School governance and academic excellence: the representations of distinguished students in an annual award of excellence

Within a research project on «academic excellence in the state school», this paper is a contribution to the sociological reflection on the cultural and organisational characteristics of the school and its relationship with the academic success of students. The data we present stem from a case study underway at a secondary school in the north of Portugal, referring to the universe of students that since 2003 have distinguished themselves for achieving grades equal to or greater than 18 (on a scale of 0 to 20) and have thus been included in the school’s Framework of Excellence. From a contextual approach to this educational practice, we focused on the cultural characteristics of the school/subject as analytical support for the study of school and non-school dimensions in their mutual connections. To this end, we used the information from document analysis and data collected from a questionnaire survey administered to more than two-thirds of the students included in the above-mentioned Framework of Excellence. Subsequently, we will use the data from this survey to understand the extent to which academic excellence is perceived as an indivisible social construction of the school’s political and organisational matrix, particularly in terms of the educational and teaching guidelines adopted by the management body. We will conclude by questioning the meaning of the school’s management policies regarding the emphasis on educational outcomes, with particular focus on the representations of excellent students in the processes of school leadership, teaching organisation, school merit and justice.

Derechos de participación e información en programas dirigidos a adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la Ciudad de Córdoba: cumplimiento progresivo y estrategias de promoción. Participation and information rights in programs for adolescents in secondary schools in Cordoba City: progressive implementation and promotion strategies.

Abordar la infancia desde el enfoque de derechos (ED) implica una lectura de los derechos de los cuales los niños, niñas y adolescentes (NNA) son titulares y de las acciones estatales que se implementan para viabilizar el ejercicio concreto de ellos. Esta perspectiva exige comprender los contenidos de las políticas púb,el grado de participación que se les asigna y los sentidos que ellas toman en términos de progresividad de los derechos. Los cambios de concepción de la infancia desde la Convención Internacional de los Derechos del Niño (CIDN) y los cambios legislativos interpelan al Estado y la sociedad a modificar la visión hegemónica. Nuestra hipótesis gira alrededor de las siguientes considerac.: se han producido algunas modificaciones en las políticas y acciones estatales, aún no se dan las transformaciones necesarias de las lógicas institucionales y de los operadores que estimulen la participación de NNA en el ámbito escolar. Esto se visualiza en la ausencia de análisis cuali de los contenidos de las acc. y la falta de ftes estadísticas específicas, que muestren la orientac.de los contenidos en los principios de la protecc.integral. Estos presupuestos plantean interrogantes que delimitan el problema de investigación: ¿cómo se construye y reconstruye el ejercicio de la ciudadanía a través de la participación de los NNA, en su paso por la escuela, y cuáles son las lógicas institucionales que habilitan u obstaculizan ese ejercicio? Y ¿cuáles son los recursos institucionales que permitan que los programas y acciones redunden en el ejercicio efectivo de los derechos?.Obj.gral: Describir, analizar e interpretar la progresividad en el ejercicio de los derechos de participación e informacióin que tienen los adolescentes en escuelas secundarias de la cd de Cba, durante 2005 / 2010, para promover espacios públicos de construcción de ciudadanía. Se analizarán tres escuelas de Córdoba, escuela pública provincial, púb. nacional y privada. Obj. Espec.: Analizar las prácticas participativas formales e informales en las escuelas seleccionadas.- Aplicar indicadores cuanti y cualitativos del “Sistema de Indicadores para los derechos de la Infancia” Describir y analizar los recursos materiales y humanos. Elaborar y proponer procedim. para la confec. de registros de datos estadísticos - Elaborar y proponer lineamientos para la elaborac.e implementac.de acciones. Diseñar herramientas de difusión sobre los ds de participación e información.Esta investigac. es de carácter descriptivo e interpretativo, analizará diferentes ftes de informac.con técnicas cuanti y cualitativas, durante período la promulgación de la Ley 26061/05 y la adhesión prov. 9396/07. Se tomarán del Sistema de Indicadores, el derecho a la educación, el tema transversal “Acceso a la información y participación”, y las categorías de análisis “Recepción del Derecho y Capacidades estatales”. Se trabajaran indicadores cuanti y señales de progreso (cualitativos): estructurales, proceso y resultados. Serán analizados los Programas implementados durante el período de estudio. Estrategias cuali observac. participante, entrevistas, grupos focales, talleres de sensibilización, etc .Otras ftes de info: doc. institucionales, registros, evaluac, contenidos de programas y campañas y de difusión, prensa escrita, legislaciones, etc. La info se analizará a través Programa Atlas Ti, y del análisis estadístico. Algunos resultados esperados: Evaluac.y ajuste del Sistema de indicadores, la sensibilizac. desde el EF de autorid. escol. para la formulac. de planes y programas para el monitoreo adecuado de los mismos y para la rendic. de ctas de su gestión. Estimular la participac. de NNA en la escuela. Realizac.de documental. Brindar herramientas al Edo para superv de la aplicación progresiva del ejercicio de los derechos de participación e información de NNA Promov la continua evaluac. de los programas y acc.desde el ED para estimular el reconoc. de la nec.de ajuste de la política. The issue of children from the rights focus implies a reading of the rights in which children and adolescents are the holders and the state actions that are implemented to enable the exercise of them. This perspective requires understanding the contents of the public policies, the participation level that is assigned, and the senses that they take in terms of rights progressivity of. The conception changes about children since the International Convention on the Rights of the Child and legislative changes challenge to the State and society to modify hegemony vision. Our hypothesis revolves around the following considerations: there have been some public policies and state actions changes, but they not turn out, yet, transformations in logical institutional and actors whose are encourages children participation in school. This could be reflects in the absence of qualitative analysis in the actions contents and the lack of sources specific statistics, that will be showing the control of the principal contents of integral protection. These, raise the questions that delimit our problem research: how is built citizenship exercise through children and adolescent’s participation in the school, and what are the institutional logical that empowers or turns difficult that exercise? And What are the institutional resources that make possible the effective exercise of the rights, through different programs and actions?. General Objective: To describe, analyze and interpret exercise progressivity participation and information rights that have the adolescents in secondary schools in Córdoba City during 2005 / 2010, in order to promote public spaces for the construction of citizenship. It will analyze three schools in Cordoba, provincial public school, national public school and private school. . Obj. Specifics: To analyze the formal and informal participative practices in the schools selected. - To apply quantitative and qualitative indicators of the “Indicators System for Infa

