Institutional Environment of Schools
- Published on Monday, 05 December 2011 08:34
The aim of this study is to create a map of the institutional environment of pre-schools, primary schools and middle schools, and to describe and analyze the relationships connecting them with external institutions, and in particular to outline the character, scope and dynamics of these relationships as well as provide evaluation. The results of the study will serve to give us a better understanding of the relationship of educational institutions with their external institutional environments, to evaluate to what extent this kind of co-operation supports these institutions in achieving their statutory goals, and to identify good practices in this area as well as opportunities for their promotion.
.The institutional environment is understood as a group of organizations with which a given educational institution (pre-schools / primary schools / middle schools) cooperates while fulfilling its statutory duties. With some of these organizations, like the educational authority or the body directing the institution, the institution maintains relations based on the provisions of law. With others, like NGOs, commercial organizations or other educational institutions – on the basis of a voluntary mutual understanding.
The study is being carried out using qualitative research methods (IDI, FGI), and the first stage includes 8 pre-schools, 8 primary schools and 8 middle schools located in communities which vary in size (rural/urban up to 20,00; urban 20, 000 -100, 000; urban over 100,000). Due to the exploratory character of the study, the course of further stages of research is dependent on the results of the first stage.
During the study, individual interviews have been carried out with: the principal and a nominated member of the institution’s staff, a representative from local government, representatives of an organization/institution cooperating with the given institution, and also focus group interviews with representatives of the parents’ association.
The fieldwork was carried out by the independent research company ASM Centrum Badań i Analiz Rynku Sp. z o.o., chosen by public tender through IBE.
