Uppeldi og menntun - 01.01.2005, Page 121

hefur sýnt verkefninu og hvatningu við úrvinnslu gagna. Án þessa stuðnings hennar
er vafasamt að sú grein sem hér birtist hefði orðið til.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of the project on compulsory schools in different communities (GOB) is
to explore the relationship between schools and their local communities. In more
specific terms the aim is to study to what extent the socio-economic status and the
dominant local culture of the district influence the functioning of the school and its
effectiveness. The background of the study lies within activity theories of learning,
theories of motivation and values with special reference to social-economic forces.
The project is still a pilot-study and the main effort has centered on finding and
trying out research-tools and working methods suitable for this kind of study. The
method of study is mixed (interviews and questionaires). A crucial factor is to give all
those who take part in the working of the school, in or outside the schoolhouse, sal-
aried or non-salaried, a chance to express their views on the functioning of the school.
For this purpose these actors or stakeholders in the school community are assigned
to six groups; pupils, parents, teachers, ancillary staff, head teachers and municipal
school authorities. In the final interview 2 or 3 representatives take part from the
above mentioned groups and discuss six problematic themes considered to be central
to the functioning of the school. Interviewees from all the groups showed interest in
these topics, usually took active part in the discussion, most expressed their opinions
and made their personal standpoint. This may in itself be considered an important
result. To give two or three examples: Many participants from the stakeholder-groups
when requested to give their explanation for low attainment of pupils mentioned
ineffective or dull teaching. The teacher-groups were somewhat an exception in this
respect and more often mentioned other reasons such as bad social conditions in the
home and little support from the parents. About one third of the participants from the
parent-groups hold the opinion that the learning requirements in the basic schools in
general are too low. What is perhaps even more interesting is a widely held belief in
all the groups that even if the formal curriculum requirements are sufficient these
demands are undifferentiated and badly followed up by teachers or, as was frequent-
ly mentioned, are not directed to the right pupils who can meet them and benefit
from doing so. Hopefully this method of exploring school functionings – if given
further trial and improved upon – could be useful in various kinds of school develop-
mental work and evaluation of schools.
Jónas Pálsson er fyrrverandi rektor Kennaraháskóla Íslands
Amalía Björnsdóttir er dósent í aðferðafræði við Kennaraháskóla Íslands
Ólafur H. Jóhannsson er lektor í stjórnsýslufræði við Kennaraháskóla Íslands
J Ó N A S P Á L S S O N , A M A L Í A B J Ö R N S D Ó T T I R O G Ó L A F U R H . J Ó H A N N S S O N
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