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We present a case study of a multi-year, academic civic engagement (ACE) collaboration in a computer science capstone course. ACE projects in computer science provide an avenue for students to apply software development concepts to real-world projects with actual clients, and can offer meaningful engagement with ethical issues. The typical time-limited nature of ACE projects within a single course leaves little time for reflection, iterative development, maintenance, and evolution of priorities, centering student learning outcomes over community partner goals. The model presented here is sustainable and robust to changes in personnel on both the community side and the academic side, including student participants. We highlight the importance of an involved center for civic engagement to facilitate relationship formation and frame civic learning for students. We address how longevity facilitates a true iterative and collaborative development process, supports the development of trust relationships, and opens up space for transformational change.

Purpose: To promote gains in cognitive complexity (measured by integrative complexity, IC) associated with recognition of validity in others' viewpoints/values, supporting peaceful conflict reduction. Design: Assessment of effectiveness of "Living Well with Difference" (LWWD) course designed to promote critical thinking about contested social issues. LWWD was delivered to 199 secondary school students in England, comprising eight hours of sessions in curriculum time. Findings: Results using Paragraph Completion Tests showed that IC increased in the intervention condition in comparison to the smaller control condition IC gains. Resilience scores did not show significant gain, although it correlated moderately with IC gain. Research Limitations: Unequal numbers of control--intervention groups, non-random school sample, and a moderate amount of missing data are potential limitations. Practical Implications: The discussion explores the possible contribution that LWWD can make to citizenship education and 'deep' critical thinking that engages with emotions and values, complementing prevention curricula in the light of EU recommendations.

In light of the UK government's decision to make first aid education mandatory in schools, this article adds to the body of evidence to inform the implementation of this decision. Our research aimed to explore whether providing extra support to teachers increased their confidence to teach first aid, and whether this support influenced student learning outcomes. Thirty-five teachers were randomly allocated into two experimental groups and one control group. The first experimental group received support through a video medium, the second through an interactive webinar. The control group was provided with no support beyond the learning materials provided to all participants. Our analysis suggests that while providing support for teachers does not positively affect their confidence to teach first aid in the classroom, this increased support does positively affect the first aid knowledge of students.

This paper makes the case for a post-capitalist oriented 'Collective Physical Activity' (Co-PA) to contribute to individual well-being and social change here and now, while working towards more equitable post-capitalist futures. We begin by underlining systemic issues that exacerbate inequalities, highlighting the need for a 'leisure for all' contributing to system change. We briefly critique dominant approaches to promoting sport and physical activity to target inequalities, suggesting three potential improvements: first, diverting attention from organized sport towards personally meaningful physical activities; second, focusing on bottom-up collective opportunities, rather than top-down ones; third, advocating for system change to foster hope and tackle societal issues at their roots. To this end, we propose Co-PA as an approach to physical activity for social justice, suggesting three core features: (i) meaning and enjoyment; (ii) collective engagement; and (iii) a post-capitalist outlook. Finally, we outline examples of how these principles could look like in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted four focus group interviews with 24 high school youth to examine facilitators and barriers to African American high school students' expression of various self-determination skills (e.g., choice/decision making, self-advocacy, goal setting, and attainment etc.). The majority of our research participants were African American, with one student identifying as multiracial (African American and White). Key findings revealed that personal (e.g., desire to graduate from school) and contextual factors (e.g., school counselor and teacher support) influenced the participants' expression of multiple self-determination skills. We also found that some of the participants' motives for utilizing or not utilizing specific skills were influenced by what they perceived as racist, punitive, and restrictive school practices (e.g., teachers holding negative perceptions about African American students and school counselors restricting their access to advanced courses). Findings from this study support ongoing calls for educators to consider students' cultural backgrounds and lived experiences when promoting their expression of self-determination skills.

