The immense value of the arts has long been recognized by diverse cultures and such recognition has mostly guaranteed their inclusion in educational and school curricula the world over. The arts are considered valuable for numerous reasons, but their inclusion depends on particular interpretations of their merits that may sometimes have failed to realise their full or real potential. Although some ways of valuing the arts date back to antiquity, debates about the value of arts certainly deserve no less consideration in the modern context. Plato was sceptical about the moral value of the arts and regarded them as of dubious educational significance. He thought the arts were more a matter of rhetoric than reason. However, taking a more positive view of the moral power of the arts, Aristotle defended both the arts and rhetoric as potentially contributory to personal formation and the development of moral virtue. At all events, if the arts are to remain educationally defensible, it is arguable that educational theorists and policy makers need to demonstrate their capacity for: (i) objective aesthetic judgement; and (ii) the communication of knowledge and/or truth. Both of these are contentious, as artistic and aesthetic value judgements have often been said to be subjective or personal. In this context, the distinction between judging something as good (which requires reasons) or simply liking it (which does not) is crucial. Here, establishing the objective rational character of the arts seems to be a precondition of demonstrating their potential for knowledge or truth. Arguably, however, there are different respects in which arts may be said to contribute to the development of understanding and appreciation in human agents of themselves, of their relationships with others and of the world, e.g.: (i) aesthetic (sensory) appreciation; (ii) development of imagination; (iii) understanding of aspects of human psychology; (iv) education of the emotions; (v) and moral understanding. In this essay, various philosophical defences of the ‘intrinsic’ (personally formative) educational value of the arts will be drawn from the literature of philosophy and education. Following discussions of ancient arguments for and against the arts, the thesis will discuss at some length defences of the educational value of the arts offered by the American great books tradition, British literary and cultural critics and more recent educational philosophers and theorists. In the final ‘conceptual’ chapter of the thesis, two contemporary works of cinema are discussed to reinforce the key arguments of the thesis. However, having explored the nature and potential of the arts and arts education from a philosophical perspective, this study then seeks to enquire into recent Scottish educational policy developments with reference to the role of arts in arts education and in education more generally through: (i) the exploration of policy documents and official guidelines; and (ii) the voices of interviewees and other research participants involved in Scottish policy making. The thesis will conclude from this enquiry that the educational value and significance of the arts is not adequately appreciated in contemporary Scottish (and perhaps other) educational policy and practice. The study concludes by advocating a return to Aristotle’s conception of the arts as contributory to phronesis (the practical wisdom of virtue), rather than techne (the technical knowledge of skill). Narrow specialisation in forms of training are liable to leave people uninitiated into the wisdom and moral power of the arts –benefits that should ideally be available to all. From the perspective of this thesis, only a broad educational approach that encompasses thorough arts education will result in well-rounded, emotionally intelligent and truly educated human beings.

This research enquiry examines the extent to which managerialism has permeated the headship role in England. It analyses the literature pertaining to the changing role of headship in England, managerialism, the marketization of education and the impact that these elements have had on the headship role in England, as well as the manner in which they have impacted upon schools in general. The study also explored England’s National College for School Leadership, its headship standards and its generic headship training. The research was conducted by way of semi-structured interviews with six headteachers, two of whom were new to headship, two of whom had more than five years of experience and two of whom were retired. The sample included a mix of state school and independent school headteachers. The data revealed a stark contrast between the professional experiences of state school headteachers and independent school headteachers. The state school headteachers cited pressures of governmental interference and also noted the pressures posed by the socioeconomic background of the given school’s intake. The headteachers also expressed feeling insecure from one day to the next and there was an overriding sense of confusion predominantly due to constant changes in government directives. By contrast, any impact on the independent school headteachers from government intervention and interference was demonstrably absent.

