Alison MacKenzie

Putting Nussbaum’s Capability Approach to work: re-visiting inclusion

The Capabilities Approach places dignity at its core, emphasising people as ends not means who should be enabled to achieve the plans and goals they have reason to value. Focussed on the entitlement of all people to flourish and to be treated with equal respect, we argue here that this approach lends itself to a consideration of ethical issues around the nature of inclusion in education. We consider the lives of children and young people unable to flourish because of a disability, impairment or a label that assigns them to a ‘special’ or ‘additional support needs’ category, framing our discussion around Nussbaum’s Capability Approach. We suggest this approach provides a useful addition to the theoretical repertoire required to progress inclusion and inclusive education with particular respect to issues such as justice, equality, respect and dignity and, critically, to what people are able to do and to be.

Examination preparation, anxiety and examination performance in a group of adult students

The study reported here examined the relationship between the final examination performance of adults enrolled in a university preparatory, or Access, course and (1) 29 approaches to studying; (2) 25 ways of coping; (3) trait anxiety; and (4) self‐reported examination anxiety. Eight approaches to studying and six ways of coping were significantly correlated with final examination mark. Extreme levels (high/low) of trait anxiety were significantly associated with lower final examination performance, moderate trait anxiety with higher final examination performance. Level of self‐reported examination anxiety was significantly positively correlated with level of trait anxiety but not with final examination performance. There were no significant differences in final examination performance associated with gender, age‐group or the presence/absence of recent examination experience.

Sex Education: Challenges and Choices.

ABSTRACT Noting public concern about sexual exploitation, abuse and sexualisation, we argue that sex education in the UK needs revision. Choice is a feature of current sex education policy and, acknowledging that choice can be problematic, we defend its place in an approach to sex education premised on informed deliberation, relational autonomy, a particular view of personhood and moral literacy. We argue, however, that choice and the approach outlined must be located in the realities of young people’s lives.

More than expected? Psychological outcomes from first-stage training in counselling

This study considers psychological outcomes of first-stage counselling training for nine annual student cohorts. A self-report questionnaire, with both open-ended and closed questions, was employed to investigate initial course expectations, what had been learned about self, and any perceived changes in attributes and skills and in relationships with family, friends and others. Eighty-six out of a total of 148 students returned questionnaires, a response rate of 58%. Students reported having learned more about counselling theories and skills, as they had expected initially, but results show that other important outcomes had been largely unanticipated. Many, for example, felt that, as a consequence of course participation, they had a deeper understanding, and greater acceptance, of self and that a range of attributes and skills, such as sensitivity to others and communication skills, had been enhanced. For many, these outcomes had led to improved relationships with family and friends, and also, for some, with work colleagues. It is concluded that, in this example of introductory counselling training, the course experience had led students to discover more about self and had also impacted on different facets of their lives.

Scotland’s Curriculum for Excellence: a defence of autonomy and personhood.

Abstract Curriculum for Excellence, Scotland’s 3–18 curriculum, has been described as ‘the most significant curricular change in Scotland for a generation’ (McAra, Broadley & McLauchlan, 2013, p. 223). The purpose of the curriculum is ‘encapsulated’ in four capacities in order that learners become i) successful learners, ii) confident individuals, iii) responsible citizens, and iv) effective contributors. With particular reference to these capacities, we explore the principle of autonomy as it pertains to both individual and collective flourishing. In so doing we seek to disarm commonplace criticisms of autonomy by proposing it might be put to work in CfE as a multi-dimensional, context-sensitive concept that is relational as well as individual. We conclude that the four capacities lend themselves to re-consideration and re-mapping in pursuit of autonomy and flourishing premised on the principles of personhood.

Riots and Reactions: Hypocrisy and Disaffiliation?

The August 2011 riots in England occasioned widespread condemnation from government and the media. Here, we apply the concepts of hypocrisy and affiliation to explore reactions to these riots. Initially acknowledging that politics necessitates a degree of hypocrisy, we note that some forms of hypocrisy are indefensible: they compromise integrity. With rioters condemned as thugs and members of a feral underclass, some reactions exemplified forms of corrosive hypocrisy that deflected attention away from economic, social and cultural problems. Moreover, such reactions omitted to attend to the concept of [dis]affiliation amongst young rioters. Accordingly, we look to the role that education might play in re-affiliating those who do not feel they belong to, or have a sufficient stake in, society. Whilst our focus is on the riots in England, the exploration of hypocrisy and affiliation, and discussion of education for re-affiliation, transcends that national context.