An action research study into the effects of the introduction of a peer mediation program on a school community

Thesis (M.Ed.)--University of Melbourne, 1999This project set out to explore the effects of peer mediation training on individual students and, more generally, the effects of the introduction of a peer mediation program on a school community. The study emerged as a result of shared concerns of a group of teachers over their observations of the inappropriate ways many of the students treat each other in conflict situations and their lack of conflict management skills. The study focused on the students who were involved in mediation either as trained mediators or disputants. Using Kemmis and McTaggart's (1988) model for action research, three action cycles were conducted. The research explored whether there was a change in trained mediator's attitude towards conflict and how they behaved when in conflict. It also examined the level of satisfaction for mediation amongst mediated students. Data was gathered from interviews, participant- observer notes, minutes of meetings and journal notes. It was found that students trained in mediation do undergo a change in attitude towards conflict. They saw conflict in a more positive light and no longer tried to avoid conflict situations. They transferred their conflict management skills to situations outside formal mediation sessions although they did not want to be seen by their peers to be behaving differently, particularly when in conflict themselves. Disputants found mediation to be an effective method for handling their disputes and accepted it as a valid conflict management process. However, students in conflict who did not use mediation believed it would not have helped settle their disputes. It was found that in the short term, a peer mediation program has a limited impact on the conflict management behaviour of the wider student population. Only those students who directly participated in mediation sessions accepted mediation as a valid conflict management process and learned more positive ways of handling conflict