SCHOOL SELF-EVALUATION: A BUREAUCRATIC OBLIGATION OR AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
Abstract
Since the 1980s, education policies in many European countries have aimed at decentralization by giving educational institutions greater autonomy and responsibility for overseeing the quality of the provided education, while introducing or intensifying accountability measures. During recent years, an effort was made in Greece to promote the institutionalization of school self-evaluation and to enable the continuous assessment of education quality. Nevertheless, evaluation remains inactive or is partially implemented. Self-evaluation can be described as a process that starts from the school itself, in which carefully selected participants make a systematic description and evaluation of its operation, in order to make decisions or take initiatives for overall school development. In self-evaluation the initiative lies primarily with the school itself which chooses the means to be used and the participants. Because self-evaluation is conducted for the purpose of school improvement, stakeholder involvement, open school climate development, and transparency become critical factors. The aim of the present study was to investigate the attitudes of teachers working in a secondary education special school on the necessity and the prospects of self-evaluation in the Greek educational system and on how it should be designed and implemented to improve education quality. For this purpose, we conducted qualitative research using semi-structured interviews. Our research results show that if we want self-evaluation to be an essential tool, not just a bureaucratic obligation, it should focus on responsibility sharing and on promoting the collective character of all stakeholders involved in the educational process. Self-evaluation should help develop relationships of dialogue and cooperation, and a climate of trust among those involved, aiming not to control but to improve education. That is, to identify weaknesses and problems and to create the conditions for the improvement of educational practices by introducing innovative actions. At the same time, teachers should be given the opportunity for continuous feedback, which will enable improved planning and implementation of the related pedagogical interventions.
References
- Bagakis, G. (2017). An attempt to evaluate the nineteen years of school self-assessment experience in Greece. What ultimately determines self-assessment? Nea Pedia, vol. 162, pp. 19-30 (in Greek)
- Barth, R. S. (2001). Teacher leader. Phi Delta Kappan, 82 (4), 443–449.
- Blok, H., Sleegers, P. J. C., & Karsten, S. J. (2008). Looking for a balance between internal and external evaluation of school quality: evaluation of the SVI model. Journal of education policy, 23(4), 379-395.
- Earley, P. & Bubb, S. (2004). Leading and managing continuing professional development: Developing people, developing schools, London: SAGE Publications
- Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
- Hitchcock, G. & Hughes, D. (1989) Research and the Teacher: Α Qualitative Introduction to School- based Research, London, Routledge.
- Kvale, S. & Brinkmann, S. (2009). Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing (2nd Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2009.
- Kyriakides, L., & Campbell, R. J. (2004) School self-evaluation and school improvement: A critique of values and procedures. Studies in Educational Evaluation 30(1): 23-36.
- MacBeath, J. (2005). Can teachers learn? In G. Bagakis (Ed.). Teacher training and professional development. Athens: Metaichmio, 27-41 (in Greek).
- McNamara, G & O’Hara, J (2008) The importance of the concept of self-evaluation in the changing landscape of education policy. Studies in Educational Evaluation 34(3): 173–179.
- Plowright, D. (2007). Self-evaluation and Ofsted Inspection: Developing an Integrative Model of School Improvement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 35(3), 373-393.
- Ranson, S. (2011). School Governance and the Mediation of Engagement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 39(4), 398–413.
- Schildkamp, K., & Visscher, A.J. (2009). Factors influencing the utilisation of a school self-evaluation instrument. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 35, 150-159.
- Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data, USA.
- Vanhoof, Jan, Van Petegem, Peter & De Maeyer, Sven. (2009). Attitudes towards school self-evaluation. Studies in educational evaluation, 35, 21-28.
Abstract
References
- Bagakis, G. (2017). An attempt to evaluate the nineteen years of school self-assessment experience in Greece. What ultimately determines self-assessment? Nea Pedia, vol. 162, pp. 19-30 (in Greek)
- Barth, R. S. (2001). Teacher leader. Phi Delta Kappan, 82 (4), 443–449.
- Blok, H., Sleegers, P. J. C., & Karsten, S. J. (2008). Looking for a balance between internal and external evaluation of school quality: evaluation of the SVI model. Journal of education policy, 23(4), 379-395.
- Earley, P. & Bubb, S. (2004). Leading and managing continuing professional development: Developing people, developing schools, London: SAGE Publications
- Hargreaves, A., & Fullan, M. (2012). Professional capital: Transforming teaching in every school. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
- Hitchcock, G. & Hughes, D. (1989) Research and the Teacher: Α Qualitative Introduction to School- based Research, London, Routledge.
- Kvale, S. & Brinkmann, S. (2009). Interviews: Learning the Craft of Qualitative Research Interviewing (2nd Edition). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, 2009.
- Kyriakides, L., & Campbell, R. J. (2004) School self-evaluation and school improvement: A critique of values and procedures. Studies in Educational Evaluation 30(1): 23-36.
- MacBeath, J. (2005). Can teachers learn? In G. Bagakis (Ed.). Teacher training and professional development. Athens: Metaichmio, 27-41 (in Greek).
- McNamara, G & O’Hara, J (2008) The importance of the concept of self-evaluation in the changing landscape of education policy. Studies in Educational Evaluation 34(3): 173–179.
- Plowright, D. (2007). Self-evaluation and Ofsted Inspection: Developing an Integrative Model of School Improvement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 35(3), 373-393.
- Ranson, S. (2011). School Governance and the Mediation of Engagement. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 39(4), 398–413.
- Schildkamp, K., & Visscher, A.J. (2009). Factors influencing the utilisation of a school self-evaluation instrument. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 35, 150-159.
- Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1998). Basics of Qualitative Research: Techniques and Procedures for Developing Grounded Theory, Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data, USA.
- Vanhoof, Jan, Van Petegem, Peter & De Maeyer, Sven. (2009). Attitudes towards school self-evaluation. Studies in educational evaluation, 35, 21-28.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Other Fields of Education, Studies on Education |
| Journal Section | Articles |
| Authors | |
| Early Pub Date | May 4, 2022 |
| Publication Date | May 4, 2022 |
| Submission Date | February 9, 2022 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2022Volume: 8 Issue: 22 |
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