“Bridge, Youth and Mindsport Education” research project is thrilled to announce that we’ve reached the first key milestones.
After months of diligent effort and collaboration, the BAMSA research team has successfully completed the preliminary phase of the research, which includes the formulation of research questions, the development and piloting of research tools, and multiple rounds of consultation with our international partners and key stakeholders.
Below is a concise summary of the research milestones completed since the launch of the project in summer 2024.
• Initial meetings with key stakeholders were held.
• Advisory groups were formed for each nation (Scotland, England, Norway, US) and one international steering group was established.
• Ethical approval for the project was obtained from the University of Stirling.
• Relevant research access permissions were obtained from the local authorities and councils.
• A presentation to the Central Local Authority Stirling Partnership was delivered.
• Research questions were articulated.
• Interview and focus group guides for young people, parents, schoolteachers, and bridge teachers were developed.
• Preliminary data was collected through interviews with key bridge informants in Scotland.
• A youth coordinator, Michael Rushworth, was appointed.
• A publication on Norwegian pupils’ attitudes towards bridge and mindsport education (BAMSA Report, 2024) was released.
• Another publication titled The sociology of bridge: Sport recognition for mind sports was published in Open Access Government (2024).
• The project was introduced in a presentation to the Scottish Government.
• Three reports are being drafted, with two nearing publication: “Youth bridge in the UK,” “Youth transitions in bridge,” and “The landscape of youth bridge in Scotland.”
• Relevant literature on chess, poker, games and education, educational policy, and bridge was collated.
• A pilot observation of a bridge teaching session at a local bridge club was conducted.
• An SGSSS/ESRC PhD proposal on mindsport education was drafted.
• Schools for the research fieldwork in Scotland were shortlisted and contacted.
• A research fieldwork strategy for England was developed.
• Initial discussions were held regarding the social media presence of youth bridge and ways to maximise the research impact.
• As part of a trip to the Norwegian Bridge Federation’s headquarters in Oslo, community researcher training was delivered, and a group of Norwegian community researchers was formed.
• Pilot fieldwork with pupils, schoolteachers, and bridge teachers was conducted at three Norwegian schools.
• The interview and focus group guides were refined based on the lessons from the pilot fieldwork.
• The group of Norwegian community researchers is preparing to conduct fieldwork in more schools.
• The BAMSA researchers – who are now back in Scotland – are similarly preparing to commence the research in Scotland and England, with a view to completing the main portion of the fieldwork on home soil by spring 2024, and visiting the US for fieldwork in summer 2024.
• BAMSA promotional flyers are currently being created for use in upcoming events (such as the Scottish Educational Research Association’s Health and Well-being Fair).
These initial achievements lay a solid foundation for the next stages of our work, paving the way for more in-depth investigations.
Our team’s dedication and commitment have been instrumental in achieving these early successes, and we’re excited to continue building on this momentum. Stay tuned for more updates as we progress!