Pub Date : 2021-10-28DOI: 10.1177/13654802211051929
A. Sigurðardóttir, Börkur Hansen, B. Gísladóttir
The challenge of educational improvement, due mainly to the complexity of educational systems, is well-known. The aim of this study is to provide knowledge regarding the process of change within schools to better understand how it might depend on cultural context and the characteristics of individual schools. Based on interventions in four compulsory schools (6–15 years old students) in Iceland, the study uses both qualitative and quantitative data. The process of change was guided by a framework grounded in professional learning community principles and designed to be adaptive for cultural contexts as well as the interdependence of different factors of educational systems. Theories of drivers of change and indicators of schools as professional learning communities were used to understand cultural conditions within them. The main findings indicate that the change process in team-driven schools with relatively high levels of teacher collaboration and engagement works well in the framework. By contrast, the change process seemed restrained in the profession-driven and problem-driven schools characterised by either a high level of teacher autonomy and lack of collaboration or engagement in solving several generic problems. The study provided valuable insights regarding the complexity of facilitating change, particularly, the importance of identifying main drivers of change affecting an intervention process at the initiation stage.
{"title":"Development of an intervention framework for school improvement that is adaptive to cultural context","authors":"A. Sigurðardóttir, Börkur Hansen, B. Gísladóttir","doi":"10.1177/13654802211051929","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211051929","url":null,"abstract":"The challenge of educational improvement, due mainly to the complexity of educational systems, is well-known. The aim of this study is to provide knowledge regarding the process of change within schools to better understand how it might depend on cultural context and the characteristics of individual schools. Based on interventions in four compulsory schools (6–15 years old students) in Iceland, the study uses both qualitative and quantitative data. The process of change was guided by a framework grounded in professional learning community principles and designed to be adaptive for cultural contexts as well as the interdependence of different factors of educational systems. Theories of drivers of change and indicators of schools as professional learning communities were used to understand cultural conditions within them. The main findings indicate that the change process in team-driven schools with relatively high levels of teacher collaboration and engagement works well in the framework. By contrast, the change process seemed restrained in the profession-driven and problem-driven schools characterised by either a high level of teacher autonomy and lack of collaboration or engagement in solving several generic problems. The study provided valuable insights regarding the complexity of facilitating change, particularly, the importance of identifying main drivers of change affecting an intervention process at the initiation stage.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-10-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47205217","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-08-07DOI: 10.1177/13654802211034635
Shivaun O’Brien, G. McNamara, J. O’Hara, Martin Brown, C. Skerritt
School self-evaluation (SSE) or data-based decision making is now a common feature of mainstream education in an increasing number of jurisdictions. The participation of stakeholders including students, is promoted internationally as a key feature of effective SSE. Despite this, very little research has been carried out on how education systems might involve students in SSE and even less research has explored how student involvement can move beyond mere tokenism. Similar to many other jurisdictions, Irish schools are encouraged to include students in SSE. However, the research to date would indicate that while students are frequently consulted through the use of surveys they have little or no involvement in decisions that are made as part of the SSE process at a whole school level. This case study explores an atypical approach to student engagement in SSE which was tested in one Irish post-primary school where students participated as co-researchers along with their teachers in the SSE process. In doing so, student participation in SSE shifted from student as data sources to students as co-researchers. Students became members of the SSE Team, responsible for consulting with the wider staff team, student body and parents. They were actively involved in the completion of a whole school self-evaluation report on assessment and the development of a school improvement plan. The study outlines the key stages of the project and how student participation evolved through the process. Interviews conducted with both the teacher and student members of the SSE Team illuminates the experience of the students and staff on the SSE team. The findings indicate that this approach resulted in significant positive outcomes for the school and the individuals involved, but there were also a number of challenges. Student involvement resulted in greater awareness among, and participation of the wider staff team in the SSE process. However, it required more resources and time than is usually the case for an SSE process in Irish schools. The research suggests that this level of participation by students may require a more systematic and sustained engagement of students in decision making at a classroom level in order to build capacity of students to contribute to decision making at a whole school level on an ongoing basis. This study may have an application in jurisdictions aiming to include students in SSE, particularly at a higher level, and it also provides a glimpse into the deliberate planning and structures required if schools are to move beyond an instrumentalist, compliance model of ‘student voice’ towards a more authentic model of inclusive democracy.
