Collaborating for educational change: The role of parents and the community in school improvement

Following the attention given by the Jomtien Declaration to the need for new partnerships and collaboration in the promotion of educational improvement, the International Institute for Educational Planning has initiated a programme of case studies and workshops to examine how partners involved in education can be empowered and encouraged to improve the education in which they have responsibilities or interest. Cases which have been studied fall into three categories: those which enhance collaboration within and across schools, those which centre on school—community interaction and those which involve collaboration among a range of government officials and agencies, NGOs, village organizations and private enterprises. Collaboration in each of these groups may involve changes in the stimulation or control of resources or innovations in educational content or delivery methods. This paper identifies the problems inherent in collaborative exercises, including poverty, institutional or individual inertia and structural obstacles within political or cultural systems. Finally the factors or conditions which affect collaboration are examined along with the implications for staff training, structural re-alignment and skill development at all levels of the educational system.     

Africa's educational dilemma: Roadblocks to universal literacy for social integration and change

Literacy is constantly evolving to meet the needs of African people, but the obstacles (or roadblocks) to universal literacy in Africa are numerous. This paper sets out to analyze them. Some date from colonial regimes, which created elites. Since then, rapid population growth has outstripped gains in literacy, while the differences between male and female literacy, and between urban and rural areas, remain marked. The multiplicity of languages presents a challenge, increasingly met by the use of community languages, although most African states continue to rely on English, French and Portuguese for official and educational purposes. Literacy is ultimately a social construction that determines and is determined by a given social order. Those in power have a vested interest in restricting access to literacy, and there are ambiguities in the policies of national and international agencies. In particular, literacy has been linked to economic and technical development while its promoters have sought to preserve the interests of government, so that consciousness-raising has not been truly adopted. A model of roadblocks is presented, and the article concludes with nine propositions for an analysis of their relationships.

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Zusammenfassung Die Alphabetisierung wird ständig weiterentwickelt, um den Bedürfnissen afrikanischer Völker gerecht zu werden, aber es gibt zahlreiche Hindernisse (oderSperren) für eine universelle Alphabetisierung in Afrika. In diesem Artikel sollen sie analysiert werden. Einige stammen noch von den Kolonialregierungen, die Elitegruppen bildeten. Seitdem hat der rapide Bevölkerungsanstieg die Erfolge der Alphabetisierung überholt, and die Alphabetisierung von Männern und Frauen sowie von der städtischen und ländlichen Bevölkerung unterscheiden sich weiterhin deutlich. Die Sprachenvielfalt ist eine Herausforderung, der man mehr und mehr durch Anwendung von Gemeinschaftssprachen begegnet, obwohl sich die Mehrzahl der afrikanischen Staaten für offizielle und erzieherische Zwecke immer noch der englischen, französischen und portugiesischen Sprache bedient. Die Alphabetisierung ist letztendlich ein soziales Gefüge, das eine gegebene soziale Ordnung beeinflußt und auch von ihr bestimmt wird. Die Machthaber haben ein persönliches Interesse an einem begrenzten Zugang zur Alphabetisierung, und es gibt Unstimmigkeiten in den Maßnahmen nationaler und internationaler Institutionen. Im besonderen wurde die Alphabetisierung mit wirtschaftlichen und technischen Entwicklungen in Verbindung gebracht, wobei ihre Förderer bestrebt waren, die Interessen der Regierung zu wahren, so daß eine Bewußtseinsöffnung in Wahrheit nicht eingetreten ist. Es wird eine Übersicht Über die Hindernisse gegeben, und der Artikel schließt mit neun Vorschlägen zu einer Analyse darüber, welche Beziehungen zwischen diesen Hindernissen bestehen.

