Methods Manchester Academic Poster
Download as PPT, PDF
1 like675 views
Schools in England are expected to provide extended services to help meet the needs of pupils, families, and the wider community. However, the rationales proposed for extended school services have changed over time, leading to ambiguity about their precise role. This study uses a theory of change methodology to identify individual schools' rationales and theories about how their extended service activities will lead to specific outcomes. The researcher will develop a theory of change for three case study schools and monitor the impacts of their activities against the schools' theories over time. The goal is to better understand what schools are trying to achieve through extended services and whether the services can impact social and educational disadvantage.
![Understanding Schools Rationale for Extended Service
Delivery through a Theory of Change Methodology
Nicola Kassam, PhD Education
Rationale Theory of Change
By 2010 all mainstream schools will be delivering A Model of an Enrichment Theory Of Change For the purposes of this study, school provision of
Extended Services (ES). These services are expected extended services is seen as a form of purposeful action.
to help meet the needs of [the schools] pupils, their This implies a theory of how the world is and how
families and the wider community' (DfES, 2005). It particular actions will produce particular outcomes in that
would appear that attempts are being made to broaden world. By exploring the field in this manner, researchers
the school role beyond its traditional academic focus. can work with leaders of initiatives to draw out these
Such an extended role is familiar to the English theories and identify evidence to test whether actions are
education system (Ball, 1998). However, this recent leading to outcomes in the way predicted by the theory.
development is beginning to reveal variations in the This is known as a Theory of Change (ToC) approach
interpretation of the rationale for what are now called (Connell & Kubisch, 1998). The study will adopt a ToC
Extended Services. Over a 10 year period the methodology. A ToC will identify school rationales in
rationales proposed for the extended role of schools terms of the anticipated outcomes for ES delivery and
have changed many times. From building learning the steps that schools assume will lead to specific
communities (DfEE 1999), inclusion (NRT, 2006), to outcomes. The study will take the form of three linked
achievement and attainment (DCSF 2008); the case studies (Yin, 2003) of schools ES activity,
principal drivers have been interpreted differently, by developing a ToC for each schools ES activity and
various related parties. This variation has lead to monitoring the impacts of that activity over a period of
ambiguity as to what, precisely, the extended school time against the schools Theory. The ToC approach will
role is for. For some time there have been indications allow the school, to clearly specify steps that are required
that schools are responding to the ambiguity of policy for individuals/groups to move from the current situation
guidance by generating different aims and rationales that the school wishes to address through a series of
for themselves, and by focusing on different outcomes
Research Questions
steps to achieve an anticipated outcome. An example of
1. What are schools trying to achieve through the extended school provision?
(Dyson et al., 2002). an enrichment ToC can be seen below.
2. What are schools doing to try to achieve this?
3. What evidence is there that this is being achieved?
4. What evidence is there that the extended role of schools can have an
impact on social and educational disadvantage?
An Example of the Intermediate Steps of an Enrichment Theory of Change
Nicola.Kassam@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/academicposternkmethods-120804100321-phpapp01/85/Methods-Manchester-Academic-Poster-1-320.jpg)
Methods Manchester Academic Poster
- 1. Understanding Schools Rationale for Extended Service Delivery through a Theory of Change Methodology Nicola Kassam, PhD Education Rationale Theory of Change By 2010 all mainstream schools will be delivering A Model of an Enrichment Theory Of Change For the purposes of this study, school provision of Extended Services (ES). These services are expected extended services is seen as a form of purposeful action. to help meet the needs of [the schools] pupils, their This implies a theory of how the world is and how families and the wider community' (DfES, 2005). It particular actions will produce particular outcomes in that would appear that attempts are being made to broaden world. By exploring the field in this manner, researchers the school role beyond its traditional academic focus. can work with leaders of initiatives to draw out these Such an extended role is familiar to the English theories and identify evidence to test whether actions are education system (Ball, 1998). However, this recent leading to outcomes in the way predicted by the theory. development is beginning to reveal variations in the This is known as a Theory of Change (ToC) approach interpretation of the rationale for what are now called (Connell & Kubisch, 1998). The study will adopt a ToC Extended Services. Over a 10 year period the methodology. A ToC will identify school rationales in rationales proposed for the extended role of schools terms of the anticipated outcomes for ES delivery and have changed many times. From building learning the steps that schools assume will lead to specific communities (DfEE 1999), inclusion (NRT, 2006), to outcomes. The study will take the form of three linked achievement and attainment (DCSF 2008); the case studies (Yin, 2003) of schools ES activity, principal drivers have been interpreted differently, by developing a ToC for each schools ES activity and various related parties. This variation has lead to monitoring the impacts of that activity over a period of ambiguity as to what, precisely, the extended school time against the schools Theory. The ToC approach will role is for. For some time there have been indications allow the school, to clearly specify steps that are required that schools are responding to the ambiguity of policy for individuals/groups to move from the current situation guidance by generating different aims and rationales that the school wishes to address through a series of for themselves, and by focusing on different outcomes Research Questions steps to achieve an anticipated outcome. An example of 1. What are schools trying to achieve through the extended school provision? (Dyson et al., 2002). an enrichment ToC can be seen below. 2. What are schools doing to try to achieve this? 3. What evidence is there that this is being achieved? 4. What evidence is there that the extended role of schools can have an impact on social and educational disadvantage? An Example of the Intermediate Steps of an Enrichment Theory of Change Nicola.Kassam@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk