This quantitative study investigated the correlation between school culture constructs and student achievement in 160 Title I K-8 schools from four Local Education Agencies. Title I schools receive funds from the federal government to fund programs and provide resources to help students meet rigorous standards on state assessments. School culture is defined as the beliefs, perceptions, relationships, attitudes, and written and unwritten rules that shape and influence every aspect of how a school functions. This study aimed to determine if any relationship existed between school culture constructs and student achievement. Statistical analysis included preexisting data collected from the 2016 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey and 2014-2016 student achievement data from the North Carolina End-of-Grade tests. The School Culture Survey constructs developed by Gruenert and Valentine (1998) were used to conduct a multilevel random intercept model for statistical analysis. Data analysis revealed a significant relationship between 2 of the 6 constructs related to school culture. Statistical analysis results revealed that Professional Development and Learning Partnership constructs had a significant relationship to student achievement. Both constructs had a p value of 0.00, which means a significant relationship exists between them and student achievement. Based on the results, recommendations include (1) broadening sample to include more Title I schools; (2) conduct a study to see if non-Title I schools will have the same constructs that relate to student achievement, (3) conduct a study to evaluate Professional Development and Learning Partnership in Title I schools, (4) analyzing Title I Distinguished schools, and (5) conducting a qualitative study related to understanding Professional Development and Learning Partnership in Title I schools. Building capacity in Professional Learning and Learning Partnerships could be the key to making sustained changes.
The paper presents the results of research exploring the relationship between democratic school leadership and democratic school culture in primary schools. The research is based on the present knowledge that points to the significant role of principals in the process of developing and changing school culture (Fullan, 2005). The aim of the research was to determine the extent of primary teachers' perception regarding the level of development of selected characteristics of democratic school leadership and its connection to their estimate of the level of development of selected characteristics of democratic school culture. The research comprised 651 teachers from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. The research was conducted by means of a survey using a questionnaire containing two instruments: the Instrument for the measurement of characteristics of democratic school leadership (designed for the research) and the Instrument for the measurement of characteristics of democratic school culture (adopted from Spajić-Vrkaš, 2016). According to the teachers' perception, principals in the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County implement characteristics of democratic school leadership to a significant degree. They perceive the level of characteristics of democratic school culture as moderate. In addition, the research has determined a statistically significant high positive correlation between characteristics of democratic school leadership and democratic school culture. ; U radu je prikazano istraživanje u kojem je provjeren odnos između demokratskoga školskog vođenja i demokratske školske kulture u osnovnim školama. Istraživanje se temelji na dosadašnjim spoznajama koje upućuju na značajnu ulogu ravnatelja u razvoju i mijenjanju školske kulture (Fullan, 2005). Svrha je istraživanja utvrditi je li i u kojoj mjeri procjena učitelja osnovnih škola o stupnju razvij enosti odabranih obilježja demokratskoga školskog vođenja povezana s njihovom procjenom stupnja razvijenosti odabranih obilježja demokratske školske kulture. U istraživanju je sudjelovao 651 učitelj iz grada Zagreba i Zagrebačke županije. Istraživanje je provedeno anketnim ispitivanjem u kojem je korišten upitnik koji je sadržavao Instrument za mjerenje obilježja demokratskoga školskog vođenja (izrađen za potrebe istraživanja) i Instrument za mjerenje obilježja demokratske školske kulture (preuzet od Spajić-Vrkaš, 2016.). Prema percepciji učitelja ravnatelji u Gradu Zagrebu i Zagrebačkoj županiji u značajnoj mjeri implementiraju obilježja demokratskoga školskog vođenja te percipiraju da u školama postoji osrednja razina prisutnosti obilježja demokratske školske kulture. Nadalje, istraživanjem je utvrđena statistički značajna visoka pozitivna povezanost između obilježja demokratskoga školskog vođenja i demokratske školske kulture.