A comparative study in two secondary schools aimed at improving their energy management: Archbishop McHale College Tuam, Coláiste Cholmcille Indreabhánn

Climate change is a crisis that is going to affect all of our lives in the future. Ireland is expected to have increased storms and rain throughout the country. This will affect our lives greatly unless we do something to change it. In an attempt to try and reduce the impacts of climate change, countries across the world met to address the problem. The meeting became known as the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto protocol set out objectives for each developed country to achieve with regards to carbon emissions to the same levels as 1990 levels. Due to the economy in Ireland being at a low point in 1990, Ireland was given a target of 13% carbon emissions above 1990 levels. In order to meet targets Ireland produced two energy papers, the green paper and the white paper. The green paper identified drivers for energy management and control; they were security of energy supply, economic competitiveness and environmental protection. The white paper produced targets in which we should aim to achieve to try and address the green papers drivers. Within the targets was the plan to reduce energy consumption in the public sector by 33% by 2020 through energy conservation measures. Schools are part of the public sector that has targets to reduce its energy consumption. To help to achieve targets in schools initiatives have been developed by the government for schools. Energy audits should be performed in order to identify areas where the schools can improve their current trends and show where they can invest in the future to save money and reduce the schools overall environmental footprint. Grants are available for the schools for insulation through the energy efficiency scheme and for renewable energy technologies through the ReHeat scheme. The promotion of energy efficient programs in schools can have a positive effect for students to have an understanding. The Display Energy Certificate is a legal document that can be used to understand how each school is performing from an energy perspective. It can help schools to understand why they need to change their current energy management structure. By improving the energy management of the schools they then improve the performance on the Display Energy Certificate. Schools should use these tools wisely and take advantage of the grants available which can in the short to long term help them to save money and reduce their carbon footprint.

