No description available.

No description available.

Over the 2002 to 2010 period of New Labour administration, a key strand of educational policy was the notion of 14-19 education. A key component of which was a belief that for this to be delivered most effectively, organisations needed to work in partnership. This research aimed to understand and explain the operation of a 14-19 partnership, of which I was a member, and to suggest possible ways in which its operation could be improved. It was carried out as the Conservative Liberal Democrat Coalition was introducing significantly different accountability measures for the 14-16 age group. A critical realist methodology was used as the ontological and epistemological basis (Bhaskar 1998; Bhaskar 2008). Since such a methodology does not have a preferred underpinning theoretical framework, results were predominantly analysed through the lens of Bourdieu’s triad of sociological principles of habitus, field, and capital (Bourdieu and Wacquant 1992). Where appropriate, results were also framed by performativity (Lyotard 1984) and partnership perspectives from education (Hodgson and Spours 2006) and organisational studies (Contractor and Lorange 2004). Two key data collection methods, both from the perspective of an insider researcher, were used. Participant observation was used to obtain in situ evidence of partnership operation. In addition, eleven senior managers from partnership organisations were interviewed using semi-structured interviews. An analysis of field positions and a reflexive self-analysis were also carried out. This study identified that, for this partnership, the introduction of ‘Progress Eight’ led to the partnership’s demise. Using empirical evidence, the study provides theorised explanations of factors that affected partner engagement within this particular ‘weakly-collaborative’ 14-19 partnership, thus providing a number of original contributions to knowledge. It extended conceptions of educational partnership based upon theories of social capital by linking partnership engagement to capital exchange, capital cost-benefit analysis and the influence of government statist capital. The study also provided an early indication of the likely influence of ‘Progress Eight’ on partnership behaviour and, more generally, on the 14-16 curriculum within schools. Finally, the research methodology is an operationalised example of how a Bourdieun theoretical framework could be combined with a critical realist ontology to research the educational organisation context.

Changes in the Israeli educational system, since 1968, have led to the conversion of 46% of High Schools to six-year Comprehensive Schools which incorporate two sections, junior-high and high school, each with its own principal. The research is concerned with the problems of integration faced by these six-year schools from the perceptions of principals, teachers and a selection of pupils. The research deals with three central, conceptual and empirical areas: the arguments for and against integration, the management style of the principal and the school culture. This research project is in two parts: a survey of all the integrated schools belonging to the ORT Network in Israel, and case studies of three of the integrated six-year schools. There are 70 schools and colleges within the ORT Network, of which 23 are six-year comprehensives. The total number of pupils enrolled in the ORT six-year schools is approximately 30,000. The research is concerned with the impact of the management and leadership style of the principal on the integration process. Therefore, questions about leadership and management style, derived from a number of theorists (Sergiovanni, 1983, Blake and Mouton, 1985, Bush, 1995) were used to allow the researcher to evaluate the perceived optimal and desirable form of school management for six-year comprehensive schools. The impact of different types of school culture on integration in junior-high schools and high schools is measured through questions based on the Hargreaves (1995) and Friedman (1987) models of school culture. A particular area of school culture is the extent of social interaction amongst teachers, and the interaction of teachers between the two sections of the case study schools. This is measured through a specifically adapted tool (Fershtman, 1993), based on social network theory.

