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1.
Abstract

The new system for the inspection of special schools was introduced in England in September 1994, using common criteria as those used for mainstream schools. One of the main purposes of inspection stated by the Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) is school improvement. This paper presents the perceptions of headteachers of the inspection process arising from the first inspections carried out during September‐December 1994. The evidence base used on these inspections is also considered. These data are used to suggest that school improvement can be enhanced by the inspection process under certain conditions. A preliminary exploration of these conditions is provided in the paper. Implications for the school inspection process, school self‐review and future research questions are identified.  相似文献   

2.
ABSTRACT

In the UK, approximately 1 in 29 children have experienced the death of a parent or sibling. It is argued that schools are suitably positioned to provide support to bereaved children. However, there is a gap in research exploring bereavement support provision (BSP) in primary schools. This paper presents the qualitative phase of a mixed-methods study which aimed to gain insight into BSP in primary schools in one UK Local Authority. After completing an online questionnaire, 16 school staff took part in semi-structured interviews. The findings of this study highlighted that BSP is characterised by emotional support and other indirect responses. A key finding is that providing emotional support to a bereaved child has a negative impact on the emotional well-being of staff. This study discusses how educational psychologists (EPs) are well placed to provide whole school and targeted bereavement support to children and school staff.  相似文献   

3.
Research News     

In secondary schools, subjects dominate teaching and also the organizational structures. Typically, subject department heads perform a middle-management role in secondary schools and often this role is taken-for-granted and unquestioned. In this article, we examine the impact on secondary school culture and the resulting changes to practice when the department middle-management structure and roles are open to revision. We investigate the experiences of two schools that are part of a longitudinal study on reculturing and restructuring in all secondary schools in one school district in Ontario, Canada. Our research indicates that structural change initiated by school level participants is a prerequisite to real change and that structural changes preceded cultural changes. However, it is the process of creating the new structures that is the key consideration as mandating an alternative might not be facilitative of cultural change. The primary research question guiding this article is: what impact does involvement in restructuring a middle-management organizational model have on the culture of a school and the change process experienced by staff members?  相似文献   

4.
ABSTRACT

This paper explores the emotional experiences of elementary school inspections, from the appointment of the first State school inspectors in 1839 to 1911 when Edward Holmes, the retiring chief inspector, signposted the prospects of a new era in elementary education. The paper is arranged in two parts: the first provides an outline of the origins and development of elementary school inspection, while the second discusses the potential contribution of emotions scholarship to inform our understanding of elementary schooling seen through the lens of inspection. Whereas previous studies have concentrated on the inspectorate’s administrative history in relation to school development, this paper’s contribution is to highlight what inspection sources reveal about elementary schools as sites of emotional expression and experience. While acknowledging the challenges a history of emotions framework presents, the paper concludes that such an approach offers a fresh perspective on inspection and school regimes in the past.  相似文献   

5.
Background: Schools should be safe spaces for students, teaching staff and non-teaching staff. For the concept of ‘safety’ to be meaningful, it must be interpreted broadly to encompass well-being in its widest sense. A common challenge for schools and educational authorities is, therefore, to manage school safety appropriately not only to prevent physical accidents and incidents, but also with the purpose of creating an environment that promotes physical, emotional and social well-being, both individually and collectively.

Purpose: The aim of this research paper is twofold: (a) to explore the concept of safety as it is interpreted by schools and analyse the extent to which schools are committed to the goal of creating safe and healthy school environments; and (b) to identify organisational and management practices that promote the safety of school staff and users.

Design, sample and methods: The research was carried out from a qualitative perspective, based on a study of multiple cases carried out in Catalonia, Spain. The case studies (N = 9 schools) were selected by means of a purposive sampling process in order to obtain a selection of schools covering different education stages and under different types of ownership. The data collection process involved carrying out semistructured interviews (N = 39) with school principals, health and safety officers, teaching staff and non-teaching staff; focus groups with families (N = 2) and a review of general documentation and specific safety documents (N = 58). The data collected were completed and verified by means of interviews with experts (N = 3). The interviews, focus groups and notes arising from the document review were transcribed literally and analysed thematically, following a cross-case analysis structure.

