National Standards: A secondary analysis of the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey

<p>This thesis describes a secondary analysis of the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey. The aim of this project was to conduct an exploratory investigation into the attitudes of education stakeholders toward National Standards. Open response data from the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey principal, teacher, trustee, and parent questionnaires was coded in two different ways. First, a thematic framework was developed and the open responses were coded against the themes. The open responses were then recoded as a binary attitude variable, according to whether they were considered to convey a negative or positive attitude toward the standards. Logistic regression and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine statistically significant relationships between the binary attitude variable and other elements of the survey data, in the interests of finding predictors for attitude to the National Standards. These analyses were carried out with a selection of items from each of the principal, teacher, and trustee questionnaires; and with all of the items from the parent questionnaire. For teachers and principals (and to a lesser extent, trustees), findings from the thematic analysis of open responses largely reflected concerns about the standards being voiced by sector groups and academics around the time the survey was undertaken. Results from the statistical analysis of the binary attitude variable indicated that principal and teacher attitudes were associated with teaching experience and career plans. General findings from the analysis of parent responses included a suggestion that parents may lack knowledge and understanding of the National Standards, and may be expecting the standards to deliver something they are not designed for. Patterns in parent responses also indicated that attitudes to the National Standards might be related to wider perceptions of the purpose of education, and the various roles of education stakeholders. A similar pattern emerged in analysis of trustee responses. More specific findings related to parent attitude included associations with student year level, and with school reporting practice.</p>

National Standards: A secondary analysis of the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey

<p>This thesis describes a secondary analysis of the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey. The aim of this project was to conduct an exploratory investigation into the attitudes of education stakeholders toward National Standards. Open response data from the NZCER 2010 Primary and Intermediate Schools National Survey principal, teacher, trustee, and parent questionnaires was coded in two different ways. First, a thematic framework was developed and the open responses were coded against the themes. The open responses were then recoded as a binary attitude variable, according to whether they were considered to convey a negative or positive attitude toward the standards. Logistic regression and Fisher’s exact tests were used to determine statistically significant relationships between the binary attitude variable and other elements of the survey data, in the interests of finding predictors for attitude to the National Standards. These analyses were carried out with a selection of items from each of the principal, teacher, and trustee questionnaires; and with all of the items from the parent questionnaire. For teachers and principals (and to a lesser extent, trustees), findings from the thematic analysis of open responses largely reflected concerns about the standards being voiced by sector groups and academics around the time the survey was undertaken. Results from the statistical analysis of the binary attitude variable indicated that principal and teacher attitudes were associated with teaching experience and career plans. General findings from the analysis of parent responses included a suggestion that parents may lack knowledge and understanding of the National Standards, and may be expecting the standards to deliver something they are not designed for. Patterns in parent responses also indicated that attitudes to the National Standards might be related to wider perceptions of the purpose of education, and the various roles of education stakeholders. A similar pattern emerged in analysis of trustee responses. More specific findings related to parent attitude included associations with student year level, and with school reporting practice.</p>

The Teacher Shortage in the United States

A major teacher shortage exists in the United States. As teachers leave the classroom in droves, administrators are forced to hire unlicensed educators in order to fill vacant positions. Teachers have decided to change professions due to a lack of competitive salaries, fear of personal safety, and a lack of support from education stakeholders. Through the use of research in academic journals and articles as well as personal anecdotes, I attempt to prove that teachers are not being treated fairly, and if the right changes are made then the teacher retention rate can be improved.

Beginning to Dismantle the Binaries that Frame the Neoliberal Kindergarten

The binary logic of policymakers’ neoliberal reforms has restructured kindergarten into a learning environment where teachers struggle to nurture children as learners. At the same time, the critiques that challenge these policies are also rooted in this binary logic. This allows policymakers’ neoliberal reforms to remain intact. In this article, I address this issue through analysing findings from a larger research study that examined how a range of education stakeholders (n=88) made sense of the changed kindergarten through binary logic. I then take apart these three binaries that emerged in my analysis process to provide insight into possible pathways for change that education stakeholders at all levels of governance can begin to engage in to dismantle policymakers’ neoliberal education reforms.

From Ground to Cloud

As technology has become an agent of immense change, it has forced upon the education system Cloud Computing, which in the form of School on the Cloud will have significant future ripple effects. In moving from ground (present conditions) to Cloud (future conditions), there is a need to examine the educational enhancements and the future ramifications of this technology. The description of these effects represents the goal of this chapter, by reviewing the major aspects of the future of Cloud Based Education and by presenting the approach and the results of a foresight exercise, which have led to the development of a series of future scenarios related to the future roles of the major education stakeholders.