{"title":"Students as co-researchers in a school self-evaluation process","authors":"Shivaun O’Brien, G. McNamara, J. O’Hara, Martin Brown, C. Skerritt","doi":"10.1177/13654802211034635","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211034635","url":null,"abstract":"School self-evaluation (SSE) or data-based decision making is now a common feature of mainstream education in an increasing number of jurisdictions. The participation of stakeholders including students, is promoted internationally as a key feature of effective SSE. Despite this, very little research has been carried out on how education systems might involve students in SSE and even less research has explored how student involvement can move beyond mere tokenism. Similar to many other jurisdictions, Irish schools are encouraged to include students in SSE. However, the research to date would indicate that while students are frequently consulted through the use of surveys they have little or no involvement in decisions that are made as part of the SSE process at a whole school level. This case study explores an atypical approach to student engagement in SSE which was tested in one Irish post-primary school where students participated as co-researchers along with their teachers in the SSE process. In doing so, student participation in SSE shifted from student as data sources to students as co-researchers. Students became members of the SSE Team, responsible for consulting with the wider staff team, student body and parents. They were actively involved in the completion of a whole school self-evaluation report on assessment and the development of a school improvement plan. The study outlines the key stages of the project and how student participation evolved through the process. Interviews conducted with both the teacher and student members of the SSE Team illuminates the experience of the students and staff on the SSE team. The findings indicate that this approach resulted in significant positive outcomes for the school and the individuals involved, but there were also a number of challenges. Student involvement resulted in greater awareness among, and participation of the wider staff team in the SSE process. However, it required more resources and time than is usually the case for an SSE process in Irish schools. The research suggests that this level of participation by students may require a more systematic and sustained engagement of students in decision making at a classroom level in order to build capacity of students to contribute to decision making at a whole school level on an ongoing basis. This study may have an application in jurisdictions aiming to include students in SSE, particularly at a higher level, and it also provides a glimpse into the deliberate planning and structures required if schools are to move beyond an instrumentalist, compliance model of ‘student voice’ towards a more authentic model of inclusive democracy.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-08-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47138684","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-19DOI: 10.1177/13654802211031088
Mir Afzal Tajik, D. Shamatov, L. Fillipova
Since its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has initiated major reforms to upgrade its education system. However, significant disparities exist in the quality of educational provision in rural and urban schools. This study presents the stakeholders’ – school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and education managers – vision, priorities, and aspirations of quality of education, as well as the opportunities, resources, and support available to them, and the disparities and challenges they face in achieving the quality of education they aspire for.
{"title":"Stakeholders’ perceptions of the quality of education in rural schools in Kazakhstan","authors":"Mir Afzal Tajik, D. Shamatov, L. Fillipova","doi":"10.1177/13654802211031088","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211031088","url":null,"abstract":"Since its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan has initiated major reforms to upgrade its education system. However, significant disparities exist in the quality of educational provision in rural and urban schools. This study presents the stakeholders’ – school leaders, teachers, students, parents, and education managers – vision, priorities, and aspirations of quality of education, as well as the opportunities, resources, and support available to them, and the disparities and challenges they face in achieving the quality of education they aspire for.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211031088","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41994956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-13DOI: 10.1177/13654802211031089
A. Mahmud
The secondary school transition is considered a critical life event by practitioners and researchers alike, and the challenges presented by the pupils during this transition continues to be high-profile in educational, social and political contexts. This study focused on Year 7 pupils aged 11 to 12 years old in their first year of secondary school. Classroom observations of around 120 pupils using an open framework recording procedure offered real-time insights into the everyday lived experiences of these adolescents. The paper illustrates the skills and behaviours that children brought to their secondary school transition, and as such reveals how the transition should be perceived as both an event and a social and emotional learning process. The findings of this study highlight the challenges of flexibility and diversity within peer networks after the move to secondary school and the impact the transition can have on the pupils’ sense of self. The analysis is discussed in terms of implications for schools, practitioners and researchers with suggestions for further studies with this under-researched and vulnerable group.