This presentation is based on a project which is currently in progress in conjunction with the Curriculum Development Institute (CDI) and two partner schools. It focuses on the use of information technology (IT) resources to explore and establish learning and teaching strategies for coping with individual differences in primary classrooms. The teachers involved have developed a resource base that supports innovative delivery models for implementation in their classrooms. In preparing these resources a careful selection is made of appropriate IT resources and tools that can be used to cater for individual learning differences. These resources are designed to run on an online Integrated Learning Environment (ILE) which provides students with the flexibility of working at their own pace at any time from anywhere. The idea is to assist teachers to make use of this tool in an effective way so that they can easily adapt their teaching strategies for specific contexts in order to enhance classroom learning and achieve a beneficial educational outcome. Through continual refinement, the system will then become truly adaptive and sensitive to individual learning differences. The ILE allows teachers to use a variety of teaching strategies, provides a secure basis from which teachers can plan lessons to meet the needs of all students in the class, and, allows teachers to use a wide range of learning resources to provide students with opportunities to develop initiative and independent learning and enable students to enjoy learning through use of IT and be motivated by it. ; (Email: ktlee@ied.edu.hk) Dr. Lee Kar Tin is Head of the Department of Information and Applied Technology, Hong Kong Institute of Education and Associate Dean, School of Creative Arts, Sciences and Technology. Prior to her current position she was Director, Multimedia and Online Developments of the Faculty of Education at the University of Melbourne as well as an academic member of Education Faculty where she coordinated the implementation of multimedia and web-based delivery developments of various departments and initiated IT related faculty professional development programs for staff. Throughout her career she has been proactively involved in many IT initiatives and facilitated many seminars and workshops for teachers and principals in schools, for faculty in tertiary institutions and for government bodies. She has been invited as keynote and guest speaker and as consultant for various organizations. ; published_or_final_version ; Centre for Information Technology in Education, University of Hong Kong
This study aims to explore the innovations of Islamic schools in Lombok in the face of the disruption era. SDIT Anak Sholeh Mataram is a representation of a school that made the innovation effort. Data were obtained using the methods of observation, interviews, and documentation. Meanwhile, the theory used to analyze the problem in this study is to adapt the theory of "natural drift." Based on this theory, schools are living systems. The results show that SDIT Anak Sholeh Mataram succeeded in existing and surviving in its interaction and adaptation with its environment. This success was supported by school innovations in the form of a program called "School Culture." This program is a model designed and implemented in order to develop students' personal and social skills. This program emphasizes the practice of religious values in the daily lives of students. Evaluation of "School Culture" is done in writing and non-writing adjusted to the form of activities in the program. The success of this program lies in the active collaboration between schools, parents, the community, and the government. A note for this program is the need to instill awareness in all School Culture activities. This innovative program succeeded in triggering the appreciation of the SDIT shown by the people of Mataram.
This research interrogates the status of citizenship education in Irish secondary schools. The following questions are examined: How does school culture impact on citizenship education? What value is accorded to the subjects, Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE)? To what extent are the subjects of both the cognitive and non-cognitive curricula affirmed? The importance of these factors in supporting the social, ethical, personal, political and emotional development of students is explored. The concept of citizenship is dynamic and constantly evolving in response to societal change. Society is increasingly concerned with issues such as: globalisation; cosmopolitanism; the threat of global risk; environment sustainability; socio-economic inequality; and recognition/misrecognition of new identities and group rights. The pedagogical philosophy of Paulo Freire which seeks to educate for the conscientisation and humanisation of the student is central to this research. Using a mixed methods approach, data on the insights of students, parents, teachers and school Principals was collected. In relation to Irish secondary school education, the study reached three main conclusions. (1) The educational stakeholders rate the subjects of the non-cognitive curriculum poorly. (2) The subjects Civic, Social and Political education (CSPE), and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) command a low status in the secondary school setting. (3) The day-to-day school climate is influenced by an educational philosophy that is instrumentalist in character. Elements of school culture such as: the ethic of care; the informal curriculum; education for life after school; and affirmation of teachers, are not sufficiently prioritised in supporting education for citizenship. The research concludes that the approach to education for citizenship needs to be more robust within the overall curriculum, and culture and ethos of the Irish education system.
[eng] This article forms part of more extensive research on the changes that took place in school culture during the Fascist dictatorship in the years following the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). That research is limited to the island of Majorca and draws from a variety of different sources, including photographs. The present paper focuses on analyzing the sources of such photographs, although other testimonies and sources are also taken into account when the conclusions are drawn. The elements featured here provide material for furthering the debate on the possibilities photography offers in detecting the changes and continuities in school culture at a time of radical political transformation.
