Carlo Raffo

Teaching and learning entrepreneurship for micro and small businesses in the cultural industries sector

Reports on an ESRC-funded, in-depth qualitative research project into 50 micro and small enterprises (MSEs) in the cultural industries. Our evidence sheds light on the extent to which the teaching and learning strategies adopted by higher education, further education and other VET providers are effective in providing entrepreneurship education and training for this innovative, high skill sector. Our findings suggest that entrepreneurs in this sector learn best by being able to experiment with ideas, by “doing” and networking with others and by working with more experienced mentors in their sector. The article concludes by suggesting a more “naturalistic” approach to teaching and learning entrepreneurship for micro and small businesses in the cultural industries sector.

Attitudes to Formal Business Training and Learning amongst Entrepreneurs in the Cultural Industries: Situated business learning through 'doing with others'

The article provides qualitative empirical evidence of why entrepreneurs in the cultural industries-a fast developing small and medium enterprise (SME) sector in the UK and one that is illustrative of new working practices within a post-industrial economyrarely take up formal business training and support. The main argument of the article is that business learning for entrepreneurs in this sector is situated within the social, cultural and economic contexts of the real world in which they operate and that the cultural capital developed through embedded activities in those environments provides the stimulus for that learning. Our article concludes by providing a tentative and alternative approach to business training in the sector that advocates a more dialogic and discursive environment for trainee support.

Leading schools to promote social inclusion: developing a conceptual framework for analysing research, policy and practice

Although much research has focussed on how various educational policy initiatives have attempted to improve problems of social exclusion, little research has systematically examined, categorised and synthesised the types of leadership in schools that might assist improving social inclusion. Given the importance of school leadership in New Labour educational policy for bringing about education change and improvement, it seems rather strange that this is the case. This article attempts to set out an analytical framework for undertaking such research by exploring the various links between social inclusion, educational policy and school leadership. At one level the framework develops questions about the nature of the conceptualisations of social inclusion that educational policy, schools and its leaders might have, and in particular what knowledge and view of equity might be privileged by such conceptualisations. The framework then suggests the need for a school leader’s perspective on social inclusion to be examined in relation to three suggested leadership rationales that emanate from both policy and practice on school leadership – delivery focussed, localising and democratising. Finally the framework argues for a need to understand the narratives adopted by school leaders in pursuing particular leadership rationales vis‐à‐vis social inclusion. By charting the various educational policies and practices that are theoretically and empirically possible with regard to school leadership and social inclusion, we suggest the framework might enable policymakers and practitioners to develop an educational theory of change on social inclusion that both explicitly and critically explains and justifies the position being taken at any particular time.

Education and poverty: mapping the terrain and making the links to educational policy

Although there is widespread agreement that poverty and poor educational outcomes are related, there are different explanations about why that should be the case. The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual synthesis of some of the research literature on poverty and education. From our readings the debates cohere, to a greater or lesser extent, around three different foci: ones that focus on the individual and that we have termed the ‘micro‐level’; some that focus on ‘immediate social contexts’ that might be located in families, communities, schools and peer groups and that we have termed the ‘meso‐level’; and others again that focus on social structures and/or are linked to notions of power and inequality and that we have termed the ‘macro‐level’. In addition, the various literatures highlight a fundamental difference in the way they understood the role of education in producing what we might call the ‘good society’ – and hence what counts as ‘good education’. These two broad positions we have termed as functionalist and socially critical perspectives and together with the micro‐, meso‐ and macro‐foci provide a mapping framework by which we organise the literature and through which we examine a number of educational policy interventions in England that have focused on educational outcomes and disadvantage/poverty. The analysis suggests that perhaps too much policy intervention focuses on the more accessible and amenable meso‐level (and to lesser extent the micro‐level) with too little emphasis on the macro‐level. At the same time many interventions appear disjointed, often lack coherence and seem to eschew issues of power. Different ways of responding to these apparent deficiencies are explored through current developments and potential in full service extended schools and through notions of democratic pedagogy and governance possibilities suggestive of the ‘new localism’ agenda.

Education and disadvantage: the role of community‐oriented schools

The proposed development of extended schools in England is part of an international movement towards community‐oriented schooling, particularly in areas of disadvantage. Although on the face of it this movement seems like a common‐sense approach to self‐evident needs, the evaluation evidence on such schools is inconclusive. In order to assess the likelihood that community‐oriented schooling will have a significant impact on disadvantage, therefore, this paper analyses the rationale on which this approach to schooling appears to be based. It argues that community‐oriented schools as currently conceptualised have a focus on ‘proximal’ rather than ‘distal’ factors in disadvantage, underpinned by a model of social in/exclusion which draws attention away from underlying causes. They are, therefore, likely to have only small‐scale, local impacts. The paper suggests that a more wide‐ranging strategy is needed in which educational reform is linked to other forms of social and economic reform and considers the conditions which would be necessary for the emergence of such a strategy.