{"title":"“Please Miss, Please!”: An observational study of young people’s social and emotional experiences post-transition to secondary school","authors":"A. Mahmud","doi":"10.1177/13654802211031089","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211031089","url":null,"abstract":"The secondary school transition is considered a critical life event by practitioners and researchers alike, and the challenges presented by the pupils during this transition continues to be high-profile in educational, social and political contexts. This study focused on Year 7 pupils aged 11 to 12 years old in their first year of secondary school. Classroom observations of around 120 pupils using an open framework recording procedure offered real-time insights into the everyday lived experiences of these adolescents. The paper illustrates the skills and behaviours that children brought to their secondary school transition, and as such reveals how the transition should be perceived as both an event and a social and emotional learning process. The findings of this study highlight the challenges of flexibility and diversity within peer networks after the move to secondary school and the impact the transition can have on the pupils’ sense of self. The analysis is discussed in terms of implications for schools, practitioners and researchers with suggestions for further studies with this under-researched and vulnerable group.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-07-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48160095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-07-01DOI: 10.1177/13654802211035655
Terry Wrigley
In the early days of School Improvement, everything seemed to hover around building participation and partnership in the teaching staff, and then the wider community (students, other staff and parents). It was quite an untheoretical endeavour, a matter of systematically building trust and collaboration. This remains essential but not enough. Whenever the more complex issues in education are important, much deeper and more theoretical analysis is needed. Many articles in the present issue are exemplary and groundbreaking in the way they apply theory to complex realities, and with particular regard to dimensions of social justice. Kelly Stone and Jennifer Farrar (Scotland) reflect on the country’s groundbreaking new initiative to make the curriculum LGBTI-inclusive. In particular, they consider the importance of critical literacy in problematising dominant social structures and language practices. Drawing on a range of theory, including Freire, they examine the pitfalls of tokenistic approaches and the opportunities offered by school situations and children’s literature to challenge hegemonic assumptions. JaDora Sailes Moore and Chavez Phelps (USA) examine longstanding underachievement among African American boys. They challenge the pseudoscience of deficit approaches based on an assumed inadequacy of upbringing and culture, and zero tolerance policies which lead to frequent exclusions of African American boys. The authors describe and advocate culturally responsive pedagogies which show respect and link to students’ experiences. The importance of the supportive pedagogical relationship is highlighted, and the struggle to challenge stereotypes and identify micro-aggressions. Allison Reierson and Stephen Becker (Canada) look at the problem of initiative fatigue due to a rapid succession of disparate top-down initiatives. In particular, they examine the approaches known as Outcomes-Based Assessment (OBA) and Trauma-Informed Practice (TIB), asking how these can be aligned. Professional understanding and strategic leadership are vital in both cases. For successful school development, teachers must see the connections between a District’s directives and their daily reality. Julia Lederer, Caroline Breyer and Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera (Austria) focus on the professional needs of learning assistants who play an important role in supporting children with disabilities. In order to raise their knowledge and understanding, a European project has developed ‘knowledge boxes’ made available openly online. Learning and support assistants, as well as children from five countries, have participated in development of these boxes covering specialist needs, common perceptions and practical strategies. The authors provide excellent descriptions and illustrations of the knowledge boxes. Shane Lavery and Anne Coffey (Australia) look at middle school students’ perceptions of student leadership. The authors examine some of the diverse definitions and practices of leadersh
