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Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the understanding and observance of the program "This School is a Zone of Peace" (SZOP) in schools where conflict and violence are not prevalent. Design/methodology/approach: This paper followed a qualitative research tradition – narrative inquiry. Eight teachers and a school head participated in the study. Data were gathered through nonparticipant observation, photography and focus group discussion with photo elicitation. Findings: The participants elucidated the declaration, "This School is a Zone of Peace," as a message of assurance to the community that the school is a home for learners that is welcoming and violence free. Furthermore, learners in a school that is a zone of peace are honed holistically with the participation, cooperation and togetherness of the school community members. Teachers at the forefront viewed themselves as mentors, implementers and models. Teachers contended that peacebuilding practices in schools could be sustained through regular implementation, encouraging others to get involved and have commitment. Originality/value: A handful of articles have illustrated the essence of the School as Zone of Peace program, which pointed out to create a culture of peace in schools; however, it leaned toward the negative conception of peace – the absence of conflict and violence. This study bared additional insights and fresh perspectives of the SZOP initiative observed in schools with different contexts and experiences that may be helpful to policymakers for the enhancement of the adapted program with the goal of peacebuilding to making schools highly functional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Covid-19 pandemic closed most educational institutions covering all world and academic calendars are threatened. In this situation keeping academic activities live, most institutions adopted learning via online platforms. However, the question about online learning effectiveness especially in developing countries like South Africa is still not clearly or evidently recognized, as in developing countries due to technical constraints of availability of bandwidth and device suitability is a serious challenge. The authors focus is to obtain the perception and insights of business and commerce students towards online learning education in order to improve an effective online learning environment. Design/methodology/approach: The research study is based on an online survey of 415 students. The research study also explored a mixed-method and numerous explanatory attributes which helped the authors to discuss the results. Findings: Results find out that 73 percent of students were ready to manage online learning and the majority of them prefer curriculum learning through smartphones during this pandemic. Some of the students have an attractive opinion due to the convenience and flexibility of online learning while some students in rural areas face many challenges in online learning due to the connectivity of broadband. Research limitations/implications: Research has been uniquely limited to students of tertiary level and vocational training in the field of commerce across some educational institutions from South Africa. Some students were not cooperative in providing answers on time as per the questionnaire. Practical implications: The insights of this research study will be very helpful in curriculum designing for the next academic session. Social implications: Its findings will help to improve the online learning method so that it can be socially inclusive to all the students no matter their condition on data bundle accessibility background and location. Originality/value: One of the few case studies done during this pandemic era and its findings will help understand how students perceive online learning in order to improve the learning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper highlights the fluidity with which youth make decisions about engaging with digital technologies including online social media. Specifically, the purpose of this paper is to explore the possibilities that literacy curriculum that centers digital technologies can have for students from immigrant communities through tracing the case of a Bangladeshi–American girl named Sabina.Design/methodology/approach Grounded in a transliteracies frame, this qualitative case study explores the digital literacy practices of youth in an urban public secondary school in the USA. Data collection included participant observation across various spaces including an eighth grade digital media studies class, school cafeteria and hallways, participants' homes and online communities. Further data included formal interviews, informal conversations and digital and print artifact collection. Data were analyzed through the lenses of flow and space–time path.Findings The findings of this paper highlight how Sabina made space for social networking using digital technologies on her own terms as well as how the ways that she collaborated through the use of digital technologies created opportunities for her to be an active participant in her social worlds across home and school contexts.Originality/value Analyzing Sabina's digital literacy practices across diverse social spaces offers insights for educators to create opportunities for diverse youth to leverage digital technologies to support skills such as collaboration and civic engagement, which have been identified as defining characteristics of twenty-first century literacies. This case points to the imperative for teachers to create connected learning classrooms that offer opportunities for youth to use digital technologies to support their efforts to make change in the world on their own terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the literature on whole school approaches to increasing resilience in pupils. This is pertinent with the increase in children and young people's mental health needs creating extra pressure on schools to foster young people's ability to withstand stress and adversity. Whilst previous research works have considered the ways in which schools support their pupils, the extent to which resilience has been reliably measured has varied. Recently, several validated resilience measures have been developed which allows for potentially more robust research to take place. This systematic review therefore summarises and critiques the literature exploring whole school approaches to resilience development only where a validated measure has been used. In total, 11 studies were reviewed and demonstrate that there is a trend between school factors and pupil resilience. The importance of supportive relationships with both peers and staff in school is highlighted in several studies as well as the positive effect of including a robust health promoting school's agenda situated within local communities. However, the number of limitations identified within the current literature suggests that this review is not able to offer clear recommendations to schools. This review will, however, be helpful to schools, local authorities and the government in allowing them to take more of a critical stance in understanding resilience within a school context.Design/methodology/approach A total of 11 critically evaluated studies were reviewed and demonstrate that there is a trend between school factors and pupil resilience.Findings The importance of supportive relationships with both peers and staff in school is highlighted in several studies as well as the positive effect of including a robust health promoting school's agenda situated within local communities.Research limitations/implications However, the number of limitations identified within the current literature suggests that this review is not able to offer clear recommendations to schools. There are no studies in the UK using validated resiliency questionnaires as part of their evaluation and this is a limitation to the literature.Originality/value This review will, however, be helpful to schools, local authorities and the government in allowing them to take more of a critical stance in understanding resilience within a school context. This is particularly relevant when considering the needs of evaluation before the implementation of new school programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Aggressive behaviors are common among students. Given the importance of education in reducing aggressive behavior, this study aims to examine the influence of a theory of planned behavior (TPB)-based educational intervention on aggression-preventive behaviors in fifth-grade male students in Fasa city, Iran. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 120 male students were randomly picked from several public schools in Fasa city, Iran, between 2018 and 2019. Assessments were completed before and three months after the intervention. Intervention consisted of eight 55–60-min training sessions based on the TPB's processes and constructs. Findings: Prior to the educational intervention, there was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention to stop aggressiveness or to engage in aggression-preventive activities. However, three months following the intervention, the experimental group demonstrated a considerable rise in the aforementioned constructs (p > 0.001 in all cases). Originality/value: The study's findings demonstrated the efficacy of a TPB-based educational intervention on constructs of the TPB theory. Results suggest application of a TPB-based educational intervention can have a pro-social impact on the attitudes and behavior of elementary age boys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Digital technology education of children needs to be reconsidered. The purpose of this paper is to focus on empowering the young generation as regards digital technology. Digital technology education should reap the benefits of recent developments brought in by extensive, ongoing digitalization and prepare the young generation to manage and master in their technology rich future. The recent COVID 19 pandemic has made this particularly relevant and visible in the society. The young generation should adopt a proactive and critical stance toward digital technology and consider how design and technology can be used for making the world a better place. Design/methodology/approach: This commentary reviews literature on the complex concept of empowerment and suggests a model on the aspects to be considered when aiming at empowering the young generation as regards digital technology in the context of digital technology education. Findings: A model