Character Scotland Evaluation: Evaluation of the effects of a series of Character Scotland pedagogic interventions and resources

We are currently undertaking a 1-year research project that evaluates and reviews materials collated by Character Scotland and their poster programme ‘Inspire>Aspire’. This educational intervention is concerned to promote ethical ideals amongst High School students and is widely conducted in a broad range of Scottish schools.

The aim of the study is to examine the long-term effects of the ‘inspire>aspire’ programme in 2011/2012, which related specifically to the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. The study will compare the evolution of values, qualities, aspirations and plans of action of those students who have participated in the programme in 2011/2012 and of a control group of students who did not participate in the programme. There will be a focus on students who were in S2 in the school year 2011/2012.

This study’s approach consists of three steps. First, we question religious, moral and philosophical education teachers via an online survey; secondly, we select a group of teachers based on the information collected through step one and we collect information on the students of these selected teachers via a paper survey; thirdly, we will conduct a series of short personal interviews with a small number of students who were asked to reflect on their poster (i.e. the material completed during participation in the programme in 2011/2012).