{"title":"Thinking deeply about educational change","authors":"Terry Wrigley","doi":"10.1177/13654802211035655","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211035655","url":null,"abstract":"In the early days of School Improvement, everything seemed to hover around building participation and partnership in the teaching staff, and then the wider community (students, other staff and parents). It was quite an untheoretical endeavour, a matter of systematically building trust and collaboration. This remains essential but not enough. Whenever the more complex issues in education are important, much deeper and more theoretical analysis is needed. Many articles in the present issue are exemplary and groundbreaking in the way they apply theory to complex realities, and with particular regard to dimensions of social justice. Kelly Stone and Jennifer Farrar (Scotland) reflect on the country’s groundbreaking new initiative to make the curriculum LGBTI-inclusive. In particular, they consider the importance of critical literacy in problematising dominant social structures and language practices. Drawing on a range of theory, including Freire, they examine the pitfalls of tokenistic approaches and the opportunities offered by school situations and children’s literature to challenge hegemonic assumptions. JaDora Sailes Moore and Chavez Phelps (USA) examine longstanding underachievement among African American boys. They challenge the pseudoscience of deficit approaches based on an assumed inadequacy of upbringing and culture, and zero tolerance policies which lead to frequent exclusions of African American boys. The authors describe and advocate culturally responsive pedagogies which show respect and link to students’ experiences. The importance of the supportive pedagogical relationship is highlighted, and the struggle to challenge stereotypes and identify micro-aggressions. Allison Reierson and Stephen Becker (Canada) look at the problem of initiative fatigue due to a rapid succession of disparate top-down initiatives. In particular, they examine the approaches known as Outcomes-Based Assessment (OBA) and Trauma-Informed Practice (TIB), asking how these can be aligned. Professional understanding and strategic leadership are vital in both cases. For successful school development, teachers must see the connections between a District’s directives and their daily reality. Julia Lederer, Caroline Breyer and Barbara Gasteiger-Klicpera (Austria) focus on the professional needs of learning assistants who play an important role in supporting children with disabilities. In order to raise their knowledge and understanding, a European project has developed ‘knowledge boxes’ made available openly online. Learning and support assistants, as well as children from five countries, have participated in development of these boxes covering specialist needs, common perceptions and practical strategies. The authors provide excellent descriptions and illustrations of the knowledge boxes. Shane Lavery and Anne Coffey (Australia) look at middle school students’ perceptions of student leadership. The authors examine some of the diverse definitions and practices of leadersh","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211035655","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44478824","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-06-23DOI: 10.1177/13654802211024758
J. Brady, Elaine Wilson
Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes accountability policies and pupil behaviour are often cited as stressors that contribute to teachers’ decisions to leave posts in the state-funded sector. Many of these teachers leave state teaching to take jobs in private schools, but very little is known about the nature of teachers’ work in the private sector. This research addresses this gap in knowledge and compares the sources of stress experienced by 20 teachers in the state sector to those of 20 teachers in the private sector. The paper is based on qualitative data from a larger study. It analyses data collected in interviews and focus groups with classroom teachers and middle leaders working in mainstream primary and secondary phase education in England. The results emphasise state school teachers’ acute distress in relation to workloads driven by accountability cultures. In comparison, private school teachers report less intense experiences of work-related stress, but some identify demanding parents as a concern. The research’s novelty lies in this comparison between sectors and these sector specific insights may help to focus school leaders’ efforts to improve teaching conditions in both sectors.