The present study examined African American high school students' perceptions of their development and use of self-determination skills (e.g., goal setting, choice/decision making, self-advocacy, etc.) in school. The term "development" refers to the cultivation of self-determination skills through various means (e.g., structured learning opportunities), and the term "use" refers to students actually employing the skills in school and other settings across time. We conducted four focus group interviews with a predominately African American female sample to examine (a) how various self-determination skills contributed to their success in school and (b) how they developed these skills through community-based support. Key findings indicate that the participants perceived their use of multiple self-determination skills as facilitating their success in school by helping them (a) be independent, (b) remain motivated in school, (c) prioritize their time, and (d) receive support from classroom teachers. Through their involvement in community-based programs, the participants developed the skills through hands-on activities, group discussions, field trips (e.g., college visits), and interacting with peers in their community organization. Findings from this research support calls for educators to promote African American students' self-determination while taking a culturally responsive approach by collaborating with local community-based organizations that were developed to support these students.

Objective: To build the evidence base for first aid education by testing the hypothesis that learners will be more confident and willing to act in an emergency if their first aid education has attempted to break down perceived barriers to helping. Design: Additional activities were appended to and delivered alongside a control curriculum consisting of the Canadian Red Cross' Emergency First Aid training for adult learners. Both control and test learners completed questionnaires before, immediately after and at 6 months following their training. Setting: Four Canadian provinces: British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Nova Scotia. Participants: A total of 199 adult participants elected to take part in the first aid training and were randomised into test and control groups. Methods: Following first aid training lasting 6.5-8 hours, we assessed learners' self-rated confidence/self-efficacy, willingness to act and changes in pre-identified fears and attitudes. Results: Learners from both control and test courses showed a positive change in self-efficacy and willingness to act although there was no statistically significant difference between control and test groups. The test course had a statistically significantly higher percentage of learners who were more aware of the bystander effect post learning. There was significant heterogeneity in learner outcomes which varied by Canadian province. Conclusion: First aid education can increase the propensity of learners to act. Although the additional activities provided in this study did not make a statistically significant difference to confidence and willingness to act, they may increase awareness of helping behaviours. Heterogeneity between Canadian provinces may link to differing provincial laws which protect lay people who try to help in an emergency.

Introduction: Associations between structural inequalities and health are well established. However, there is limited work examining this link in relation to mental health, or that centres public perspectives. This study explores people's experience and sense‐making of inequality in their daily lives, with particular consideration of impacts on mental health. Methods: We conducted a peer research study. Participants had to live in one of two London Boroughs and have an interest in inequalities and mental health. Using social media, newsletters, local organisations and our peer researchers' contacts, we recruited 30 participants who took photos representing their experience of inequality and discussed them during semi‐structured interviews. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three themes were identified in this study: (1) inequalities are unjust, multilayered and intertwined with mental health. Accounts demonstrated a deep understanding of inequalities and their link to mental health outcomes, describing inequalities as 'suffering' and 'not good for anyone'. Financial, housing, immigration and healthcare problems exacerbated poor mental health, with racism, gender‐based violence and job loss also contributing factors for both poor mental health and experiences of inequality; (2) inequalities exclude and have far‐reaching mental health consequences, impacting personal sense of belonging and perceived societal value and (3) moving forwards—addressing long‐standing inequality and poor public mental health necessitated coping and resilience strategies that are often unacknowledged and undervalued by support systems. Conclusion: Lived experience expertise was central in this study, creating an innovative methodological approach. To improve public mental health, we must address the everyday, painful structural inequalities experienced by many as commonplace and unfair. New policies and strategies must be found that involve communities, redistributing resources and power, building on a collective knowledge base, to coproduce actions combatting inequalities and improving population mental health. Patient or Public Contribution: This study was peer‐led, designed and carried out by researchers who had experiences of poor mental health. Six authors of the paper worked as peer researchers on this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students in higher education are increasingly asked to give feedback on their education experience, reflecting an increase in the importance attached to that feedback. Existing literature demonstrates that qualitative student feedback is valued and important, yet there has been limited evaluation of the means by which qualitative student feedback is collected, and how collection method influences the depth of feedback from students. We evaluated the depth of feedback written by students on programmes at three different universities in the United Kingdom, using an established evaluation instrument. We found that the use of a structured pro forma (Stop, Start, Continue) was associated with feedback of greater depth than that produced using free text entry. We then evaluated the effect of switching from a free text to a structured pro forma at one institution and found, again, that the structured pro forma was associated with feedback of greater depth. In addition, students indicated a preference for the structured pro forma.