Real school improvement: is it in the eye of the beholder?

Evans, Margaret Jean; Cowell, Naina

doi:10.1080/02667363.2013.798720

Cited by 7 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In addition to the significant improvement in the experimental group schools between the beginning and end of the three-year treatment compared with the control group schools, the analysis of the two groups' performance across the three years also showed continuous progress of the experimental group schools over that of the control group schools. In general, the findings of this study appear to be congruent with the current literature on school effectiveness (Brunings, 2014;Cowell & Evans, 2013;Creemers & Kyriakides, 2010;Creemers, Kyriakides, & Antoniou, 2012;Cruddas, 2007;Ismail, 2014;Osman & Al Mekhlafi, 2018;Tengku Ariffin, Awang-Hashim, & Yahya, 2010). Research on school improvement models show that contextualized systemic approaches to educational reform produce positive changes in the school operational processes, which in turn, result in significant increases in school effectiveness.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

The Effect of a Holistic School Improvement Model in Enhancing School Effectiveness in Oman

Mekhlafi

Osman

2019

Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction

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Purpose - This study examined the impact of a holistic school improvement model on overall school effectiveness, More specifically, it attempted to answer two questions: 1) Are there any significant differences in school performance between the control group and the experimental group before and after the experiment? 2) Is there any significant improvement in the experimental group school effectiveness before and after the experiment? Methodology - As a part of a four-year longitudinal research project, the study used a quasi experimental research design to examine the impact of a holistic school improvement model on enhancing overall school effectiveness in Oman. The sample consisted of 16 intact classes selected from 8 schools (4 experimental and 4 control groups), with a total of 2378 students (1157 from grade nine classes and 1221 from grade seven classes). The experimental group schools were exposed to a wide range of school improvement activities within a four-year period. A series of workshops on activating the 13 elements of the Innovation Sustainability Wheel (ISW) were delivered to all administrators and teachers at the target experimental group schools, in addition to empowering students through enrichment programs in five subject areas. Data was collected from the Omani Ministry of Education school performance indicators, which included five subject matter achievement tests aggregated over three years. Findings - The study revealed significant differences in overall school performance across the four years between the control and experimental schools, in favour of the experimental group. Moreover, a significant progression of school effectiveness was observed in the two grade levels of the experimental group. Significance - The findings are significant in terms of providing educational systems with a workable mechanism for identifying key areas of weaknesses and means of improvement; establishing a chain of actions for activating all interrelated elements that act as driving forces for sustainable change; ensuring that the indicators of school improvement should include both operational processes and students’ learning outcomes; and contributing to the knowledge base in the area of school improvement in terms of a research-based model that has potential implications for practitioners and policy makers.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

The Effect of a Holistic School Improvement Model in Enhancing School Effectiveness in Oman

Mekhlafi

Osman

2019

Malaysian Journal of Learning and Instruction

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“…School-based research includes a review of SFBT, which showed a positive effect for the externalising and internalising behaviour of pupils (Kim & Franklin, 2009). Applications of SFAs in schools have ranged from individual 'life coaching' (Green et al, 2007) to group 'reteaming' (Kvarme et al, 2010) and whole school SFAs such as the 'Solution Oriented School' (Evans & Cowell, 2013). Of the research demonstrating medium and large effect sizes, SFAs found to positively influence internalising behaviour included brief counselling with solution focused adaptations (Littrell et al, 1995;Thompson & Littrell, 1998); the use of SFBT alongside teacher consultations (Franklin et al, 2008) and life coaching-an SFA in combination with cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT, Green et al, 2007).…”

Section: Solu T Ion Foc Used a Pproac H E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Whole school SFAs have been delivered by teaching staff, school support staff and the students themselves, which have demonstrated improvements in school credits earnt, but a decrease in attendance (Franklin et al., 2007). Another whole school SFA showed improved goal attainment, self‐esteem, and school exclusions for pupils, although also found an increase in unauthorised absences (Evans & Cowell, 2013). Overall, SFA delivery by non‐specialist school staff has shown some positive but also some negative outcomes from limited research.…”

Section: Solution Focused Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the use of SFBT and SFAs in schools has shown positive effects for pupils' internalising and externalising behaviour (Kim & Franklin, 2009), there has been limited exploration of the effectiveness of an SFA when delivered by non‐specialist school staff (Evans & Cowell, 2013; Franklin et al., 2007; Galbraith & Alexander, 2005; Green et al., 2007; Kvarme et al., 2010). Therefore, there is a need for research to establish whether an SFA could be an effective early intervention in supporting pupils' SEMH when delivered by non‐specialist school staff.…”

Section: Solution Focused Approachesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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School staff delivery of a solution focused intervention to support pupils' behaviour

Watson,

Hayes

2024

Support for Learning

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A single case experimental design with multiple baselines was employed to explore the relationship between a solution focused intervention delivered by school staff and the externalising behaviour of four primary school pupils. The intervention took place over four to five sessions, which were delivered by non‐specialist school staff with the use of training, supervision, and a manual. Observations of a specific positive behaviour were carried out both before and during the intervention, which were then analysed through visual and statistical analysis. A pre and post intervention questionnaire measure of pupils’ externalising behaviour was collected. For each participant, one videoed session was used to explore the fidelity of the intervention to the manual. Analysis of observations of behaviour showed a significant increase in a specific positive behaviour for three of four participants. A measure of pupils’ externalising behaviour showed a significant reduction for two of the eight questionnaires collected. Video analysis suggested variation of fidelity across participants. This research provides tentative support for specific outcomes from a solution focused intervention, when delivered by non‐psychologists who are provided with appropriate support. It has also been found that non‐specialist school staff practitioners were able to deliver the intervention through applying elements from a manual to have a positive impact on a specific behaviour for three of four participants. There is a need for further high quality research to establish the effectiveness of solution focused interventions when delivered by non‐specialists with the use of consistent intervention and outcome measures.

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A role for educational psychologists: using Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) and participatory action research (PAR) to develop a Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) support group with staff in a special school

Carpenter¹,

Lee²,

Male³

2023

Educational Psychology in Practice

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Real school improvement: is it in the eye of the beholder?

Cited by 7 publications

References 19 publications

The Effect of a Holistic School Improvement Model in Enhancing School Effectiveness in Oman

The Effect of a Holistic School Improvement Model in Enhancing School Effectiveness in Oman

School staff delivery of a solution focused intervention to support pupils' behaviour

A role for educational psychologists: using Planning Alternative Tomorrows with Hope (PATH) and participatory action research (PAR) to develop a Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) support group with staff in a special school

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