{"title":"Comparing sources of stress for state and private school teachers in England","authors":"J. Brady, Elaine Wilson","doi":"10.1177/13654802211024758","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211024758","url":null,"abstract":"Teaching is understood to be a highly stressful profession. In England, workload, high-stakes accountability policies and pupil behaviour are often cited as stressors that contribute to teachers’ decisions to leave posts in the state-funded sector. Many of these teachers leave state teaching to take jobs in private schools, but very little is known about the nature of teachers’ work in the private sector. This research addresses this gap in knowledge and compares the sources of stress experienced by 20 teachers in the state sector to those of 20 teachers in the private sector. The paper is based on qualitative data from a larger study. It analyses data collected in interviews and focus groups with classroom teachers and middle leaders working in mainstream primary and secondary phase education in England. The results emphasise state school teachers’ acute distress in relation to workloads driven by accountability cultures. In comparison, private school teachers report less intense experiences of work-related stress, but some identify demanding parents as a concern. The research’s novelty lies in this comparison between sectors and these sector specific insights may help to focus school leaders’ efforts to improve teaching conditions in both sectors.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211024758","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43314789","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-06-03DOI: 10.1177/13654802211019915
S. Adams, Steve Myran
Countries around the world have increased their focus on high quality early childhood programing. Recognizing the importance of parental and community engagement as a lever for improving child development and learning outcomes, and as a means of addressing social justice challenges, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2018) has emphasized the need for more research on the complex dynamics between structure, process, learning, and development. Such research should consider the impacts of the dominant neo-managerial paradigm and its overemphasis on clearly defined linear cause and effect pathways between structure and student learning, which underrepresents the reciprocal role that parents, the community and the students themselves play in shaping the learning setting (Myran & Sutherland, 2019a). Students’ and families’ senses of belonging to the community of knowers have major implications for their motivation, sense of ownership and buy-in (Davis, 2006; Goodenow & Grady, 1993). This study explored the lived experiences of parents/guardians of young children with the leadership of their children’s early childhood education program and how these individual and social interactions shaped parents’ epistemic agency, and their access to rhetorical spaces that recognized them as credible knowers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 parents whose children attended publicly funded pre-school programs. Findings revealed limited communication with leadership and difficulty developing positive relationships. Moreover, these challenges limited their access to rhetorical spaces to be heard and recognized as credible knowers. This study offers one small window into the OECD’s (2018) call for more research on the dynamics between structure, process, learning and development, and the importance of the quality of parental and community engagement as a lever for enhancing healthy child development and learning, and as a means of more effectively addressing ongoing social justice challenges.
{"title":"Leader-parent relationships in the early childhood education context: An exploration of testimonial and epistemic justice","authors":"S. Adams, Steve Myran","doi":"10.1177/13654802211019915","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211019915","url":null,"abstract":"Countries around the world have increased their focus on high quality early childhood programing. Recognizing the importance of parental and community engagement as a lever for improving child development and learning outcomes, and as a means of addressing social justice challenges, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2018) has emphasized the need for more research on the complex dynamics between structure, process, learning, and development. Such research should consider the impacts of the dominant neo-managerial paradigm and its overemphasis on clearly defined linear cause and effect pathways between structure and student learning, which underrepresents the reciprocal role that parents, the community and the students themselves play in shaping the learning setting (Myran & Sutherland, 2019a). Students’ and families’ senses of belonging to the community of knowers have major implications for their motivation, sense of ownership and buy-in (Davis, 2006; Goodenow & Grady, 1993). This study explored the lived experiences of parents/guardians of young children with the leadership of their children’s early childhood education program and how these individual and social interactions shaped parents’ epistemic agency, and their access to rhetorical spaces that recognized them as credible knowers. Utilizing a phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 20 parents whose children attended publicly funded pre-school programs. Findings revealed limited communication with leadership and difficulty developing positive relationships. Moreover, these challenges limited their access to rhetorical spaces to be heard and recognized as credible knowers. This study offers one small window into the OECD’s (2018) call for more research on the dynamics between structure, process, learning and development, and the importance of the quality of parental and community engagement as a lever for enhancing healthy child development and learning, and as a means of more effectively addressing ongoing social justice challenges.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211019915","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49552364","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-31DOI: 10.1177/13654802211021756
K. Gibbs, Ali Bozaid
In the last decade, inclusive education (IE) has become a trending topic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This small-scale, qualitative Saudi study reports on how some teachers view IE in their country and whether students with a disability (autism) could be educated in mainstream schools. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded using a smartphone. The analysis of interview data identified three themes related to IE and the concept of mainstream schooling for students with autism. Findings showed that the participants had some knowledge and understanding of IE. However, whether students with autism could be taught by general education teachers in mainstream schools reported mixed results. Some teachers spoke positively about the possibility, while others focused on existing barriers. These included the need for general education teachers to receive specialised training and professional learning in the form of authentic mentoring networks, training in special needs education to link theory with practice and how the scarcity of classroom resources hampers quality educational experiences and outcomes for some students. These findings provide a starting point for further research into the emerging phase of IE in Saudi Arabia.
