The theoretical framework for this empirical study extends a trail of thinking from a social constructivist view of learning to the areas of assessment, evaluation and leadership. The relationship between social constructivist learning principles, formative approaches to assessment and evaluation, and collaborative leadership styles is explored and discussed. Learning and teaching developments in secondary schools have often fragmented the intrinsic elements of learning, teaching, assessment, evaluation and leadership. As Palmer (2007) so aptly puts it: ‘…we think the world apart.’ (p. 64). This study seeks to ‘think education together’ by taking a more integrated perspective. The aims of this study were to add to the body of knowledge in the area of assessment and evaluation through the adoption of the aforementioned integrated perspective, develop formative assessment and evaluation policies and practices in a secondary school to the extent that they are embedded in the school’s working culture and paradigm, and finally to chart the means by which change has been achieved. The research is argued to be located in the critical paradigm, adopts an action research methodology in which the researcher assumes a participatory, practitioner researcher role in conducting an ethnographic case study of a secondary school. A social constructivist theme was retained throughout the research design and although both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered, the study was conducted within an interpretative framework informed by symbolic interactionism. Data were gathered via a multi-method approach that included focus groups and semi-structured interviews, observation and accompanying field notes, document and classroom artefact analysis, and non-inferential statistics. Focus groups were used to check data sources, confirm interpretations, develop and disseminate new ideas and approaches, and refine developments based on feedback received. This process was informed by Gladwell’s (2000) notion of ideas taking on the qualities of viruses which in turn develop into epidemics. Participants’ early reluctance to accept a need to change was overcome through an initial ‘internal’ audit of current policy and practice relating to learning, teaching, assessment and evaluation, the results of which confirmed the ‘external’ judgements made by OfSTED and the Local Authority (LA) in terms of the need for the school to develop formative approaches to assessment and evaluation. A purposively selected assessment and evaluation focus group showed a commitment to formative ways of working, and was instrumental in defining and refining new policies for assessment and evaluation in collaboration with other focus groups, non-focus group colleagues, pupils and parents. Additional focus groups for pupil behavioural aspects and mentoring were embraced by the research rather than discouraged in order to retain an integrated ‘real world’ perspective. The aims of the study are shown to have been met in that new formative ways of working are now embedded in assessment policy and practice and the researcher has developed a new approach to whole school leadership. This study proposes a new way of thinking that embraces paradox rather than preserving divisions. Moreover, it argues a case for transformative education being reliant on taking this stance. The study also presents a picture of leadership and research based on co-existence and proposes a new ‘Stenhousian’ philosophy where research becomes the basis for leadership.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-04T19:59:50Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 12 / Nenhuma / A avaliação da aprendizagem constitui-se num tema recorrente no campo pedagógico e motivo de preocupação para os professores e sistemas educativos. Essa condição estimula pesquisas acadêmicas e institucionais, imbricando-se com os saberes docentes e seus modos de produção. Nesse contexto, insere-se este estudo, que procura refletir sobre a prática avaliativa dos professores que atuam no ensino fundamental em escolas da rede pública do Município de Lajeado (RS), especialmente no que diz respeito aos saberes mobilizados pelos professores nas suas práticas avaliativas. A complexidade do tema exigiu a eleição de alguns recortes que propiciaram entendimentos, numa dimensão histórica e cultural, abrigada na subjetividade dos professores, seus protagonistas. Nesse sentido, deu-se especial destaque a questões como: seriam os professores apegados a práticas avaliativas vividas em suas trajetórias escolares? Estariam reproduzindo uma proposta do sistema ou direção da escola ao avaliar? Que concepções de avaliação perme / The evaluation of learning constitutes in one theme recurrent the pedagogic camp and it is motive of preocupation to the teachears and also to the educatives systems. This condition stimulates institucionals and academics researches, relating with the faculties knowledge and its ways of production. In this context, fills in this study that thinks over evaluation practice from the teachers who work in the fundamental teaching in public branches schools in Lajeado borough, specialy concern about knowledge mobilised from the teachers in their evaluation practice. The complexity of the theme required an election of some cuttings that enable understanding in one historic and cultural dimension, sheltered in the subjectively of the teachers, their protagonists. In this meaning was given special show up to the questions like: would be the teachers attached to the evaluation practice vivid in theirs scholars walk? Would be them reproducing a proposal of the system or direction of school to evaluate? What do concep

The fieldwork for this study was conducted in the West Kimberley region of Western Australia between 1997 and 1999. Qualitative and quantitative information provided by 170 Aboriginal participants enabled an exploration of the context and patterns of Aboriginal alcohol use; Aboriginal perceptions of the alcohol issue, existing interventions, research findings, 'culture' and its role in prevention and intervention; and participants' incorporation of these perceptions into an Aboriginal model for alcohol misuse prevention, intervention and evaluation. Findings were based on the results of individual and focus group interviews, serial model-planning focus groups, documentary data and observation.Study findings generally suggest that in addition to self-determination and support components, 'cultural context' retains an important role for many remote area Aboriginal people. The findings from a small sub-sample tentatively suggest that 'cultural' disruption, in addition to the socio-economic consequences of colonisation and dispossession, may play an important role in alcohol misuse. Consequently, it appears that in combination with self-determination and support components, the strengthening of a locally-defined 'cultural' context may have an important role in alcohol misuse prevention and intervention - an approach frequently unrepresented in existing symptom-focused models and one inviting further investigation. The model developed by study participants expands significantly on existing symptom-focused approaches through a comprehensive life-enhancement focus on aspects of identity, opportunity and hope. This approach adds depth and meaning to understandings of cultural appropriateness and of culturally relevant models for substance misuse prevention and intervention.