Capacity building for school improvement: a case study of a New Zealand primary school

Capacity building is now mentioned synonymously with school improvement in much of the literature with an absence of debate on the implications of political, social and economic trends. This article explores capacity building in one low decile, multicultural, New Zealand primary school. The research, positioned within an interpretivist paradigm, utilises a case study and grounded theory approach to explore four aspects: 1. processes that enhance improvement; 2. internal and external influences on capacity building; 3. wider societal factors that influence the development of capacity; 4. links between capacity building and improvement. This article suggests that capacity building for school improvement is time and context dependent and is unique to the setting. It occurs in response to individual, collective and systemic need in ways that sustain equilibrium while moving towards improvement. The paper explores key attributes of capacity building: vision; stakeholders as change agents; school culture; professional development. Practices that are examined include knowledge production and utilisation; division of labour; roles and responsibilities; a switching-on mentality. These groups of factors lend themselves to a discussion of four important themes in the capacity building and school improvement process: situated activity; connectedness; leadership, governance and management; outcomes. This article concludes that the confluence of these contributing factors enables tensions and needs of context to be managed in ways that ensure equilibrium of people, school and system while moving in the direction of improvement.     

Gender differences in cognitive abilities of learning-disabled females and males

Gender differences in level and pattern of cognitive abilities were examined in 28 LD college-able females (CA 18–25) as compared to 21 LD college-able males (CA 18–25). Both groups were in the average IQ range as measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, with LD males significantly higher on the Full Scale IQ and three out of the four subtests, Picture Completion, Block Design, and Information. The LD females performed significantly better on the Digit Symbol subtest. The hierarchies of subtest performance and Bannatyne and ACID category scores were compared. LD females have strengths in visual-motor abilities and verbal conceptualization, while the LD males’ highest abilities were nonverbal visual-spatial confirming earlier studies on younger LD individuals and non-LD males and females. Performance on the Digit Symbol subtest was the next to the lowest for the males, the highest for females. However, for both groups, short-term and long-term memory for digits and factual knowledge and mental arithmetic problem solving were relative weaknesses. Results indicate different patterns of cognitive abilities in LD females and males which have implications for identification, service, and prognosis for the learning disabled, especially females.