{"title":"Conceptualising inclusive education in Saudi Arabia through conversations with special education teachers","authors":"K. Gibbs, Ali Bozaid","doi":"10.1177/13654802211021756","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211021756","url":null,"abstract":"In the last decade, inclusive education (IE) has become a trending topic in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This small-scale, qualitative Saudi study reports on how some teachers view IE in their country and whether students with a disability (autism) could be educated in mainstream schools. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted and recorded using a smartphone. The analysis of interview data identified three themes related to IE and the concept of mainstream schooling for students with autism. Findings showed that the participants had some knowledge and understanding of IE. However, whether students with autism could be taught by general education teachers in mainstream schools reported mixed results. Some teachers spoke positively about the possibility, while others focused on existing barriers. These included the need for general education teachers to receive specialised training and professional learning in the form of authentic mentoring networks, training in special needs education to link theory with practice and how the scarcity of classroom resources hampers quality educational experiences and outcomes for some students. These findings provide a starting point for further research into the emerging phase of IE in Saudi Arabia.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211021756","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49274325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-05-31DOI: 10.1177/13654802211019914
Stephanie Lezotte, Sharada Krishnamurthy, Daniel Tulino, Shelley D. Zion
The assumption that research is out-of-reach, irrelevant, or unusable for practitioners has been a theme echoed throughout academia. Research alliances such as Research-Practice Partnerships (RPP) attempt to alleviate this problem by having researchers, practitioners, and/or community-based organizations form a collaborative partnership that uses research to solve tangible problems of practice. Previous works have highlighted the complexities inherent with forming and maintaining these long-term partnerships including politics, trust building, time, and available resources. In this paper, we engage in reflective analysis of our own RPP around three key elements we believe are at the heart of RPPs: politicized trust, mutualism, and use of research. This paper illustrates successes and points of failure in each of these areas, which have been previously unconnected in RPP literature. We conclude with recommendations for school and university partners and future research on RPPs.
{"title":"Finding the heart of a Research-Practice Partnership: Politicized trust, mutualism, and use of research","authors":"Stephanie Lezotte, Sharada Krishnamurthy, Daniel Tulino, Shelley D. Zion","doi":"10.1177/13654802211019914","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211019914","url":null,"abstract":"The assumption that research is out-of-reach, irrelevant, or unusable for practitioners has been a theme echoed throughout academia. Research alliances such as Research-Practice Partnerships (RPP) attempt to alleviate this problem by having researchers, practitioners, and/or community-based organizations form a collaborative partnership that uses research to solve tangible problems of practice. Previous works have highlighted the complexities inherent with forming and maintaining these long-term partnerships including politics, trust building, time, and available resources. In this paper, we engage in reflective analysis of our own RPP around three key elements we believe are at the heart of RPPs: politicized trust, mutualism, and use of research. This paper illustrates successes and points of failure in each of these areas, which have been previously unconnected in RPP literature. We conclude with recommendations for school and university partners and future research on RPPs.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211019914","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48391172","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2021-04-07DOI: 10.1177/13654802211004787
G. Wilhelmsen, Marion Felder
Intact visual functions are necessary for children to reach their academic potential. In the absence of vision screening, children may have unnoticed vision disturbances and academic challenges may be attributed to other problems, such as learning or cognitive disabilities. Visual problems are detrimental to educational achievement if they are not recognised. This has lifelong consequences for the individual child but also for the wider society as educational and economic advances are stifled. Few teachers are aware how vision influences reading and learning. Tanzanian teachers went through a CPD-course to learn about vision sensory qualities and ocular motor functions and were trained in vision testing. Building on theory of vision qualities and viewing conditions in class, the teachers practised vision functions assessment. Under the supervision of vision scientists, pupils in standard 5 (n = 104) were tested with standardised methods. The data shows that there is a clear connection between the different sensory and ocular motor skills and that problems in one vision area influence other vision areas. Nearly 50% of the pupils had disturbances in one or more of the vision functions tested. In addition, the light conditions were challenging. When teachers learn about vision qualities and their impact on reading and learning, they understand why some pupils have reading problems, reduced motivation, disturbed self-esteem and problems with concentration. With these insights, more pupils can be helped to reach their potential.
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