School effectiveness and school improvement
Dr A C Townsend
8 points
* 3 hours per week
* First semester
* Peninsula
Objectives Upon successful completion of this subject, students should have developed knowledge of the international research related to school effectiveness, school improvement and school self-management and of the role of the school charter in the Schools of the Future program; developed understanding of the relationship between these areas and the role each of them plays in the current restructuring of schools, of the structures and problems implicit in the Victorian Schools of the Future program; and practised the skills they require to play an active role in implementing school effectiveness and school improvement strategies.
Synopsis This subject will use both Australian and international literature in the areas of school effectiveness and school improvement to introduce students to the underlying reasons for the current moves towards the devolution of educational decision-making. The subject will explore issues related to the concept of school effectiveness, will identify areas of school operations (in classrooms, in schools and at the system level) that contribute to effectiveness and will seek to identify strategies for implementing effective teaching, learning and administrative practices in classrooms and schools. The work in the area of school effectiveness will be linked to a consideration of school improvement efforts undertaken by schools and school systems. Both the research on school improvement and case studies of specific instances of improvement efforts will be used to generate an understanding of the relationship between effectiveness and improvement. The subject will also seek to analyse the current restructuring efforts that are occurring in Australia and elsewhere with a view to identifying and analysing best practice strategies for classroom and school development.
Assessment Tutorial paper (2000 words): 25%
* Seminar presentation:
25%
* Major essay (3000 words): 50%
Recommended texts
Beare H, Caldwell B and Millikan R Creating an excellent school: Some new management techniques Routledge, 1989
Caldwell B and Spinks J Leading the self-managing school Falmer, 1992
Townsend A C Effective schooling for the community: The core-plus school Routledge, 1994
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