Leadership and school improvement within Swedish municipal adult education
Swedish municipal adult education, MAE, is facing severe challenges. Research on school leadership and school improvement within Swedish municipal adult education is, however, scarce. There is consequently a call for such research. This research project meets this call. The project started in 2019 and has been developed in collaboration between the researcher and two practising teachers within local MAE. The collaboration has an action research approach, where research actions are a consequence of previous actions within the project. Multi methods have been used, qualitative as well as qualitative. Examples of analyses are qualitative policy content analysis , factor analysis, analysis of variance, descriptive statistics based on a survey completed by eight local MAEs, and analysis of interview data using the theory of practice architecture and fenomenography.
There is no external funding involved in the research project.
Exploring Quality within Swedish Local Municipal Adult Education – Analysis of Policy Texts
This study aims to illuminate the intended quality work within Swedish MAE, according to policy, and examine how policy can be interpreted from a process perspective, possibly usable on a local school level as a basis for school improvement. Policy on Swedish MAE has been analysed by qualitative content analysis and, more precisely, by emergent coding. Categories have been interrelated. The categories and interrelations are presented from a process perspective, which can be seen as a theoretical model of the intended quality work within local MAE.
A research paper is underway.
Survey construction of a model for quality work within Swedish local municipal adult education
This study is based on the results of the above-mentioned study. The aim of the study is to operationalise the theoretical model for quality work within local MAE into a survey, and test the validity as well as reliability of the survey construction. The measure precision is explored by explorative factor analysis. Results are discussed in relation to measure precision and possible improvement in survey construction.
A research paper is underway.
Quality work within Swedish local municipal adult education – a comparative study on eight local MAEs
This study is based on the results of the previous two studies mentioned above and aims to explore how teachers within eight local MAEs estimate the internal quality work in relation to the model of quality work. Teachers´ estimations from the eight local MAEs have been compared by the use of analysis of variance. Results are discussed from a leadership and school improvement perspective.
Two research papers are underway.
MAE principals' leading and influence on education based on a scientific foundation and proven experience
This study has been developed as a result of the three previously mentioned studies and aims to explore MAE principals´ leadership practice when they organise their local MAE based on a scientific foundation and proven experience. Data comprise interviews with ten principals from eight local MAEs, the same as in the previously mentioned studies. Data have been analysed through the lens of the theory of practice architecture as well as from a phenomenographic perspective.
Two research papers are underway.