The use of textbooks in Capeverdean secondary schools: The Relationship between Use, Evaluation and Adaptation of Textbooks

This study examines the relationship between teacher’s use of English textbooks and the way teachers evaluate and adapt them, looking at a particular context, the Capeverdean secondary schools, specifically in Praia. The referred relationship was analyzed through teachers’ responses about how they use, evaluate and adapt their textbooks. The results of the study revealed that, on the one hand, the way teachers use their textbooks influences the way they evaluate the same textbooks; on the other hand, the use of textbooks doesn’t necessarily influence the way teachers adapt them. Moreover, the findings revealed that, in general, due to some particular constraints the Capeverdean English teachers are using their textbooks as resources, in which several textbooks are used in combination with one another. Additionally, although teachers assume that they are doing their best, they still need more confidence concerning the way they use, evaluate and adapt available textbooks. Teachers’ confidence in the way they are using their textbooks can be reinforced by establishing an intensive teacher training module on materials evaluation and adaptation, taking into account that a textbook is one of the most important tools in the process of teaching and learning. I hope that the elements presented may lead to further studies on this matter, specifically regarding textbook evaluation and adaptation.

Three Continents, one Language: Studying English in a Portuguese Landscape (Brazil, Cape Verde and Portugal)

Unlike other languages, English has spread to all continents and become a truly global language, a process observable in countries, like Brazil, Cape Verde, and Portugal, located in three different continents, and sharing a common official language: Portuguese. This relatively recent development has contributed to the wide exposure to English and the growing influence of the language in their societies, being used with lingua franca communicative purposes, which raises pedagogical issues. Our aim is to map the exposure and use of English as a Lingua Franca in these Portuguese speaking countries through a comparative study of the results from three case studies (Berto 2009, Cavalheiro 2008 and Nunes 2010). By taking into consideration the findings from questionnaires answered by students and teachers of English, it compares and contrasts the respondents’ opinions on the profile of English teachers — native vs. non-native —, the varieties of English to be taught, and the language teaching resources available. In addition, it explores the learners’ interests, motives and purposes in relation to English and the potential communicative interactions between all speakers, so as to better understand ELF in English language education, and how these factors affect or should affect pedagogical practices in a Portuguese environment.

The Relationship between Teachers and Students in the Classroom: Communicative Language Teaching Approach and Cooperative Learning Strategy to Improve Learning

The aim of this research is to to investigate how a supportive relationship between teachers and students in the classroom can improve the learning process. By having a good relationship with students, teachers can offer to students chances to be motivated and feel engaged in the learning process. Students will be engaged actively in the learning instead of being passive learners. I wish to investigate how using communicative approach and cooperative learning strategies while teaching do affect and improve students’ learning performance. To achieve these goals qualitative data collection was used as the primary method. The results show that teachers and students value a supportive and caring relationship between them and that interaction is essential to the teacher-student relationship. This sense of caring and supporting from teachers motivates students to become a more interested learner. Students benefit and are motivated when their teachers create a safe and trustful environment. And also the methods and strategies teachers uses, makes students feel engaged and stimulated to participate in the learning process. The students have in their mind that a positive relationship with their teachers positively impacts their interest and motivation in school which contributes to the enhancement of the learning process.

