Teachers' perceptions of the impact of post-Soviet societal changes on teacher collaboration in Ukrainian schools

The purpose of the study was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the impact of societal changes on teacher collaboration in schools within the period of independence of Ukraine (1991 – 2005). This study provided a description of teacher experiences in a context of large-scale philosophical, ideological, social, political, and economic changes of the post-Soviet era, and the teachers’ interpretation of the impact of related changes upon teacher collaboration in Ukrainian schools. Research questions were divided into two subgroups: first, questions inquiring into teachers’ perceptions of the nature of post-Soviet societal changes; and second, questions regarding the nature, external and internal impacts on teacher collaboration. Utilizing constructive postmodernism framework, this research examined teacher collaboration through micropolitical and cultural perspectives. This study adopted a naturalistic orientation, within which an interpretive constructivist approach to methodology prompted the use of qualitative methods of inquiry. The data collection techniques of document analysis, focus group interviews and individual interviews were utilized. Document analysis involved review of national and local acts, decrees, policies, and procedures that pertained to teacher collaboration issued during the period of 1991-2005. The participants in this study were elementary or secondary school teachers in the city of Chernivtsi, Ukraine who had been in the teaching profession within the education system of Ukraine during the period of time from 1991 to 2005. In total, fifty-five teachers from eight schools participated in eight focus group interviews and fifteen individual interviews. Documentary data and participants’ responses were analyzed according to the research questions and recurring themes with the help of ATLAS.ti qualitative data analysis software. The findings revealed the ongoing struggle between the forces of modernity and postmodernity in post-Soviet Ukrainian society. Gains of deideologization and freedoms of conscience, speech, and religion were counteracted by economic decline, political instability, and social insecurity. Societal transformations were seen as having direct impact on the system of education, resulting in a difficult transition period from the old Soviet to the new Ukrainian system of education. It was found that collaboration among teachers in schools was susceptible to transformations at the macro (societal), as well as micro (school) levels. Macro transformations affected the nature of teacher collaboration in a direct way through changing societal realities, while content and format were usually influenced indirectly through the impact on school structures, reforms and policies, school culture, and micropolitical interactions among professionals. Findings affirmed that in the times of uncertainty and radical changes, personal aspects of collaboration tend to gain more significance than the professional ones. Material welfare, spirituality and morale, social security, societal attitudes, social relationships, and shift in the systems of values and beliefs were found exerting significant impact on teacher collaboration. It was pointed out that discourse on collaboration required a balanced representation of individualistic and collectivistic perspectives. It was concluded that the development of collaborative cultures in Ukrainian schools needed to be a two-fold process, involving both instrumental shaping on the part of teachers and administrators and the presence of societal conditions conducive to collaborative relationships. A number of implications from the findings were derived for theory, practice, policy, further research, and methodology

School Administrator Engagement in Teacher Induction and Mentoring: Findings from Statewide and District-Wide Programs

Research shows that school administrators’ engagement is vital in creating a structure supportive of induction and mentoring for early career teachers. This article details a mixed-method research study that examined the role and impact of school administrators’ engagement in four teacher induction programs in the United States (two statewide and two district-wide) supported by the New Teacher Center. The results identify administrator role expectations and participants’ perceptions of the programs, and they indicate how vital school administrators’ leadership and commitment are to a successful program. The article concludes with implications for theory, practice, policy, and further research

CURBING EARLY-CAREER TEACHER ATTRITION: A PAN-CANADIAN DOCUMENT ANALYSIS OF TEACHER INDUCTION AND MENTORSHIP PROGRAMS

Over the past two decades, the phenomenon of teachers abandoning the profession has been noted internationally, and has increasingly caught the attention of policy makers and educational leaders. Despite this awareness, no pan-Canadian statistics or comprehensive reviews are available. This paper reports on the exploratory, pan-Canadian document analysis study that examined a) the organization and mandates of teacher induction programs in each jurisdiction; b) the role of mentorship as an aspect of teacher induction programs; and c) the mandated roles, duties, and responsibilities of school administrators in teacher induction and mentorship processes in each jurisdiction.

The Role of School Administrator in Providing Early Career Teachers’ Support: A Pan-Canadian Perspective

This article is based on an extensive mixed-methods pan-Canadian study that examined the differential impact of teacher induction and mentorship programs on the retention of early career teachers (ECTs). It discusses the findings from the analysis of publicly available pan-Canadian documents detailing the mandated roles, duties, and responsibilities of school administrators in teacher induction and mentorship. It then describes the results of the Teacher Induction Survey (N = 1,343) and the telephone interviews (N = 36) that elicited the perceptions of Canadian early career teachers regarding the school administrator’s role and engagement in effective teacher induction and mentoring programs

TWENTY YEARS AND COUNTING: AN EXAMINATION OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF EQUITY AND INCLUSIVE EDUCATION POLICY IN ONTARIO (1990–2010)

