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(2024)ThesisThe peer interactions that students have with their friends and classmates can influence their sense of school connectedness which impacts their academics and wellbeing. Though the peer interactions of high school girls on the autism spectrum are recognised to be challenging due to existing differences and difficulties in social communication, they remain understudied. Consequently, the aim of this research study was to develop an understanding of how high school girls on the autism spectrum experience peer interactions in school and how those experiences impact their school connectedness, as well as to identify other factors which may influence their school connectedness. An inclusive advisory group approach was employed with four females on the autism spectrum and one family member who provided feedback on the research methodology. The research was conducted with nine high school girls on the autism spectrum and one nominated friend using diverse qualitative methods including multiple in-depth semi-structured interviews, arts-based methods, and Word document and Qualtrics survey submissions. Reflexive thematic analysis of their data highlighted the heterogenous nature of their peer interactions which was influenced by their gender diversity, adolescence, autism-related experiences of masking, stigma, anxiety, and personal preference of enjoying time alone. High school girls on the autism spectrum had varied understandings and experiences of friendship within school and outside of school, and mixed experiences with their classmates. They desired and enjoyed friendships, and data from the nominated friend indicated friendship reciprocity. However, they still experienced difficulties making and maintaining friendships, and managing conflicts. Comfortable friendships and positive classmate interactions enhanced their school connectedness, whilst exclusion and bullying detracted from it. The relationships that they had with their teachers and their perception of the school setting also affected their school connectedness. The advisory group agreed with the findings and recommended them to schools. These findings have implications for theory, legislation and policy, practice, and future research. It is critical that the peer interactions and school connectedness of high school girls on the autism spectrum are enhanced through the provision of appropriate social skill supports and greater teacher education in autism and sex and gender-related autism differences.
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(2023)Thesishis thesis reports on a longitudinal participatory case study into Indonesian university English language teachers’ engagement with exploratory practice (EP) as a collaborative approach to professional development when implementing technology-enhanced task-based language teaching (TETBLT). From an ecological perspective of teacher agency, this study focuses on three factors: (i) exploring English language teachers’ motivation to participate in EP through designing and implementing TETBLT; (ii) examining the challenges experienced by teachers when undertaking EP for supporting TETBLT; and (iii) investigating how teachers respond to those challenges. This study involved 10 English language teachers in Indonesia. Data was collected through repeated semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, reflective journals and curriculum documents, followed by analysing the data using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The study findings suggest that teachers had different motivations to participate in EP projects for professional development, such as improving their pedagogical competences, adapting to new pedagogical contexts, and sustaining a supportive professional development platform. As this study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, it also explored how teachers’ motivation to learn more about TETBLT was impacted by the pandemic, as well as how engagement with EP facilitated this. The findings also showed that teachers experienced challenges when undertaking EP, including choosing puzzles to explore, managing their potentially exploitable pedagogic activities (PEPAs) in the classroom, and adapting to the new pedagogical context related to regulating their emotions. In response to those challenges, that teachers were able to seize opportunities and maximise the use of EP to support their pedagogical skills within TETBLT by enacting the principles of collaborative inquiry via the maintenance of a supportive community of practice when addressing recurring pedagogical issues in different contexts. Collaborative inquiry via EP did bridge a gap between teachers and students towards a better understanding of their classroom situation. Implementing EP offered teachers the opportunity to become adaptive to disruptions, changes and challenges in their professional practice, even during and beyond the pandemic. Thus, the findings highlight the importance of collegial professional communities in sustaining English language teachers’ professional development.