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According to the findings of the 2019 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), fourth-grade students from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries—consisting of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates—performed below average compared to other countries on mathematics and science assessments. Despite this, little organizational research has examined potential factors that might have contributed to these results or sought to quantify the variability in school effectiveness in GCC countries. Hence, the present study sought to address this gap by quantifying the variability in school effectiveness in these countries. Using TIMSS 2019 data and multilevel analysis within each GCC member state, the study found school effectiveness varied significantly, ranging between 17% and 60%, considerably more than the variation typically seen in Western countries. In addition, several school-level organizational factors showed a significant impact on school effectiveness. Schools with more adequate resources, higher-quality teachers, greater parental involvement at the school level, and a safer and more orderly environment tended to display higher effectiveness as measured by average mathematics achievement. This finding should encourage researchers and policymakers to have more informed discussions about school effectiveness in the region. / Doctor of Philosophy / Fourth-grade students in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries (i.e., Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) performed below average on the 2019 mathematics assessments conducted by the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Furthermore, it is unclear how much school effectiveness varies within or between these countries, and few studies have explored potential school-related reasons for such poor test results. The purpose of this study was thus to examine the variability in schools' effectiveness in GCC countries. Using TIMSS 2019 data and multilevel analysis within each country, the study found school effectiveness varied significantly, ranging from 17% to 60%, much more than in typical Western countries. In addition, several school characteristics significantly influenced a school's effectiveness. Schools with better resources, higher-quality teachers, more parental involvement in school, and a safer and more orderly environment tended to have higher average math scores. This finding should encourage researchers and policymakers to take a closer look at school effectiveness in the region.

Leadership in modern-day schools is changing. School leaders are expected to oversee the physical plant and school finances, as well as to be the instructional leader, personnel officer, public relations specialist, and point person for the accountability efforts at all governmental levels. Principals cannot be experts in every area of school administration; thus, they are more dependent on other members of the educational team. The purpose of this study was to develop and implement a form of shared leadership in an elementary school known as an intelligent hierarchy, to test whether such a model affects the distribution of decision-making, climate, and morale within the school (Leithwood & Mascall, 2008). This was a mixed-methods, action-research project in which the principal of the school served as a participant observer. A leadership team was formed consisting of the principal, teachers, support staff, and parents to aid in the decision-making process. Qualitative data were collected in the form of minutes of leadership team meetings, journal entries by the principal, and minutes of meetings with individual teachers. A modified version of the constant comparative method (Maykut & Morehouse,1994) was used to analyze the qualitative data. Quantitative data were collected with questionnaires administered three times each throughout the course of the study. Data were collected on shared leadership, the distribution of decisions, school climate, and teacher morale. The implementation of the hybrid model of shared leadership led to improvement in the areas of shared leadership, shared decision-making, and employee morale. Improvement was evident in some areas of school climate. The result is a model administrators could implement, either in whole or in part, to track the implementation of shared leadership in their schools. / Ed. D.