The research reported in this thesis is an in-depth study of science education reform in a transitional society. The society in transition is Rwanda - one of the world's poorest countries - a tiny central African nation adversely affected by major social, political, economic, and ethnic upheaval. Rwanda is faced with the challenge of ensuring rehabilitation after the genocide of 1994 and has adopted the following national goals: implementation of a durable educational policy, eradication of illiteracy, national capacity building in science and technology and reinforcing the teaching of mathematics and sciences.The objective of this research is to describe, discuss and analyse information on the status of science education in Rwanda, from the perspective of primary and secondary science teachers, students, education personnel and my personal in-field observations and analysis. This research analyses the constraints in the implementation of educational policies and a relevant science education in a climate of social, political, cultural, ethnic and economic uncertainty.The research used a case study methodology and utilised quantitative and qualitative methods to examine how teachers' and students' knowledge, perceptions and experiences impact on the school learning environment. The study made use of a questionnaire that was administered to teachers and students in Rwanda. English and French versions of a modified School Level Environment Questionnaire (SLEQ) and a modified Teacher Beliefs Instrument (STEBI) were administered to teachers. Two scales derived from the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) were adapted for use in Rwandan classes.The qualitative component of the research made use of interviews, classroom observations, personal reflexivity, historical and curriculum document analysis and vignettes. / To enable an interpretation of the quantitative data from questionnaires in a meaningful manner, the socio-cultural, gender and ethnic perspectives of policy makers, teachers and students were examined through interviews and classroom observations of science lessons. My personal experiences and reflections also were used to understand science education reform in Rwanda.The qualitative and quantitative findings of the research identified factors that influence the science education reform process and make meaningful interpretations of background, culture and the situation in Rwanda. Document analysis indicated that there is a need for greater access to secondary education. Interviews and science lesson observations indicated that it is necessary to develop a curriculum that is contextually relevant and to redefine science teacher training programmes. The findings of the research identified the constraints, dilemmas and tensions in the implementation of the educational reform process as young and inexperienced teachers, most of whom do not have university degrees and have difficulties in implementing the curriculum effectively. Further constraints included work pressures due to the examination system, an acute, as well as a lack of material resources and finances required to reconstruct and improve educational institutions.The research investigates the impact of the transition on science education in Rwanda. The research designed to examine the science education reform process in the transitional Rwandan society and economy studied the complex cultural, historical and educational factors that influence science education. / Using multiple research methods, this study is an analysis of my understanding of the changes that have taken place in science education, the impediments to these changes and the identification of aspects that may enhance the prospect for future science education reform, especially in the areas of the science curriculum reform, assessment procedures and teacher professional development.

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The study was to explore the degree of involvement of teacher union in the policy decision ¡Ðmaking process of the education authorities at the central and local level, to analyze the strategies the unions adopted during the participation, and to identify the viewpoints of these involvement from the related people, including policy decision-makers, legislators, and union leaders. Then, a theoretical model of teacher union¡¦s involvement in the decision-making process was testified against the cases in Taiwan. Finally, through the consultation with the experiences of UK and USA, an ideal operational model would be proposed for teacher unions around the island. To achieve the above aims, the researcher adopted documentary analyses and questionnaire survey as the major research methods. The questionnaire was developed by the researcher based upon the literature review and documentary analyses. Surveyed sample of the central level included standing members and executive staff of the National Teacher Union(NTU), congressmen belonging to the Education and Culture committee of the country¡¦s Congress, employees of the Ministry of Education. Surveyed sample of local level included standing board members and executive staff of eight local teacher unions, county councilors belonging to the county council¡¦s education section, local PTA members, and employees of local education authorities. The following 13 findings have been concluded: 1. Staff of the NTU cited the budgeting and management of education finance and the enactment of educational personnel regulations the most-often involved topic by the staff. 2. The perception of NTU¡¦s staff regarding the organization¡¦s involvement was ¡§high level of involvement, low degree of satisfaction,¡¨ which could lead to the more radical approach by NTU while dealing with the education authority in the future. 3. A more radical embarrassmen approach and a mild information approach were considered suitable measures by the NTU¡¦s staff while negotiating with the central education authority. 4. Much more policy makers than NTU¡¦s staff considered the NTU¡¦s role in the policy making process active. 5. All sample agreed that NTU use the information approach to influence the policy making most frequently. 6. Either central or local level, all sample regarded information approach and the alliance approach the two most appropriate measures. 7. All local sample considered the involvement of local teacher union was restricted to those sphere relating to the teacher¡¦s rights and privileges. 8. Local teacher union staff expressed ¡§low level of involvement, low degree of satisfaction¡¨ of their participation in the local policy decision-making process. 9. Compared with NTU, local teacher union showed limited use of different approaches of lobbying. 10. Alliance approach and information approach were considered by all sample the most used measures by the local teacher unions. 11. Local teacher union staff considered information approach the most appropriate measure in lobbying the policy makers, nevertheless, they showed willingness to utilize other approaches. 12. There were significant difference between the perceptions of PTA and local union staff concerning the teacher union¡¦s involvement in the policy making process. 13. County councilors¡¦ needs for educational information was extremely high, as a result, they showed support for the local teacher union¡¦s use of information approach in lobbying. Finally, 12 suggestions were provided to teacher unions at both central and local level as well as the education authorities by the researcher.