Results: The data analysis indicated that creating safe and healthy environments was not always an explicitly endorsed principle or goal for schools. However, all members of the educational community were involved in ensuring adequate levels of school safety; and diverse management and organisational actions and measures were implemented to ensure physical, emotional and social safety.

Conclusions: We conclude that according to a broad interpretation of safety, which encompasses well-being in its widest sense, a comprehensive school safety management approach had not been fully adopted by schools in the studied sample. Whilst involvement in safety practices was evident, many actions appeared to be carried out without full consideration of the wider promotion of school safety. The study suggests the importance of training and awareness activities for education professionals in order to build and promote safety culture and to facilitate the introduction of a comprehensive school safety approach in the day-to-day management of schools.  相似文献   

6.
ABSTRACT

The results of research on the effects of OFSTED secondary school inspections in England since 1994 are presented. The reactions of headteachers to the inspections and their progress on the resulting school action plan are given. The results indicate considerable potential for school inspections to contribute to the process of school improvement.  相似文献   

7.
All staff at this primary school and training centre for emotionally and behaviourally disturbed children are participating In a research project. Action research will be used as a basic methodology. Because of all the constrains on time and resources that extra work of this nature adds to staff responsibilities, each area Is created to fit to the interests, activities and time of each member of staff. All the components are devised to obtain a baseline, develop areas of the child's language and reflect on any changes that have taken place. Not only are the staff involved, but parents also have their area of investigation and it is envisaged that external groups such as the behaviour management team will contribute long term.

The research proposal is based on the idea that children with emotional and behavioural difficulties will not initially have the language and therefore the reasoning capacity to understand social expectations. Their restricted language means that their inappropriate behaviour substitutes for talk and they are unlikely to have the skills to itemise their own linguistic behavioural controls. Inability to express emotional or behavioural difficulties does not make the child a candidate for talk therapies. The large numbers of children with this problem, means that the school environment is best to explore its capacities to deal with the difficulties.

This paper is about the organisation of this initiative, its possible development and manifestations. It includes the Initial reactions of staff and initial responses observed by staff. The research also hopes to increase staff awareness and shared interests. Various perceptions create new insights Into what form help might take in the future for the emotionally and behaviourally disturbed child.  相似文献   

8.
This research explores the school funding system in post-Soviet Georgia. The research aimed to answer the following research questions:

(1) Does the voucher system promote cost effectiveness, and does increased funding improve the academic achievements of schools?

(2) To what extent does the school voucher funding system promote freedom of school choice?

(3) How effective is the school funding system in promoting the privatization of general education?

(3) The content analysis research method was used in the study. The study revealed important problems in the general education funding system of post-Soviet Georgia in terms of cost effectiveness, school choice, and the development of the private school sector. The authors argue that the absence of linkages between funding and educational reform is the main challenge facing the education system. The introduction of a differentiated, need-based, top-up funding model for private schools could improve opportunities for school choice and promote the establishment of free schools.  相似文献   

9.
《牛津教育评论》2013,39(3-4):421-436

This paper outlines the research evidence underpinning the National Literacy Strategy that was implemented in England in 1998. The paper summarises what the Strategy comprises and identifies several 'predisposing' influences. These were the international data on primary school pupils' reading performance, school effectiveness research and the findings from literacy programmes with underachieving pupils in the USA and Australia. School inspections provided additional evidence. The early success of the National Literacy Project provided a 'precipitating' influence, as it reflected much of what was implied in the other sources of research evidence. The main aspects of the National Literacy Strategy are discussed and the relevant research findings are indicated. The broadly complementary nature of these sources is noted and the paper concludes by suggesting that the Strategy offers the promise of significantly raising standards and of improving the life-chances of thousands of children.  相似文献   

10.
Background:?Professional commitment from teachers requires more than contractual compliance as personal and professional values are integral to teaching practice. Secondary school teachers are expected to act as role models and demonstrate positive attributes and attitudes in an evolving educational context. Little is known about how they understand or interpret their own values, or realise the shared values that lie at the heart of a school community.

Purpose:?The purpose of this review is to summarise the literature relating to values that teachers hold. The review is concerned with theoretical and empirical studies in which such values are considered, and also any tensions identified between the personal values of teachers and organisational values of the schools reflected in professional practice. This scoping exercise is part of two-year funded empirical research carried out by the authors in five secondary schools in England, using data from individuals, groups and schools on the personal values of teachers and head teachers. This research explored whether these values are congruent with the organisational values schools seek to establish.