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Addressing school climate and violence in schools requires school management skills. The 2011 School Violence Act in Chile promulgated the mandatory creation of the school climate coordinator (SCC). However, the law did not establish a defined profile, specific functions, or working hours for the SCC, and only recently have school administrators given SCCs more time for this position. This has created a flexible operating framework for the position, which could have implications in terms of the labor identity of the SCCs. This exploratory study employed a qualitative case study. An exploratory focus group was conducted with the school climate committee and three in-depth interviews with the SCC of one municipal school. Content analyses revealed the ambiguity of the SCC figure due to a fragmentation of roles in the areas of pedagogy, administration and school climate, creating a scenario where the roles of teacher, inspector, and SCC are segmented. We discuss how the notion of school climate is separated within the school practice from the dimensions of pedagogy school management, and its possible effects. / Abordar la convivencia y violencia en las escuelas requiere de capacidades de gestión escolar. La Ley de Violencia Escolar en Chile de 2011 promulgó la creación obligatoria de la figura del encargado de convivencia escolar (ECE). Sin embargo, la ley no estableció un perfil definido, funciones específicas, ni horas de trabajo para el ECE, y solo paulatinamente los sostenedores han ido aumentando las horas laborales para ejercer este cargo. Ello ha generado un marco flexible de funcionamiento para el ECE, que podría tener implicancias en la construcción de su identidad laboral. Este estudio exploratorio utilizó un método de investigación cualitativa a partir del desarrollo de un estudio caso único de un ECE. Se produjo información a través de un grupo focal con el comité de convivencia escolar y entrevistas en profundidad al ECE de la escuela. Usando el método de análisis de contenido, los resultados revelan la ambigüedad de la identidad del ECE, por contar con roles segmentados en las áreas de pedagogía, administración y convivencia escolar. Se discute cómo en la práctica escolar la noción de convivencia es separada de las dimensiones de pedagogía y gestión, y cuáles son sus efectos. / L’approche de la coexistence et de la violence dans les écoles nécessite des compétences en gestion scolaire. La loi sur la violence scolaire au Chili de 2011 a promulgué la création obligatoire de la personne en charge de la coexistence scolaire (ECE). Cependant, la loi n’a pas établi de profil défini, de fonctions spécifiques ou d’heures de travail pour la ECE, et ce n’est que progressivement que les partisans ont augmenté leurs heures de travail pour exercer ce poste. Cela a généré un cadre opérationnel souple pour la ECE, ce qui pourrait avoir des implications pour la construction de leur identité de travail. Cette étude exploratoire a utilisé une méthode de recherche qualitative à partir du développement d’une seule étude de cas d’une ECE. L’information a été produite à travers un groupe de discussion avec le comité de coexistence de l’école et des entretiens approfondis avec l’ECE de l’école. À l’aide de la méthode d’analyse de contenu, les résultats révèlent l’ambiguïté de l’identité de la ECE, pour avoir des rôles segmentés dans les domaines de la pédagogie, de l’administration et de la coexistence scolaire. Il est discuté comment dans la pratique scolaire la notion de coexistence est séparée des notions de pédagogie et de gestion, et quels sont leurs effets. / Abordar a convivência e a violência nas escolas requer habilidades de gestão escolar. A Lei de Violência Escolar de 2011 no Chile promulgou a criação obrigatória do coordenador de convivência escolar (CCE). No entanto, a lei não estabeleceu um perfil definido, funções específicas ou horas de trabalho para a CCE, e gradualmente a equipe de suporte estava aumentando o horário de trabalho para essa posição. Isso criou um quadro operacional flexível para a CCE, que poderia ter implicações para a construção de sua identidade de trabalho. Este estudo exploratório utilizou um método de pesquisa qualitativa a partir do desenvolvimento de um único estudo de caso de um CCE. A informação foi produzida através de um grupo focal com o comitê de convivência escolar e entrevistas em profundidade com a CCE da escola. Usando o método de análise de conteúdo, os resultados revelam a ambiguidade da identidade da ECE, porque tem papéis segmentados nas áreas de pedagogia, administração e convivência escolar. É discutido como na prática escolar a noção de convivência é separada das dimensões da pedagogia e gestão, e quais são seus efeitos.

Hispanic students residing in the United States have historically been the lowest-achieving ethnic group in public schools and have a high dropout rate. A stark comparison to those statistics can be found within the Knowledge is Power Program (KIPP) charter schools in San Antonio, Texas, which have a majority Hispanic student population that is thriving academically and advancing to college. Using the Search Institute's positive youth development theory, the purpose of this study was to (a) quantitatively explore how school climate moderates the relationship between Hispanic student acquisition of developmental assets and academic success at KIPP charter schools from the perspective of both students and staff members and (b) identify the catalysts for growth and academic success. The Search Institute surveys, Creating a Great Place to Learn and the Developmental Assets Profile, were used to collect data from 78 students (Grades 6â??8) and 45 staff members at KIPP Aspire and Camino. A series of multiple regression analyses were conducted using Andrew F. Hayes's PROCESS, a tool within SPSS, to explore moderation effects. School climate's organizational attributes dimension had a significant moderation interaction between developmental assets (empowerment, boundaries and expectations, constructive use of time, positive values, and social competencies) and academic success (GPA). School climate's relationships dimension significantly moderated (a) academic success and (b) social competencies, a developmental asset. Implications for positive social change include shaping future intervention programs and school initiatives to build positive school climates, increase academic and social well-being, and help Hispanic students achieve success in school.

