School Improvement in a Regional, Rural and Remote Diocese : An Exploratory Case Study

Matthews, J.

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School Improvement in a Regional, Rural and Remote Diocese : An Exploratory Case Study

Matthews, J.

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Matthews, J.

Abstract

This research aims to understand the processes of school improvement in a regional, rural and remote Catholic Diocese in Australia. It draws on the role that educational system leaders and school leadership teams have adopted in enacting system-wide strategies aimed at achieving desired school improvement in remote schools. The approach of such system leaders has been to increasingly lead educational change by measuring success in terms of student learning achievement and welfare, improvement in standards of literacy and numeracy, and in the Australian context the paradigm of closing the gap between indigenous and non-indigenous students (Cranston, Kimber, Mulford, Reid, & Keating, 2010). Within this context, this research aims to explore how some teachers, school leaders and system leaders have endeavoured to implement school improvement processes within a regional, rural and remote Diocese that can enhance the learning culture and better cater for the learning needs of all students. Thus, the research question guiding this study is: In what ways do teachers, school leaders, and system leaders determine and implement school improvement initiatives in regional, rural and remote Catholic schools? Hence, it is necessary to ascertain what school improvement strategies are being employed by the participating regional, rural and remote Catholic school teachers, school leaders and system leaders; the evidence that supported the selection and implementation of these strategies; and, finally, the data used to determine the effectiveness of the strategies. Based on the epistemological position of constructivism, this research adopts the theoretical perspective of interpretivism and the approach of symbolic interactionism. In support of this theoretical perspective, an exploratory case study methodology is used to examine the school improvement journeys of 12 school and system leaders, with data collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and a reflective journal. Accordingly, the research findings will explore the relationships that are conceptualised within school leadership teams and system leaders as they lead school improvement in the participating regional, rural and remote Catholic Diocese. Through this research, I highlight the context specific school improvement needs of regional, rural and remote Catholic primary schools, thereby enabling school system leaders, school leaders and teachers to implement more effective and successful strategies for such schools.

Keywords

School Improvement, Data ecosystem, Regional, Rural, Remote, Catholic Diocese, System leadership, Student Achievement Data, Literacy and Numeracy Data, Case study