Design and methods:?An extensive literature review was undertaken relating to the values held by secondary school professionals. The search was restricted to more recent works (i.e. the year 2000 onwards), and was mainly UK and secondary education focused. The search was conducted using the educational database, Education Indexes on Dialog, and the Electronic Journal Service which is a database covering wider disciplines. To reach harder-to-find research reports, additional strategies were adopted including hand searching of key journals and reference to existing publication lists. The review generated over 1000 published references that were then screened to determine whether publications were based on empirical research conducted in schools, and/or helped a deeper theoretical understanding about the meaning of values.

Conclusion:?The review highlights the integral part values continue to play in education. This article presents a framework of understanding derived from the literary contexts in which values are discussed. There is little empirical data to support current understanding about the values that secondary teachers hold, and how these fit with the organisational values of the schools in which they work. Studies in the context of values and professionalism stress the need for dialogue and reflection so that ‘implicit’ values that teachers hold become explicit, and refined through practice.  相似文献   

11.
ABSTRACT

Background: While the school leader’s role is undoubtedly instrumental in school effectiveness, the specific influence of formal leadership on pupil learning is indirect and can be difficult to determine. Research findings suggest that school leaders can influence school organisation and pupil learning by acting catalytically, thus unlocking their schools’ existing potential. In school-based development, school leaders and their staff undergo a workplace development process, using school resources to contribute to it.

Purpose: This article explores the concept of leadership in school-based development, focusing on leading teacher learning processes in relation to pupil learning. The research problem is formulated in the following question: How is the school leader’s role enacted and experienced when enhancing teachers’ learning in school-based development? The intent of the study was to further the understanding of leadership in school-based development.

Sources of information and method: A qualitative interview study was conducted with teachers and leaders from three lower secondary schools, roughly 2 years after the schools participated in a formal school-based development project which was initiated by the Norwegian education authority. To present the findings based on the collected data, narrative texts were constructed.

Findings: The findings draw attention to the importance of leaders’ participation in the teacher learning processes of school-based development. The study highlights the importance of leaders building trust in their schools: development processes must be collegium-rooted with common goals for the whole school. The interplay of culture, structure and content is found to be necessary for successful school-based development. Furthermore, school leaders need to balance internal and external accountability, moving school practices towards local goals, which are constructed within national overall aims.

Conclusions: The study suggests that leaders require an overview of developmental processes to manage to support and progress development; leadership needs to be distributed. Further research on leaders’ learning in relation to school-based development can generate knowledge that serves as a thinking tool, thereby informing leaders’ actions in support of school-based development.  相似文献   

12.
With decentralisation becoming increasingly widespread across Europe, evaluation and accountability are becoming key issues in ensuring quality provision for all (Altrichter & Maag Merki, 2010; Eurydice, 2004). In Europe, the dominant arrangement for educational accountability is school inspections. The purpose of this research is to identify and analyse the ways in which school inspections in The Netherlands impact on the work of schools. The results of 2 years of survey data of principals and teachers in primary and secondary schools show that inspection primarily drives change indirectly, through encouraging certain developmental processes, rather than through more direct and coercive methods, such as schools reacting to inspection feedback. Specifically, results indicate that school inspections which set clear expectations on what constitutes “good education” for schools and their stakeholders are strong determinants of improvement actions; principals and schools feel pressure to respond to these prompts and improve their education.  相似文献   

13.
ABSTRACT

This paper offers a practitioner's view of how continuing professional development (CPD) can help raise achievement in schools. It is one of four papers in this issue linked to a research project in Stoke-on-Trent seeking to raise attainment in schools in deprived communicates. Based on over 20 years’ experience working in and with different schools in the UK, this paper frames a head teacher's perspective, outlining seven strategies she believes are key to improving school performance. These strategies are providing CPD opportunities to all staff rather than just those involved in teaching, planning CPD activities in the light of school development priorities, mentoring and coaching between staff, forming inter-school networks and partnerships, team teaching, peer review and continual assessment of CPD impact.  相似文献   