As the argument of this thesis deals with the polarities of language usage in Jamaica, Part One presents the historical context in which a language 'continuum' came to exist in the society. Then it analyses the systemic contrasts between Jamaican Creole (JC) and Standard English (SE), and the language varieties between these two polar lects. A case history of Elementary/Primary schools in the late nineteenth and early twentieth._ centuries drew attention to the Creole-Standard debate. Educational administrators misunderstood the nature of the linguistic configuration - denying pupils' Creole the right to exist - while teachers were singularly ill-equipped to help boys and girls acquire English. Part Two deals with the empirical investigation which centres on a substantially representative sample of 530 Secondary pupils. The study seeks to determine the extent to which the Secondary sector, which is designed for the masses, can achieve two divergent linguistic goals laid down by the Ministry of Education - 'appreciation of Creole' and 'a high level of competence in English'. The study probes in some depth the concept of 'linguistic focusing' as it seeks to assess pupils' access to English through the printed word and the media. Then it closely analyses their perspectives on language use and attitudes to both languages. Finally, the assessment of two written tasks provides evidence of pupils' productive abilities in English. The data clearly reveal that they have not acquired English, even after eight years of exposure to formal teaching. Indeed, the majority leave school with negative attitudes to JC and a legacy of linguistic insecurities. The thesis concludes on a hopeful note, however, as it suggests how a new political will, the insights of linguistic scholarship and new vistas in teacher education could combine to resolve the Creole-Standard debate.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis explored the management of change, from a British model of Design and Technology (D&T) curriculum to the Botswana model intended for senior secondary schools. There is little research on the management of change in D&T education especially at senior secondary school level. The study employs the ADKAR (Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement) change model, originally designed for business and industry as the theoretical framework to assess the nature of change and use insights gained to identify gaps in the implementation and make proposals for more effective implementation. The study employed a multi-phase case study as a data collection strategy, which was mainly qualitative and situated within a post-modernist inquiry paradigm. A multi-method approach was adopted for data collection, which included questionnaires, individual and group interviews as well as literature review. The data were collected from in-service officers and teachers because of their role as change managers and implementers respectively. Data analysis employed a thematic analysis approach for qualitative data while descriptive statistics were used for quantitative data. The findings of the study revealed the following issues affecting the curriculum: limited implementation strategy. limited participation by key stakeholders. weak coalition for change. limited administrative support especially in terms of provision of resources. and a limited teacher support system as well as weak reinforcement mechanisms to sustain the change. The findings showed that the existing D&T curriculum included new advanced technological content areas to align it with the country s vision of moving away from the traditional agro-based economy to the industrial one. These findings suggest that the technology content areas were barely taught in secondary schools primarily due to limited teachers expertise and inadequate provision of equipment. The study proposes a school-based continuous professional development (CPD) model, which recognises that teachers are change agents and a vital resource that can be developed to build the necessary change capability. The premise of this framework is that the current regional management system was not effective considering the constraints of limited implementation capacity and resources, the vastness of some regions as well as the fact that schools operated under different contexts. The envisioned CPD recognises the uniqueness of school and teachers input into the design and development of CPD programmes. The proposed CPD model promotes also research-based evidence that ensures that it is not a mere skill upgrading exercise, but one that integrates teachers professional development needs, with those of the curriculum and students. This thesis contributes to the field by providing some insights into some of the dynamics of implementing and coping with change within the context of Botswana. The ADKAR framework employed in this study is an original contribution in the field of D&T education. This framework will be of particular use to other countries undertaking D&T curriculum innovation in terms of guiding change management activities such as: readiness assessment; resource provision; developing communications strategies; identifying gaps in terms of training needs for teachers; creating enabling structures; resistance management and reinforcement strategies.

