Missions, Visions, and Goals for School Improvement - A Typology of Estonian Schools

Vanari, Kätlin; Eisenschmidt, Eve

doi:10.1080/15700763.2022.2160360

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…All principals in Estonia according to the Basic Schools and Upper Secondary Schools Act are responsible for promoting the teaching and learning process and observing the use of the school's resources and development [40]. Schools also have to adopt a three-year School Improvement Plan for further school improvement [48].…”

Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

What Matters in Leadership Practices among Estonian Upper Secondary School Principals?

Tamkivi,

Eisenschmidt

2023

Education Sciences

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High standards are required to succeed in the state upper secondary school system and many challenges have to be met. School principals with their leadership experience and practices are key actors to ensure the achievement of these goals. The study aims to find out Estonian state- operated upper secondary school principals’ understandings of their leadership practices and supporting factors of their work. The data were collected with semi-structured interviews with eight school leaders. They were analysed with directed content analysis and leadership practices were analysed in four dimensions: setting directions; building relationships and developing people; developing the organisation to support desired practices; improving instructional programmes. An inductive approach was used to analyse data to explore the supporting factors. The findings showed that principals followed all dimensions of successful leadership practices. An important dimension appeared to be building relationships with students and teachers. The main concern in their work regarding school improvement challenges was teachers’ workload. Principals saw the strength in having trustworthy and supporting relationships with the operator and being part of the state upper secondary school network. It would be recommended to systematically assess and develop the leadership competencies of school leaders along the dimensions of successful leadership and to closely address the professionalism and support of the school operator, because it was identified by school leaders as an important factor influencing their work.

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Section: Context Of the Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

What Matters in Leadership Practices among Estonian Upper Secondary School Principals?

Tamkivi,

Eisenschmidt

2023

Education Sciences

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“…School leaders are generally characterized by their desire to respond to external expectations, innovate, and participate in a wide range of projects (Eisenschmidt et al, 2021), and teachers also consider school culture to be innovative and change-oriented (Oppi & Eisenschmidt, 2022). Hence, the challenge is that school improvement plans seldom concentrate on students' learning (Vanari & Eisenschmid, 2022). Moreover, school leaders themselves report difficulties related to the development of teacher collaboration (Tirri et al, 2021), and collaborative learning is rarely viewed as a means for teachers to impact one another's professional development (Eisenschmidt et al, 2020).…”

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confidence: 99%

Fostering Collaborative School Improvement in Estonian Schools

Eisenschmidt,

Kumpas-Lenk,

Vanari

et al. 2024

Journal of School Leadership

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This study aimed to identify the factors that foster a collaborative culture in the school improvement process. Estonian schools are characterized by a high degree of autonomy in developing the school curriculum and choosing the appropriate methods for its implementation. As a result, some schools are more successful, while others face difficulties in improving their pedagogical processes. Six Estonian schools with lower performance indicators participated in the School Improvement Program in 2021–2022. In each school, leaders and teachers formed a team together with two mentors. Supported by university experts, the school teams began working on a topic they chose to improve their students’ learning while simultaneously increasing the school’s leadership capacity by strengthening a collaborative school culture. The results of this qualitative research demonstrate that the arrangement of teamwork and the creation of shared values and goals constitute the key factors in creating a collaborative culture. Collaborative culture can be fostered by composing a stable team, developing routines for collaboration, ensuring open communication among all parties, focusing consistently on the goal, and building trust among participants. The obstacles are resistance to change, an unstable team, no routines for collaboration, a lack of communication, and no commitment to the goal. External support is important for both successful school teams and those facing challenges in the improvement process.

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Navigating the Intersections of Religion and Education Reflected in the Institutional Mission: Examining the Case of Dongguk University as a Buddhist-Affiliated Institution in South Korea

Gu,

Kim

2024

Religions

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This study examines the ongoing impact of religiously affiliated private institutions on the dynamics of higher education in South Korea. To do so, this study pays attention to the case of Dongguk University as a renowned Buddhist-affiliated institution. By exploring the university’s institutional mission, educational goals, governance, symbolic representations, and curricula, this study illustrates the ways in which Dongguk University integrates its Buddhist identity into various facets of its educational framework. This study especially highlights the university’s ongoing efforts to reconcile its religious vision based upon Buddhism with its broader educational responsibilities to our society so as to educate well-rounded citizens who can creatively address contemporary challenges we now face. With an in-depth exploration of Dongguk University rooted in Buddhism, this study sheds light on the distinct characteristics of religiously affiliated private institutions and their influences on the educational landscape in South Korea. In doing so, this study offers valuable insights into the ways to examine the intersections between religions, education, and contemporary society. Such insights elucidate the critical roles of religions in our public life and their implications for the future of education in an era of unprecedented social, cultural, and technological changes.

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Missions, Visions, and Goals for School Improvement - A Typology of Estonian Schools

Cited by 3 publications

References 41 publications

What Matters in Leadership Practices among Estonian Upper Secondary School Principals?

What Matters in Leadership Practices among Estonian Upper Secondary School Principals?

Fostering Collaborative School Improvement in Estonian Schools

Navigating the Intersections of Religion and Education Reflected in the Institutional Mission: Examining the Case of Dongguk University as a Buddhist-Affiliated Institution in South Korea

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