In der Arbeit wird untersucht, welchen Beitrag Schulen dazu leisten können, dass Schülerinnen und Schüler zur Teilhabe an der Demokratie befähigt werden. Ausgangspunkt ist die Feststellung, dass sich die öffentliche Wahrnehmung der Qualität von Schule in den vergangenen Jahren zunehmend darauf ausrichtet, welche Leistung Schülerinnen und Schüler erbringen. Nicht(fach)leistungsbezogene Kriterien, die ebenfalls ein normativ begründbares und einzuforderndes Ergebnis von institutionellen Beschulungsprozessen sind, werden dagegen in der politischen, wissenschaftlichen und medialen Auseinandersetzung weit weniger reflektiert. Hierbei wird jedoch übersehen, dass der Schule nicht nur die Aufgabe der Wissensvermittlung zukommt, sondern auch der Auftrag zur umfassenden Persönlichkeitsbildung von Schülerinnen und Schülern. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird das Konstrukt demokratischer Handlungskompetenzen als Ergebnis schulischer Erziehungs- und Sozialisationseffekte auf der Grundlage demokratie- und kompetenztheoretischer Überlegungen begrifflich-konzeptuell entfaltet. Als Facetten dieses mehrdimensionalen Konstrukts werden beispielsweise das politische Wissen und Interesse, die Überzeugung, politisch kompetent zu sein, die Bereitschaft zu politischem Diskurs, zu gezielter Informationssuche und zu gesellschaftlicher Verantwortungsübernahme einbezogen. Es wird postuliert, dass eine spezifische Verfasstheit der Schule, die als demokratische Schulkultur organisations- und schulqualitätstheoretisch konzeptualisiert wird, dem Erwerb solcher Kompetenzen förderlich ist. Auf der Grundlage einer Interviewstudie wird zunächst qualitativ untersucht, welche Konzeptionen des zentralen Konstrukts demokratischer Schulkultur bei den an Schule Beteiligten vorherrschen und wie sich der demokratische Auftrag der Schule im konkreten schulischen Geschehen niederschlägt. Es kann aufgezeigt werden, dass demokratiespezifische Bezüge – Notwendigkeit zum pluralistischen Diskurs, Fördern von Mündigkeit, kritische Reflexion bestehender Verhältnisse – bedeutend seltener vorzufinden sind als die Vorstellung eines auf Gemeinschaftlichkeit, Solidarität und gemeinsamer Verantwortung ausgerichteten Miteinanders. In der quantitativen Studie werden auf der Basis eines umfassenden Datensatzes von ca. 6700 Schülerinnen und Schülern, 3500 Lehrkräften und 137 Schulleitungen die Zusammenhänge zwischen demokratischer Schulkultur und demokratischen Handlungskompetenzen analysiert. Der hierarchischen Struktur der Daten gemäß, werden mit Hilfe von Mehrebenenregressionsanalysen individuelle Effekte von denen der Organisationsebene (Schule) analytisch getrennt. Es kann gezeigt werden, dass jenseits von individuellen Voraussetzungen – Geschlecht, Migrations- und familiärer Hintergrund – systematische Effekte der Schulkultur auf das Niveau demokratischer Handlungskompetenzen bestehen. Dabei erweisen sich nicht solche schulischen Merkmale als bedeutsam, die allgemeine Schulqualitätskonzepte beschreiben, wie beispielsweise die Kooperation der Lehrkräfte oder die aktive Elternarbeit, sondern vor allem auf demokratieförderliche Aspekte ausgerichtete Faktoren, wie zum Beispiel die Unterstützung eines pluralistischen, offenen Diskurses, die Verlebendigung demokratischer Prinzipien oder die Abwesenheit von gewaltsamen Formen der Konfliktlösung. Ausblickend verweist die Arbeit insbesondere auf methodologische Desiderata, die für das Paradigma der Schulqualitätsforschung insgesamt gelten: So wird in der Betrachtung hierarchischer Daten häufig eine Ebene, die nicht im Zentrum des Interesses liegt, ignoriert; was jedoch unter Umständen zu einer Verzerrung der geschätzten Effekte führt. Darüber hinaus wurde deutlich, dass es sich bei einer demokratischen Schulkultur offenbar um ein eigenständiges, über den allgemeinen Qualitätsbegriff hinausgehendes Qualitätsmerkmal von Schule handelt, was jedoch in weiteren Studien sowohl quantitativ als auch qualitativ – beispielsweise im Zuge eine kommunikativen Validierung mit den Beteiligten – nachgewiesen werden müsste. (Autorin) ; This work examines how schools can contribute to empowering students to participate in democracy. It starts with the observation that in recent years, the public perception of school effectiveness has increasingly focused on the achievements of students. Criteria bearing no relation to (academic) achievement that likewise constitute a normatively justified outcome of school institutional processes receive far less attention in political, scientific and medial discussions. This overlooks the fact that school does not only have to fulfill the task of conveying knowledge, but it also has a commitment to developing the personalities of students in a comprehensive manner. The construct of democratic action competencies is conceptually and terminologically developed against this background, as an outcome of school-related education and socialization effects, following democracy theoretical and competence theoretical thoughts. This multi-dimensional construct includes the facets of, for example, knowledge and interest in politics, the confidence in being politically competent, the readiness to join in political discourse, to a focused search for information and to take on responsibility in society. A specific character of the school, which is conceptualized as a democratic school culture in organization and school effectiveness theoretical terms, is predicted to be beneficial to the acquisition of such competencies. In a first step, an interview study provides the basis for a qualitative examination of the conceptions of democratic school culture prevailing among the participants in the school process, and how the democratic