Graphicacy is the fundamental human capability of communicating through still images. Graphicacy has been described as the fourth ace within education, alongside literacy, numeracy and articulacy. However, it has been neglected, both within education and the research field. This thesis investigates graphicacy and students learning, structured around 3 objectives: establishing what graphicacy is and how it is used in the school curriculum; demonstrating the wider significance of design and technology teaching and learning by collecting evidence of the importance of graphicacy across the curriculum; and establishing how the abilities to understand and create images affect students learning. A literature review was conducted focused on three areas. Firstly, identifying the meaning of graphicacy, elements contained within it and relevant prior studies including its use in different subject areas and image use within teaching. This formed the foundations for a new taxonomy of graphicacy. Secondly, the levels of drawing and developmental stages children go through were investigated and the need for further research on children s abilities aged 11 to 14 was identified. The well balanced arguments concerning the nature versus nurture debates are described. Thirdly, the methodology used to measure graphicacy, and map the results to reflect levels of different competencies were reviewed. A naturalistic and often opportunistic approach was followed in this research. The research methodology was based on the analysis of textbooks and later, on research within practice. The research included the development, validation and use of the taxonomy of graphicacy; case studies in Cyprus, the USA and England on identifying graphicacy use across the curriculum; and the creation of continuity and progression descriptors through the analysis of students work. This work covered: rendering, perspective drawing, logo designing, portrait drawing and star profile charts. Research methodologies developed and implemented for conducting co-research and the Delphi studies are also described. Through interviews with experts, the taxonomy was validated as an appropriate research tool to enable the identification of graphicacy use across the curriculum. These research studies identified links between design and technology and all other subject-areas studied. Similar patterns of graphicacy use were identified across 3 schools, one in Cyprus, USA and the UK. Photographs were the most commonly used graphicacy element across all subject areas studied. Design and technology within England was found to use the widest variety of graphicacy elements, providing evidence towards research objective 3; establishing how the ability to understand and create images affects students learning. Continuity and progression (CaP) descriptors were created for each area covered by this research. The success of the CaP descriptors relied on the technical complexity involved in the creation of each image. Some evidence was found concerning the limits of natural development and how nurture can further develop graphicacy skills. In addition, co-research as a methodology, its limitations and potentials are identified.

Η εισαγωγή της διαθεματικότητας στη χώρα μας υλοποιήθηκε στη χώρα μας με την πιο πρόσφατη μεταρρύθμιση των Αναλυτικών Προγραμμάτων Σπουδών (ΑΠΣ), στις αρχές της δεκαετίας του 2000, μέσω του προγράμματος παραγωγής των ΔΕΠΠΣ/ΑΠΣ/νέου εκπαιδευτικού υλικού. Στην παρούσα διατριβή επιχειρείται η αξιολόγηση του συγκεκριμένου προγράμματος ως προς την παιδαγωγική και τη διαχειριστική του διάσταση. Για την αξιολόγηση της παιδαγωγικής διάστασης αξιοποιήθηκαν μεθοδολογικά εργαλεία του προγράμματος PISA 2003 στην επίλυση προβλήματος, ενώ για την αξιολόγηση τη διαχειριστικής διάστασης του προγράμματος αξιοποιήθηκαν μεθοδολογικά εργαλεία που αφορούν τη συγκριτική αξιολόγηση, τους δείκτες ποιότητας, την αποτελεσματικότητα και την αποδοτικότητα, τα διεθνή πρότυπα διασφάλισης ποιότητας και την ανάλυση κόστους. Το δείγμα της έρευνας αποτέλεσαν 496 μαθητές της Γ΄ Γυμνασίου από 62 Γυμνάσια της Αχαΐας. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας δείχνουν ότι η εφαρμογή της διαθεματικής προσέγγισης της γνώσης βελτίωσε την επίδοση των μαθητών στην επίλυση προβλήματος και στις ανώτερες νοητικές λειτουργίες, ενώ σε επίπεδο διαχειριστικής διάστασης παραγωγής του εκπαιδευτικού υλικού διαπιστώθηκε η ορθολογική διαχειριστική διάσταση της παραγωγής των ΔΕΠΠΣ/ΑΠΣ/νέου εκπαιδευτικού υλικού. / The implementation of Cross Curricularity in Greece took place with the most recent reform of Analytic Programs of Study (APS), in the beginning of decade 2000 via the program of production of DEPPS/APS/new educational material. In the present dissertation is attempted the evaluation of this particular program as for the pedagogics and its administrative dimension. For the evaluation of pedagogic dimension were developed methodological tools from PISA 2003 in the problem solving, while for the evaluation of comparative developed concrete indicators. It was developed the international quality standards administrative dimension of program were developed methodological tools that concern the comparative evaluation, the indicators, the efficiency, the effectiveness, the International Standards and the cost analysis. The sample of research was 496 students of C class from 62 high schools of Achaia prefecture. The results of research show that the application of Cross Curricularity improved the student performance in problem solving and their higher mental functions, while at managing production dimension of the educational material found rationalize the production of DEPPS of /APS/new educational material.