As Ontario is home to more than half of Canada’s immigrants (Statistics Canada, 2006), Ontario’s school enrolment is very diverse. Levin (2008) provided some statistics: 27 percent of the population of Ontario was born outside of Canada; 20 percent are visible minorities. Toronto, with approximately 40 percent of the province’s population, is one the most diverse urban areas in the world, and receives approximately 125,000 new immigrants each year from dozens of different countries. Accordingly, as the number of immigrant families in Toronto increases, it is increasingly important that teachers and administrators understand how immigrant parents want to be involved in their children’s education, and how to best support these parents’ needs and the needs of their children. The purpose of this case study was to examine the involvement of immigrant parents in one classroom. Specifically I examine: (a) how one school involved immigrant parents in their children’s education; (b) how immigrant parents perceive they have been involved; and (c) how immigrant parents want to be involved in their children’s education. This constructivist case study examined immigrant parent involvement from the perceptions of different stakeholders--the vice-principal, teacher and immigrant parents from the one teacher’s class. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the vice-principal and one teacher of one model middle school in the Toronto District School Board to elicit information about their school and their experiences related to immigrant parent involvement. In addition, a parent questionnaire was used to explore parents’ perceptions. The parent questionnaire was distributed to the one teacher’s class of parents (all but one who were immigrants). The data analysis revealed five core themes related to immigrant parent involvement. The educators suggested that parents lack the knowledge of how the Ontario education system functions, while the immigrant parents said that they were unaware of what is being asked of them or offered to them. No communications sent home to the parents were translated. Suggestions for future research and recommendations are offered to the school and school board in order to provide additional support to immigrant parents. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2012-05-08 21:52:46.287

In today’s educational climate highly focused on accountability, often measured through high stakes testing and graduation rates, it is critical that school leaders return to a focus on the initial aim of public education and ensure all students are afforded a quality education until graduation. Unfortunately, over 25,000 school-aged children in Florida are arrested for a felony offense annually, which is just one of many paths leading to an interruption in their learning and often entrance to the school-to-prison pipeline. Additionally, these students are often not allowed to return or have their return to traditional school settings postponed by being placed at alternative school settings. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenology study was to describe the K-12 educational experience as perceived by males ages 15-21 who had an interruption in their education while attending a public school in Florida. The perceptions of the K-12 educational experiences were generally defined as what each participant reported as his personal experience while attending a K-12 public educational setting. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

