The Processes of School Improvement and Inclusive Education: A Research in Spain

Author(s):

Carmen Gallego(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

4. Inclusive Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

04 SES 09 A, Barriers for Inclusion

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-15

10:30-12:00

Room:

JK 29/118,G, 47

Chair:

Julie Allan

Contribution

This paper presents part of a research study currently underway titled “Analysis of the processes of educational inclusion/exclusion in compulsory education. Development of local projects for change and improvement at school” (EDU2008-06511-C02-02/EDUC). Three Universities, Vigo, Cantabria and Sevilla are participating in the research with the three-way proposal of analysing the processes of inclusion/exclusion from the perspective and participation of pupils, teachers and families so that through joint and collaborative reflexion processes institutional needs for change can be indentified and prioritized with the further objective of designing in a participative way Institutional Inclusive Educational Projects.

With this research we aim by virtue of a critical and participative methodology to enhance in the schools the development of specific improvement projects which answer the needs of each context, as well as evulating the same. Specifically speaking, this paper presents the first contributions and results of the development of research in a Primary school (located in a neighbourhood of Sevilla, bordering socialldy underprivilged neighbourhoods, and forming part of one of the areas with most need for social transformation), of one of the three schools participating in the province of Sevilla. With this contribution we make a first approach with the aim of illustrating with a single case the development process of the study and to point out the initial contributions of the same.

The theoretical proposals that the study sustains originate on the one hand from previous research carried out by our team on the study of phenomena of educational and social inclusion/ exclusion understood as being a process of social contruction (Parrilla y Susinos, 2005; Parrilla y Susinos, 2007), and on the other hand, the contributions that propose a dynamic focus centred on the analysis of obstructive or facilitative indicators of inclusion (Leney,1999). Nonetheless, this vision would become a slanted one, if we were not to take into account the interpretation, opinions and perspectives that people in situations of inclusion or exclusion have of their particular circumstances. In such a way we assume a participative focus ( as a conceptual focus and research methodology) that prioritizes the exclusion processes, from the perspectives of the participants themselves (Oliver,1992).

On the other hand, the choice of the eductaional context as the “text” to be researched, places this research at the very foundations of social exclusion. Educational exclusion is, on many occasions, a phenomenon that acts as an antecedent to the processes of social exclusion.The existing concern in our society on the abandonment of compulsory studies and even further studies, highlights the need to tackle and analyse what is happening in education centres for boys and girls to feel or to be excluded from the education system (Parrilla, Moriña y Gallego, 2007).

Method

The methodology used in the research is characterised by its being descriptive-narrative and critical-participative. The research design two phases: Phase 1: Description of barriers for inclusion and needs in school. There is a two-pronger objective in this phase. Firft we are seeking to identify barriers and aids for inclusion within the school environment (through in depth narrative interviews with teachers, pupils and parents); and second the identification and prioritization of changes for need (using techniques such as the observation of “moments” of inclusion/exclusion; the use of photography and/or drawings so that pupils identify inclusive and excluding situations; and focussed interviews to parents, teachers and pupils on the processes of inclusion/exclusion in the school). Phase 2: Development and management of local inclusion projects. First this phase is the joint creation and development of ativities that allow different transformations to take place in the schools, oriented towards making the same educational contexts more inclusive. Using the compilation of data from the previous phase, and after the analysis of the idenitified needs in discussion groups, each school organizes training areas. (Workshops or Seminars) and intervention (class, level,cycle) second design and develop its path to inclusion.

Expected Outcomes

Folllowing the mentioned research, some of the mid-term findings of this research in terms of phase 1 of the research ( since we are currently undertaking phase 2 ) are presented: The participation of teachers, pupils and parents has been uneven in this first phase of the research. The inclusion contexts are more relevant than those of exclusion: the school have a defined path in terms of attention to diversity,and they are attentive to any situation that may generate situations of exclusion expecially among pupils and in non-formal contexts. Unlike other schools participating in the research, attention to diversity is not one of the needs detected, as occurs in the other two schools participating in the Province of Sevilla.The most important need detected is the relationship and collaboration with the families.

References

GALLEGO VEGA, C. (2005). Algunas claves para desarrollar procesos educativos inclusivos. Temáticos Escuela. 13, 10-12 LENEY, T. (1999) “European Approaches to social exclusión”. In A. Hayton (Ed.). Tackling Dissaffection and social exclusion. London: Kogan Page, 33-45. OLIVER, M. (1992) Changing the social relations of research productions?, Disability, Handicap and Society, 7 (2), 101-114 PARRILLA, A. Y SUSINOS, T. (2005) “La construcción del proceso de exclusión social en las mujeres: origen, formas, consecuencias e implicaciones formativas” Expte. 90/02 0000245 1 010112003. Informe de Investigación Instituto de la Mujer. PARRILLA, A. Y SUSINOS, T. (2007) “La construcción del proceso de exclusión social en jóvenes: Guía para la detección y evaluación de procesos de exclusión (Cantabria y Sevilla)”. I+D+I 2004-07 del Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Ref.: SEJ2004-06193-C02-02/EDUC. PARRILLA, A.; MORIÑA, A. Y GALLEGO, C. (2008). Cuando la Escuela excluye: análisis de barreras escolares a la inclusión. In J. Gairín and S. Antúnez. Organizaciones educativas al servicio de la sociedad. Vol. 2, 2008 (CD-ROM), ISBN 978-84-7197-905-6

Author Information

Carmen Gallego (presenting / submitting)

Universidad de Sevilla

Didáctica y Organización Educativa

Sevilla

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