Perceived effects and uses of the national teacher evaluation system in Chilean elementary schools

This paper addresses the perceived consequences of the Chilean national teacher evaluation system. We interviewed 57 school leaders in 30 schools across 10 municipalities about effects and uses of the assessment in their schools. Results show that in the large majority of schools our interviewees observe positive effects such as increased teamwork and internal reflection processes based on the assessment results. Reports about effects at teacher level far outnumber institutional effects, and are mixed. In all schools our interviewees report on teachers’ negative emotions and work overload due to the assessment process, but also about their internalization of the underlying professional standards. The paper analyzes differences among schools and offers suggestions for the development of large-scale standardized teacher evaluation systems.     

Between the World and the Village: the role of education in sustaining and developing an Eritrean cultural identity

Educational provision in pluralist countries is often expected to address the competing concerns of social cohesion, equality and cultural diversity. Central to these concerns is the question of whether it is possible to promote a core of shared values running parallel to other and more diverse feelings of identity. This paper explores the role of education in the development of an Eritrean cultural identity against the background of a review of relevant educational provisions in pluralist societies. In an effort to maintain a delicate balance between the goals of cohesion and diversity, multicultural education in Eritrea offers access to a common culture and to a variety of specific cultures. The implications of these initiatives are discussed in four distinct but not necessarily mutually exclusive educational components of cultural identity, that is, the curriculum, textbooks, teachers and teacher training, and the general school ethos.     

The Implications of COVID-19 for Early Childhood Education in Ethiopia: Perspectives from Parents and Caregivers

Early Childhood Education Journal - Recent research on the effects of COVID-19 on school closures has mainly focused on primary and secondary education, with extremely limited attention to early...