School management and leadership in the light of global social change: an example of three
European countries
Abstract
Based on the EU High Level Group of Experts on Literacy (HLWG) report this presentation aims
to address issues and challenges in Europe on improving literacy competencies in schools. The
analysis focuses on management and leadership in schools in three countries (Denmark,
Germany, and France) with different outcomes in PIRLS 2011 (Progress in International
Reading Literacy Study), taking into account psychological and institutional learning conditions.
Country comparison is conducted using Multiple Groups – Multilevel Structural Equation
Modelling (MG-MSEM). One important finding from this study is that policy action taken in
order to evaluate and improve school effectiveness in each country must address particular needs
of its educational system. Suggestions for improving reading achievement in schools are derived
from the analysis.
1.
Objectives of the study
To provide information that can support schools in improving reading competencies of their
students, this presentation identifies school factors associated with reading achievement in three
European countries with similar cultural and sociological context, but different levels of
achievement in PIRLS 2011. The Dynamic Model of Educational Effectiveness (Creemers &
Kyriakides, 2008) is used to frame the analysis. Particular focus is on the promotion of early
literacy skills by the school management and on the motivation to read conveyed by teachers.
The main hypothesis is that reading achievement of students is higher in schools that put more
emphasis on reading and in which teachers motivate students to read. These assumptions are
tested while taking into account other school factors such as student composition, cooperation
with parents and school climate (i.e. discipline and safety). Moreover, it is assumed that the
influence of school factors on reading achievement depends on the reading skills that the
students had at the beginning of their schooling.
2.
Theoretical framework
Models developed within the framework of School Effectiveness Research (SER) assume that
appropriate school policy can contribute to improving students’ outcomes. Effectiveness factors
at the class level are subsumed under the following four areas: quality, appropriateness,
incentive, and time (Stringfield & Slavin, 1992). Effectiveness factors at school level are
grouped according to culture of the school, management, cooperation and coordination, and
personnel policy and development (Stringfield & Slavin, 1992). According to the empirical
results promotion of reading and acceleration programmes have a strong impact on achievement
prior school and during the schooling time can have a positive influence on later educational
outcomes (Aunio, Hautamäki, Sajaniemi, & Van Luit, 2009; Bingham, 2007; Mullis, Martin,
Kennedy, Trong, & Sainsbury, 2009). Other school variables that have been considered as being
important for students’ outcomes are early-age schooling, preschool programmes, school
management, resources (Hattie, 2009), and school environment (Baumert, Stanat, & Watermann,
2006; Lehmann, 2006; Maaz, Trautwein, Lüdtke, & Baumert, 2008; Zimmer & Toma, 2000).
3.
Data sources and methods
This study uses data from the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS 2011)
developed by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement
(Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Drucker, 2012). For the analysis, three European countries with similar
social and political backgrounds were chosen, each with a different performance level in reading
achievement in PIRLS 2011: Denmark, Germany, and France (Mullis et al., 2012, p. 42).
Laying on the Dynamic Model of Educational Effectiveness a comprehensive methodological
approach (Multiple Groups – Multilevel Structural Equation Modelling, MG-MSEM, Muthén &
Muthén, 2012) is implemented. MG-SEM takes into account the nested structure of the data (e.g.
students nested into schools). Furthermore, it integrates latent modelling features, which, in turn,
allows incorporating the complex nature of the psychological and sociological constructs (e.g.
academic self-concept). Using equal parameters to construct the latent variables enables for
direct cross-country comparison.
4.
Results and conclusions
Based on the results, it can be stated that French schools perform better if they emphasise
academic success, are less affected by shortages of resources, and if its teachers apply high
quality reading instruction in lessons. The latter also applies to Denmark and Germany. In line
with previous research (Baumert, Stanat, & Watermann, 2006b; Maaz et al., 2008), student
composition plays an important role in all three countries. At the individual level the scale on
Preschool Reading Literacy Skills reported by parents predicts reading achievement and
academic self-concept in all three countries, however with slight differences.
5.
Educational importance of this study for theory, practice, and policy
Methodological and theoretical contribution
The multilevel approach used in this study provides a methodological framework for the
empirical analysis of complex models (Hox & Maas, 2004; Marsh et al., 2009). The most
important feature of the applied method (MG-MSEM) is that it accounts for the hierarchical
structure of the school system. Furthermore, within the structural equation modelling framework
latent variables with multiple indicators are used, which are considered as being a more reliable
proxies of psychological and sociological phenomena than manifest variables (Lüdtke et al.,
2008). Moreover, MG-MSEM provides an elaborate basis for direct comparison between
countries.
Contribution to policy and practice
The results of the analysis show that high quality reading instruction, management, and
appropriate reading resources can contribute to improving reading achievement. Another finding
is that in all countries, schools which perform best are those with a particular learning
environment as indicated by the positive effect of student composition on achievement. One of
the most important finding from this study is that policy action taken in order to evaluate and
improve school effectiveness in each country must address particular needs of its educational
system. As it is assumed that much of the impact of school policy and management on
achievement is mediated or moderated by class and teacher variables, further analyses with more
information about learning processes within classrooms are necessary.
6.
Connection to the themes of the congress
Focusing on school effectiveness in improving reading literacy, the analysis is related to the
challenges in Europe that result from current global developments. Thus, the presentation suits
well the subtheme 4 of the ICSEI conference: Future Thinking: Imagining Education, Learning
and Transformation in 21st Century Schooling. Moreover, since the project analyses school
effectiveness factors in different cultural contexts it suits also the subtheme 1 of the ICSEI
conference: School Effectiveness, School Improvement and School Transformation - What do
they Mean in Different Contexts and Different Paradigms.
7.
List of References
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