commission of the school is evident in concrete everyday school life. It is shown that democracy-specific aspects such as the necessity for pluralistic discourse, advancement of autonomy, critical reflection of existing conditions occur far less frequently than the idea of living together on the basis of community, solidarity and shared responsibility. The quantitative study, which is based on a comprehensive set of data gained from ca. 6700 students, 3500 teachers and 137 school managers analyses the correlations between democratic school cultures and competencies for democratic action. Following the hierarchical structure of the data, multi-level regression analyses are applied to analytically discern individual effects from those of the organization level (school). Systematic effects of the school culture on levels of competence for democratic action can be proven to exist besides individual preconditions such as sex, migration and family background. Not those features of school quality are significant in this context that de-scribe general school effectiveness concepts (such as the cooperation of teachers or active parent involvement), but rather those factors that are directed towards promoting democracy, such as the support of a pluralistic, open discourse, the coming to life of democratic principles or the absence of violent forms of solving conflicts. In an outlook, the study points out desiderata particularly with regard to methodology, which pertain to the paradigm of school effectiveness re-search itself. For instance, the analysis of hierarchical data often ignores a level that does not lie at the heart of interest, but this might lead to a distortion of estimated effects. It furthermore became evident that a democratic school culture seems to be an autonomous quality feature of school that goes beyond the general concept of effectiveness. However, this would need to be proven by subsequent qualitative and quantitative studies – for example, by means of a communicative validation with the participants. (Author)
In any academic institution two action levels with regards to school organization can be found. On the one hand, the macro-political level basically concerned with educative legislation and how these rule educative institutions. On the other hand, the micro-political level concern-ing school priorities. Along this book chapter we will provide a research based on how the macro and the micro political levels should handle together. Hence, we will basically provide an updated theoretical framework focusing on the most relevant trends. Moreover, we will keep on with a deep analysis of how stakeholders and active agents promote and develop curricular prescriptions. Finally, we will analyze and discuss how far the implementation of educative principles contributes to enhance the students' interests and assumes their needs for a better teaching-learning process.
The term "adult education" appears prominently in the discourse on education in the micro island state of Malta. Representatives of the political parties regularly highlight this aspect of the educational system in interviews and documents in the run up to the country's general elections. During this period, the country's largest teachers' union reserves an entire section in its 'manifesto to the political parties' to adult education? Furthermore, the last decade or so has witnessed a proliferation of agencies claiming to engage in activities which fall under the rubric of adult education. In this context, we shall only deal with organised adult education activities. We shall not touch the myriad informal processes that can lead to adult learning since we confine ourselves in this paper to providing a critical discussion orientated around some of the most visible Maltese adult education agencies. ; peer-reviewed
The study investigated teacher perception of effect of school culture on secondary school administration in Ibadan North Local Government Area of Oyo State. It examined the common values prominent among secondary school teachers that constitute school culture; taken an in-depth study of effect of school culture on school administration and the role of school culture in effective school administration. Descriptive Survey design was adopted for the study with a targeted population of all secondary school teachers in Ibadan North local government. 40 secondary schools were randomly selected for the study, from which 5 teachers were also selected from each of the schools to make a total sample of 200 participants. The instrument Secondary school Administration Questionnaire" (TPESCSSAQ) with Cronbachs' Alpha reliability coefficient value of 0.67. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and the results revealed that; a significant mean difference t= 4.122, df =200, p<0.05 existed between male and female teachers in their perception of school culture. Also, the five elements of school culture namely; Staff Support, Collaborative Leadership, Teacher Collaboration, Professional Development, and Unity of purpose significantly and jointly (R = .972, F = 668.492, P < 0.05) contributed to secondary school administrative effectiveness. Furthermore, among all elements of school culture staff support made the highest contribution to school administrative effectiveness (? = -2.311, p < 0.05) which was significant. The outcome of the study revealed that effective administration of secondary schools is the function of cultural practices inherent in secondary schools. Hence, it was recommended that Stakeholders in secondary school education should respect and support the cultural practices prevalent in secondary schools as they could influence their effective administration.
