved their subjective well-being in two dimensions: social well-being and psychological well-being, including friendships with peers, teacher-student relationships and relaxation. In addition, children developed their competence in three dimensions: external personal competence, internal personal competence and external social competence, including children’s knowledge, courage, expressive language ability and teamwork skills.

Furthermore, the support of teachers and peers played an important role in facilitating children’s participation. However, the role of peer conflicts, intense curriculum, heavy homework and class teachers could hinder children’s participation. Finally, the role of children’s competence could either facilitate or hinder children’s participation. Good competence enabled children to play an active role in their participation. However, without certain basic competence, children would not be able to complete their participatory activities. The study had implications and recommendations for practice and supports the growing concern for children’s psychological health, core competencies and values for Chinese students’ development and children’s active participation in class.

Item Type:	Thesis (PhD)
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology L Education > LB Theory and practice of education > LB1501 Primary Education
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Decision making in children -- China, Education, Primary -- China, Participation, Well-being, Child development -- China, Child psychology -- China
Official Date:	August 2022
Dates:	Date Event August 2022 UNSPECIFIED
Institution:	University of Warwick
Theses Department:	Centre for Education Studies
Thesis Type:	PhD
Publication Status:	Unpublished
Supervisor(s)/Advisor:	Wyness, Michael G.
Format of File:	pdf
Extent:	1-8, 1-272 pages : illustration
Language:	eng

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