is proposed that comprehensively addresses empowerment of children as regards digital technology both at individual and collective levels and in mainstream sense as a relational and motivational construct as well as in critical sense in terms of collective empowerment, social responsibility and liberation of the oppressed. Research limitations/implications: Radical renewal in the children's education is needed in the digital age. This model outlines aspects to be considered in such a transformation. The insights should be valuable for research communities addressing the topic of children's education in the digital age in general or the topic of children's digital technology education in particular. Practical implications: The model should also be of help for practitioners, i.e. teachers and facilitators working in informal learning spaces for developing children's digital education in practice. Social implications: The commentary addresses significant societal issues. It is actually not only children who should be empowered to engage in making and shaping our digital futures, but people in general. The model provides novel and valuable insights on what aspects to consider in such a significant endeavor. Originality/value: The model proposed is novel and clearly needed in the research addressing this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to reflect upon the first wave of training of Education Mental Health Practitioners (EMHPs), a new National Health Service role to provide support for Children and Young People (CYP) with low and moderate mental health needs in education settings in England. The study specifically focusses on the training for EMHPs in relation to their support for CYP who identify themselves as Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic (BAME), refugees or from the traveller community. Design/methodology/approach: A brief review of the policy and literature on the role and remit of EMHPs was undertaken, including an exploration of the current status of BAME, refugee and traveller community CYP in schools in England. The review was then related to the specific experience of the author within the context of teaching EMHP trainees in a higher educational setting and evaluated as developing outcomes in low-intensity school-based practice. Findings: There are benefits for trainee EMHPs to have an understanding of the minority groups of CYP attending schools in the area their Mental Health Support Team (MHST) covers. There are benefits for the MHST to form relationships with minority groups at an early stage in the MHST formation. Adapting the EMHP curriculum at a local level to include specific training on the needs of minority groups supports the development of relationships between schools and the communities they engage with locally. Ongoing training should be provided by services focussing on the specific needs of minority groups in their MHST area. Originality/value: Involving minority groups in education in the formation of MHST and the training of EMHPs may improve outcomes in developing therapeutic relationships with CYP. Developing engagement practices in MHSTs with higher education providers, begins the process early in the experience of EMHP trainees, providing a safe environment in which to develop engagement skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Higher education institutions play an important role in the economic growth of any country, through skills and productivity of their graduates. Employers have some expectations about the skills the graduates possess when they graduate out of universities. The purpose of this paper is to examine the skills employers look for in graduates before they hire them. Design/methodology/approach: Using a structured survey instrument, this paper gathered data from 50 organizations employing over 50 people. The data consisted of 21 skills the employers rate as important. These skills were categorized into four dimensions: analytical skills, career professional and readiness skills, communications skills, and personality, leadership skills and team/group work. After checking the reliability of the scale, χ2 test and rank correlation were used to analyze the importance of these skills. Findings: The findings from a study of employers in the northeastern part of USA suggest that the top six skills and competencies rated with highest importance by employers were: interpersonal skills/works well with others; critical thinking/problem-solving skills; listening skills; oral/speech communication skills; professionalism; and personal motivation. Of all 21 skills, the highly ranked skills needed were interpersonal skills followed by critical thinking and problem solving and listening. Research limitations/implications: The present research is based on self-report measures and, hence, the limitations of social desirability bias and common method bias are inherent. However, adequate care is taken to minimize these limitations. The research has implications for the higher educational institutions and researches in the field of education. Practical implications: In addition to the employers, this study contributes to higher educational institutions. The study suggests that employers look for interpersonal skills and problem-solving skills before making hiring decisions. Educational institutions need to focus on enhancing these skills in classrooms by emphasizing the teamwork. The implications for both academicians and practitioners are discussed in the paper. Social implications: The findings from the study help in creating a fruitful social environment in organizations. Originality/value: This study provides new insights about the changing pattern of skills students need to secure before seeking employment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Over the years, efforts to ensure equal participation of girls in school in Nigeria have been met with some setbacks, amidst significant progress in mobilising communities for gender equality and mainstreaming. The purpose of this paper is to explore a number of features associated with sexual maturation that affect girls' non-enrolment, limited attendance, performance at school and gender inequality in primary and secondary education in Nigeria. Design/methodology/approach: The analytical engagement with the capability approach draws out elements of inequalities and demonstrates that issues of sexual maturation do not just constitute personal health challenge for adolescent girls, but bring up wider issues of socio-cultural, community and institutional deprivation and injustice. Findings: Though laudable initiatives have been in place to improve girls' participation and attainment in education, there is a dire need for appropriate policy and actions to address the supply and demand barriers to meeting girls' needs, including making schools more girl-friendly and safe, providing school-based health programmes, sex education and sanitation facilities, train teachers against gender-stereotype, flexible school schedules and enforce re-admission policy. But beyond school policy and environment, there is also the need to respond to opportunity costs of schooling and leverage collective capabilities. Originality/value: This paper argues that cultural and socioeconomic factors surrounding sexual maturation are implicated in gender differentials in participation and performance of girls and gender inequality in education. It suggests the need for the application of collective capabilities for action towards addressing girls' sexual maturation issues and education in the society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose It is important to have a literature review to open any special issue as a way of introducing the state-of-the-art topics and link past research with the papers appearing in this special issue on IC in education. The paper aims to discuss this issue.Design/methodology/approach This research uses the structured literature to investigate the state-of-the-art and future directions of IC literature in education. In total, 47 articles are explored including nine from this special issue.Findings IC in education research is concentrated in Europe and mainly addresses IC in universities. Additionally, current IC research is progressing by examining IC practices inside universities using a third-stage IC approach, with new research also concentrating on third-mission outcomes, thus there is scope to continue IC and education research beyond universities. IC in education can also expand into fifth stage IC research, which abandons the boundaries of the educational institution and concentrate on the impact of IC and education on multiple stakeholders.Research limitations/implications Current IC in education research is too narrow and mainly investigates IC in European contexts using case study methodology. However, there is ample scope to widen research that develops new frameworks in different educational and country contexts using a wider range of research methodologies. IC in education needs to expand its boundaries so it does not lose its relevance, and thus be able to contribute to wider policy debates.Originality/value This paper presents the current state-of-the-art structured literature review of the articles investigating IC in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review English-language publications about school principalship in China published between 1998 and 2013 and to present an overview of the authorship, topics, methodologies and key findings of these publications. Design/methodology/approach – The methodology includes an exhaustive review of journal articles and book chapters about Chinese school principalship published in the English language. In total, 39 articles and 17 book chapters are identified for the 1998-2013 period. Qualitative analysis is conducted to determine the basic patterns of authorship, topics, methods and key findings. The changes or continuities in these patterns during the study period are also discerned. Findings – The paper identifies several continuous and discontinuous patterns in each of the review categories and provides a better understanding of on-going research into the practice of school principalship in China. The results also suggest areas that require deeper exploration. Originality/value – This paper explores the landscape of school principalship in China as reflected in the international literature and indicates the ways that this landscape has changed or remained the same over the years. As such, the paper contributes to the thin knowledge base concerning school principalship in China and sheds light on the enduring local-global