Guiding schools on their journey towards inclusion

ABSTRACT

Inclusion is increasingly recognised as a major driving force for educational reform and is a central goal of the international political agenda. This paper describes and analyzes how a group of schools in one region of Spain trialled a newly developed review instrument, named ‘Themis’, with the aim of guiding their efforts to promote greater inclusion. In so doing, the paper focuses on how schools can be helped to review progress on their journey to becoming more inclusive. Some of the challenges perceived in its use were the practicalities of generating credible evidence and the problem of making sense of this evidence; the need to develop trust among stakeholders; and the relevance of resolving contradictions and tensions, and deciding on priorities for moving forward. A strong theme that permeates the analysis presented in the paper is the importance of developing review instruments that relate to particular contexts and take account of the varied ideas of those involved.

KEYWORDS:

• Inclusion
• review instruments
• school improvement
• educational research

Acknowledgement

We thank the many colleagues who have contributed to the study reported in this paper, particularly those who were involved on the validation process of Themis: Sue Goldrick, Susie Miles, Steve Courtney, Michael Wigelsworth, Kirstin Kerr, Ruth McGinity, Mel West, Samantha Fox, Michelle Moore, Pilar Arnaiz, Ana Luisa López, Gerardo Echeita, Marta Sandoval, Anabel Moriña, José María Fernández-Batanero, Covadonga Ruiz, María José León, David Durán, Carmen Alba, María Dolores Hidalgo, Joan Jordi Muntaner, Odet Moliner, María Ángeles Parrilla, Asunción Lledó, María Paz García-Sanz, José Manuel Guirao, Rogelio Martínez and Remedios De Haro.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Cecilia Azorín http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8454-8927

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Cecilia Azorín

Cecilia Azorín, PhD, is Substitute Assistant Professor in the Department of Didactics and School Organization at the University of Murcia. She was given the First National Award in Pedagogy in Spain (2013). She has been visiting scholar at the Centre for Equity in Education (University of Manchester, 2015) and at the Centre for Research in Inclusion (University of Southampton, 2016). She has 25 articles in peer-reviewed journals published in different countries (Spain, Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, United Kingdom), and she is a regular contributor to international conferences, such as ECER. Her research is focused on inclusion, school improvement, gender, and networking in education. She also is reviewer of Educational Research, and School Effectiveness and School Improvement, among others.

Mel Ainscow

Mel Ainscow is Emeritus Professor of Education at the University of Manchester, Adjunct Professor at Queensland University of Technology and Honorary Professor of Practice at University of Wales Trinity Saint David. His research focuses on ways of making schools effective for all children and young people. A long-term consultant to UNESCO, he is currently working on international efforts to promote equity and inclusion globally. His most recent books are: ‘Struggles for equity in education: the selected works of Mel Ainscow’ (Routledge World Library of Educationalists series), ‘Inside the autonomous school: making sense of a global educational trend’ (with Maija Salokangas), and ‘Promoting equity in schools: collaboration, inquiry and ethical leadership’ (with Jess Harris and Suzanne Carrington), all published by Routledge. In the Queen's 2012 New Year Honours list he was made a CBE for services to education.