The diploma thesis is focused on interpersonal relations in curriculum at chosen primary school. Both formal and informal curriculum of the lower secondary school are studied here and also the integration of the interpersonal issues. The social psychology importance in the influence of the social background issue on upbringing and education of children is described in theoretical part of this thesis, just as the application of the social psychology in pedagogy for understanding children and adolescents in their pupils' social circumstanced, integration of the interpersonal issues in the teaching document - curriculum, chosen primary schools and term definition in the form of literary research. Practical part is divides into two sections. The first section includes quantitative research accomplished among teachers and pupils at lower secondary school by the qualitative method, in which teachers and pupils answer questions. The questionnaires survey the point of view from both sides of teachers and pupils and mutual interaction. Teachers and pupils assess everybody they meet daily. The second section includes qualitative research in the form of structural interviews with five school representatives - a pupil, a teacher, a cleaning lady, a school caretaker and a female cook. These structural...

The diploma thesis deals with the mutual cooperation of the family and the special elementary school. The thesis is divided into the theoretical and practical part. In the theoretical part I deal with family and school cooperation, defining the concept of family, its functions and duties. The second chapter of this part consists of education of pupils with mental retardation. Here I'm going to explain the term of mental retardation, the causes of its origin, the dividing and the characteristics of the special elementary school. The last chapter of the theoretical part presents the model of the school holding the "Parents welcome" certificate. In the practical part I deal with specific research of family cooperation and special elementary school in Čáslav. The research is conducted through questionnaires and interviews. Also, I compare the requirements for awarding the "Parents welcome" brand to the forms of collaboration of a particular school. I'll find out if the Special School in Čáslav meets these criteria. Keywords: cooperation, family, special elementary school, mental retardation, brand "Parents welcome"

A new ESSA indicator of school quality and student success provides flexibility to broaden a states’ definition of school and student success. Educational research has found school success is in part determined by a school’s climate and should be considered in improvement/reform strategies (Cohen et al., 2009; Thapa et al., 2013). Yet, school climate research is often difficult and time consuming, and employs a variety of conflicting definitions and dimensions, instruments, and empirical approaches to determining school climate. Given these significant limitations with current measures, the purpose of this study was to validate an instrument measuring school climate based on the four most commonly accepted dimensions of school climate, using items adapted from a well-regarded and established theoretical framework to provide an effective measure for educators and researchers. The sample selected for this study was a portion of teachers who indicated teaching 3rd or 8th grade as their primary teaching assignment (n=500) from the larger study sample (n=4974). A Rasch Rating Scale Model was used to evaluate unidimensionality, item fit and difficulty, reliability, and potential differential item functioning on a 23-item school climate survey. Results of the study showed the instrument was not unidimensional and was split into two subdimensions: student-centered and teacher/school support. All items were retained and displayed appropriate fit. Significant differential item functioning (DIF) was found between 3rd and 8th grade teachers on both subdimensions, further suggesting multidimensionality in the scale. Study findings suggest researchers should be mindful of any school climate instrument not validated at the item level for unidimensionality, and that an instrument may perform differently for teachers at different grade levels.

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore experiences of English medium schools in Sweden through the narratives of participants (students and parents), and the educational philosophy of one independent school organisation. The theoretical perspective of Knud Illeris’ learning dimensions has been applied as an analytical tool to investigate the content, incentive and social/societal dimensions. As previous research on English medium education in Sweden have mainly investigated the content and incentive dimensions of learning, this study has a stronger focus on the social and societal dimension. A phenomenological approach extracted the experiences from participants in English medium schooling as written or oral narratives. The perspective of an English medium school organisation was explored through their educational philosophy as described in their Ethos. One of the main results of this study is that the positive influence of English is mentioned in all learning dimensions. English is not only described as an important learning content and incentive to learn, but also as an essential part of the school culture and an access to a global society. Another result is the importance of the unique school atmosphere that has been created through consistent rules of conduct and high expectations of academic achievement. The cultural diversity in the school and how this is described as a motivational factor and an opportunity to share and learn other perspectives is the final main result of the study.