Improving Schools最新文献

{"title":"High school students as researchers about their school: exploring its potential for choices and skills","authors":"Ana Cristina Torres, A. Mouraz","doi":"10.1177/13654802211001967","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211001967","url":null,"abstract":"This paper introduces a partnership between researchers in Education Sciences and high school students and discusses the students’ perceptions of the effects of taking on the role of researchers in Education Sciences. These partnerships were established to develop a project in which high school students researched their school’s everyday life in collaboration with academic researchers. The partners are introduced, as well as the partnership and the steps for supporting the student researchers in developing their projects. Drawing on student voice literature, a qualitative evaluation of the students’ products and perspectives regarding their experiences as researchers pointed to the potential of these partnerships for the students’ engagement in discussions about educational trajectories and pathway choices with their peers, teachers and researchers. Moreover, the students’ perceptions indicate an improvement in their inquiry skills and valuing of research in Education Sciences. This paper adds to the existing literature on student voice in schools, by discussing processes to engage students as researchers of school issues and by highlighting the importance of student voice to early awareness and recognition of research in Education Sciences.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211001967","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41634278","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Causes and remedies for secondary school dropout in Palestine","authors":"M. Bzour, F. M. Zuki, M. Mispan","doi":"10.1177/13654802211004067","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211004067","url":null,"abstract":"This study was conducted to assess the experience and causes of school dropout among public secondary (high) schools in Palestine, and to explore processes to combat this. We identify the factors and illustrate a conceptual model for student dropout from school. This involves diverse factors including family background, teachers, school’s environment, student role. This paper recommends that policies to prevent early school leaving require multi-perspectival targeting, involving individual, school, community and family. Among actions which would reduce dropout, we identify plans for eliminating illiteracy, developing a good interpersonal relationship with students, and strengthening community participation in educational programmes.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-03-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211004067","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42057218","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancing motivation and engagement within a PBIS framework","authors":"Michael Petrasek, Anthony G. James, Amity Noltemeyer, Jennifer H. Green, Katelyn Palmer","doi":"10.1177/13654802211002299","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/13654802211002299","url":null,"abstract":"A motivating and engaging school environment has been associated with several positive student outcomes. Consequently, schools have an opportunity and responsibility to promote a culture that supports students in developing and maintaining their motivation, engagement, and self-improvement. Efforts to promote such a culture can be embedded within a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework. In this paper, we begin by describing motivation and engagement, and discussing the relevance of these concepts in schools. Next, we introduce the traditional PBIS framework, highlighting research and core features. Third, we propose how PBIS can be enhanced by incorporating a focus on relationships, engagement, and motivation in the school setting. Finally, we conclude with recommendations for school teams seeking to implement this approach.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-03-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/13654802211002299","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44778055","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Leading the flock: Examining the characteristics of multicultural school leaders in their quest for equitable schooling","authors":"B. Vassallo","doi":"10.1177/1365480221999133","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221999133","url":null,"abstract":"The quest for educational leaders to enact social and equitable schooling requires ongoing critical transformations that cannot be alienated from contemporary educational discourses and practices. Enacting social justice and equitable schooling poses an unparalleled challenge on the shoulders of risk-taking visionaries, who meticulously attempt to transmit their beliefs and values into the daily routine tasks at school, rather than plotting futuristic management scenarios. The study seeks to explore the multifaceted role of primary school leaders in the daily struggle to diffuse the principles of Multicultural Education for more just and equitable schooling. For this purpose, qualitative data measures were employed to determine the extent of which participants in the study mirrored the review of literature and research questions. The Critical Incident Technique was particularly useful as it allowed the collection for a large number of incidents occurring over a number of years, from a small number of people in a relatively short time. Analyses proceeded by identifying culturally responsive leadership practices and the application of critical race theory. Results identified seven core characteristics, present in school leaders who professed strong adherence to the principles of Multicultural Education. This suggests the need for emerging models of educational leadership to effectively respond to the increased diversity in our schools and to further establish the connections between multicultural educational leadership and equity schooling.