In response to the low passing rate of its students with disabilities, administrators at a small urban elementary school in south Texas implemented coteaching. Guided by Nonaka and Takeuchi's collaborative learning framework, this qualitative instrumental case study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of collaborative teaching in the elementary education setting. Data collection consisted of a group interview and classroom observations with a purposeful sample of 4 general education teachers and 2 special education teachers of Grades 3-5 math and language arts who were coteaching at the time of the study. Teachers' perceptions regarding the effects of their professional relationship on collaboration efforts and of the effectiveness of coteaching in meeting the needs of students with disabilities were examined. Emergent themes were identified from the data through open coding and verified through NVivo and a peer reviewer. The findings showed that participants perceived coteaching to be an effective teaching strategy for working with students with disabilities. They suggested the following areas for improvement in their school's current coteaching program: parity among teachers, administrative support, shared planning time, relevancy of training, collaboration, and follow through regarding the roles and responsibilities of teachers. Based on the results, a professional development workshop was developed to improve the overall effectiveness of the coteaching program and better meet the needs of students with various disabilities in general education classrooms. The provision of training through the workshop may positively affect teachers' perceptions and implementation of coteaching. An improved academic environment in cotaught classrooms may benefit students with disabilities.

The implementation of professional learning communities (PLCs) in schools has been shown to serve as a catalyst in transforming school culture and increasing the academic performance of students. Our school district mandated that PLCs were established at the research site, an urban Louisiana school, for the primary purpose of closing the achievement gap. Yet, recent data from the local district indicate that these PLCs have not resulted in capacity building for sustainable improvement. Ineffective implementation of the current PLCs may have contributed to the poor outcomes. One purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teachers' perceptions of the implementation of PLCs. Another was to gauge teachers' views on PLCs as a means of promoting a positive school culture and increasing academic achievement among students. A social constructivist framework was used for this qualitative case study. Research questions centered on teachers' perceptions regarding refinement of the currently implemented PLCs. Purposeful sampling was used to select 13 seventh through ninth grade teachers as participants. Qualitative data were collected through questionnaires and telephone interviews and then analyzed for emergent themes. Findings revealed that the current PLCs were beneficial but needed refinement related to relevance, intent, and planning. The following four themes emerged: time, collaboration, shared responsibility, and a focus on learning for all students. Study findings provide insight about PLCs from the perspectives of the teachers who work within them. The implications for social change include enhanced knowledge and understanding that may help educators in better implementing PLCs with intent and transparency and by positively contributing to school improvement and student achievement.

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本研究旨在建構並驗證高中職學校分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能之模式，並比較不同教師背景變項及學校環境變項的差異，依據研究所得結論，分別對教育行政機關、學校及教師提出建議，以做為推展校長分布式領導、促進教師專業社群運作，及提升學校創新經營效能之參考。 本研究使用問卷調查法，以單因子變異數分析、皮爾森積差相關、多元迴歸、結構方程模式等統計方法，探討高中職學校分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能之關係及模式驗證。透過文獻的蒐集與探討，提出本研究的研究架構和徑路關係模式圖。研究對象為國立高中職學校995 位教師；研究工具為研究者自編之校長分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能關係之調查問卷。 經由統計分析與討論，本研究獲得以下結論： 一、教師對校長分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能的知覺是正向的。 二、部分教師背景變項與學校環境變項的教師對校長分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能的知覺具有顯著差異。 三、校長分布式領導、教師專業社群與學校創新經營效能三者之間具有關聯性。 四、校長分布式領導、教師專業社群對學校創新經營效能均具有預測力。 五、本研究所建構的結構模式具有良好的適配度，校長分布式領導、教師專業社群對學校創新經營效能均具有顯著直接效果。 關鍵詞：分布式領導、教師專業社群、學校創新經營效能

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SELF-EVALUATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS Abstract The dissertation thesis focuses on self-evaluation - self-evaluation of schools - in secondary schools in the Czech Republic with an emphasis on creation and development of professional community of teachers and creation of schools as Learning Organizations. The current state of research in the field of self-evaluation is described by the study of Czech and foreign literature. Self-conducted empirical investigation helped to determine the real state of its implementation in our secondary schools. In the framework of the thesis, self-evaluation is understood as a condition for further development of the school, improvement of the quality of teachers and all school activities; so that the school would be able to best reflect the needs of the market and its social partners. The purpose is to allow the school itself to assess its situation, to define its own problems and to find solutions - to find self-improvements. The thesis introduces a variety of approaches, benefits and difficulties that the current state of self-evaluation causes. The first part defines basic concepts, describes quality management systems used in educational process and legislative framework for the implementation of self-evaluation in secondary schools. Supporting part comprises a summary of...

