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Irish Evaluation Network DCU September 2004. Embedding a Culture of Evaluation: The Whole School Evaluation Experience. The School Evaluation Spectrum. Fin land / Italy Ireland Holland England
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Irish Evaluation NetworkDCUSeptember 2004 Embedding a Culture of Evaluation: The Whole School Evaluation Experience
The School Evaluation Spectrum Fin land/ ItalyIreland Holland England Ireland along with other European countries is adopting a model of quality assurance that emphasises school development planning through internal school review and self-evaluation with the support of external evaluation carried out by the inspectorate. (LAOS, 2003, P. Viii)
Two Questions • Where will the final balance fall between external inspection and internal self-evaluation? • What procedures and processes can enable school-based self evaluation to work not only as a basis for school planning and improvement but also meet demands for credible quality assurance and democratic accountability?
Whole-School Evaluation (Pilot Phase) (DES, 1999) • 35 schools. • “Consultative evolutionary evaluation.” (DCU) • Closely linked to school planning “two sides of the same coin” (DES 1999) and the process described as “external validation of internal evaluation.” • Work of the school as a whole – no identification of individual teachers. But included classroom visits & examination of pupil work.
Pilot Outcome • Largely positive – little controversy or resistance. • Principals – “It was the management that was evaluated and while the process might uncover certain issues and problems, it did nothing to help schools deal with these problems.” (DES 1999). • Inspectors – “reports tended toward superficialityand “quality of data available in schools very poor.” • “better organised in-school data on pupil performance.” • “the process should involve collection of hard data” (ibid ,28).
Looking at Our School (LAOS)(May, 2003) Very close to WSE (Pilot) but more complex. Five Areas: Quality of School Management Quality of School Planning Quality of School Curriculum Provision Quality of School Learning & Teaching Quality of School Support for Students Each with a number of aspects, which in turn has anumber of components, each of which has anumber of themes for self-evaluation.
Much more stress on self-evaluation – very little mention of the role of the inspector/external evaluator. • “Schools themselves have the key role in the task of identifying existing good practice as well as areas for further development”. (Laos, 2003, VIII).
Embedding a Culture of Evaluation? • On the positive side: • LAOS - A lot of work/thought in evidence - Close to the emerging majority consensus on approaches to school evaluation - In line with the wishes/views of principals teachers - In place without the controversy and resistance that might have been expected
On the other hand… • WSE can support improvement butwhat about accountability? • Two Roles • Role of the stakeholders – • parents • pupils • community
What Data? • Stream of High Quality Data? • “Having engaged in a process of collecting and analysing this information and evidence the school will be in a position to make a statement indicating its own performance on the relevant component” (DES, 2003) • Using existing Instruments? • CEM?