tension in the evolution of education systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This paper was originally presented as a keynote presentation to the annual conference of the ANZHES whose theme was “knowledge skills and expertise”. The purpose of this paper is to reflect on history as a field of study in the context of changing conditions and new debates about knowledge in the twenty-first century.Design/methodology/approach The paper reviews three important lines of sociological argument about changed conditions for knowledge: the case to “bring knowledge back in” to school curriculum; the contention that knowledge in universities is moving from “mode 1” to “mode 2” forms; and arguments about testing and audit culture effects on the practices of universities and schools. It then draws on interviews with historians and history teachers to show how they think about the form of their field, its value, and the impact of the changing conditions signalled in those arguments.Findings The paper argues that some features of the discipline which have been important to history continue to be apparent but are under challenge in the conditions of education institutions today and that there is a disjunction between teachers’ views of the value of history and those evident in the public political arena.Research limitations/implications The paper draws on a major Australia Research Council funded study of “knowledge building across schooling and higher education” which focusses on issues of disciplinarity and the fields of physics and history.Originality/value The paper is intended as a new reflection on the field of value to those working as historians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to make the case for bringing compassion to students in educational settings, preschool through graduate school (PK-20). Design/methodology/approach - First, the author defines what is meant by "compassion" and differentiates it from the related constructs. Next, the author discusses the importance of bringing compassion into education, thinking specifically about preschool, K-12 (elementary and middle school/junior high/high school), college students, and graduate students (e.g. law, medical, nurses, counselors and therapists-intraining). The author then reviews the scant empirical literature on compassion in education and makes recommendations for future research. In the final section, the author makes specific and practical recommendations for the classroom (e.g. how to teach and evaluate compassion in PK-20). Findings - While there is a fair amount of research on compassion with college students, and specifically regarding compassion for oneself, as the author reviews in this paper, the field is wide open in terms of empirical research with other students and examining other forms of compassion. Research limitations/implications - This is not a formal review or meta-analysis. Practical implications - This paper will be a useful resource for teachers and those interested in PK-20 education. Social implications - This paper highlights the problems and opportunities for bringing compassion into education settings. Originality/value - To date, no review of compassion in PK-20 exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the challenges of using ICT in secondary schools in Sweden from teachers' perspectives. Design/methodology/approach - The research followed a qualitative research approach. First, a conceptual framework was developed based on previous research. Then, four teachers, teaching in six different subjects in secondary schools in Sweden, participated in semi-structured interviews that consisted of open-ended questions exploring their views on the challenges of using ICT in secondary schools. Findings - According to the results, the authors found that the biggest challenges were associated with the perspective of teaching and teaching preparation. Most challenges from previous research have been re-confirmed by the interviewees in this study. In addition, some new challenges were identified in this study. For instance, the results indicated that it was time consuming to find plagiarism of students' exercises, and there was a lack of ICT training of digital resources provided by the schools. Originality/value - The investigation of using ICT in secondary schools is of scientific significance because it enriches the understanding of strengths and challenges of using ICT in educational activities. In particular, this research aims to shed light on challenges that teachers may face when using ICT in secondary schools. This research can also contribute to making future strategic plans for the use of ICT in secondary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to respond to the increasing demands that education currently faces and develop a structured approach for the implementation of lean thinking (LT) in primary and secondary education (P&SE) and empirically validated it. Design/methodology/approach: An extended literature review was conducted of studies on LT in education, service and manufacturing, in which a preliminary list was formed of LT dimensions, which were subsequently reviewed by a focus group. An instrument was generated, which was distributed to 1,400 education professionals, and 394 replies were received. The measures were tested for validity and reliability. After the first round of analyses, measures were tested further to strengthen the proposed instrument. Findings: The findings confirmed that the instrument developed is both valid and reliable and that the proposed measures consist actual dimensions of LT in P&SE. A number of success factors that would be required for LT initiatives to be implemented effectively within the P&SE context in a holistic perspective were revealed. Practical implications: Although a number of studies have been developed on LT in the manufacturing or service sector, its implementation in education and particularly in P&SE remains scant. The instrument developed provides sufficient knowledge of which are the most important dimensions to consider when pondering LT in education. Originality/value: While LT has been the subject of previous research in education, this study represented the first look at lean in P&SE and was the first of its kind to develop and validate in a real environment a lean implementation instrument for use in educational institutions. Researchers and practitioners can use the proposed instrument to build models of facilitating practices to improve performance while contributing to economic growth and enhancing social empowerment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore barriers to the change management in the public sector of educational institutions such as public schools of the Ministry of Education in the GCC countries. The exploration of the research is based on the ADKAR change management model that consists of five key elements, which are awareness, desire, knowledge, ability and reinforcement. The ADKAR model was used for many reasons, among these reasons is that it allows management to separate the change process into parts, pinpointing where change is failing and addressing that impact point.Design/methodology/approach Five public schools and employees from the educational directorate were taken as samples in this study. The unit of analysis was the employees, and data on these change drivers were collected from questionnaires and interviews.Findings The study findings were articulated through strengths and weaknesses. The strengths were the desire to change and networking. The weaknesses were the knowledge element such as the absence of predetermining guideline for the implementation of the system; another observed weakness was in the leader's authority, where leaders do not have clear definition of authority and responsibility to take a decision; and finally the deficiency in performance appraisal for not being taken on regular basis and the rewarding system for not being linked to performance appraisal.Research limitations/implications The information and feedback collected from the questionnaire may not represent all of the facts of the questionnaire subject; therefore, the researchers may have to use an unstructured interview to enhance the quality of information obtained. Due to the long bureaucratic procedures for issuance of permission from the higher research authorities (Scientific Research Directorate) to apply the questionnaire in the Ministry of Education, this took nearly three weeks, which was long considering the time available to end the research and resulted in a significant change in the project schedule.Practical implications This study provides an empirical evidence that gives a deep insight about the elements that act as barriers to change in the public sector of educational institutions, as there are certain elements that are tied to the nature and characteristics of the public sector itself that act as barriers to change.Originality/value Knowledge development is an essential part of the public sector development scheme. Effective training programs are the most important means to develop knowledge, considering that it has to be properly designed and delivered. Training programs should also be structured in a way that fills the knowledge gaps that exist between the present state and the future state. One useful technique for filling and assessing the gaps between the current state and future state requirements is by writing new job descriptions for employees, which should include details of knowledge and skills needed to perform that role during and after the transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present data drawn from the Department for Education (DfE)concerning trends in the number of children identified as having a learning disability within state schools in England. Design/methodology/approach – Data based on the school census conducted by the DfE was examined annually for 2009/2010 to 2014/2015, to determine the number of children identified as having moderate learning difficulty (MLD), severe learning difficulty (SLD) or profound multiple learning difficulty (PMLD) within state schools in England, at two levels: having a Statement of Educational Needs/Education Health Care Plan, or at School Action Plus. Findings – The number of children identified as MLD reduced substantially over time, for both statemented children and children identified at the School Action Plus level. In contrast, the smaller number of statemented children with SLD or PMLD increased over time, in line with increasing school rolls and epidemiological trends. Research limitations/implications – Further work is needed