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This collection of chapters from established thinkers and emerging scholars provides a series of unique insights into collaboration between schools and the means by which the policy context influences such activity. Taking a global perspective, the chapters within this book follow a common framework to explore how macro-level factors help to create the conditions in which school-to-school collaboration is likely to succeed or fail ‘on the ground’. The result is a nuanced and original analysis that explores why and how collaborative activity between schools is intrinsically linked to broader policy contexts.
School collaboration and networking is a rapidly growing area of interest. This book will appeal to the increasing number of emerging scholars and established experts with an interest in this area and other related sub-fields including school effectiveness and improvement, critical policy studies and educational leadership and management. It will also be of interest to policymakers seeking to capitalise on the potential of collaboration between schools and to educational professionals seeking improvement through partnership and dialogue.
School-To-School Collaboration. Learning Across International Contexts edited by Armstrong and Brown is a brilliant resource for anyone in education - network novice, experienced school leader or policymaker. Personally, I enjoyed reading the unique experiences of the thirteen case studies, and what they shared in common.
The case studies are a rich resource for anyone interested in drawing on the power of networks and school-to-school collaboration for system-wide improvement of outcomes, equity, teacher relationships and engagement. The book also contains a well-balanced, nuanced and insightful discussion of theory and practice complemented by practical recommendations. The sharing of a diverse range of systems, experiences and countries (twelve school systems across five continents) yields a rich tapestry of school-to-school collaboration and partnership examples that are woven together through Hood’s cohesion/regulation matrix. In short, the book is a treasure trove of theoretical and practical information.
This is timely and important given the rise in the use of networks in educational systems across the world. Armstrong and Brown, in pulling these impressive case studies together into one book advance the field. No matter what country you live in, role you hold in education (classroom teacher, school leader or policymaker), experience you have with school-to-school collaborations or networks this book is a must read.
Paul Wilfred Armstrong is Senior Lecturer in Education at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester. He has over 15 years experience in educational research exploring contemporary forms of educational leadership and management, in particular the means by which schools are managed and resourced and how organisational collaboration can support teaching and learning. His most recent publication is School-to-school collaboration in England: A configurative review of the empirical evidence with Chris Brown and Chris Chapman. He is also Editor-in-Chief of the Sage journal, Management in Education.
Chris Brown is Professor in Education and Deputy Executive Dean (Research) at Durham University. Chris is seeking to drive forward the notion of Professional Learning Networks (PLNs) as a means to promote the collaborative learning of teachers. The aim of this collaborative learning is to improve both teaching practice and student outcomes, not only in individual schools, but also in the school system more widely. Alongside his research into PLNs Chris also has a long-standing interest in how the collaborative use of research evidence can and should, but often doesn’t, aid the development of education policy and practice.
Section 1: Hierarchist Systems
Chapter 1. New Zealand Cases of Collaboration Within and Between Schools: The Coexistence of Cohesion and Regulation; Michelle Dibben and Howard Youngs
Chapter 2. Local Authorities and School-to-School Collaboration in Scotland; Joanne Neary, Christopher Chapman, Stuart Hall, and Kevin Lowden
Chapter 3. School Participation in Local and International Collaboration: The Norway-Canada (NORCAN) Programme; Carol Campbell
Chapter 4. Education Groups as a Chinese Way of School Collaboration for Education Improvement; Jing Liu
Section 2: Fatalist Systems
Chapter 5. Barriers for Effective Networking in Competitive Environments: Addressing Distrust and Isolation to Promote Collaboration in the Chilean School System; Mauricio Pino-Yancovic, Álvaro González, and Romina Madrid
Chapter 6. Interprofessional Collaboration Between Childcare Services and Primary Schools in the Netherlands; Trynke Keuning, Rachel Verheijen-Tiemstra, Wenckje Jongstra, and René Peeters
Chapter 7. School-to-School Collaboration in Poland: Mapping (Untapped) Potential; Marta Kowalczuk-Walędziak, Hanna Kędzierska, and Alicja Korzeniecka-Bondar
Chapter 8. School-to-School Collaboration – Kenyan Context; Andrew Kitavi Wambua
Section 3: Egalitarian Systems
Chapter 9. School Collaboration in a Divided Society: Shared Education in Northern Ireland; Tony Gallagher, Gavin Duffy, and Gareth Robinson
Chapter 10. Moving Beyond a Narrative of School Improvement: How and Why Should we Create Purpose-Driven and Impactful Collaboration for Educators?; Sian May and Kevin House
Chapter 11. From Professional School Networks to Learning Ecosystems: The Case of Networks for Change in Barcelona; Jordi Díaz-Gibson, Mireia Civís Zaragoza, and Marta Comas Sabat
Chapter 12. Germany: School-to-School Collaboration at the Interface of Bureaucracy and Autonomy; Anke B. Liegmann, Isabell Van Ackeren, René Breiwe, Nina Bremm, Manuela Endberg, Marco Hasselkuß, and Sabrina Rutter
Section 4: Fatalist Systems
Chapter 13. School-to-School Collaboration Through Teaching School Alliances in England: ‘System Leadership’ in a Messy and Hybrid Governance Context; Toby Greany and Paul Wilfred Armstrong