Margot Trinder

Comparison of the effectiveness of two forms of the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities Project for promoting cooperative conflict resolution education in Australian primary schools

This study evaluated the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities (ERIS) Project which aimed to promote constructive conflict resolution (CR) in Australian primary school communities through professional development for core teams of three–five staff (n = 33 teachers). Twelve schools were randomly assigned to a full intervention (FI) group or a partial intervention (PI) group with seven and two days professional development respectively and equivalent levels of in‐school support over 16 months. Teachers from the same schools who received no direct intervention (NDI) (n = 33) were comparison groups. Significant positive differences were found between the FI teachers and the PI and NDI participants in their use of CR steps and use of an integrative approach to conflict. At post‐intervention the FI group participants’ attitudes to conflict became most positive. While both FI and PI participants disseminated CR information to staff and students, the FI group reported higher levels of dissemination.

Evaluation of a core team centred professional development programme for building a whole-school cooperative problem solving approach to conflict

This study evaluated a professional learning approach using a core team (CT) model to assist primary (elementary) schools to develop whole-school collaborative conflict resolution processes. Thirteen schools were matched and randomly assigned to the enhancing relationships in school communities programme (n = 10) or a non-programme control group (n = 3). Programme schools provided a core (professional learning) team, who attended professional learning days, and disseminated programme content throughout their schools. Programme schools also received one full school staff workshop. After one year, CT participants were more likely to apply a collaborative conflict resolution model to problem scenarios and report greater knowledge and skills compared to non-programme-school control participants. Compared to the non-programme control group, non-core team programme school staff described using more cooperative approaches to handling conflict, especially when they had received more professional development from their CT. Programme school teachers taught more hours conflict resolution curriculum, and increases in hours taught by programme (but not control) teachers were associated with teacher reported increases in student understanding and use of cooperative methods. Patterns also supported a role of self-efficacy in implementation. The potential usefulness of a CT professional learning model for assisting schools to develop cooperative conflict resolution approaches was supported.

Enhancing Relationships in School Communities: Promoting Cooperative Conflict Resolution and Respect for Cultural Diversity in Schools

This chapter describes an ongoing Australian peace psychology initiative that has involved working with school communities to develop better processes for resolving conflict and enhancing culturally respectful relationships. Originating from Psychologists for Peace, an interest group of the Australian Psychological Society, the Enhancing Relationships in School Communities (ERIS) project is an example of how collaborative relationships between peace psychologists, universities and schools have enabled the development of a series of models, professional development programmes, resources and methods of evaluation for school contexts. The aim of the ERIS project has been to work with primary (elementary) schools to assist them in making whole school changes in how they approach conflict, and to help teachers to learn more cooperative problem-solving approaches to resolve conflict and assist students to learn and use those approaches. A second aim of the ERIS project, which developed increasingly over time, has been to support a focus on respect for cultural diversity as part of the broad agenda of enhancing relationships in schools. This chapter will describe the conceptual foundations of the project, including process considerations and theoretical approaches to the content matter, approaches to evaluation and lessons drawn from working with schools, to create and enact better processes for addressing conflict and to develop culturally respectful communities.