to understand the sharp reduction in the number of children being identified as having MLD within schools, and the educational support being offered to this group of children. Better information is also needed on children with learning disabilities not being educated in the state school sector. Originality/value – This paper highlights important trends in the identification of children with learning disabilities in state schools in England, with consequences for how large groups of children are being supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine Finnish ninth grade pupils’ (15-16 years) perspectives on hot school lunches and consider the potential of these perspectives as a resource for food and health education. Design/methodology/approach – Data include observations, essays, and visually elicitated focus group discussions from a larger qualitative case study. Data were collected during the term 2012-2013. Findings – Pupils considered the lunch break as their free time and valued discussions with friends. The taste of school food was important for them. Pupils solved contradicting expectations connected to school lunches through constructing social hierarchies, making compromises, and conforming to peers’ or general opinions. Desire for social belonging and independence were important justifications for breaking food-related rules. Research limitations/implications – Due to the focus on one school, further research needs to address contextual variation in different schools and age groups, as well as the viewpoint of teachers. Practical implications – To genuinely engage pupils, potential contradictions between adults’ and adolescents’ perspectives need attention. Understanding food-related social determinants and justifications for food practices from pupils’ perspective are valuable pedagogical assets for teachers. Pupils’ speech and activities that counteract formal aims can be seen also as possibilities for dialogue, rather than merely problems to be changed by adults. Originality/value – The paper describes how pupils’ perspectives to school lunch practices are in tension with the educational aims of school lunches, thus contributing to developing adolescent-centered food and health education in secondary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Increased school autonomy and accountability have been a common denominator of national reforms in otherwise heterogeneous governance systems in Europe and the USA. The paper argues that because schools serving disadvantaged communities (SSDCs) often have lower average performance, they are more often sanctioned or under closer scrutiny, but might also receive more additional resources. The purpose of this paper is to therefore analyze whether SSDCs have more or less autonomy than schools with a more advantageous context in four countries with heterogeneous autonomy and accountability policies.Design/methodology/approach The paper is based on the data from the Programme for International Student Assessment 2012 school and student questionnaires from Finland, Germany, the UK, and the USA. The choice of countries is based on different governance models described by Glatter et al. (2003). The data are used to identify SSDCs and analyze the reported autonomy in resource allocation and curriculum and assessment. Using regression analyses, patterns are analyzed for each country individually. They are then juxtaposed and compared. Differences are related back to the governance models of the respective countries.Findings The results indicate an association between the communities the schools are serving and the autonomy either in the allocation of resources, or the curriculum and assessment. SSDCs appeared to have a little more autonomy than schools with a more advantageous context in Finland, Germany, and the UK, but less autonomy in the USA. The comparison suggests that in the USA, autonomy is rather a reward for schools that have the least amount of need, whereas in the other three countries it could be a result of strategies to improve schools in need. The paper discusses possible explanations in the policies and support structures for SSDCs.Originality/value The effects of increased school autonomy and accountability on student achievement have been discussed at length. How different accountability policies affect the autonomy of schools with the highest needs has so far not been studied. The study can be understood as a first step to unravel this association. Following steps should include in-depth investigations of the mechanisms underlying increased or diminished autonomy for SSDCs, and the consequences for school improvement in these schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose School-based nutrition education programmes have the potential to reinforce healthy dietary behaviours in adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to understand the views of secondary school students in Kolkata, India, regarding the food and nutrition curriculum, food skill acquisition at school and home and barriers to learning food skills.Design/methodology/approach The sample of 1,026 year nine students was drawn from nine private, English-speaking secondary schools in Kolkata, India to participate in a cross-sectional, self-reported paper-based survey. Data analyses including descriptive statistics and χ2 analyses were performed.Findings The majority of the respondents (65.3 per cent) were female. Biology, Home Science and Life skills classes were the main places in which students acquired food and nutrition knowledge. Almost two-thirds of the respondents acknowledged the importance of acquiring food-related knowledge and skills. Approximately half (48.3 per cent) reported that the food and nutrition curriculum involved excessive memorisation while around the same proportion described the curriculum as interesting (47 per cent) and easy to comprehend (50.3 per cent). However, relatively few students said they enjoyed attending food and nutrition classes (38.7 per cent). Only a minority reported receiving food skills training, i.e. cooking skills (23 per cent), meal planning skills and food purchasing skills (12.3 per cent) at school. Despite some parental support received at home, time constraints (50.5 per cent) and lack of interest (26.3 per cent) were cited as prominent barriers to learning food skills.Practical implications These data underscore the need for a skills-focussed food and nutrition curriculum to improve Indian adolescents’ food-related skills, nutritional knowledge and dietary behaviours.Originality/value This is the first cross-sectional survey to investigate the delivery of nutrition education and food skills in the Indian school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine instructional leadership (IL) in outstanding secondary schools within a centralised (Greece) and a partially decentralised (England) education context. Design/methodology/approach – Since the purpose of the study is exploratory, the researchers adopt a qualitative approach, employing a series of four qualitative case studies with the purpose of examining the impact of IL on student learning, teachers’ professional growth and school improvement, using the interpretivist paradigm. Semi-structured interviews with various data sets (stakeholders) within and outside the school, observation of leadership practices and meetings, and scrutiny of relevant macro and micro policy documents are employed to enhance methodological and respondent triangulation. Findings – Recognising that IL is not confined to the principals’ leadership domain, a sense of shared and distributed leadership prevails in schools, while its implementation is inevitably linked to system constraints. The findings from the Greek schools link to the official expectations that principals operate as administrative rather than instructional leaders, while an unofficial instructional “teacher leadership” culture suggests potential for reconsidering leadership in Greek state schools. In contrast, the decentralisation of school activities creates the platform for the emergence of shared and distributed leadership within the English context, where school actors enact direct and indirect IL roles. Originality/value – This cross-country comparative study demonstrates theoretical significance in its focus on the collaborative and reciprocal nature of IL, while its empirical contribution lies in generating new knowledge on how IL is contextually bounded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The three case studies reported in this paper are drawn from a wider project in which schools in Canterbury, New Zealand, were invited to tell the stories of their experiences of the 2010/2011 earthquakes. The purpose of this paper is to capture the stories for the schools, their communities and for New Zealand's historical record. Design/methodology/approach – The approach taken was qualitative and participatory. Each school had control over their project design and implementation. The researchers were partners and facilitators in assisting each school to reach its goal. In these three case studies approximately 100 participants including principals, teachers, students and families were engaged in generating data to create tangible and long-lasting end products. Findings – The two themes from the data highlighted in this paper are: first, the importance of providing emotional processing opportunities for children without severe post-trauma symptoms to support their recovery and second, the ways in which children can be engaged and given a voice in research that concerns them. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the wider collection of research on and about the Canterbury earthquakes by giving voice to children and highlighting the role of schools in post-disaster response and recovery. The "continuum of engagement" described here is a new and original model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The use of modern technology has many challenges and risks. However, by collaborating with schoolchildren, ideas to effectively promote health and learning in school can be identified. The purpose of this paper is to examine how a participatory approach can deepen the understanding of how schoolchildren relate to and use gamification as a tool to promote physical activity and learning.Design/methodology/approach Inspired by the concept and process of empowerment and child participation, the methodological focus of this study was on consulting schoolchildren. During a two-month period, 18 schoolchildren (10-12 years old) participated in workshops to create game ideas that would motivate them to be physically active and learn in school.Findings The phenomenological analysis resulted in one main theme, “Playing games for fun to be the best I can be.” This consisted of four themes with two sub-themes each. The findings offer insights on how to increase physical activity and health education opportunities using serious games in school.Originality/value The knowledge gained provides gamification concepts and combinations of different technological applications to increase health and learning, as well as motivational aspects suggested by the schoolchildren. The findings are discussed with health promotion and health education in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the role of an under-graduate educational leadership in introducing students to the complexity of school leadership practice. Design/methodology/approach – Theoretically informed by Bourdieuian social theory and drawing on a questionnaire with a cohort of students, the paper evaluates a course in relation to achieving its outcomes. Findings – An analysis of student responses indicates that the course did introduce students to school leadership practice and assist in the construction of a school leadership disposition. Research limitations/implications – The theoretical resources used in the paper have significant implications for how researchers conceive of school leadership practice. Therefore, this paper may be the basis of further work. Practical implications – The findings of this work have implications for teacher educators and specifically universities. From this paper, the inclusion of an educational leadership course in under-graduate programs should become more the norm rather than the exception. Originality/value – This paper has value in two unique ways. First, there has been very little work undertaken on the role of educational leadership courses in under-graduate programs and in the context of increased political attention and no formal pre-requisites for the principalship in Australia, this work is both timely and significant. Second, this paper works with a sophisticated notion of school leadership practice and its location using social theory, a perspective that is uncommon in much of the literature on educational leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the willingness of households to pay for academic and deprivation-compensating components of the Contextual Value Added (CVA) indicator of school quality used in England in order to locate themselves in the catchment area of state schools. Deprivation-compensating school performance, defined as the difference in the disadvantaged intake between two schools with the same academic performance.Design/methodology/approach The empirical analysis, based on data drawn from three independent UK data sources, used parametric and non-parametric analysis approaches. The analysis conducted separately for primary and secondary schools, because household behaviour can differ between these two levels of education.Findings Consumers are willing to pay for houses in the catchment area of primary and secondary schools with high academic achievement, as measured by the mean score; whereas, the component of the CVA indicating deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance is found to have a positive effect only on the price of houses in the catchment area of primary schools in London; its impact on the price of houses elsewhere is mostly negative.Practical implications The analysis in this study suggested that the recently adopted practice of using CVA as a measure of school quality in England can encourage government and Local Authorities to pay more attention to raising the deprivation-compensating aspects of school performance of their schools.Originality/value This is the first study to explore the value which households attach to deprivation-compensating outcomes, at a given level of academic performance using the CVA indicator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to explore to what extent teachers eat together with pupils during school lunches and their attitudes toward using these lunches to reach the educational goals stated in the Swedish compulsory school curriculum; and second, to study to what degree teachers see themselves and school meal personnel as role models during school lunches. Design/methodology/approach -- A questionnaire was completed by 3,629 teachers in Swedish schools. Findings -- In total, 90 percent of the teachers ate lunch together with the pupils one or more days per week. The majority reported that meals were fully (54 percent), or partially (40 percent) subsidized when they were eating with pupils. In total, 72 percent thought that school lunches should be considered part of the school's educational activities while 28 percent thought that it should be a time to get a break from educational activities. Most teachers thought that school lunches could be useful for learning about the issues of food waste and healthy eating while there were more diverse views on using lunches for learning about fundamental values. A majority of the teachers considered themselves to be role models in the school meal situation. Practical implications -- The authors suggest that the educational component of the school meal per se should be regulated in the Educational Act together with guidelines from the Swedish National Agency for Education. Originality/value -- This study is unique since it covers a previously little studied area; teachers' attitudes toward using the school lunch situation for educational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to describe the practice of using student technology teams (STTs) offered at a high school within a 1:1 district. Design/methodology/approach -This qualitative case study (Merriam, 1998, 2009) documents how an STT program functioned in 2015-2016 academic year. Findings -Findings show the STT provided a rich and authentic learning opportunity for students interested in information technology. The district benefits greatly through both cost savings and personnel support related to its 1:1 initiative. Originality/value-As there is no current research on K-12 STTs, this study serves as a foundation for a practice that is growing within schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the provision of drug education in schools in England by exploring the views of young people and teachers. The study synthesises the commonalities between experiences of teaching and learning and, in doing so, offers insight on policy and practice. Design/methodology/approach – The paper incorporates two pieces of research: a survey of 590 secondary school pupils in London that generated insight on the collective experience of drug education; and a survey of 288 teachers in primary and secondary schools throughout England, supplemented by 20 in-depth interviews. The paper also draws on learning from the practical implementation of the Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Information Service (ADEPIS). Findings – The research provides insight into the current status of drug education provision and outlines key constraints to effective delivery. The paper also presents ADEPIS as a potential framework for supporting schools. Research limitations/implications – The research incorporated a relatively small number of schools and only accessed the views of young people in London; the results therefore require further substantiation. There is also a need for further evaluation of ADEPIS, including comparison with schools that develop drug education practice independent of external guidance. Practical implications – The paper highlights the need for improvement in drug education, with implications for national policy, particularly in relation to subject-specific teacher training, increased central guidance, and the statutory status of PSHE. Originality/value – The research fulfils the need to represent the voices of young people in discussions on drug education, as well as contributing to wider debates around improving the quality of drug education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, schools closed in haste and were expected to create virtual learning opportunities for their students while they waited to see when and how they might re-open. National governments issued reopening guidance at varying speeds. The purpose of this study was to invite health and education professionals to share what was happening in their country about school reopening in terms of the features and implications of the guidance issued. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative study. Initial interviews informed a semi-structured questionnaire distributed through the global community of UNESCO Chair 'Global Health and Education' and partner organisations. Its aim was to collect, analyse and share globally relevant knowledge and practices about school reopening. Findings: There were 192 useable responses from 43 countries and territories and 1 multi-country region. 20 of these, mainly in the Global North, had received reopening guidance, 23 were still waiting and 1 had not closed its schools. Guidance prioritised public health measures like social distancing, with less emphasis on education impacts. Success came from partnerships between schools, families and local authorities, consistent guidance and enough time and resources for implementation. Fear of infection led to significant absenteeism among students and staff. Respondents waiting for guidance, mainly in the Global South, shared similar concerns and expectations. Originality/value: Describing first-hand practices and perspectives of health and education professionals from diverse countries and territories about reopening schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the functioning of education systems in a multitude of ways. In Ireland schools closed on March 12th and remained closed for the remainder of the academic year. During this time educators engaged with students, families and colleagues in new and diverse ways. The purpose of this study was to explore educators' experiences during the closures, particularly regarding the impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of students, school staff and wider school communities. Design/methodology/approach: A series of one-to-one interviews, lasting approximately one hour, were conducted in July 2020 with 15 education professionals online via Zoom or Microsoft Teams. Participants occupied various roles (classroom teacher, school leader, special educational needs coordinator, etc.) and worked in a diverse range of communities in Ireland. Qualitative data from interviews were transcribed and emergent