This work analyzes the characteristics of the resistance to the processes of change through the following conditions: the school is the change unit, it's necessary people concerned with the change, those agents need autonomy and power, it's necessary an internal engine that moves the processes; the change depends more on the initiatives, the work of the teachers and headmaster that of the legislative reform; and the school is possible that it improves if is able to leam itself. In this revision it prevails what it happens about attitudes when such conditions do not take place. The attitudes have sense in their integration in the school cultures. ; Este trabajo analiza las características de las resistencias a los procesos de cambio a través de las siguientes condiciones: el centro educativo es la unidad de cambio, que para que éste ocurra son necesarias personas concernidas con el mismo, que esos agentes necesitan autonomía y poder, que es necesario un motor interno que dinamice los procesos; que el cambio depende más de las iniciativas, el trabajo de los profesores y de la dirección escolar que de la reforma legislativa; y que el centro educativo es posible que mejore si es capaz de aprender de sí mismo. En esta revisión prevalece qué ocurre con las actitudes de los profesores cuando no se producen tales condiciones y se establece que las actitudes hacia el cambio tienen sentido entendidas desde su integración en el seno de las culturas escolares.
In this study, motivational and school culture differences were measured among school districts whose union members accepted or declined merit pay in the form of the Merit Award Program (MAP) that is legislatively mandated in Florida. Okaloosa County School District was utilized as the school district whose union members declined the MAP; Gilchrist County School District was utilized as the school district whose union members accepted the MAP. Analyses showed that there was no difference in the type of prevailing motivational orientation among the teachers in both school districts, with teachers from both districts rating themselves predominately as intrinsically motivated. School culture perceptions show a significantly higher school culture perception in Gilchrist County School District union members who accepted the MAP. ; Ed.D. ; Department of Curriculum and Diversity Studies ; Doctorate
In this study, it is aimed to investigate the students' and teachers' perceptions of the principal and the effects of principal change on these perceptions through metaphors. The data have been gathered from the same and similar study groups (10 students and 10 teachers from the same high school) in the same school in the education years of 2008-9 and 2013-14. The analysis of the school culture in terms of metaphors based on the principal change is aimed. In this qualitative study, in order to get the data, a semi-structured form, which has been produced by the researchers, has been used and the gathered data have been analyzed by coding. The findings have shown that metaphors stated by the teachers contain a more critical point of view. In addition, it is seen that the change of the principal has affected the student metaphors (became more critical and negative) more than the teacher metaphors as teacher metaphors haven't been affected by this change. Among the positive-neutral metaphors, there are "order provider, bringing people to the further, balance supporter, orchestra conductor, the foundation of a building, etc.". "Politician, king of the school, sultan, dictator dad, a robot equipped with perfect behaviors and values and never makes a mistake, etc." are some of the negative ones.
In the 21st-century professional competence of teachers is needed in carrying out the teaching and learning process, which is pursued through the Development of Sustainable Profession (CLA). The low level of CLA in SMP Negeri 1 Semarang proves that the government's efforts to improve teacher professionalism haven't been successful. This study aims to determine the effect of principal leadership and school culture through work ethic on the professionalism of junior high school teachers in Semarang City. This study applies the analysis path through two regression analyses: 1) regression analysis between principal leadership, school culture, and work ethic on teacher professionalism, and 2) regression analysis between principal leadership and school culture on work ethic. This study uses the online Sobel Test Calculator to test the variables. The results of the regression analysis stated that the principal's leadership had no direct effect on teacher professionalism. Principal leadership and school culture affect teacher professionalism through work ethic as an intervening variable according to the results of the Sobel test.
