The implementation of good practice in school-based drug education : a stakeholder evaluation
This thesis analyses the delivery of drug education in the school setting through an exploration of the views, experiences and actions of two key stakeholders in the process: teachers with responsibility for programme co-ordination and development and pupils in the 15-16 year old age group. It is based on mixed methodology research carried out in schools in the East Midlands of England (1997-1999) and is inspired by post-positivist evaluation paradigms. Drawing on theories and models from sociology, psychology (communication theory), policy studies and health education, the thesis promotes understanding of factors helping and hindering the implementation of principles of good practice in drug education. The main reasons for a discrepancy between `ideals' and chalk face realities emerge as timetable constraints, a lack of confident and skilled delivery teachers and uncertainty in relation to the acceptability of a harm-reduction focus to programmes. Implicated, on a deeper level, are the dominant values in the education system and the ideology behind current drug control policy. The thesis develops a conceptual schema that captures the personal, interpersonal, organisational and wider, contextual influences behind patterns of variability in young people's take-up of drug education messages and indicates how these interrelate. It also sets out an argument that the key to efficacy in drug education lies in the sensitive tailoring of programmes to the pre-dispositions that young people bring to the process. The thesis concludes with recommendations for the future enhancement of policy and practice in this area.
Drinking, smoking, and illicit drug use among 15 and 16 year olds in the United Kingdom
Abstract Objective: To examine patterns of self reported drinking, smoking, and illicit drug use among a representative United Kingdom sample of people born in 1979. Design: Cross sectional, single phase survey based on a stratified cluster sample of 70 United Kingdom secondary schools during March and April 1995. Pupils completed a 406 item standardised questionnaire under examination conditions. Setting: United Kingdom state and private secondary schools. Subjects: 7722 pupils aged 15 and 16. Main outcome measures: Reported use of alcohol, tobacco, and illicit drugs. Results: Almost all the pupils had drunk alcohol, 36% (2772/7689) had smoked cigarettes in the past 30 days, and 42.3% (3264/7722) had at some time used illicit drugs, mainly cannabis. 43% (1546/3546) of boys and 38% (1529/4009) of girls had tried cannabis. Higher levels of smoking were associated with poorer school performance (20.4% (783/3840) with average performance v 44.1% (214/486) with below average performance, F = 79.06, P<0.01). Levels of drug use in 15 and 16 year olds in 1995 were higher in Scotland than in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. Conclusions: Drug experimentation was high among 15 and 16 year olds, and use of cannabis was particularly high among smokers. Cigarette smoking was more common among girls than boys. Key messages More than 40% had tried illicit drugs at some time, mainly cannabis. This represents a sharp increase over the past five years Just over one third of the sample had smoked cigarettes in the previous 30 days and cigarette smoking was higher among girls than boys Higher levels of drug use were associated with poorer school performance Levels of illicit drug use tended to be higher in Scotland than in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland
Using Activity Theory in Developing Instructial Tools for Project Management Studies
Competence and skills of the project manager are significant to project success. The skills needed in project managersâ work cannot be learned only by reading the books or a lecture hall; one learns them by practice. Therefore, an important challenge for educational institutions is to develop pedagogical practices that allow students to participate in working life projects and to confront real-life problems. Project-based learning (PBL) offers a model that enables students to practice the skills and competences needed in working life projects by utilizing real-world work assignments in time-limited projects. Using PBL method alone does not necessarily guarantee learning result. In order to be successful, PBL method requires effective and competent supervision and guidance of students as well as appropriate tools for instruction. In this study the concepts from activity theory (AT) are applied to development tools for supervising project-based learning.