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Sustained school improvement in a turbulent reform environment: case studies of four primary schools' nine-year trajectories in Hong Kong. / CUHK electronic theses & dissertations collection

香港政府在二千年推行教育改革,目的在培養終身學習者。然而,對於學校如何在教改下進行改進,特別是初步校外支援後的發展,仍未有任何研究。本研究探討四所小學在教改下九年來的發展軌跡(1999-2008) ,旨在揭示學校改善的進程和能持續改進的原因。 / 研究挑選了四個初步成功改革的學校個案,探討有關問題。研究資料來自兩個時段( 2001-03 年和2007-08 年) ,資料搜集方法包括訪問學校不同持份者和校外夥伴;實地觀察課堂、學生活動、專業發展活動和不間類型的會議;以及分析文件。 / 研究發現,經過近十年的努力,四所學校在教與學、管理和組織、專業發展及家校合作四方面,都有顯著改善。這些改善相互支持學生的主動學習。然而,四所學校都面對著教育環境不斷變化所帶來的考驗,而學校能否將挑戰轉化為發展機會,取決於學校領導的集體解難能力。 / 研究進一步發現學校變革的六個進程「聚焦和構建」、「管理阻力」、「試驗和技術轉移」、「試驗延展」、「深化和擴大改革」和「應付新抗戰」。這些進程標誌了學校在不同的改進階段所要解決的關鍵問題,以及校內外的變革能動者如何合力解決這些難題,推進學校發展。 / 研究又發現,學校領導、校外支援、新的學校組織結構,以及校外政策環境,是推動學校改進的關鍵因素。透過學校領導的中介作用,政府的教改政策和所提供的各種資源,為學校改進提供了必要的方向、壓力和支持。學校導、校外支援和新的組織結構在不同階段的交互作用,以及不斷調校以回應不同時期的改進需求也是至關重要的。最後,隨著學校變革,學校出現了一群新領導,他們不僅幫助學校深化和擴大改革,也幫助學校回應新挑戰。 / 本研究對學校改進的知識領域有三方面的貢獻,它揭示了1) 學校成功改善的進程和持續改進所需的條件; 2) 學校領導在學校改進中所扮演的角色;以及3) 政府政策影響學校教與學及行事方式的途徑。根據研究結果,本研究對教育當局和為學校提供專業支援的組織應如何協助學校改進,以及學校領導如何領導變革,作出建議。 / This study aims to understand the processes and dynamics of sustainable school improvement. To do so, it examined the nine-year improvement trajectories (1999-2008) of four Hong Kong primary schools that had received initial intensive support from a school improvement program in the context of educational reform. The government sponsors education reform aimed at developing life-long leamers. However, little is known about how schools improve in the current reform environment, especially beyond the initial stage of intensive support. This study seeks to fill these gaps. / The study employed a longitudinal multiple-case design. Four primary schools with initial reform success were purposefully chosen. Schools' improvement trajectories were traced using data gathered from two time periods (2001-2003 and 2007-2008)'. Data collected include interviews of key stakeholders and external partners; observations of classes, student'activities, staff development activities, and meetings at different levels; and review of documents. / The study found that after a decade of conscientious reform efforts, the four schools underwent transformational changes in four areas of practice: Teaching and learning, organization and management, professional development, and parental involvement. The improved practice in these four areas synergistically supported students' active learning. However, the schools also faced daunting challenges posed by the changing educational environment. The leaders' collective problem-solving ability determined how well the schools could address these new challenges. / The study uncovered six common processes that led to the schools' deep qualitative changes of practice. These processes are: Focus and Build, Manage Resistance, Skills Transfer, Scale Up, Deepen and Broaden Reform, and Cope with New Challenges. The processes mark the critical issues and challenges across the schools' different stages of improvement, and how different actors addressed these issues. The processes also show how improvement advanced in the schools, from when new practice took root in a group of teacher leaders, to gradual involvement of the whole faculty. / The study further found that school leadership worked synergistically with external support, new school structures, and external influences to drive school improvement. Specifically, mediated by school leadership, policy mandates and various external resources provided the needed direction, pressure and support for improvement. The synergistic interplay and adaptation of leadership, external support and school structures to the schools' changing needs was also vital. Last but not least, empowered by the principal, external support and organization redesign, the emerged senior and mid-level leaders not only helped the schools deepen and broaden reform, but also increased their capacity to address new challenges. / The study contributes to the knowledge of school improvement in three ways. First, it reveals the previously undescribed processes of successful school transformation and what is needed to sustain improvement. Second, it deepens the understandings of school leadership's role in school improvement. Third, it makes explicit the pathways of government policies in changing school practice. Based on the fmdings, the study suggests that policymakers and support providers should invest in several key levers to effect school improvement, take school leadership into account in designing and funding support programs, and adjust interventions according to schools' developmental needs. The study also makes several recommendations for school leaders to lead and manage change. