This thesis reports on the social structures underpinning interschool collaboration in the context of Shared Education and the networks of staff relations that have been developed for the purpose of overcoming systemic separation. Drawing upon social network theory, it is argued that in order to further the model of Shared Education the corresponding research and academic enterprise must move beyond the analogous use of the term ‘network’ and consider the concept in a more analytical manner. In this sequential mixed methods case study, an exploratory network analysis of the staff members (n=97) from five collaborating primary schools in a Shared Education partnership was performed using a socio-metric instrument to examine four collaborative interactions—exchanging resources, seeking professional knowledge, discussing personal matters, and meeting socially. This was then followed by semi-structured interviews with the staff members (n=16) observed as most central within the partnership's network. The findings of this study suggest that Shared Education can facilitate network structures that overcome systemic separation; that partner preference is based upon desirable structural characteristics; that partnership sustainability may be an extension of social network adaptability; that Shared Education offered an alternative model for collegial engagement; that the model can facilitate learning relationships and knowledge creation; and that relational embeddedness is also observed to be a critical aspect of the partnership's leadership. Therefore, it is advocated that those researching Shared Education must develop a more nuanced approach to thinking about the structure of partnerships and the relationships that constitute them.

This study concerns school reform in Malta. Under the policy framework ‘For All Children to Succeed’ (Ministry of Education, Youth & Employment, 2005) [henceforth referred to as FACT], Maltese state schools embarked on the process of being organized into networks called ‘colleges’. These consisted of primary and secondary schools according to geographical location, under the leadership of the Principal – a newly-designated role hierarchically above that of the individual Heads of School. The purpose of my research is to explore relations of power in a Maltese college. My study gives prominence to both theory and methodology. The theoretical research question investigates how networking unfolds among the various leadership hierarchies in school governance in a Maltese college. This is explored through the performance of policy-mandated collegiality; the circulating relations of power; and leadership distribution. My study is framed within a postmodern paradigm and adopts a Foucauldian theoretical framework, more specifically his concepts of power, discipline, governmentality, discourse, and subjectification. Data for my case study are collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews; observation of a Council of Heads meeting; and a documentary analysis of FACT. Narrative is not only the phenomenon under exploration, but also the method of analysis, and mode of representation. Thus, I attempt to answer my methodological research question that investigates the ways a researcher negotiates the methodological tensions and contradictions in the conduct of qualitative inquiry in order to construct knowledge differently. The Maltese college is viewed as a surveillance mechanism by both the Principal and the Heads, with collegiality being regarded as a straitjacket imposed by the State through a policy mandate. However, there is unanimous agreement on conscription being the only way forward for Maltese state schools. Different degrees of ‘support’ and empowerment exist, according to the directives of the Principal and the State. College setup is problematized on geographical clustering and college streaming, due to which it may end up defying the primary aim of networking by clustering students from particular areas in isolation, resulting in social injustice and educational inequality. This study exposes a strong sense of sectoral isolation among the Heads – a situation being mirrored at macro-level with very few opportunities for inter-networking among colleges. There is an asymmetrical power flow among the college schools, both within the same level and across different levels. Despite the policy FACT mandating distributed leadership, hierarchical forms of accountability are still inherent within the system, bringing out a tension between autonomy and centralization.

