MAEE .: Mecanismos de mudança nas escolas e na inspeção. Um estudo sobre o 3º ciclo de Avaliação Externa de Escolas no Ensino Não Superior, em Portugal.
- Universidade do Minho(líder)
- Universidade Aberta(parceiro)
- Universidade de Coimbra(parceiro)
- Universidade de Évora(parceiro)
Summary
The research project ?Mechanisms of school and inspectorate change. A study on the 3rd cycle of external evaluation of non-higher education schools, in Portugal? (MAEE) emerges with the implementation of the 3rd cycle of external evaluation of non-higher education schools (ESE) (2017-2021), framed by Law n. 31/2002 of December 20th. The object of study is the 3rd cycle of ESE: i) exploring the mechanisms of change stemming from its implementation, translated into impacts at the curricular, pedagogical and organizational levels; ii) the mechanisms of change that impact the school inspectorate, in the frame of national and transnational policies.
The MAEE research project is in continuity with a nationwide project on the impacts and effects of External Evaluation of non-higher Education Schools (AEEENS), financed by the FCT (PTDC/CPE-CED/116674/2010) and implemented between 2012 and 2015, with results pointing to a moderate impact of ESE on Portuguese schools, through legitimizing and procedural effects, particularly related to self-evaluation and external evaluation of learnings. The MAEE project intends to bring the previous study (AEEENS) up to date and to widen and deepen its analyses, allowing for a greater focus on the mechanisms leading to changes in practices in the curricular, pedagogical and organizational dimensions of schools and on the school inspectorate, after the implementation of ESE?s 3rd cycle. Project MAEE is socially and academically valid, especially because it encompasses the privileged perspectives of the school inspectorate and of fundamental stakeholders concerned with schools, in the context of a new cycle of ESE and relating ESE and the school inspectorate. The research study follows the recommendations of the Portuguese National Council of Education (CNE) [3,4] and international agencies [5].
The research project is pertinent at the conceptual and methodological levels, as it is framed on the impact and effects of national and transnational policies, namely European educational policies, and its social relevance and pertinence are stressed as there are no nationwide studies on the role of the inspectorate on ESE. Also, the project?s relevance stems from focusing on the 3rd cycle of ESE which may provide research data aiming to improve political decision processes.
Goals, activities and expected/achieved results
Goals
1) To explore theoretical frameworks on the European and national policies of school accountability, on
school inspection, and on external school evaluation, including its processes affecting school practices; to undertake
empirical studies centered on external and internal school evaluation, school inspection, and perspectives about
school accountability practices. The second objective is divided in two specific objectives: 2.1) To characterize the
impact and effects of the 3rd cycle of external school evaluation on schools and on the school inspectorate, in Portugal,
and 2.2) To provide evidence and examples of the mechanisms by which the 3rd cycle of external school evaluation
promotes changes on schools and on the school inspectorate.
Activities
Results
The main results are associated with the production of knowledge on the 3rd cycle of external evaluation of non-higher education schools, accompanying its implementation by the inspectorate. The results presented at the intermediate and final reports allow it to serve as support to political decision, presenting proposals for improvement to the Ministry of Education. The following are therefore relevant results:
i) theoretical and conceptual production on the inspectorate and the external evaluation of non-higher education schools;
ii) conduction of nationwide empirical studies on the 3rd cycle of ESE, including documental analysis, conduction of interviews, survey by questionnaire and case studies;
iii) dissemination of results.