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Education in the Faculty of Education and Social Sciences at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2013 / Teacher education for multigrade education in South Africa is poor, since multigrade teachers and principals involved in multigrade education have not received formal training in this form of education, and therefore lack support. Owing to this lacuna in multigrade pedagogy, and teachers' limited knowledge of such pedagogy, multigrade teachers and principals struggle to interpret subject matter and settle for different ways to present and make it accessible to learners. This has a severe impact on the potential of multigrade schools to play an important role as educational units in underserved rural areas. Research shows that pre-service and in-service training does not enable multigrade teachers and principals to develop a knowledge base within the complexities of the actual classroom situation. Such a knowledge base would enable them to solve the endemic problems of multigrade education, thereby enhancing their task as multigrade teachers and principals. Training can have an impact on trainee teachers, but the successful transfer of this newly acquired knowledge to learners in the classroom is questionable. Owing to the extent of the problem experienced at each level of multigrade education in the educational system in South Africa, chances are slight that support to multigrade teachers and principals will emanate from officials and curriculum advisers. It is clear that the problem of supporting multigrade teachers and principals is substantial and daunting, and that a solution to the problem will lead to significant advances in learning, or at least a significant reduction in malfunction in the multigrade educational system. Therefore, bridging the gap between newly-acquired teacher competence and teachers' performance in the classroom is a major concern for the future. This research aims to understand the dilemmas and address the shortcomings as teachers implement new practices within classrooms. There needs to be a transitional process through which multigrade teachers and principals move as they gradually learn, come to understand, and become skilled and competent in novel ways of education. This research introduces a Professional Learning Community (PLC) as a model of support and guidance to multigrade teachers and principals, bridging the gap between knowledge acquired at a workshop, and concomitant support and guidance, in order to understand and address the dilemmas that emerge as they implement new practices within multigrade classrooms. This research employs a design research approach to determine design guidelines and principles to facilitate the process of supporting and guiding multigrade teachers and principals, working together as a network cluster for collective learning and its implementation. The research process in design research encompasses educational design processes and is therefore cyclical in character: analysis, design, evaluation and revision activities are iterated until a satisfying balance between ideals ('the intended') and realisation has been achieved. To develop solutions for this research, a prototyping approach was employed towards a final deliverable. The Prototyping Phase in this research comprised three cycles, and focused during the evolutionary prototyping process on elaborating on the components of the possible support system to multigrade teachers and principals. It was envisaged that this would concretise the situation, and obviate problems before implementation in the day-to-day user setting. Formative evaluation was applied in order to uncover shortcomings during the development process, in order to generate suggestions for improvement. The results of the evaluation of each preceding prototype were used in the development of the next prototype. Design research is an effective method of developing various prototypes in collaboration with multigrade teachers and principals to ensure contextual appropriateness of what works at a given time, as well as solutions to the specific problems of multigrade teachers and principals in South Africa. Keywords: Design research, Educational design processes, Educational design research, Multigrade, Multigrade pedagogy, Network cluster, Professional Learning Community, Support system.

摘要 本研究採問卷調查法，針對雙北(臺北市、新北市)高級中學教師就校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群與學校創新經營之關係進行探討。寄發 650位教師樣本，回收問卷491份，回收率為 75.54%。有效問卷 461 份，有效問卷回收率為 71 %。首先以平均數、標準差等來描述雙北高級中學校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群與學校創新經營的現況；另以平均數差異考驗(t-test)和單因子變異數分析(One-Way ANOVA)來檢定不同背景變項的雙北高級中學校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群與學校創新經營之知覺反應差異情形；再以Pearson 積差相關檢視其相關性；最後再採逐步多元迴歸分析法，考驗校長正向領導與教師專業學習社群之各分層面對學校創新經營的預測力。最後，將研究發現，提出建議，以供未來相關研究作參考。 壹、高級中學校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群及學校創新經營之現況 貳、不同背景變項在校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群及學校創新經營之差異情形 参、校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群及教師教學創新呈現正相關情形 肆、校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群對學校創新經營具有預測作用，以「分享教學實務」層面的預測力最佳 一、學校創新經營「行政管理創新」層面四個變項的聯合預測力達65.5% 二、學校創新經營「課程教學創新」層面四個變項的聯合預測力達67.3% 三、學校創新經營「學生活動創新」層面三個變項的聯合預測力達64.7% 四、學校創新經營「資源運用創新」層面五個變項的聯合預測力達68.1% 五、學校創新經營「校園環境創新」層面四個變項的聯合預測力達62.1% 六、學校創新經營整體層面五個變項的聯合預測力達80% 根據研究發現，本節將依據主要研究發現及結論，提出具體建議，以供教育行政機關及學校行政單位、高中教育相關人員及後續研究參考。 關鍵詞：校長正向領導、教師專業學習社群、學校創新經營 / Abstract In this study, a questionnaire survey was conducted to explore the relationship among the positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management in high school teachers of Taipei City and New Taipei City. 650 samples were sent and 491 samples were collected. The recovery rate was 75.54%. There was a total of 461 valid questionnaires and a valid response rate of 71%. First, using the average, standard deviation and etc. to describe the current status of positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management in high schools of Taipei City and New Taipei City; second, use t-test and One-Way ANOVA to examine the perceptual response differences among positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management in the high schools of the two cities with background variables; then, use Pearson product difference to review the correlations; last, with multiple stepwise regression analysis to test the predictability of positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management. Finally, the study results will make recommendations for future reference. I. The current perceptual situation of positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management in high schools is in good condition. II. Different background variables are found in positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management III. The positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management show a positive correlation IV. The positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers and school innovation management have a predictive effect, the level of “sharing teaching practice” has the highest predictability. 1. A level of four variables in school innovation management “Administrative Management Innovation” has reached a predictability of 65.5%. 2. A level of four variables in school innovation management “Curriculum Instruction Innovation” has reached a predictability of 67.3%. 3. A level of three variables in school innovation management “Student Activities Innovation” has reached a predictability of 64.7%. 4. A level of five variables in school innovation management “Resource Utilization Innovation” has reached a predictability of 68.1%. 5. A level of four variables in school innovation management “Campus Environment Innovation” has reached a predictability of 62.1%. 6. A total of five variables in school innovation management has reached a predictability of 80%. According to research study, it is hoped that the findings of this study can lead to substantial suggestions for the reference of educational administration, school administrative unit, high school personnel and further studies. Keywords: positive leadership of principals, professional learning community of teachers, school innovation management

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