Heliyon (Oct 2024)
The development and status of self-evaluation as a component of school inspection and quality assurance: A comparison across four countries
Abstract
Objective and rationale: The increasing prominence of school self-evaluation (SSE) as a pivotal element in global quality assurance practices is attributed to its cost-effectiveness, relevance to school contexts, empowerment of schools in managing and leading the school self-evaluation processes and holding them accountable for achievement standards. This paper aims to explore various approaches and SSE practices through the evolution and current status of school self-evaluation within the realms of school inspection and quality assurance in Dubai, Ireland, New Zealand and Pakistan. The paper emphasises a comparative perspective to showcase SSE models from these countries as pioneering initiatives for quality assurance in educational improvement, especially for nations where SSE practices are still evolving. Methods: This study employs literature review, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews with school leaders (n = 32) to offer insights into current school self-evaluation practices in these four countries through a comparative analysis. These methods were chosen in line with the specific aims and research questions of the paper which are to provide an overview from the research literature of the development and current status of SSE as an element of school evaluation in each country studied. To analyse, compare and contrast policy in the area in each case and to obtain, through interviews, rich deep data and findings on the attitude and opinions of key personnel in each country on SSE as a policy and practice. Results: School self-evaluation (of varying types) is being built into each school evaluation system and becoming an integral part of inspection and quality assurance, and it is argued here, broadly moving along a similar spectrum in each case. However, for now, SSE practices are different in all four countries, usually due to the stage of development of the school inspection system and, above all, the overall structure of their respective educational landscapes— that is to say, whether it is a centralised, controlled and hierarchical education system or a decentralised and autonomous system. Conclusion: The study suggests that it is possible to integrate school self-evaluation into a wide range of educational systems and philosophies, eventually leading to educational improvement in any country following the case study countries discussed as models.
