This study reports research employing a three-phase methodology to investigate the nature and communication of the school culture of the Anglican Church Grammar School Brisbane. A preliminary survey with open-ended questions was used to obtain general opinion on the nature of the school's culture, how it is communicated and the role of the school's organisation structure in communicating the school's culture. From the results of this preliminary survey, a set of ratings was developed and given to randomly selected samples of ex-students, parents, staff and senior students. A descriptive statistical analysis of this main survey was used in providing answers to the research questions concerning the nature of the school's culture, the influence of the school's organisational structure on it, and how the culture is communicated within the school and to the general public. Data from the main survey were used to develop a set of scales, the Communication of School Culture Instrument, which was used to give comparisons of the perceptions of school culture by the four population sub-groups (viz. ex-students, parents, staff & students) of the school. Statistical findings from the surveys and the CSCI were complemented by a series of in-depth interviews of representatives of the school population sub-groups. Analysis of data suggested that, whilst the school's sub-groups generally shared perceptions about the nature of the school's culture, there were significant differences of opinion about how this culture was communicated and influenced by the school's organisational structure. There was also a significant difference of perspective between the adult males and females of the total school population. An analysis of perspective of ex-students from different time periods of attending the school from the 1920s to present, did not show any significant differences in perspective, suggesting a constancy of the school's culture over time. Several other areas of investigation which would be worthy of further attention are the role of mothers and female members of staff in a boys' school, and the impact of boarding students as a sub-culture would be worthy of further study in this school.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/244430 |
| Date | January 1998 |
| Creators | Scott, Peter Terence, res.cand@acu.edu.au |
| Publisher | Australian Catholic University. School of Education |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.acu.edu.au/disclaimer.cfm, Copyright Peter Terence Scott |
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