themes identified through an inductive followed by deductive analytic approach. Findings: The interviews highlighted the central role that schools play in supporting their local communities and the value teachers place on their relationships with students and families. Many teachers and school leaders found themselves grappling with new identities and professional boundaries as they worked to support, care for and connect with the students and families they serve. There was considerable concern expressed regarding the plight of vulnerable or marginalised students for whom the school ordinarily offered a place of safety and security. Originality/value: The findings reveal how COVID-19 has exacerbated pre-existing inequalities and the central role of schools in promoting the health and wellbeing of all its members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the taxonomy of two conceptual models of leadership roles for principals – instructional and transformational leadership (IL and TL) – can be traced empirically in a sample of Norwegian school leaders. Design/methodology/approach – The participants consisted of 149 school leaders attending a national training program for newly appointed principals at the University of Oslo. Leadership preference was measured according to a theoretically grounded self-report scheme representing the most important aspects of both leadership models. Estimations were conducted by means of principal component analyses and confirmatory factor analyses. Findings – The principal component analyses revealed seven meaningful factors: demand-supportive leading, outcome control and loyalty to school owner, management by objective, trust in standard programs for development, trust in professional community, emphasis on collective responsibility, and distributed leadership. Furthermore, by using these seven factors as inputs, the authors attempted to model second-order factors representing IL and TL. The results showed that the structure of IL and TL could not be replicated. Instead, a more complex cross-model structure was revealed. Practical implications – The results suggest that even though the concepts of IL and TL are valuable analytic tools, they may be too simplistic to represent the reality of school leaders’ thoughts and actions. Originality/value – The study contributes to the field by challenging the established models of school leadership and by generating insights into Norwegian school leaders’ leadership beliefs and preferences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider possible implications of recent policy initiatives in schools and local government for child safeguarding practice in education settings in the state sector in England. Design/methodology/approach – Recent policy changes to promote devolution of decision-making to school and local government level are analysed in the light of the literature on multi-agency working for the protection of children. Findings – The paper highlights the complexity of the current context in which local arrangements for the safeguarding of children are operating. This includes efforts at integration of funding and structures, coupled with rapid changes in policy in both education and children’s social care and greater decision-making powers at local level. Together this makes it difficult to evaluate the current strengths of safeguarding arrangements between schools and other local agencies to help ensure that arrangements for the safeguarding of children in “independent” state schools are robust and effective. Research limitations/implications – Researchers and policy-makers need to consider the efficacy of safeguarding arrangements under new local government and integrated structures in England. Practical implications – There is relatively little research addressing inter-organisational information exchange in relation to education professionals involved in safeguarding. This paper sets out some directions for inquiry, including specific priorities that may be useful to the research and practice communities in the context of integration. Originality/value – The paper provides a summary of key policies and strategies that inform child protection in state school settings in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The importance of food education in primary schools has been globally recognised. However, more detailed definitions of its learning objectives are rarely found. The study aimed to define multisectoral themes and learning objectives for food education in primary education in Finland. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive three-round Delphi study was conducted with experts in food education in various organisations. In the first questionnaire, the participants were asked to define possible objectives for food education related to general objectives for basic education. Respondents of the first questionnaire formed a research panel (n = 22). These panellists were then invited to complete the second (n = 16) and third questionnaires (n = 12), where the objectives were further modified. Qualitative content analysis and Bloom's taxonomy were applied in the process of creating the learning objectives. Findings: In the iterative process, 42 learning objectives for food education in primary schools were defined. Further, "Sustainability and ethics of food systems" was defined as the cross-cutting theme of food education. In addition, 13 subthemes were defined, which fell into three thematic categories: personal (e.g. feelings), practical (e.g. eating) and intangible (e.g. culture) issues. Originality/value: The defined learning objectives for a holistic food education may be used in advancing primary school curriculum in Finland and perhaps other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measuring the performance of academic departments received little attention compared to other industries due to their complex nature and difficulty in measuring their outputs. However, measures of performance are needed to assess whether they meet their set objectives and foster an environment of continuous improvement. The objective of this paper is to develop a performance measurement system for educational institutions. It outlines the properties of adequate performance measures and the steps for developing such measures in an educational environment. Three types of performance measures are proposed. These are outcomes, inputs and process measures. Suggestions are made to select the most appropriate and relevant performance measures pertinent to academic departments' goals and objectives. Also the need, relevance and implementation issues in the context of the Saudi Arabian educational system has been discussed and highlighted in the paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to report on a process and impact evaluation of the Positief Educatief Programma (Positive Education Programme (PEP)), a whole school approach to supporting children’s well-being and creating a positive school climate in primary schools in the Netherlands. PEP adopts a competence skill enhancement approach with a focus on developing children’s positive emotions and strengths.Design/methodology/approach A process and impact evaluation was performed within the context of two schools piloting the programme. Employing questionnaires and interviews, the evaluation sought to examine the implementation of PEP, participants’ experiences with key components and the programme impact of PEP.Findings The findings reveal largely positive attitudes towards PEP. Staff and parents were positive about the core components of PEP. Results from standardised questionnaires provide preliminary evidence about the positive impact of PEP on children’s self-reported well-being and problem behaviour, teachers’ awareness of children’s strengths and overall school climate. The provision of practical strategies and activity-based resources was considered essential to the ongoing implementation of PEP.Research limitations/implications This study reports on findings from two implementation schools and therefore lacks generalisability. Further research using more robust research methods exploring the effectiveness of PEP when compared with “business as usual” is needed.Originality/value School frameworks aimed at creating a positive school climate and promoting well-being at the whole school level have not been carried out in the Netherlands to date. The results from this study provide a unique insight into the implementation and perceived impact of a whole school framework in the context of two primary schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Pupils’ perspective should be better taken into account when developing nutrition education at school. The purpose of this paper is to explore Nordic children’s perspectives on the healthiness of meals in the context of school lunches.Design/methodology/approach In total, 78 focus group discussions were conducted with 10-11-year-old girls and boys (n=457) from schools in Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, which were participating in the Nordic school meal project ProMeal during the school year 2013-2014. A flexible discussion guide and stimulus material in the form of 14 photographs displaying different school lunch contexts were used. The discussions were analyzed using thematic analysis.Findings These Nordic children seem to share the adult-set aim of healthy eating in the school context as a socio-cultural norm. Although healthy eating was constructed as a rational, normative and acceptable way to eat at school, unhealthy eating was emphasized as negotiably acceptable when eaten occasionally and under certain circumstances (e.g. at special occasions). Unhealthy eating also comprised emotionally laden descriptions such as enjoyment and disgust.Practical implications Children’s conceptualizations of healthy eating are connected to nutritional, socio-cultural, emotional and normative dimensions, which should be reflected also when developing nutrition education in school.Originality/value The need for research exploring children’s experiences of, and understandings about, school lunch motivated this unique multicenter study with a large number of participating children. In the focus groups a child-oriented, photo-elicitation method was used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand young children’s knowledge of visual literacy elements as well as their ability to comprehend newly introduced visual literacy concepts. The study also examined existing support for visual literacy programs from parents and educators.Design/methodology/approach The study explored the knowledge of basic visual