As set in the Indonesian context of changing policies regarding the language of instruction in a particular stream of public schools, known as the International Standard Schools (ISSs), the study reported in this thesis explored the experiences of Science and Mathematics teachers regarding the introduction, implementation, and reversal of the use of English as the medium of instruction (EMI). Through this study, I aimed to develop insights with regard to teachers' experiences of educational language policy change and reversal. A qualitative, narrative-based approach to the study was adopted. I sought to attend to the meanings that seven Science and Mathematics teachers attributed - through their narration with me - to their experiences of the language of instruction policy change and reversal. A broader context for their meaning-making narratives was gained from the narrativised experiences of one curriculum leader and one teacher trainer. The narrations took place in the participants' preferred language of Bahasa Indonesia with a mixture of some vernacular languages, and, having restoried their narrations into reader friendly texts in the original language(s), I then analysed them from holistic and categorical content perspectives. Next, as informed by this analysis and my reflexively-surfaced understandings of this context, I explored the influences that may have shaped the teachers' experiences. This study identified main patterns in the teacher experiences of change, namely: i) a willingness to embrace change - struggle - fulfilment - disappointment; ii) a willingness to embrace change - excitement - fulfilment - disappointment; and iii) a resistance to change- struggle - fulfilment - relief. There were both internal and external shaping influences on these patterns. Such internal influences include teachers': i) language confidence; ii) perceptions of EMI, and iii) stage of career. These internal influences may have shaped teachers' willingness either to make the most of their involvement in the programme or to simply be part of the programme without many expectations. Possible external shaping influences include: i) societal perceptions of EMI; ii) support from school and government; iii) opportunities to interact with other teachers; and iv) support from colleagues. These external influences seemed to have created an environment which either facilitated or hindered the teachers' performance as EMI teachers and their continuing development for and through the EMI programme. My study also identified three stages of experiences of reversal, i.e.: Stage One - turbulence, intense-emotions, and feelings of nostalgia; Stage Two - readjustments; and Stage Three - acceptance and adaptation. The teachers who responded negatively towards the reversal tended to experience all the three stages. Meanwile, those who were relieved by the reversal directly moved to Stage Three: acceptance and adaptation, without experiencing Stage One and Stage Two. My study has implications for how educational language policy change and reversal may be addressed in countries with a complex linguistic landscape, e.g. Indonesia. It also offers some suggestions for policy makers and teacher educators regarding teachers' experiences and needs when potentially reversing existing or introducing a new educational language policy.

Inclusive education was introduced into the Malaysian school system as a pilot scheme in 1994, involving a small number of elementary schools throughout the country. This study examines teachers' and principals' conceptions of inclusive education, their understanding of the Inclusive Education Policy and their attitudes towards the pilot implementation of inclusive education. Using individual interviews and surveys, the researcher explored the views of regular and special education teachers from pilot and non-pilot elementary schools. A total of 36 special and regular classroom teachers and six principals from six geographically representative pilot schools and 18 traditional classroom teachers from six matching non-pilot schools participated in this study. Data examination showed that differences existed in the teachers' conceptions of inclusive education. Seven hierarchically ordered conceptions of inclusive education were identified. They ranged from the provision of educational opportunities in the traditional classroom for all students regardless of disability to the provision of enrichment for students with special abilities. Teachers were found to have limited understanding of the educational policies related to inclusive education. Many principals and teachers, nevertheless, favoured inclusive education but the teachers were concerned about an increase in workload as a result of the inclusion of children with special needs in their classes. Class size was also seen as a barrier to implementing inclusive education. It was concluded that principals and teachers were concerned about the inadequate professional preparation of teachers for inclusive education and the difficulties of coping with children with special needs when placed in the traditional classroom settings. These findings have serious educational implications and support the need for comprehensive inservice training programmes that are designed to meet the needs of teachers during pre-service programmes and in in-service training. The researcher also gave some attention to the process of change as it occurred during the pilot implementation of inclusive education while her discussion of theoretical issues, related to the implementation, led to the development of an explanatory model to assist understanding of an approach to the further implementation of inclusive education in Malaysia.

This dissertation presents three manuscripts that examine how present unity policies in education conflict with an increasingly pluralistic student population. Using a nuanced theoretical grounding and multifaceted research methodology, I deconstruct this tension to uncover a paradox in educational policymaking and practice, wherein policies and structures that claim to create 'equality' essentially lead to inequitable outcomes. Two empirical examples from Arizona schools illustrate the challenges of multicultural education amidst demands for unity; the first paper draws on a study of the enactment of Arizona's language policy within one low-performing high school with a high population of multilingual and immigrant students, and illustrates how the policy restricts both educators and students. The second study examines the leadership and curricular structures in a high-performing school with shifting demographics, and how those structures lead to misrecognition of culturally diverse students. In response to the challenges posed in the two empirical pieces, I present a paper in which I draw from both studies to illustrate the unity/plurality paradox in education, and then present an educational response to the challenges of that paradox in an increasingly global world, which focuses on forming a new, reflective approach to understanding policy and curriculum beyond normative binaries.