Pragmatic competence of Finnish learners of English: Meaning in interaction in secondary and upper secondary schools

Tutkin pro gradu -tutkielmassani englannin kielen oppijoiden pragmaattista kompetenssia. Tarkoitukseni oli selvittää, miten suomalaiset yläkoululaiset ja lukiolaiset osaavat käyttää englannin kieltä erilaisissa kommunikaatiotilanteissa. Tutkielmani voidaan sijoittaa välikielen pragmatiikan tutkimukseen. Halusin selvittää, millä tasolla suomalaisten oppijoiden pragmaattinen kompetenssi on ja kehittyykö se yläkoulun ja lukion välillä. Lisäksi tutkin, vaikuttavatko oppimisympäristö ja oppimismahdollisuudet oppijoiden kykyyn käyttää englannin kieltä. Toisin sanoen vertasin englantipainotteisilla luokilla olevia oppilaita formaalin opetuksen oppijoihin sekä tutkin, vaikuttavatko englanninkieliset vapaa-ajan aktiviteetit ja oppijoiden mahdolliset oleskelut englanninkielisissä maissa heidän pragmaattiseen kompetenssiinsa. Tutkimukseni kohderyhmä koostui yläkoulun kahdeksasluokkalaisista ja lukion toisen vuosikurssin opiskelijoista. Testasin neljä eri ryhmää, joissa oli sekä formaalissa opetuksessa olevia oppijoita (yksi ryhmä kahdeksasluokkalaisia ja yksi ryhmä toisen vuosikurssin opiskelijoita) että kielipainotteisten luokkien oppijoita (yksi ryhmä kahdeksasluokkalaisia ja yksi ryhmä toisen vuosikurssin opiskelijoita). Arvioin kohderyhmäni pragmaattista kompetenssia monivalintatestillä, jossa testattiin oppijoiden kykyä käyttää ja ymmärtää implikaatioita, tilannekohtaisia rutiineja sekä puheakteja. Taustakysymysten avulla selvitin, kuinka usein oppijat käyttivät englantia vapaa-aikanaan ja olivatko he vierailleet englanninkielisissä maissa. Tutkimustulokseni osoittavat, että suomalaisten yläkoululaisten ja lukiolaisten pragmaattinen kompetenssi oli korkea. Pragmaattinen kompetenssi kehittyi kahdeksasluokkalaisten ja lukion toisen vuosikurssin välillä. Kehitys oli suurempaa formaalissa opetuksessa kuin kielipainotteisilla luokilla. Englantipainotteisilla luokilla olevat oppilaat suoriutuivat testistä paremmin kuin formaalin opetuksen oppilaat. Tosin erot olivat tilastollisesti merkitseviä vain yläkoulussa. Tutkimuksessani siis päättelin, että vieraskielinen opetus vaikutti enemmän nuorempiin oppijoihin. Eri oppimismahdollisuudet osoittautuivat haastaviksi analysoida. Tulokset osoittivat, että vain englanninkielisessä maassa oleskelulla oli vaikutusta oppijoiden pragmaattiseen kompetenssiin. Kysyttäessä vapaa-ajan aktiviteettien merkitystä oppijat kuitenkin kertoivat, että ne auttoivat heitä testiin vastaamisessa enemmän kuin englanninopetuksessa käydyt asiat. Kouluissa tulisikin jatkossa painottaa yhä enemmän vuorovaikutteista kieltenopetusta.

Quality time: exploring meaningful mandatory community involvement programs in secondary schools /

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of 5 stakeholder groups—students, parents, community organization representatives, guidance counsellors, and secondary school principals—in dealing with a mandatory secondary school graduation requirement in Ontario. The requirement is that students must complete 40 hours of eligible community involvement activities during their high school years in order to graduate. Ten stakeholders were interviewed regarding the nature of the community involvement program, what makes it work, and suggestions for improvement. The study found that although this program has the potential to provide a meaningful experience for students, and students are seen to gain from their experience in multiple ways, it depends substantially on the commitment of students, educators, and community organizations to make it worthwhile. Stakeholders recommended changes to the current program, which included making it a more structured process that would increase the consistency ofhow this program is implemented, finding ways to curb cheating and to reduce the administrative burden on schools, having more support from the Ontario provincial government and Ontario Ministry of Education and Training in the promotion and communication of this program, and developing partnerships between community organizations and schools to enrich the application of this program. This study concludes with a recommendation that the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training consider introducing Service-Learning, a curriculum-based experiential service and learning process, as an enhancement to the current community involvement program.