Full service extended schools and educational inequality in urban contexts—new opportunities for progress?

This paper examines the extent to which the UK governments full service extended schools programme has the capacity to ameliorate educational inequality in urban contexts. It starts by examining a variety of explanatory narratives for educational inequality in urban contexts in the UK and suggests that the dynamics of social exclusion created by urban decline has generated particular types of polarised urban communities whose analysis has often been decoupled from research on educational reform programmes in urban schools. The paper argues for the need to re‐couple educational process with the dynamics of urban context and suggests that the most recent educational policy development of full service extended schools (FSES) may present distinctive opportunities to complete such a synthesis. The paper then locates FSES within a broader set of government approaches that attempt to deal with social exclusion and educational disadvantage. It then draws on research conducted by the authors and others that has examined notions of FSES in the UK and beyond. It will argue that at present the evidence for the capacity of such an initiative to synthesise effectively educational process with the dynamics of urban context and hence resolve successfully the problems of educational inequality in such contexts is at best inconclusive.

Transitions to becoming a teacher on an Initial Teacher Education and Training Programme

This article is based on research with a group of one‐year Postgraduate Certificate in Education secondary trainee teachers during their initial teacher education and training in England. It considers tensions between trainees’ prior experiences and conceptions of teaching and their training programme. In doing so, it seeks to examine how a trainee’s dispositions as revealed through practice in various contexts are reflective of Bourdieu’s ‘habitus’. Associated with this, the paper also examines how particular forms of pre‐existing cultural capital and manifestations of biographical identity also pre‐dispose trainees to form affinities and disaffinities within particular fields. Lacanian concepts of the symbolic, imaginary and real are used to help explain how trainee teachers articulate resonance and dissonance during their field experiences, particularly in relation to ontological concerns of securing a professional stable sense of self.

Educational Equity in Poor Urban Contexts – Exploring Issues of Place/Space and Young People's Identity and Agency

ABSTRACT An enduring concern for educational policy in many affluent countries is the endemic nature of educational inequalities that are predominately located in poor urban contexts. Given the inabilities of school reform per se to deal with these inequalities, the paper focuses on issues of scarcity and spatial processes that are implicated in the formation of young peoples educational identities – identities that then mediate the conversion of educational resources into educational attainments or achievements.

Disadvantaged Young People Accessing the New Urban Economies of the Post-Industrial City.

The aim of the paper is to examine current and evolving supply side transition policy initiatives in the light of (a) particular demand side needs of urban young people classified as those most disadvantaged and potentially marginalized; and (b) the emerging realities of accessing and operating within particular examples of high value‐added knowledge work arenas of the new urban economies in the UK. The paper is a synthesis of qualitative research undertaken by the author over the last five years that has examined notions of transition, development and learning for both young people and adults as they attempt to navigate their pathways in, and through, the new economies of the post‐industrial urban context. The paper communicates the importance of a number of sociocultural theoretical concepts as a way of illuminating transition choices, actions and opportunities for disadvantaged young people. These concepts also enable a broader set of critical questions to be asked about current 14–19 transition policy and practice, particularly with regards to Connexions and the Careers Education and Guidance in England 11–19 National Framework.

A long walk to school – global perspectives on inclusive education

knowledge and how this might be gained; the external environment and leaders’ moral responsibilities; and phenomenological perspectives around building relationships. The book turns to the application and critique of theory, exploring the merits of enactivist learning theory as well as emotional intelligence. Branson argues that inner reflection or self-reflection will enable leaders to better understand themselves and their environments. He contends wise leaders will actively seek to become the best they can and continually seek to nurture those around them; increased self-knowledge thus culminating in increased wisdom. In the final chapter, Branson asserts leadership is currently thwarted by managerial tasks, excessive prescription, accountability and control mechanisms which are suppressing leadership capacity and destructively narrowing what is important. He calls for less oppression in education and a changed environment whereby leaders have the power and capacity to generate positive relationships and develop rich professional collaborative cultures where leading, teaching and learning can prosper. He advocates leaders are freed from current constraints so that they have time to be reflective and relational. Only then, he maintains, can they become wise leaders, practice wise leadership and develop and maintain professionally rich cultures. Overall, the book provides a coherent and well thought out thesis and makes a distinct contribution to the fields of educational change and educational leadership.