Cross, Philip (2009) Transforming an especially challenging urban school against the odds: a multivariate statistical analysis of student perceptions. EdD thesis, University of Greenwich.

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Abstract

The aim of this four year longitudinal study was to identify the contributory factors that brought about rapid improvement in an especially challenging urban school. A two-phase sequential mixed-method strategy was used to identify underlying statistically derived factors within a post-positivist paradigm

In phase I, Principle Components Analysis was used to reduce an initial 90-item questionnaire, administered to 302 students, to identify a three factor multilevel school improvement model that comprised 17 sub-factors. The derived factors were: i. leadership at the whole school level; ii. teaching and learning in the classroom and iii. the development of students and teachers as part of a unified learning community.

During phase II, Principle Axis Factoring, Multiple Regression and MANOVA were used to test the hypothesis that 22 school improvement variables, derived from a review of the 3 factors and 17 sub-factors from phase I, did in fact comprise a single coherent school improvement model with 3 levels.

A detailed analysis of the perceptions of 104 students, gathered via a 22-item questionnaire, yielded a coherent model based on 4 factors (levels) that were interpreted as: context; leadership; learning & teaching and ethos & relationships. In addition, 22 sub-factors were identified within the model. The statistical findings were triangulated with the literature, external documentary evidence about the school and focus group interviews with a stratified random sample of students, parents and teachers.

This thesis proposes a new dynamic multilevel rapid school improvement model together with a new paradigm for schools operating in challenging urban contexts.

Item Type:	Thesis (EdD)
Additional Information:	uk.bl.ethos.571415
Uncontrolled Keywords:	education, transformation, urban, schools, statistical analysis, student perceptions,
Subjects:	L Education > LB Theory and practice of education
Pre-2014 Departments:	School of Education School of Education > Department of Professional Learning & Development
Last Modified:	14 Oct 2016 09:20
URI:	http://gala.gre.ac.uk/id/eprint/8142

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