An impact evaluation of the Ontario ban on smoking in schools and on school property : does the ban on smoking influence high school students' intentions to smoke cigarettes?

The Ontario Tobacco Control Act of 1994 imposed a total ban on smoking in schools, and on school property for every school in the province. The imposition of this policy created problems for school administrators. For instance, students who were smoking on walkways and properties adjacent to school boundaries, clashed with neighbouring property owners who were angry about the resulting damage and disruption. The enforcement of this policy consumes valuable resources at each school; therefore, knowledge about the impact of the policy is important. If effective, this policy has the potential to improve the health of students over their lifetime, by preventing or delaying smoking behaviour. Alternatively, an ineffective policy will continue to create administrative problems for the school and serve no legitimate purpose. Therefore, knowledge about the impact of the smoking ban policy on students' smoking intentions assists policy makers and school administrators in their understanding of the policy's impact within the schools. This research provided an impact evaluation of the ban on smoking in schools and on school property in Ontario. A total of 2069 students, from five high schools, in the Niagara Region, provided complete responses to a survey, designed to test whether smoking intentions were affected by the imposition of the policy. The study used Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour (Ajzen, 1991), specifically, the perceived behavioural control measure, to gain some understanding of students' perceptions of control over smoking imposed by the ban. The findings indicate the policy has the potential to influence students' overall smoking intentions. The ban on smoking policy was found to be a significant predictor of the smoking intentions of high school students. As well, attitude, social norms, and perceptions of control were significant predictors of smoking intentions. Exploratory findings also indicated differences between the control beliefs of students from different high schools, indicating potential differences in the enforcement of the smoking ban between schools. The findings also support the utility of the theory of planned behaviour as a methodology for evaluating the influence of punitive policies. This research study should be continued by utilizing the full theory of planned behaviour, including two phases of data collection and the measurement of actual smoking behaviour.

Identifying language needs of ESL students in a Canadian university based intensive English language program

This study investigated the needs of adult ESL learners intending to pursue higher education in Canada. Its chief purpose was to enable educators and administrators to design ESL programs that would prepare students to function at optimal levels in academic and social settings during their university studies. The study adopted a mixed research method that was predominantly qualitative in its orientation and narrative in its implementation. It focused on an Intensive English Language Program (IELP) offered at an Ontario university. Using a holistic approach, the study sought to represent the various perspectives of all the participants in the program: the students, the instructors, and the administrators. Analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data gathered from 17 students, 6 instructors, and 1 administrator in the IELP showed that to a large extent the academic needs ofESL learners in the IELP were generally not being met. Most notably, the study found that learners were not receiving sufficient training in speaking and listening skills, a factor that contributed to their sense of insecurity and lack of confidence in their ability to communicate successfully in academic and social settings. The study also revealed that the solutions to many of the problems it identified lay not in the classroom but in the way the ESL program was structured administratively. One major recommendation to come out of the study is that programs like the IELP should be restructured so as to give them greater flexibility in meeting individual needs. While the study labored under certain limitations and did not achieve all of its goals, it did succeed in creating awareness ofthe problems and in establishing a methodological approach that can serve as a framework within which future research may be conducted in this somewhat neglected area.

Implementing Response to Intervention in Elementary and Secondary Schools.

Este volumen será un recurso muy útil para personal de escuela secundaria que quiera acceder a la universidad que esté consultando psicólogos de escuela, especialistas y administradores educacionales. Los autores han proporcionado información paso a paso que informa sobre la práctica diaria en las escuelas, así como el papel de los padres en la educación de los hijos y del gobierno federal en el financiamiento. El objetivo de este libro es mejorar las necesidades académicas, sociales y emocionales de los alumnos. Este libro incluye un CD con ejemplos, listas de verificación y estadísticas.

Habilidades sociales y acoso escolar : un estudio en centros de Enseñanza Secundaria de Madrid. 'Social skills and school bullyng : a study in Secondary Schools in Madrid'.

Resumen tomado de la publicación. Con el apoyo económico del departamento MIDE de la UNED