Conflict resolution as an entrepreneurial competence: a review of the secondary school population and the role of professional associates

Konflikt između učenika kao mogući početak krizne situacije u školi dio je školskog procesa i s njim se redovito susreću nastavnici i stručni suradnici. Međutim, konflikt, iako može izazvati krizu, s druge strane, otvara mogućnosti za uspostavljanje bolje i adekvatnije komunikacije među učenicima i stvara prostor za učenje o nenasilnom komuniciranju, medijaciji kao formi rješavanja sukoba te asertivnom zastupanju svojih stavova i uvjerenja, što dugoročno vodi ka jačanju i poduzetničkih kompetencija. Iako se neki vršnjački konflikti zadržavaju samo na razini učenika i eventualno nastavnika u razredu, kada sukobi eskaliraju redovito se traži pomoć stručnih suradnika u školi poput psihologa ili pedagoga. Kakva je komunikacijska uloga tih profesionalaca u procesu medijacije između učenika, kojim tehnikama se oni služe u svom savjetodavnom radu, primjećuju li pomake ili promjene u ponašanju učenika nakon provedene medijacije, što se u njihovoj praksi pokazuje kao najuspješnija metoda svladavanja i razumijevanja konflikta, dio je ispitivanja ovoga rada kroz dubinske intervjue. S druge strane, rad analizira i percepciju učenika kroz anketni upitnik. Javljaju li se stručnim suradnicima za pomoć, kako rješavaju i upravljaju svojim konfliktima, što im je potrebno da prevladaju sukob, te razvijaju li svoje poduzetničke kompetencije, neka su od problemskih pitanja ovoga rada. U nastojanju da se prepoznaju kapaciteti savjetodavnoga rada i uloge medijacije stručnih suradnika u vršnjačkim sukobima u školi, za istraživačku analizu odabrana je Srednja škola Metković, s ciljem determiniranja uloge pedagoga i psihologa u kriznoj situaciji rješavanja učeničkih konflikata kroz primjer iz prakse. Istraživanje je pokazalo kako stručni suradnici imaju ulogu u procesu rješavanja konflikata između učenika, međutim postoji prostor za poboljšanje u smislu dodatnog uključivanja stručnih suradnika u savjetodavni rad s učenicima te rad u edukaciji učenika o ulozi medijacije u interpersonalnoj komunikaciji i poduzetništvu.
Conflict between students, as a possible beginning of a crisis situation at school, is an integral part of the school process and is regularly encountered by teachers and professional associates. However, conflict, although it can cause a crisis, opens up opportunities for establishing better and more adequate communication among students as much as it creates space for learning about nonviolent communication, mediation as a form of conflict resolution and assertive representation of their attitudes, beliefs and entrepreneurial competencies. Although some peer conflicts persist only at the student level and possibly teachers in the classroom, when conflicts escalate, the aid from professional school associates such as psychologists or pedagogues is regularly sought. What is the communication role of these professionals in the process of mediation between students, what techniques they use in their counseling work, whether they notice changes in student behavior after mediation, which in their practice proves to be the most successful method of overcoming and understanding conflict - the paper examines all these aspects through in-depth interviews. On the other hand, the paper also analyzes students’ perception through a survey questionnaire. Whether they turn to professional associates for help, how they resolve and manage their conflicts, what they need to overcome conflict, and whether they develop their entrepreneurial competencies are some of the problematic issues of this paper. In an effort to identify the capacity of counseling and the role of mediation of professional associates in peer conflicts at school, Metković High School was selected for research analysis, with the aim of determining the role of pedagogues and psychologists in critical situations of student conflicts through practical examples. The research showed that professional associates have a role in the process of resolving conflicts among students, but there is room for improvement in terms of additional involvement of professional associates in counseling and educating students on the role of mediation in interpersonal communication and entrepreneurship.