Unhappy Children and Young People

A recent survey from the Prince's Trust makes sad reading. Interviews with 2,136 young people in the UK aged 16-24, indicates that 1 in 10 feel they cannot cope with day-to-day life. ‘Neets’, those not in work, education or training are more than twice as likely to feel that way with 52% saying they often or always feel depressed. The survey also found that nearly a quarter of young people, 22%, felt that they did not have anyone they could talk to about their problems. The mental health of children and young people has long been a concern, with organisations such as the BACP (British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy) carrying out several studies that have looked at this. The Nuffield Foundation has carried out a substantive review of many aspects of the mental wellbeing of young people, with results published here. Colleagues and I at the University of Cambridge carried out research for the Nuffield Foundation that looked at the wellbeing of children in school at the time of transition from Primary to Secondary school, and results were published in the book ‘The Supportive School’ (2011). The Nuffield Foundation’s research indicated that in fact there had been no increase in the level of teenage mental health between 2009 and 2004. It may be however that the current recession and poor work prospects for young people are reversing this trend.

The same survey from the Prince’s Trust links a lack of structure at home when young people were growing up with poor grades at school. ‘Lack of structure’ included no set meal times or set bed time, the latter being claimed by a quarter of young people, 27%. Lack of qualifications clearly has an impact on the way young people feel about their job prospects. According to the survey, a third of those interviewed with lower qualifications claimed to ‘always’ or ‘often’ feel rejected, compared to 22% of young people overall.

Schools can clearly play a large part in helping young people to feel included and to help them have a sense of structure. Our experience over the last eighteen months working with schools for the Tablets for Schools initiative has shown us just how much schools are doing to encourage inclusion, and to help children learn about structure and routine. Preparing children for the skills they need to become employable by facilitating teaching and learning through one-to-one digital devices can help all young people to feel they are part of the fast growing digital world.

Tablets for Schools

This month sees the launch of the Tablets for Schools  website and the publication of stage 1 of our research report. Tablets for Schools is a CSR initiative led by Andrew Harrison, CEO at the Carphone Warehouse, and supported by Dixons, Samsung, Acer, Microsoft, eLearning Foundation, Sony, TalkTalk and 9ine amongst others. The research carried out 2011-12 followed 3 schools in Essex, Kent and Belfast that had introduced one-to-one tablets for pupils in September 2011 and included a ‘control’ school (where one-to-one tablets were not used) in Essex and two feeder primary schools. We followed the schools’ journey through their first year of tablet adoption, and carried out ethnography in class, and focus groups with pupils, teachers and parents, as well as in-depth interviews with school leadership. The report also includes a look at the global adoption of one-to-one tablets in education, and a literature review that considers the effects on pedagogy of one-to-one devices in schools.

Results suggest several benefits to learning including an increased motivation to learn; increased parental engagement; more efficient monitoring of progress between pupil and teacher; greater collaboration between teacher and pupil and between pupil and pupil. It appears that one-to-one Tablets offer a sense of inclusion that allow children, irrespective of socio-economic status or level of attainment, an opportunity to thrive through a new pedagogical model of pupil-led learning. Stage 2 of the research began in October, and includes 9 schools that have or are about to adopt one-to-one tablets in this academic year. Full details can be found on the Tablets for Schools website.

Digital Kids at MIP Junior, Cannes

Cannes in October is not to be missed. Speaking about our Digital Kids and Youth Research (see here) this month at MIP Junior prompted much discussion about the nature of children’s engagement with digital content. It can be complex. Like many adults, children expect to be entertained through their digital device, but they also view it, or them (for many have more than one means of connecting to the internet) as an extension of their friendship network, even as young as seven. For example we have found that 28% of 7-10 year olds and 68% of 10-13 year olds are using Facebook, often set up by a parent or older sibling to prompt and maintain family connections. However we have also discovered that a substantial number of early adolescents (especially 11 plus) have a second account, one that family do not know about, thus maintaining their privacy and being accessible to friends only. The number of children aged 7-16 now using a smartphone, tablet or iPod touch has reached 6 out of 10, and 8 out of 10 are downloading apps. Our research has shown that it is not the case that children use digital devices only for entertainment. Many also expect to use their device for information and for homework, and to create their own content. Witnessing children using apps for their own entertainment, to share with friends, and to create school work opens up new opportunity to inspire children’s natural ability to be creative and to be autonomous.

Children in Chile

An invitation to Chile this month to talk about child development and the beneficial effects of music to children’s social, emotional and cognitive progress was the result of our report on Children and Music prepared for Unilever. Supporting Unilever’s CSR initiative with Unicef, children from a poor area of Santiago played in a superbly produced ‘swing band’ at the launch of the report. Questions from the audience that included representatives of children’s organisations, business, politicians and press centred on the way in which music can be made accessible to all. Clearly a challenge when both instruments and lessons are expensive, but as Gareth Malone, the charismatic leader of several choirs in the UK including the highly successful Military Wives choir argues, many people can be inspired to sing. The social benefits of joining in, having a common purpose, being supportive to peers and experiencing the uplifting effects of making a sound that can be enjoyed and appreciated by an audience can help children to feel engaged and can improve their self-esteem. Chile is a beautiful country, and the snow-capped mountains surrounding Santiago in August where it is early Spring are magnificent. The warmth and hospitality of the country was clear and it was inspiring to see the work that Unicef and Unilever are doing to help children in Chile.

Tablet Schools: inspiring schools and inspiring leadership

In our recent research we have been visiting UK schools that use one-to-one tablet computers. Research has included ethnography, focus groups and individual interviews with pupils, teachers and parents. A noticeable characteristic of these schools is the inspiring leadership and innovative thinking that has led to the adoption of one-to-one devices. While undoubtedly a big commitment and one that requires a big investment on the part of the school, including ensuring that there is sufficient wifi available in classrooms, the effects of tablets appears to be beneficial to both pedagogy and pupil motivation. The school leadership argue that it is not the device itself that makes the difference, but that allowing children to have their own tablet enables them to learn in a way that encourages independent learning and produce creative material associated with their learning. Initial fears that centred on the potential for theft and pupil safety have not been realised, although there has been an issue with breakages. Full results of the research will be published in the Autumn, and top line results will be presented at the launch of the Tablets for Schools initiative at the House of Lords next month.