The objective of education authorities worldwide is to enhance teachers’ professional capacities and practices through the supply of quality continuous professional development (CPD) activities. The South African education system has been subjected to many changes during the past two decades which have seriously affected the quality of education provided in schools country wide. Professional development (PD) of teachers has been found to be a key factor in raising standards in South African schools. Although the National Department of Education has identified teacher development as important, very little has transpired in the education system. School leaders should, therefore, take on the responsibility of providing their staff with PD opportunities. To support teachers in special schools and to enhance their professional capacity, the researcher designed, implemented and evaluated a collaborative PD model in six special schools in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change. This multi-phased case study research was positioned within a bigger study conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and in particular the Early Childhood Development Institute (ECDI). This larger study was based on the fact that most of the burn related accidents in South Africa occur in the 0-4 age group, which served as the rationale for including the fire safety programme in the ECD curriculum. The focus during the research was on the adaptation of fire safety activities and learners and teacher support materials for an inclusive classroom. This research reports on a two year study on the implementation of a CPD model based on collaboration and peer coaching. The theoretical framework for this study links to theories of constructivism, organisational theory of Senge, network and social capital. This research serves as an example of where valuable internal and external networks were formed for the benefit of all involved with the study. During this research theory and practice were successfully integrated for the benefit of the individual, the school and external organisations. / Department of Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This research highlights the importance of considering the degree students’ integration into school classes when estimating school effects. Combining and using two different datasets collected before and after education reform in Taiwan, the study compares school effects under two different education systems in order to answer the question about the efficiency of education reform. I estimate multilevel growth models to assess how school environments affect changes in students’ initial and change rate of their academic performance across junior high school years. Besides, two-part random-effects models are also introduced into the analyses to testify how school environment influence adolescent performance in their high school enrollments. My results support and extend Blau’s structural theory, revealed that school contexts and school networks directly and indirectly influences students’ performance in their school classes and in their high school enrollments, suggesting students’ outcome are conditioning by the local structure, the school environments. However, through making more friends inside and outside school classes, students still have their own power to modify the environmental impacts on themselves. With respect to the comparisons of school effects on individuals’ performance under two different education systems in Taiwan, the decreasing peer influences and the decreasing significance of school networks indicate that the school effects gradually decline after the administration of education reform. One should note that simply a little change on education system might alter students, parents, and teachers’ behaviors. The decreasing peer effects and the decreasing school effects on students’ academic performance suggesting that students might change their behaviors on interacting with their friends and change their behaviors at schools in order to jostle higher education after education reform. The increasing cram schooling and the increasing significance of family SES support the inference that students modify their behaviors to come up against the education reform in Taiwan. These findings suggest the need for more panel datasets collected from the newly cohorts after education reform was administrated for a period and the need for more studies of education reform and school effects, to have more understanding about the mechanisms of school efficiency.

The opening chapters of the diploma thesis describe European Union strategic plans and measures aiming to create suitable conditions for adult lifelong learning. The goal of this diploma thesis is to give an overview of how secondary schools participate on these strategic plans. The topic of the adult lifelong learning at secondary schools is approached mainly in connection with the Act 179/2006 Coll. describing validation and recognition of further learning results. The diploma thesis than describes in detail subsidies available for schools to support the so called mobilities. In the research part the dissertation attempts to determine correlation between the size or type of a school and its succes rate in retraining programmes or its engagement in mobilities. The selected research sample consists of secondary schools from the Moravian-Silesian region. The selection of the topic was influenced by the objectives defined in the strategic document "ET 2020" (Education and Training 2020). The first defined goal of this document is "to implement lifelong learning and mobility into learning". KEYWORDS: Youth in action Agency, NAEP Agency, ET 2020, school mobilities, national qualification system, Education for Competitiveness Operational Programme, school networks, UNIV project, validation and...

The objective of education authorities worldwide is to enhance teachers’ professional capacities and practices through the supply of quality continuous professional development (CPD) activities. The South African education system has been subjected to many changes during the past two decades which have seriously affected the quality of education provided in schools country wide. Professional development (PD) of teachers has been found to be a key factor in raising standards in South African schools. Although the National Department of Education has identified teacher development as important, very little has transpired in the education system. School leaders should, therefore, take on the responsibility of providing their staff with PD opportunities. To support teachers in special schools and to enhance their professional capacity, the researcher designed, implemented and evaluated a collaborative PD model in six special schools in Gauteng. The aim of the study was to establish the value of the CPD programme on teachers’ learning, learners’ outcomes and whole school change. This multi-phased case study research was positioned within a bigger study conducted by the Gauteng Department of Education and in particular the Early Childhood Development Institute (ECDI). This larger study was based on the fact that most of the burn related accidents in South Africa occur in the 0-4 age group, which served as the rationale for including the fire safety programme in the ECD curriculum. The focus during the research was on the adaptation of fire safety activities and learners and teacher support materials for an inclusive classroom. This research reports on a two year study on the implementation of a CPD model based on collaboration and peer coaching. The theoretical framework for this study links to theories of constructivism, organisational theory of Senge, network and social capital. This research serves as an example of where valuable internal and external networks were formed for the benefit of all involved with the study. During this research theory and practice were successfully integrated for the benefit of the individual, the school and external organisations. / Department of Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)