An action research approach to relationships and sex education (RSE) in the digital era

Abstract

Young people increasingly rely on digital technologies to communicate with peers, and explore their sexuality, much to the concern of adults. However, adults’ anxieties over young peoples’ technology use often results from morals and technopanics, failing to consider the opportunities that technology can offer. Morals and technopanics often translates into education, with Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) focussing on harms and at times even victim blaming young people for harms experienced through technology. This research utilised an Action Research (AR) methodology to understand, and respond to, the impact of digital technology, namely TikTok, on relationships among young people. The first AR cycle involved semi-structured interviews with 12 young people. Findings include opportunities that TikTok offers to marginalised young people including LGBTQ+ communities, and potential harms including addiction and what I termed ‘algorithmic segregation’ whereby those who do not fit the platforms’ ideals gain less visibility as content creators. In response to these findings, I developed an algorithmic awareness intervention designed for the RSE curriculum. Feedback on the intervention was sought through an online survey involving RSE teachers. The survey’s findings revealed that there is no ‘one size fits all’ as each school delivers RSE differently. The intervention could not be employed within schools due to the Covid pandemic. It was instead employed within a youth group context in a deprived area of the North East of England as the final AR cycle. The findings of this AR cycle highlight the need for tailoring inclusive learning resources to the diverse needs of learners specifically accounting for the needs of SEN learners and boys who are often forgotten within RSE, which typically focuses on, and at times pathologises, girls and their behaviour. I discuss the findings from this research and provide recommendations for policy, education, healthcare, and future research.