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221999133","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43457073","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The identification of multi-hazard situations in elementary school","authors":"E. Widowati, Wahyudi Istiono, A. H. Sutomo","doi":"10.1177/1365480221996695","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221996695","url":null,"abstract":"This study aimed to identify various hazard risks which are related to children in schools. This study used a quantitative descriptive design. The sampling technique used was four stage stratified random sampling, with 329 elementary schools as the sample. The results identified various dangerous situations which are related to children and schools ranging from infectious diseases, natural disasters, violence against children and the dangers due to the absence of adequate safety at school. Dangers from natural disasters which could be identified were earthquake, volcano, flood, hurricane landslide, and drought as well as potential biological hazards such as contagion and caterpillar outbreak. Additionally, the dangers related to violence against children were fighting, extortion, physical violence, psychological violence, sexual violence, bullying, and stealing. Related to safety aspects at schools, there were dangerous situations caused by the activities of the children themselves which caused injuries, or other technical causes, such as fire, falling buildings/falling trees, food poisoning, and infectious diseases.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-03-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221996695","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43029433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Editorial","authors":"Terry Wrigley","doi":"10.1177/1365480221992882","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221992882","url":null,"abstract":"The need for active professional engagement in educational change has been a constant issue in the school improvement literature for many decades. The articles in this issue provide an enriched understanding of this question, through research developed in different parts of the world, different school systems, a variety of curriculum areas, and for different groups of students. It raises issues such as the conditions for successful distributed leadership, the balance between cognitive and emotional aspects of organisations and relationships, engagement in policy making, coherent environments for curriculum development, partnerships with academic researchers, and the role of other professionals such as social workers. Mette Liljenberg and Ulf Blossing’s paper based on research in Sweden considers the relationship between school strategy aimed at improving the quality of education and the need to satisfy teachers’ professional needs and interests. The research had a particular focus on working in teams. Particular difficulties highlighted in this report include the use of meetings simply to transfer information; too many short-term improvement projects being introduced in response to external policy initiatives; distribution of leadership roles with inadequate clarification of purpose; discontinuity of understandings of the whole school’s development over time. The authors point to the incoherence and lack of direction that occurs when school leadership has too liberal an attitude, allowing teachers to go their own way. The crucial issue is to involve teachers fully in development of the whole school’s development strategy, to minimise the tension between personal desires and whole school improvement. Teacher collaboration is also a key issue for school improvement in Australia. Joanne Casey, Susan Simon and Wayne Graham consider the cognitive and emotional challenges of interacting with multiple colleagues, students and parents in the complex environment of secondary schools. It is too easy to adopt a ‘silo’ mentality to make one’s situation manageable. Australian secondary schools, like many English speaking countries, are based on a departmental staffing structure which cuts across the social organisation of students, creating obstacles to the flow of information. The authors engage in an interesting discussion and share ideas with implications for developing collaboration. Iman Tohidian and Saeed Ghiasi Nodooshan focus on teachers of English in Iranian schools. They discuss some of the reasons why central initiatives may be unsuccessful. In line with international findings about school improvement in many different circumstances, the need for teacher engagement in curriculum reforms is clear. The article explains that, whereas communication skills in realistic settings are a central aim, the school system is oriented to testing. Though policy makers have recognised the demands of globalization on language teaching, they are disconnected from te","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221992882","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48292628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development and validation of a scale to measure the resilience of schools: Perspectives of young people from vulnerable and challenging territories","authors":"Ana Milheiro Silva, Sofia Marques da Silva","doi":"10.1177/1365480221991742","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221991742","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This article presents the development and validation of a scale for young people, which measures the resilience of schools in ensuring the educational pathways of students in vulnerable and challenging territories. This scale was developed within a national-level project, conducted in Portuguese border regions with Spain, which are peripheral contexts with economic, social, cultural, and educational disadvantages, but with locally-situated promising dynamics.</p><p>Resilient schools, from an ecological perspective, are sensitive and committed to their internal and external settings. These schools act as a whole to face problem solving and risk situations, while also needing to support youth educational pathways and fulfill their role. This is particularly important in contexts with territorial disparities and specificities, as is the case of border regions.</p><p>The Resilience Scale of Schools – Youth Version (RSS-Y) integrates dimensions related to schools’ focus and priorities, as well as practices and resources. Its development took into consideration that schools in vulnerable territories deal with specific constraints and fewer opportunities. In addition, this scale seeks to study the characteristics of resilience that young people identify in their schools and how they perceive their schools’ support.</p><p>This quantitative scale was developed following a multi-step approach and was applied to 3,968 young people (9th to 12th grade). It comprises 17 items, rated on a five-point Likert scale to assess agreement.