Individual education plan as an agent of inclusiveness of the educational system in Serbia: Different perspectives, achievements and new dilemmas

Abstract

This paper consolidates data gathered through four recently conducted research studies on inclusive education in Serbia, all of them based on multiple-perspective design and mixed method approach. The main purpose is to explore achievements and unresolved contradictions in the implementation of individual education plan as a critical tool in the schooling of students who need additional support. The results suggest that the introduction of individual education plans has produced multiple contradictions between ?old habits? of schools and teachers and new tasks required by inclusive educational policy. Different attempts to resolve these contradictions are evident in the school practice, changing the use of individual education plans, the understanding of inclusive education of all involved actors and at the same time transforming the everyday education practice. Findings are discussed in the light of activity theory. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 179018]

Social factors outside of family and school related to student dropout

“…We could agree with him that Serbian education needs a "mainstream policy" providing applicable measures aiming at improving fairness and learning success across the entire system. A recent investigation by the Institute of Psychology (Kovač-Cerović et al, 2016) is concordant with studies stating that the most efficient measures in reducing student attrition are related to individual support and the existence of flexible education routes suitable for children with various needs and abilities (De Witte, et al, 2013;European Commission, 2014;Rumberger, 2011).…”

Stavovi učenika, roditelja i nastavnika o važnosti i efektima dopunske nastave

“…Ovakve razlike u stavovima sugerišu da je potrebna ozbiljna kampanja zagovaranja i promocije dopunske nastave u pozitivnom smislu i da je u planiranju i praćenju dopunske nastave neophodno zauzeti multiperspektivni pristup (Kovač-Cerović et al, 2016).…”

Inclusive education from the teacher's perspective: Roles, competences and barriers

“…Перцепције наставника о сопственим професионалним улогама, одговорностима и компетенцијама представљају значајан фактор њихове спремности да имплементирају филозофију инклузивног образовања (Jordan, Schwart & McGhie Richmond, 2009). Међутим, резултати истраживања сугеришу да наставници сматрају да стручни сарадници у школи имају најважнију улогу у пракси инклузивног образовања (Kovač Cerović, Jovanović & Pavlović Babić, 2016). У том смислу, важно је сазнати за које аспекте инклузивног образовања наставници у Србији преузимају одговорност.…”