Students as co-researchers in a school self-evaluation process

IF 1.1 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Shivaun O’Brien, G. McNamara, J. O’Hara, Martin Brown, C. Skerritt
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引用次数: 3

Abstract

School self-evaluation (SSE) or data-based decision making is now a common feature of mainstream education in an increasing number of jurisdictions. The participation of stakeholders including students, is promoted internationally as a key feature of effective SSE. Despite this, very little research has been carried out on how education systems might involve students in SSE and even less research has explored how student involvement can move beyond mere tokenism. Similar to many other jurisdictions, Irish schools are encouraged to include students in SSE. However, the research to date would indicate that while students are frequently consulted through the use of surveys they have little or no involvement in decisions that are made as part of the SSE process at a whole school level. This case study explores an atypical approach to student engagement in SSE which was tested in one Irish post-primary school where students participated as co-researchers along with their teachers in the SSE process. In doing so, student participation in SSE shifted from student as data sources to students as co-researchers. Students became members of the SSE Team, responsible for consulting with the wider staff team, student body and parents. They were actively involved in the completion of a whole school self-evaluation report on assessment and the development of a school improvement plan. The study outlines the key stages of the project and how student participation evolved through the process. Interviews conducted with both the teacher and student members of the SSE Team illuminates the experience of the students and staff on the SSE team. The findings indicate that this approach resulted in significant positive outcomes for the school and the individuals involved, but there were also a number of challenges. Student involvement resulted in greater awareness among, and participation of the wider staff team in the SSE process. However, it required more resources and time than is usually the case for an SSE process in Irish schools. The research suggests that this level of participation by students may require a more systematic and sustained engagement of students in decision making at a classroom level in order to build capacity of students to contribute to decision making at a whole school level on an ongoing basis. This study may have an application in jurisdictions aiming to include students in SSE, particularly at a higher level, and it also provides a glimpse into the deliberate planning and structures required if schools are to move beyond an instrumentalist, compliance model of ‘student voice’ towards a more authentic model of inclusive democracy.
学生在学校自我评价过程中作为共同研究人员
在越来越多的司法管辖区,学校自我评估(SSE)或基于数据的决策现在是主流教育的共同特征。包括学生在内的利益相关者的参与作为有效SSE的关键特征在国际上得到推广。尽管如此,关于教育系统如何让学生参与SSE的研究很少,探索学生参与如何超越仅仅是象征性的研究就更少了。与许多其他司法管辖区类似,爱尔兰学校被鼓励将学生纳入SSE。然而,迄今为止的研究表明,虽然学生经常通过使用调查进行咨询,但他们很少或根本没有参与作为整个学校层面SSE过程一部分的决策。本案例研究探讨了一种非典型的学生参与SSE的方法,该方法在一所爱尔兰小学后的学校进行了测试,学生作为共同研究人员与他们的老师一起参与了SSE过程。在这样做的过程中,学生对SSE的参与从作为数据来源的学生转变为作为共同研究人员的学生。学生成为SSE团队的成员,负责与更广泛的员工团队,学生团体和家长进行咨询。他们积极参与完成全校评核自我评估报告及制订学校改善计划。该研究概述了项目的关键阶段,以及学生在整个过程中的参与情况。与SSE团队的教师和学生成员进行的访谈阐明了SSE团队的学生和工作人员的经验。研究结果表明,这种方法对学校和相关个人产生了显著的积极影响,但也存在一些挑战。学生的参与使更广泛的员工团队在SSE过程中有了更大的认识和参与。然而,与爱尔兰学校的SSE流程相比,它需要更多的资源和时间。研究表明,这种程度的学生参与可能需要学生在课堂层面上更系统、更持续地参与决策,以便培养学生在整个学校层面上持续参与决策的能力。本研究可能适用于旨在将学生纳入SSE的司法管辖区,特别是在更高层次上,并且如果学校要超越工具主义,“学生声音”的合规模式,向更真实的包容性民主模式转变,它还提供了对所需的深思熟虑的规划和结构的一瞥。
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来源期刊
Improving Schools
Improving Schools EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-
CiteScore
5.50
自引率
0.00%
发文量
4
期刊介绍: Improving Schools is for all those engaged in school development, whether improving schools in difficulty or making successful schools even better. The journal includes contributions from across the world with an increasingly international readership including teachers, heads, academics, education authority staff, inspectors and consultants. Improving Schools has created a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences. Major national policies and initiatives have been evaluated, to share good practice and to highlight problems. The journal also reports on visits to successful schools in diverse contexts, and includes book reviews on a wide range of developmental issues.
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