The project examines how pupils experience school enjoyment, motivation and belonging when they go through important transitions in their education.
The pilot project SMILE-P will develop new knowledge about inclusion and exclusion seen from the pupil’s own perspective. At the same time, the project will test research methods that make it easier to capture pupils' experiences and voices in research.
Transitions in the educational pathway are periods when pupils meet new academic, social and organisational demands. While these transitions go well for many pupils, others may experience insecurity, reduced motivation or a weaker sense of belonging to the school. The risk of exclusion and marginalisation may increase during such periods, particularly in the transitions from primary school to lower secondary school and from lower secondary school to high school.
Although we know a lot about school performance, learning environment and well-being, we know less about how students themselves experience these transitions, and which conditions they believe contribute to enjoyment, motivation and the sense of belonging in school. In SMILE-P, we therefore want to highlight the pupil perspective and examine how pupils describe their own experiences with school life and school transitions.
Through activities, we examine how pupils experience motivation, well-being, learning environment, inclusion and belonging in key transitions in the educational pathway. At the same time, we explore which methodological and ethical experiences should be included in a larger research project.