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Résumé L'alphabétisation se développe d'une manière constante pour répondre aux besoins du peuple africain, mais les obstacles (les barrages de route) à la généralisation de l'alphabétisme en Afrique sont nombreux. Le présent article se propose de les analyser. Certains sont issus des régimes coloniaux, qui ont créé des élites. Depuis lors, la rapide croissance économique a devancé le développement de l'alphabétisation, tandis que les différences entre l'alphabétisme féminin et masculin, et entre les zones urbaines et rurales, restent marquées. La multiplicité des langues pose un problème, résolu de plus en plus par l'utilisation des langues locales, bien que la plupart des Etats africains continuent de faire appel à l'anglais, au français et au portugais dans le domaine officiel et dans l'éducation. L'alphabétisation est en fin de compte une construction sociale qui détermine et est déterminée par un ordre social donné. Ceux qui détiennent le pouvoir ont intérêt à réduire l'accès à l'alphabétisation, et les politiques des organisations nationales et internationales sont ambiguës. En particulier, l'alphabétisation a été liée au développement économique et technique, tandis que ses promoteurs ont cherché à préserver les intérêts des gouvernements, si bien que la prise de conscience n'a pas été véritablement adoptée. On présente un modèle debarrage de route, et l'article conclut par neuf propositions pour l'analyse de leurs relations.

     

The future of educational change: system thinkers in action

In addressing the future agenda of educational change, this paper advances the notion of sustainability as a key factor in developing a new kind of leadership. This new leadership, if enduring, large scale change is desired, needs to go beyond the successes of increasing student achievement and move toward leading organizations to sustainability. Currently, there is a lack of development of leaders toward system thinking. An argument is made for linking systems thinking with sustainability in order to transform an organization or a system. In order to accomplish this goal, it is necessary to change not only individuals but also systems. The way to change systems is to foster the development of practitioners who are “system thinkers in action.” Such leaders widen their sphere of engagement by interacting with other schools in a process we call lateral capacity building. When several leaders act this way they actually change the context in which they work. Eight elements of sustainability, which will enable leaders to become more effective at leading organizations toward sustainability, are presented. Within the explication of the eight elements, prior research is considered, difficulties are surfaced, and challenges are issued to change contextual conditions in order to effect large scale, sustainable educational change.Adapted from an address at American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, 2004.     

Effecting educational change: The Journey of Simcoe Street School

The Journey of Simcoe Street School is a case study focussing on the first year of a three-year change initiative where holistic curriculum was implemented in a K—8 school. Simcoe Street School is located in the downtown core of an Ontario border town. The project is now completed and undergone a leadership change; however, the identity of the school as holistic has continued. The author acted as an external change agent in the first year and offers a retrospective analysis of this period. Data were obtained from the first year end report, journals kept by two external change agents, and interviews with many of the key educators.     

The social and educational adjustment of abused children

Thirteen 6-year-old children who had been physically abused by their parents were assessed in school for language development, educational attainments and social adjustment, and compared with children from some of the same school classes who served as a comparison group. All the abused children had attended the Family Centre of the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) in Manchester before starting school, and they and their parents had received social work support and supervision from the special unit team. Ten of the 13 abused children had made measurable progress in reading. There were no significant differences between the groups in language development or number skills, but the abused group did contain more high (maladjusted) scores on the Bristol Social Adjustment Guide. Monitoring educational progress and social adjustment in school would seem to be a useful method of following the progress of such children. Most of the children in this group are so far making progress within the ordinary school system despite the disturbances which have affected their home life.     

The Responsible Anarchist: Postmodernism and social change

In recent years, the adoption of postmodern theoretical perspectives within educational research has prompted strong critical reaction. For some critics (particularly Marxist researchers), the greatest fault of postmodernism is that it lacks an agenda for social change. This paper takes issue with this argument, and with four associated arguments: (1) that postmodernism disempowers those to whom it claims to give voice; (2) that it appeals only to intellectuals and has no practical value; (3) that it denies the possibility of the construction of a new social order; and (4) that it colludes with the status quo in its refusal to act. Addressing each of these points in turn, the author suggests that, contrary to the view of these critics, postmodernism offers a powerful force for social change, through the acceptance of uncertainty, the acknowledgement of diversity and the refusal to see concepts such as 'justice' or 'society' as fixed, or as governed by unassailable 'truths'.     

Managing mandated educational change

This paper explores teachers' perspectives on the management of mandated educational change in order to understand how it may be managed more effectively. A case study of teachers' responses to the introduction of a quality teaching initiative in two New South Wales schools found that while some teachers described the strong negative impact of this externally initiated approach, others had taken charge of the required change and worked creatively with it. This suggests that it is possible for mandated change to be managed in positive ways, and an alternative approach is explored. Implications for governments, schools and teachers are discussed.