REvitalizing networks and New Emphasis in Transfer:

1. REvitalizing networks and New Emphasis in Transfer: preventing and facing early school leaving by sharing solutions and tools 2nd Transnational Workshop Riga, 26th - 27th October 2010 ITALIAN REPORT RESULTS CONTEXT ASSOCIATION PROF.SSA PATRIZIA SELLERI (Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna)

2. The five Regions of Italy Bologna Rome Puglia Sardinia Calabria Campania Sicily

3. TIMETABLE • - 140 schools (all Network “Centro Risorse”) enrolled for the survey • first contacts by telephone with the Principals or a Teacher, • start of survey in April 2010; • first reminder at the end of May 2010 • second reminder toward the middle of June 2010 • deadline for collect the questionnaires:20 September 2010.

4. SAMPLE • 35 Schools, the 35% of the whole cluster. • 7 elementary and middle course (compulsory school: age 6-14 years) • 28 Junior High Schools (Secondary School: age 15-19 years). To refer to Italian Educational System, the 28 Junior High Schools are so distributed: 4 Senior High Schoo, s (Liceo in Italy), 10 are Technical School (Istituto Tecnico in Italy) and 13 are Vocational School (Istituto Professionale in Italy), • 38 questionnaires, 18 fill in by the Principals and 20 by the Teachers; .

5. QUESTIONNAIRE For each macro-area • Grid 1 – Evaluation. • 7 items; subject express agreement or disagreement in a 4 points scale (0 = minimum value; 3=maximum value). • score: 0-21. • Grid 2 – Point of Strength / Point of Weakness. • -the same7 items; subject express only two judgment: the main Strength point (+) and the main Weak point (-). • Grid 3 - Strategies and actions. • - Maximum 4 open answers (actions or strategies form remove obstacles and improve resources. • A1- Resources; A2- Culture, Attitudes and Procedures; A3- Past Experience and Current Opportunities; A4-Incentives and Barriers; A5- Staff Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities; A6- External Relationships.

6. Grid1 – Evaluation significant difference in item 1.2 “Once our School/Unit sets aside the time for partnerships and collaborations, we do spend the time needed for building relationships and fulfilling our commitments to those activities”: Teachers have a more positive judgment about the capacity of their schools (ANOVA two-Ways: F. 7,942; p < .008). AREA 1 - Resources TIME – STAFF - INVESTMENTS Grid 2 – Point of Strength item 1.1 ”Our School/Unit can devote time to partnerships or participation in collaborative efforts in concert with our ability to perform major tasks Point of Weakness, item 1.6 “Our School/Unit has enough money to cover our costs for individual partnership and collaboration activities” Item 1.4 In our School/Unit, people stay in place long enough to complete partnerships and collaborations.” Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among regions and level of school (Compulsory/Secondary).

7. AREA 1 - Resources • Grid 3 - Strategies and actions • Words more often utilised make reference : • to the activities inside the school: as to reinforce, to increase, to develop, to supplement, to transfer: “The school intends to strengthen competencies and the specialists for the management of partnership” (Puglia, Secondary School / Vocational); “To develop network culture, of whom many people don’t understand the potentiality yet” (Sardinia, Secondary school/Liceo). • to actions outside the school, as to start, to take part, to spread, to identify, to create, “To start and to complete a network among different partners” (Campania, Compulsory School). • For all, very relevant is the need to find financial resources“To start a systematic research of possible financial resources in the country outside the school”(Sicily, Compulsory school)

8. AREA 2 - Culture, Attitudes, and Procedures Grid1 – Evaluation significant difference items 2.5 ”Personnel policies and procedures support staff participation in partnerships”; Chi-square analysis by Regions (chi² = 0.08; df. 12) shows a trend of difference. • Grid 2 • Point of Weakness • item 2.7 “Our School/Unit has good mechanisms for staff to ask for help when they run into difficulties, and staff feel comfortable asking for help” Point of Strength item 2.1 “Our School/Unit works well as a team internally, both on specific projects and overall” Item 2.5 “Personnel policies and procedures support staff participation in partnerships”. Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among Level of School (Compulsory/Secondary) and Principals/Teacher

9. AREA 2 - Culture, Attitudes, and Procedures Grid 3 - Strategies and actions, words more often utilised make reference to activities devoted: - to select, to involve, to stimulate, to improve above all attitudes of the school staff “To improve the network culture as an organizational tool” (Sardinia, Secondary school/Istituto Tecnico). -to spread, to put on work, to build a consensus about the importance of school network and, obviously, “To attend to all projects for to look for financial resources” (Campania,Seconday School/ Liceo).

