Conaty, Concepta
(1999)
Partnership in Education, through Whole School
Development with Parent and Community Involvement:
A Study of a National Initiative
to Combat Educational Disadvantage -
the Home, School, Community Liaison Scheme (2 Vols.).
PhD thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.
Abstract
Partnership is now central to education internationally. The Home, School, Community
Scheme, established in Ireland in 1990, is an example of introducing partnership in a
radical way to designated disadvantaged primary and post-primary schools. This Scheme
is the subject of the dissertation.
There is an extensive review of literature on the rights and role of parents, on home-,
school-, community-based learning, on the partnership process and on practice in various
countries. The history, rationale, structures and current practice of the Irish Scheme are
detailed.
The thesis hypotheses are geared to ascertaining the attitudes of principals,
coordinators, and teachers and to considering the coordinator's role as both innovative
and key.
Quantitative research data was obtained from questionnaires to principals and coordinators
in 182 schools and teachers in sixteen schools. Qualitative data emerged
through in-depth study of sixteen schools, including intensive interviewing of principals,
coordinators plus involved parents and questionnaires to chairpersons and other parents.
The research design also involves action research. This is to be found in critique,
response, and constant evaluation on the part of the author and key participants in the
Scheme. The evaluation element of the research is both formative and summative.
The fourth chapter examines issues impinging on education, which are significant for
the Scheme, such as valuing parents/pupils and communication inside/outside the school.
The fifth and sixth chapters investigate structures, development, attitudes, values, belief
systems, communication, teamwork and inter-relations, all of which point to the
coordinator as an essential catalyst in the Scheme. Special attention is paid to partnership
and to some shortcomings.
Research carried out in Ferguslie Park, an area in Scotland undergoing educational and
social regeneration, provided some interesting parallels and differences.
In drawing the strands together we point to achievements, future challenges and areas
needing further development.
| Item Type: |
Thesis
(PhD)
|
| Keywords: |
Partnership; Education;
Community Liaison Scheme; |
| Academic Unit: |
Faculty of Social Sciences > Education |
| Item ID: |
5175 |
| Depositing User: |
IR eTheses
|
| Date Deposited: |
15 Jul 2014 14:38 |
| URI: |
|
| Use Licence: |
This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available
here |
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