literacy elements of young children enrolled in two private schools in the New York City metropolitan area. The authors interviewed 17 children, aged four to six years old, about fine art paintings using a semi-structured interview format. Children’s responses were qualitatively analyzed to determine their initial level of visual literacy and their ability to learn and retain the concepts of visual literacy after receiving basic instruction. The children’s educators and parents completed online questionnaires that were quantitatively analyzed to determine their level of support for visual literacy programs.Findings The findings show that young children exhibited extensive knowledge of simple visual literacy elements (color, shape, line), and limited understanding of more abstract elements (perspective and salience). Children’s knowledge of visual elements improved after instruction. Parents and educators expressed support for incorporating visual literacy instruction in early childhood education.Research limitations/implications The study relied on a sample of children and adults drawn from two private schools. The sample’s demographics might have affected study findings. More studies are needed using a larger and more diverse sample.Practical implications The study suggests that young children are ready to receive instruction on visual literacy elements using art images. Children reacted positively to the images and were engaged in the discussions about them, supporting the use of fine art paintings as an instrument to introduce visual literacy concepts to young children. Survey of children’s parents and teachers indicated strong interest in, and support for such programs.Social implications With the increase of visual information production and consumption, it is important to introduce visual literacy early in life. The study advances research in methods for developing visual literacy instruction for young children.Originality/value There are no previously reported studies that have examined pre-kindergarten children’s knowledge of basic visual literacy elements and reactions to visual literacy instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent advice suggests that single-level, single-strand interventions are less effective in preventing or reducing harm from drug misuse than multi-level multi-agency approaches. This paper describes one aspect of a community-focused initiative in drug education. The overall aim of the initiative was to support and train key adults within the community to implement locally relevant schemes of work and drug-related policies. In this paper we describe the training offered to parents, school staff and governors in communities in Essex. A second paper will describe the intensive in-service training for health education co-ordinators and the action research carried out by teachers which led to the development of a minimum entitlement curriculum for three different communities within the same county. We offer this combination of research, training and development as a new approach to drug prevention in local communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate ways in which the performance management at different school management levels contributes to the performance of public schools in the Estonian general education system. Design/methodology/approach – The study is based on the balanced performance management approach and focuses on performance management patterns in Estonian general education schools. At the individual, operational, and strategic performance management levels, the primary performance determinants are analysed. The study uses empirical survey data gathered from 164 schools providing upper secondary education in Estonia. Findings – The research shows that a pupil's academic performance as the most common indicator of a school's performance influences individual goals, such as satisfaction with the quality of education and teaching in the school and the pupils' further choices and opportunities in education. The satisfaction of other interested parties such as teachers and parents is influenced by the school's strategic as well as operational performance management measures. Therefore, a school's performance management system must operate as a balanced system integrating the individual, operational and strategic performance management levels of the school. Research limitations/implications – The general limitations of survey-based research have to be considered – the study is static in nature, although the longitudinal approach would allow assessing the dynamic aspects of performance management in public schools. In addition, it is necessary to further explore a wider set of individual, operational and strategic performance management indicators and their interconnections in the implementation of performance management in public schools. Originality/value – The research findings have two main implications. First, the paper contributes to the limited knowledge about the implementation of performance management practices in public schools. Second, due to the fact that the Estonian education system is firmly based on approaches that have proven to be performance-enhancing, the analysis provides an overview of and information about the countries that have not gone to such lengths in the restructuring of their education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline the contribution of marketing to program evaluation in the school sector. Schools are increasingly the target of government-funded environmental education initiatives and this paper aims to illustrate, through a sector-wide program case study, how marketing metrics can improve overall program evaluation. Existing school-based program evaluations are often not accompanied by rigorous evaluation of their impact beyond educational outcomes. Evaluation focuses instead on improving satisfaction of those already participating, rather than looking at the wider issues of program adoption and engagement levels across the sector. This paper also aims to look at how traditional marketing's evaluation metrics can address this gap. Design/methodology/approach – A case study is used involving a sector-wide recycling program whose objective is to reduce waste across all schools across a State in Australia. The program, administered by a government agency, had only been evaluated within an educational outcome context. Using existing data on the program from across the school sector, marketing metrics are calculated to provide new insight into the program's wider impact. Findings – This research illustrates the relevance of marketing metrics to educational sector activities. It illustrates how to embed metrics into the program and identifies insights they can offer as a supplement to existing educational outcome measures. Such measures are highly useful to funding bodies deciding on a program's development and continuation. Practical implications – Marketing provides empirically-based program metrics that are easy and cost-effective to obtain, objective in their measure, and provide feedback loops to participants. Having impacts more clearly measured allows for effective program administration within the childhood education sector. This paper delivers practical guidelines for program administrators. Originality/value – The paper brings marketing into an environmental education context, illustrating its contribution for better measurement of behaviour change. It gives marketing practitioners and academic researchers a framework within which they can use already available program data to better gauge the uptake and impact of their efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review strategies to build capacity for school improvement in Australia. The focus is on public schools and strategies adopted for the system as a whole. Design/methodology/approach – This paper traces developments from a national perspective and makes a case for the key contemporary policy shift that has provided the platform for a new era of educational reform. Two contrasting case studies are described in order to demonstrate the pathways embarked on by a large jurisdiction, namely the State of Victoria, which has led the nation in terms of devolved decision-making for public schools, and second, a much smaller jurisdiction, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), which is introducing a range of reforms to give public schools much greater autonomy in order to achieve improved performance. The paper concludes with a "futures" view of how strategies may continue to evolve. Shifting the language from "improvement" to "transformation" is canvassed. Findings – It is concluded that a key to success has been to align strategies among different levels of the school system: central, regional/district, school and classroom. The possibilities for moving beyond improvement to transformation are canvassed. Originality/value – The value of the paper lies in its up-to-date account of system-wide efforts to improve schools and a summary of evidence on their impact. The paper is of particular interest to school and school system leaders as well as those engaged in the study of educational policy and educational leadership. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Although the assessment of enterprise education activities has been widely highlighted as a key area of concern, it continues to be under represented in the literature. Questions remain as to how educators seeking to monitor student progression can capture quality data and measure relevant aspects of development, often leading enterprise education to be monitored rather than assessed. This article seeks to explore the challenges of assessing enterprise education in the secondary education sector. It aims to provide useful insights to help practitioners understand how to evidence the impact of enterprise learning by students. Design/methodology/approach – The paper first presents a critical review of the existing literature with insights from specialist practitioners sourced through an online survey and a seminar. This provides a broad review of the field from a practitioner standpoint focusing on current assessment techniques and standards. Using these data a conceptual pedagogy is proposed for the delivery of enterprise education and a methodology for its assessment, to be developed in future work. Findings – A critical review of the assessment of enterprise education is presented. This exposes challenges of a confused field, with pockets of good practice in schools often not shared or understood out of context. The development of a novel pedagogical model for teaching enterprise education is proposed, linked to a prototype assessment methodology which presents a new approach for enterprise teaching and learning. Research limitations/implications – The work is limited at this stage since participants in the research were drawn from one geographic area in the East of England, and examples of qualifications reviewed were not exhaustive, but these limitations can be addressed in future research. Practical implications – The paper provides a conceptual model for structuring enterprise education which may have relevance across the secondary sector and beyond. Originality/value – The article investigates the problems of assessing enterprise in secondary education, examining what does and does not work, and providing practitioners with useful guidance. In this important topic it is vital that new approaches are developed which can create a broader debate especially at a time of such great change in the educational landscape. This paper provides a platform for further development in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze the demand side determinants of schooling of Pakistani urban children and the factors affecting boys and girls' schooling separately. Design/methodology/approach - This is an empirical study using the non-linear maximum likelihood probability (probit) function on primary data. Findings - Besides other variables it has been observed that the poverty remains an important determinant of school participation. Poor households keep their children out of school due to their inability to afford the cost of schooling. Research limitations/implications - On the basis of this study a socio-economic policy can be formulated for a developing country like Pakistan. Practical implications - A development policy can be formulated on the basis of this research for the enhancement of human resource development for a developing and an orthodox economy like Pakistan. Originality/value - The paper is beneficial to the researchers, policy makers, and social scientists for the enhancement of the level of social welfare through its findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the development of a needs-based funding formula for resource allocation incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers. Design/methodology/approach - The paper analyses interview data and documentary evidence gathered from a UK local education authority about the creation of a "needs-based" formula for sharing resources to schools. It employs and extends a framework developed by Levačić and Ross to evaluate needs-based formula funding. Findings - Although formula funding is purported to be a more objective method of resource allocation, the paper finds that as with other resource allocation methods the power relations between the funder and the service provider impacts on the extent to which service provider needs are incorporated into the funding formula. Research limitations/implications - This paper considers only the funding of schools. Further work is needed to investigate formula funding for other public services. Practical implications - Debates between funders and service providers should be encouraged by policy makers to ensure that allocations based on the funding formula are acceptable to service providers. Originality/value - The paper provides a useful analysis of a needs-based funding formula for resource allocation in schools and whether this incorporates the needs of funders or the needs of the service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a framework for resilience education that can be used by teachers in schools. The paper seeks to identify a common language for exploring the concept of resilience. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents an overview of the construct of resilience as it appears in the literature. It provides a rationale for resilience education by examining the changing circumstances that impact on the work of educators. It also provides an overview of current Australian programs that promote resilience. Findings – After an extensive examination of the literature, it is suggested that resilience is discussed in the literature as a state, a condition and a practice. Consequently, a three-dimensional framework has been developed from this to help teachers understand resilience and to provide practical ways in which they can promote the resilience of their learners. Practical implications – This conceptual paper suggests that the three-dimensional framework for resilience has implications for supporting the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people. The paper highlights the important role of the school in enhancing resilience for children and young people. Originality/value – The original work of this paper is the presentation of a three-dimensional framework for resilience: as a state, a condition and a practice. This framework is useful for preservice teacher education programs and for the professional development of practising teachers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of sheepskin effects in the return to education in Japan. Design/methodology/approach - The paper provides a short description of the Japanese schooling and recruitment system. It then describes the data set and the empirical approach. Estimation results are presented for the various specifications. The baseline specification closely follows existing studies for the USA to facilitate comparability across the two countries. The paper further investigates whether there are significant firm-size differences in the estimated sheepskin effects and whether sheepskin effects disappear with increasing job tenure. Findings - The estimation results indicate that sheepskin effects explain about 50 percent of the total returns to schooling. The paper further finds that education as a signal is only important for workers in small firms with the size of these effects being similar to comparable estimates for the USA. Finally, the estimated degree effects decrease with firm tenure, in particular for small firms. These results could be explained by the particular recruitment system of large firms in Japan, which makes university diploma as a screening device unimportant for large firms and the admission policy of Japanese universities. Originality/value - By investigating the role of sheepskin effects in a labor market that differs substantially from the labor market in the USA, the paper provides additional insights to the human capital theory-screening hypothesis debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – International schools are a growing class of educational institution. It has been suggested that few schools of this type have a marketing plan whilst research into development planning showed that few had a long-range plan. This paper aims to investigate these issues. Design/methodology/approach – This paper deals with a survey of 32 international schools in 22 different countries. The public relations practitioner in each was questioned as to the nature of the marketing planning process. Findings – Half of the schools had a marketing plan. Few had a one-year one, and few had a cyclical one with stages. Several had dispensed with such a plan. The major aim of marketing planning was to attract more students. There was little evidence of it being a strategic process. Few schools involved the whole school body. Research limitations/implications – This involved a small-scale survey of international schools at a time when student numbers were high. This survey failed to take into account the growth of this type of school in mainland China. Practical implications – It is suggested that perhaps some international schools might focus more on non-rational planning and scenario-building techniques. Making more contact with the local community might also be beneficial as a strategic marketing aim. Originality/value – This paper furthers the understanding of the nature and organizational culture of international schools. It builds upon earlier research into development planning in this type of school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School leaders face many changes and challenges as they navigate their schools through complex and turbulent educational environments. Highly effective school leaders cope with complexity by building mental models or frameworks to understand the world that they face and operate in. This paper sets out a framework of six changes and six challenges for school leaders to consider as they move through the first decade of the new millennium. The paper is intended to be a means of providing a strategic discussion framework for leadership development within schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to respond to food insecurity and environmental sustainability through school food gardens in Johannesburg, South Africa. Design/methodology/approach – Permaculture is a method of organic agriculture where the garden design maintains a stable and productive ecosystem, mimicking natural processes and thereby creating a more natural and sustainable environment. Organic permaculture food gardens were established and integrated with the curriculum at two schools over the course of one year. A nutrition study of dietary intake and assessment of dietary diversity score was undertaken with a sample of 68 children. Findings – Permaculture food gardens can contribute to children's physical, mental, and emotional health and can be a resource for teachers and learners. To achieve sustainability, practical and cultural challenges must be addressed. Research limitations/implications – The project was implemented at only school sites, findings may not be applicable to all schools in all settings. This assessment was conducted after one year of implementation, impacts, and sustainability would be best assessed after three years. Conclusions are therefore based both on this case study and on the wider literature. Practical implications – When implementing a school food garden there must be long-term support and mentoring for school staff. Social implications – The value of a school food garden goes beyond the provision of nutrition and addressing food insecurity. Participation in gardening can increase students’ interactions with the natural world, and contribute to skills development, academic achievement, and well-being. Originality/value – This paper informs discussion and practice related to school food gardens’ influence on holistic health and broader educational benefits. It is of relevance to health promotion and education practitioners, school garden developers, and funders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]