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Li, Yuk Yung Charlotte. / "October 2011." / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 309-326). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / 摘要 --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Figures --- p.ix / Tables --- p.x / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / School Improvement in a Turbulent Reform Environment --- p.2 / The Mystery ofImprovement beyond Initial Support --- p.4 / Current State of Research on Sustained School Improvement --- p.7 / Research Aims and Questions --- p.10 / Importance of the Study --- p.11 / Structure of the Thesis --- p.13 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Reform Context --- p.16 / Reform Antecedents --- p.17 / Education Reform since 2000 --- p.22 / New Role of Tertiary Institutions in School Improvement --- p.33 / Summary: The Turbulent Environment of School Improvement --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Literature Review --- p.39 / Theoretical Perspectives on School Change --- p.40 / Empirical Evidence on Sustained School Improvement --- p.49 / Local Research on School Change --- p.65 / Summary: Gaps in Knowledge and Theoretical Implications for the Study --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter Four --- Research Design and Methodology --- p.78 / Research Design --- p.78 / Data Sources --- p.87 / Data Analysis --- p.97 / Methodological Issues --- p.117 / Summary --- p.120 / Chapter Chapter Five --- Improvement of Practice in the Four Schools: Before and After --- p.122 / The Four Case Schools --- p.123 / The Improvement Context: 1999/2001 --- p.127 / Changes in School Practice Observed: 2007-2008 --- p.138 / Summary: Improved Practice in the Four Schools --- p.172 / Chapter Chapter Six --- The Common Improvement Processes --- p.175 / Focus and Build --- p.178 / Manage Resistance --- p.186 / Skills Transfer --- p.192 / Scale Up --- p.199 / Deepen and Broaden Refonn --- p.204 / Cope with New Challenges --- p.217 / Summary: The Common Improvement Processes --- p.224 / Chapter Chapter Seven --- The Dynamics of School Improvement --- p.227 / External Influences and Mediations of School Leadership --- p.228 / Synergy of School Leadership, External Support and Organization Redesign in Driving Change --- p.238 / From Principal Leadership to a Broad-based School Leadership --- p.255 / Summary: The Dynamics of School Improvement --- p.263 / Chapter Chapter Eight --- Conclusions and Implications --- p.265 / Overview of the Research Process --- p.265 / Summary of the Major Findings of the Study --- p.268 / Implications of the Study --- p.276 / Limitations and Direction for Research --- p.292 / Appendices --- p.296 / Bibliography --- p.309

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:cuhk.edu.hk/oai:cuhk-dr:cuhk_327960
Date January 2012
ContributorsLi, Yurong., Chinese University of Hong Kong Graduate School. Division of Education.
Source SetsThe Chinese University of Hong Kong
LanguageEnglish, Chinese
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText, bibliography
Formatelectronic resource, electronic resource, remote, 1 online resource (x, 326 leaves) : ill.
CoverageChina, Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong, China, Hong Kong
RightsUse of this resource is governed by the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons “Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International” License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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