14.
Abstract

Despite the rhetoric that students with learning difficulties are adequately supported within schools, the evidence suggests that they continue to experience school failure with devastating consequences. Students with learning difficulties are disproportionately represented as juvenile delinquents, as the unemployed and in mental health statistics. However, the defining of this group remains confused and imprecise and has not been a national priority. This has repercussions for both secondary schools and for the students themselves. This paper highlights research related to teaching practices, policies and school structure and their effects on the academic outcomes and emotional well being of students with learning difficulties. Finally, it makes a number of recommendations to change the status quo for these students.  相似文献   

15.
This paper reports on findings related to the perceptions held by members of school communities with respect to the factors which most help schools to be effective. The data are from a study conducted in Melbourne, Australia and in seven states of the United States of America. Findings from this research indicate that members of school communities: principals, teachers, parents and students believe that the most critical elements that contribute to the development of an effective school are dedicated and qualified staff, clear school purposes, strong academic and administrative leadership, a safe school environment and a positive school climate.

  相似文献   

16.
What does the published literature on contemporary classroom practice in Australian primary schools tell us about what classroom practice looks like? And what strategic directions for research does a review of the literature suggest. In this review, I show that teacher educators preparing teachers for Australian primary schools have alarmingly little to go on in terms of what day to day life in schools is like, how the different parties involved perceive contemporary practice and how schools address, if they do at all, issues of social justice. I address some strategic directions for research. In particular, I suggest the need to accumulate case studies documenting and analysing contemporary school practices.  相似文献   

17.
18.

Professional development is a requirement of every reform effort. Most states in the USA mandate a certain number of days in the school calendar to be allocated for professional development. Other nations often fund professional development for teachers to accompany an initiative to improve student performance. Although assumptions about why and how professional development should be conducted are shared, empirical evidence is relatively slim. Recent research generally focuses on the role of professional development in school reform. This study investigates the characteristics of involvement in professional development at the level of the district-the umbrella organisation for a geographic collection of schools. As part of a larger study, this research examines the professional development activities in school districts in relationship to overall district health. How do healthy and unhealthy districts differ in their approaches to professional development? What is the relationship between district health and student achievement? While confirming some of the assumptions about what makes effective professional development, this study provides research-based evidence for what districts can do to ensure district-wide impact and to bring about and sustain change. Furthermore, it illustrates the close association of district health and student achievement.  相似文献   

19.
ABSTRACT:  The effects of school inspections on school improvement have been investigated only to a limited degree. The investigation reported on in this article is meant to expand our knowledge base regarding the impact of school inspections on school improvement. The theoretical framework for this research is partly based on the policy theory behind the Dutch Educational School Supervision Act (the latter includes assumptions about how school inspections lead to school improvement). Interviews and a survey with school inspectors gave insight into how school inspectors implement the Supervision Act and how they assess schools, and stimulate schools to improve. The results of ten case studies showed that all schools started to improve after a school visit. The innovation capacity of the school and the school environment do not seem to contribute to school improvement after school inspections. No effects were found on school-improvement processes of the number of insufficient scores that schools received from inspectors, the extent of feedback and suggestions for improvement, and the number of agreements. The provision of feedback about weaknesses, the assessment of these weak points as unsatisfactory, and the agreements between an inspector and the school regarding improvement activities do appear to make a difference in promoting school improvement.  相似文献   

20.
ABSTRACT

This article discusses a 2-year action research project carried out in Catalonia using a sample of seven schools with varying degrees of social and ethnic diversity, focusing on the debate and critical perspectives surrounding the question of family–school relationships. It underlines four considerations, which are seen as symbolic, practical and probable barriers to this partnership: unequal power relationships, diversity and inequality of families, the grammar of schooling and how teachers view their professional identity. We present an action research project that involved the critical participation of the teaching staff in these seven schools and designed to answer the following question: under what conditions could family–school relationships be improved with and for all families, pupils and teachers? The conclusion discusses both the limitations of the critical action research and the lessons learnt from it: (a) the true transformation of the grammar of schooling is a slow and complex process; (b) this process is positive for teachers and makes their work better and easier; (c) the evaluation of constructive critical support is relevant and highly valued; and (d) the assessment of improved daily actions is key to making them visible and sustaining the change process.  相似文献   

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