Institutional self-evaluation and change in educational centres

Abstract

This paper is the synthesis of a study performed in educational centres in Uruguay whose focal point of research is processes of organizational self-evaluation, the logics that guide the records and their ties with the change processes promoted at these centres.Our examination of multiple case studies considers seven early childhood, primary and secondary education centres, both publicly and privately owned. Performed between 2009 and 2011, the use of the PRODESO Scale, interviews, focused discussions, document analysis, surveys and the researcher’s diary have enabled us to gather relevant information on aspects related to the instrumental, methodological and contextual domain of the self-evaluation performed.The results identify structural, operative and cultural conditions that either make possible or limit the usefulness of self-evaluation as an instrument of change. They also yield a classification of domains (instrumental, methodological and contextual) that may be useful for studying organizational realities and organizing intervention processes, as well as yielding several references on school leaders.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

María Inés Vázquez

María Inés Vázquez is a psychologist, Masters in Educational Research (CIEP_IDRC) and PhD in Education from the Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona 08193, Spain. Email: [email protected]. She currently directs a Masters in Educational Management at the Educational Institute at the Universidad ORT in Montevideo, Uruguay. Her professional career associates research and innovation processes in educational settings. Her main area of interest is generating bridges between theory and practice.

Joaquín Gairín

Joaquín Gairín is a professor of Didactics and School Education in the Applied Pedagogy Department at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona 08193, Spain. Email: [email protected]. As an international consultant, he is involved in educational reform programmes in Spain and Latin America and is currently overseeing projects in social and educational development, organizational development, change in educational processes, leadership, programme and institutional assessment, ICT in training and impact evaluation. He directs the EDO research group (http://edo.uab.es) and coordinates the Support Network for Educational Management (RedAGE: http://www.redage.org).