In response to the oft-cited inadequacies of the policies and pedagogies of multicultural education, the Ontario Ministry of Education mandated that school boards develop equity and inclusive education policies, as specified in Policy/Program Memorandum No. 119 [2009 version]: “Developing and Implementing Equity and Inclusive Education Policies in Ontario Schools.” Relying on document analysis and policy analysis as methods of data collection, this study examined the ideological, socio-cultural, political, legal, and economic context from which PPM No. 119 [2009] developed in order to understand what groups of stakeholders were included in the policy development and whose values the policy document ultimately represents. Collected documents that represent both the federal and provincial level of policy making and a variety of regional stakeholders and policy actors illustrated that, despite a shift to focus on equity, conceptions of liberal multiculturalism continue to influence education policy in Ontario. This study concluded that the process of equity education policy development must be made a more inclusive process, reflecting the identities, values, and experiences of school administrators, teachers, and students

TRUST IN THE CONTEMPORARY PRINCIPALSHIP

The social relevance of trust and the principals‟ obligation to foster trust in schools have been strongly advocated. This paper describes an in-depth, qualitative study that engaged a group of twenty-five Canadian school principals over a period of seven months, exploring the issues of trust as it affects principals‟ roles and responsibilities. Four central concerns were identified by the participants: i) defining trust, ii) establishing trust, iii) maintaining trust, and iv) trust breaking. The principals‟ multiple relationships produce a complex web of issues related to trust; including intensity of relationships and the contingent role of school principals in trust brokering within learning communities. This research has further established a basis for on-going examination of the nature, extent, and effect of trust relationships in the lives of school administrators.

Developing Academic Leaders in Higher Education: Significance of the context for effective leadership development

Amidst the changing nature of higher education, one may wonder how leaders of higher education institutions [HEIs] can succeed and thrive in today’s highly uncertain environments. This qualitative case study examined the factors, practices, and competencies that contributed to effective leadership development of academic leaders at one Canadian university. Through the document analysis and qualitative interviews with academic leaders, it explored the organizational context and individual strategies and competencies that supported leaders in their roles in higher education [HE]. The analysis showed the significance of context as a crucial factor in the effectiveness of leadership development. The findings support further work on developing a different approach to leadership development for academia; one that is founded on an understanding of what academic leaders and their institutions require to succeed and flourish during this time of unprecedented change.Dada la naturaleza cambiante de la enseñanza superior, cabe preguntarse cómo pueden tener éxito y prosperar los líderes de las instituciones de enseñanza superior (IES) en los entornos actuales, cargados de gran incertidumbre. Este estudio de caso cualitativo examinó los factores, las prácticas y las competencias que contribuyeron al desarrollo eficaz del liderazgo de los líderes académicos en una universidad canadiense. Mediante el análisis de documentos y entrevistas cualitativas con líderes académicos, se exploró el contexto organizativo y las estrategias y competencias individuales que apoyaron a los líderes en sus funciones en la enseñanza superior (ES). El análisis mostró la importancia del contexto como factor crucial para la eficacia del desarrollo del liderazgo. Los resultados apoyan la continuación de la labor de desarrollo de un enfoque diferente del desarrollo del liderazgo en el mundo académico, basado en la comprensión de lo que los líderes académicos y sus instituciones necesitan para tener éxito y prosperar en esta época de cambios sin precedentes

Understanding Pre-Service Teachers’ Legal Literacy and Experiences with Legal Issues in Practicum Placements: An Exploratory Study

There is a dearth of research that examines legal literacy among pre-service teachers in Canada. Pre-service teachers’ legal literacy refers to the knowledge level that teacher candidates in teacher education programs have with respect to educational law and policy and how it affects their preparation for entering the teaching profession. This article presents findings from an exploratory mixed-methods study that examined teacher candidates’ (n=1731) reflections that detailed observations of and experiences with legal issues while on practicum placements in a teacher education program in one southeastern Ontario university during three academic years. We identify teacher candidates’ most frequently cited aspects of school law and policy; analyze teacher candidates’ awareness of school laws and policies pertaining to those aspects; and, explore their perceived preparedness to deal with legal issues occurring in their practicum placements. We conclude with the discussion of findings and research implications for teacher education programs

Developing Resilience and Promoting Well-being in Early Career Teaching: Advice from the Canadian Beginning Teachers

Our multi-phase pan-Canadian research study examined the differential impact of teacher induction and mentorship programs on the retention of early-career teachers (ECTs). One of the research phases—interviews—explored the lived experiences of novice professionals during their first years of teaching as they dealt with requirements, expectations, and challenges. In this article, we describe the perceptions of the ECTs (N = 36) regarding their needs, hopes, and concerns in relation to developing resilience and promoting well-being for ECTs across Canada. Based on the phenomenological analysis of the data, four themes emerged: cultivatinga work-life balance; nurturing a positive mindset; committing to reflective practices; and consulting, connecting, and collaborating with others. These ECTs, who sometimes thrived, and other times struggled, were able to articulate and contextualize their experiences and actions within high-demand environments of early career teaching, and provided useful insights for other ECTs’ resilience and well-being. This article concludes with implications for research, practice, and school leadership in the areas of teacher induction and mentoring