Views & Opinion
The duty of schools in preventing radicalisation
Comment by Mark Bentley, Learning Resources Consultant, London Grid for Learning
When the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 2015 came into force in June 2015, schools were given serious new responsibilities. Two main concerns were raised by schools: a lack of expertise for dealing with this sensitive issue; and the potential to damage relationships and community cohesion. The London Grid for Learning recognised the need to find an authoritative voice.
The role of Schools
Matthew Goodwin Professor of Politics at the University of Kent and expert in counter- extremism has analysed the mindset of many of those young people in danger of becoming radicalised, “If I am a young kid and I’m angry and disillusioned and I’m looking for a cause, then outside of my home and online activity, the classroom is the only other place where I’m going to get that source of competing information”. This demonstrates the importance placed on the role of ‘specified authorities’, as schools are now referred to, by the Counter-Terrorism Act, in preventing and providing an alternative narrative to extremism. In terms of prevention, social media has always been a battleground for
radicalisation and recent events have only served to underline the role of the internet in radicalising young people.
Devising an online strategy
As an expert in the UK and European far-right scenes, Matthew Goodwin is all too familiar with the dark side of web. But rather than advocate a simple clamping down on internet use, he suggests that the internet is one of the richest sources of counter-extremist material, and a valuable tool for schools to use in this area. Sara Khan from counter-extremism and women’s rights organisation Inspire agrees. She points to the ‘Letter to Baghdadi’ as a classic example of an organic online development to which schools can refer. Leading Islamic scholars from across the world drafted a letter to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the self-appointed head of ISIS (or ISIL or Daesh), to lay out a theological rebuttal to the ISIS claims of a solid Islamic foundation. Schools are encouraged to take a look at the free online advice from Sara Khan and Matthew Goodwin at
www.counterextremism.lgfl.net. The resource is divided into ‘the extremist narrative’, ‘online safety and the role of parents’, ‘reporting and best practice’ and ‘values and developing a
Developing a counter-narrative But in case schools fear being asked to engage in the online argument, Matthew Goodwin reminds us that “ultimately it doesn’t come down to publicly challenging individuals; more importantly, it is about raising awareness around what propaganda is and what groups stand for.” Teachers can encourage students to question extremist practises by asking general questions on topics such as the treatment of women or those with differing beliefs.
It has been shown that people drawn into extremist groups often do not have many friends from different ethnic and religious groups. But ultimately, the experts believe that extremism cannot flourish and radicalisation cannot take place in an environment that is fully inclusive. By integrating students and encouraging common values we can begin to provide a counter-narrative to extremists. The internet is often where radicalisation begins…but that’s not where the story has to end.
Online resources aid students’ independent learning
Comment by Gareth Mellor, SAM Learning
The words ‘homework’ and ‘revision’ can sometimes be met with a groan from students. Techniques or styles of revising in particular are quite personal, with individuals deciding how best they revise, which may not be the most effective route and could lead to procrastination. Students need to be actively challenged and given activities that get them thinking in order to maximise their capabilities and skills.
With the right resources and tools, students can continue their exploration and deepen their understanding of the topic, allowing them to put what they’ve learnt in the classroom into practice. Today’s students are tech-savvy and naturally gravitate towards technology, therefore, the resources they use for revision should be reflective of this to achieve the best possible outcomes. Being able to set homework and provide revision tools online will provide a lot more engagement as it forms part of their routine.
There are a variety of online services available for both students and teachers, but it is about assessing which resource is going to stimulate and motivate individuals’ needs the most. Some of the more basic resources simply provide students with
general revision guides, and interactive games to aid the learning experience. However, others provide a wider range of support, helping to bridge the gap between lower and higher- achieving students, and report on attainment levels so teachers are able to contribute to each individual’s formative assessments.
Here are just a handful of such online resources:
• SAMLearning is an online homework and exam preparation service for UK secondary school students. Covering a broad range of subjects, the resource can be used by teachers to set activities and homework, and also provides data showing them each student’s progress. Students are then able complete the work set, which is automatically marked, meaning teachers are given more time for direct teacher- pupil contact.
• The BBC’s free online study support resource, Bitesize, provides learner guides for students, and clips for teachers. It is designed to aid
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www.education-today.co.uk
students in both school work and exams, across multiple subjects, so the needs of your students for most core curriculum subjects should be met.
• A free revision site dedicated to GCSE and A Level revision, S-Cool, provides students with guides, question banks and resources to aid them with upcoming exams. The site also hosts a forum for its seven million students to ask and answer questions about various topics.
• Another resource is Get Revising, which is part of The Student Room Group. Its aim is to involve students actively in their own learning and to provide an outlet for creativity; it does this by providing interactive revision tools. Get Revising is free, with an upgrade service that allows users to further personalise the site. With the variety of online resources available, teachers and students are able to assess and identify which tools suit their individual needs to ensure students achieve the best grades they possibly can.
January 2016
counter-narrative’. Twenty-eight question-based videos with Matthew and Sara seek to answer questions schools have about engaging with this sensitive topic.
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