</p><p>Statistical analysis ensure the internal consistency (Factor 1, α = .846; Factor 2, α = .845; Factor 3, α = .789) and the validity of this scale, indicating adequate psychometric properties to measure students’ perspectives on the resilience characteristics of schools. A Principal Component Analysis (PCA) proposes a three-factor structure that explains 57.393% of the total variance. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) indicates that this model is a good fit with the data.</p><p>The RSS-Y can provide an important contribution to educational research developed in more deprived territories, but also to school contexts, since it recognizes the importance of schools’ differentiated approaches and highlights characteristics that promote the resilience and quality of schools.</p>","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-02-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"138516404","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"When death strikes early as often will: How counsellors and schools can support grieving pupils and students","authors":"G. Wango, Leila Mkameli Gwiyo","doi":"10.1177/1365480221996847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221996847","url":null,"abstract":"Death is inevitable and universal, and the corona virus disease has only further intensified a world of uncertainties as a result of frequent accidents, HIV/AIDS, cancer and natural disasters. Bereavement after any death is a potentially disruptive life event with consequences in physical and mental health, relationships and social functioning. Death is a rather odd, thought-provoking and challenging experience, particularly in the lives of children and adolescents. Death of parent/s, sibling, relative/s, teacher, classmate or friend is a relatively new and challenging phenomenon. Persons working with pupils and students, including teachers, counsellors, school chaplain and social workers, need to be prepared to offer help to those who experience bereavement. Death is unpredictable and may occur naturally, suddenly, or traumatically. In several instances, help is sometimes required in advance of bereavement in that the death may be anticipated such as instances of prolonged illness or following a fatal accident. In all cases, the role of the teacher and counsellor in the school is pivotal in supporting pupils and students who have been bereaved. This paper highlights the need to impart post-traumatic growth in bereft pupils and students in schools in order to cope with bereavement.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221996847","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45623486","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Student absenteeism and ecological agency","authors":"A. Kipp, J. Clark","doi":"10.1177/1365480221992884","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221992884","url":null,"abstract":"The purpose of this article is to address student absenteeism through the theoretical lens of ecological agency and to encourage the use of ecological agency in a school setting to address student absenteeism more holistically. We align absenteeism research within the ecological agency framework and suggest that absenteeism is a manifestation of agency influenced by contextual factors unique to the student’s ecological context and reinforced through punishment. Observing absenteeism through the lens of ecological agency provides an alternative, unique viewpoint giving insight into the process of how students choose to engage in absenteeism based on their ecological factors. The article also intends to illustrate pragmatic use of viewing absenteeism through the lens of ecological agency by providing a sample of interventions that are used to resolve contextual factors and improve student attendance.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-02-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221992884","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47021361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Empathy is the mother of invention: Emotion and cognition for creativity in the classroom","authors":"H. Demetriou, B. Nicholl","doi":"10.1177/1365480221989500","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/1365480221989500","url":null,"abstract":"According to the age-old proverb from Plato’s Republic: necessity is the mother of invention, the main motivation for creating new discoveries is the need for them. However, as well as the necessity factor, we argue that a very important aspect that influences invention and creativity is the empathy factor. This mixed methods research investigated the impact of empathy instruction on the social and emotional skills of creativity in the UK Design and Technology (D&T) classroom. Pupils in year 9 (aged 13 to 14 years) from two schools were assessed for their creativity levels using the Torrance Test of Creative Thinking (TTCT) both at the start and at the end of the academic school year. In the intervening period, whereas the control school continued as normal with its usual D&T lessons, the intervention school’s D&T lessons were replaced by a creativity tuition kit called Designing Our Tomorrow (DOT), which involves instruction in empathising. Pupils from year 7 (aged 11 to 12 years) in a third school were given the DOT task alone and interviewed about their experiences of it. Results showed that unlike the control school, whose emotional and cognitive creative scores in fact decreased over time, the intervention school increased in its levels of emotional and cognitive creativity, as measured by the TTCT. These quantitative as well as the subsequent qualitative interview findings and pupils’ portfolios suggest that creativity can be taught and particularly via instruction that advocates the importance of empathising with the subject matter. The findings are discussed in relation to the need for a holistic approach to teaching, where social, emotional and cognitive dimensions of teaching and learning are needed to complete and enhance the learning experience for the D&T classroom and beyond.","PeriodicalId":45995,"journal":{"name":"Improving Schools","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.6,"publicationDate":"2021-01-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1177/1365480221989500","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46751175","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}