10. Grid1 – Evaluation Chi-square analysis (chi² = .07; df. 12) shows a trend of difference in items 3.7 “Outcomes and knowledge acquired through partnership experiences have been incorporated in the procedures and organizational behaviours of the School/Unit”. with regard to subject who fill in the questionnaire (Principal/Teacher); item 3.7 (again), are more in agreement with the contents the compulsory schools (ANOVA two-Ways: F. 6,681; p < .014). • AREA3 • Past Experience and • Current Opportunities Grid 2 – - Point of Strength item 3.4 “Our School/Unit has ideas for initiating partnerships and collaborations with others”. - Point of Weakness, item 3.6 “Our School/Unit has analysed the collaborations implemented and the majority of the staff is aware of outcomes achieved.” Item 3.7 “Outcomes and knowledge acquired through partnership experiences have been incorporated in the procedures and organizational behaviours of the School/Unit” I”. Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among Regions

11. AREA3 • Past Experience and • Current Opportunities Grid 3 - Strategies and actions, words more often utilised make reference to the actions useful to start change and transition in the our school, as: to evaluate, to monitoring, to pursue, to develop, to socialise, to disseminate, to motivate: “To evaluate needs and to offer good answers” (Sardinia, Secondary School/Ist.Tecnico); “More dissemination of the results reached by past experiences in school network”(Campania, Secondary School/ Ist. Professionale);

12. AREA 4 • Incentives/Barriers Grid 1 – Evaluation item 4.2 “At least some members of our staff have personal performance expectations that include participation in partnerships and collaborative efforts” : Teacher more in agreement with the contents (ANOVA two-Ways: F. 4,060; p < .05). Grid 2 – Point of Strength item 4.4 “Our School/Unit is flexible in its approaches and implementation of policies and procedures and, thus, allows staff latitude for working with partners in different ways, depending on the circumstances” item 4.2”At least some members of our staff have personal performance expectations that include participation in partnerships and collaborative efforts”. Point of Weakness item 4.1 “Our School/Unit has budgeting processes that facilitate partnerships and collaborations (e.g. missions) item 4.6“Our School/Unit provides training opportunities to those who engage in partnerships and collaborative efforts” Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among Regions and the level of school (Compulsory/Secondary).

13. AREA 4 • Incentives/Barriers Grid 3 - Strategies and actions words more often utilised make reference to the actions useful to improve school activities, as: to increase, to progress, to reinforce, to promote: “To promote actions devoted to remove distrust about school network” (Calabria, Compulsory School); “To increase the number of colleagues capable of manage network” (Campania, Secondary School/ Ist. Professionale)

14. Grid1 – Evaluation item 5.3 “Our staff members know whom to include in partnerships, who should come to what meetings, and how to develop strong relationships and rituals that build trust”, Teacher have more positive judgment about their colleagues [ANOVA two Ways (F. 10,253; p < .003); Principal: average = 1,56 /Teacher: average = 2,35] • AREA 5 . • Staff Knowledge, • Skills and Abilities • Grid 2 – • Point of Strength • Item 5.4 “Our staff members are skilled at organizing projects with clear objectives, milestones, assignments, and manage coordination, monitoring and evaluation actions • Point of Weakness, • Item 5.2 “Our School/Unit members understand a variety of techniques and tools used to collaborate with outside groups and how to decide which ones to use in different situations” • item 5.7 “Our staff knows whom to go to for help when difficulties arise”. Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among school (Compulsory/Secondary). And Regions

15. AREA 5 . • Staff Knowledge, • Skills and Abilities • Strategies and actions • words more often utilised make reference to the actions useful to improve school activities, as • to increase, to progress, to reinforce, to promote: “To promote actions devoted to remove distrust about school network” (Calabria, Compulsory School); “To increase the number of colleagues capable of manage network” (Campania, Secondary School/ Ist. Professionale)

16. Grid1 – Evaluation, item 6.2 “The majority of our staff has relationships with external groups” Region Campania shows the more favorable judgment, while Sardinia has the lowest judgment [ANOVA two-Ways: F. 5,175; p < .003; Sardinia: average = 1,60; Calabria: average = 2,00; Sicily: average = 2,18; Puglia: media = 1,86 ; Campania: average = 2,58]. • AREA 6 – • External Relationships Grid 2 Point of Strength Item 6.5 Our community and non-governmental partners would say that we are good partners to them, and that our School/Unit assists them in achieving their goals item 6.1 “Our staff has positive relationships with our current partners and participants in collaborative projects Point of Weakness items 6.5 “Our community and non-governmental partners would say that we are good partners to them, and that our School/Unit assists them in achieving their goals” item 6.2 “The majority of our staff has relationships with external groups” Score = 0-21 Not significant differences among Level of School (Compulsory/Secondary) and Principals/Teacher

17. AREA 6 – • External Relationships Grid 3 - Strategies and actions words more often utilised make reference to the actions of network inside and outside the school, as to connect, to stronger, to expand, to involve, to feed, to grow:“To renew contacts with the local authority outside the school” (Sardinia, Secondary School/Liceo); “To reinforce area of expertise already developed” (Calabria, Compulsory School); “More involvement in the activity to find partner” (Puglia, Secondary School/Ist. Professionale)

18. As a conclusion.. A lot of open questions.. Network among schools, just in a season of financial resources time by time reduced, can be a resource, but only if people will be able to go beyond the everyday needs.

19. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Patrizia Selleri (CONTEXT Association –Rome Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna) e-mail:patrizia.selleri@unibo.it