Local Decisions Under Central Watch: A Nordic Quality Assurance System

Johansson, Olof; Holmgren, Mikael; Nihlfors, Elisabet; Moos, Lejf; Skedsmo, Guri; Paulsen, Jan Merok; Risku, Mika

doi:10.1007/978-94-007-6226-8_11

Cited by 8 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…A shift from traditional government structures towards a more complex and fuzzy governance model is visible in the Nordic countries. Specifically, the introduction of national quality assurance systems in public education expands the number of relationships the superintendent must deal with significantly (Johansson et al, 2013). Quality assurance or accountability, as we use the term, refers to when an actor, in virtue of contractual obligations, has the right to hold another actor responsible to a set of standards, to judge whether the standards have been met, and to impose sanctions if the standards are deemed unfulfilled.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Superintendent leadership under shifting governance regimes

Paulsen¹,

Johansson

Moos

et al. 2014

International Journal of Educational Management

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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the superintendent position, its relation to the local political system and the function as superior of principals in the school district in order to illuminate important district-level conditions for student learning. Influences from historical legacies and policy cultures are investigated by means of cross-country case analyses. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on data from national surveys of superintendent leadership in Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway. Findings – A key point is the observation of a mix-mode system of hard and soft governance. Municipalities, schools, teachers and pupils are – in different degrees across the Nordic countries – subjected to external evaluation and assessment by central control agencies, where the streams of reports, assessments and performance data are assembled. However, shifts in the governance systems are only modestly reflected in the self-reports on the superintendents’ role. Overall, superintendents in the cases express a self-preferred leadership style as professional learning facilitators who focus on pupil orientation, which positions the superintendent in “crossfires” between conflicting stakeholder demands. Research limitations/implications – The paper reinforces the importance of superintendent leadership in local school governance. It underscores the importance that superintendents facilitate learning conditions for school leaders, teachers and students, which we see as a promising path for further research. Originality/value – The paper provides empirical evidence regarding superintendent leadership situated in local social and political contexts within the Nordic countries. The cross-country analysis illuminates how path-pendent historical legacies mediate current reform trends.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Superintendent leadership under shifting governance regimes

Paulsen¹,

Johansson

Moos

et al. 2014

International Journal of Educational Management

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…This article draws attention to the interplay between three initiatives and organisational learning rooted in the local organisations’ improvement history. It is important to note, however, that despite the recentralisation developments in recent years, the importance of local decision-making and leadership in education has been preserved from central points of view (Johansson et al, 2013). Moreover, the decentralised school system and the ‘free school model’ have also gained attention in other European countries, Great Britain, for instance (Allen, 2010; Rönnberg, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Educational infrastructures and organisational memory: Observations from a Swedish perspective

Nordholm

Liljenberg

2018

Improving Schools

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This article focuses on the interplay between the concepts of ‘educational infrastructure’ and ‘organisational memory’. Using data from collaboration between a Swedish university and a local municipality, the article draws attention to the interplay between three nation-wide improvement programmes and their educational infrastructures, and the knowledge developed and stored in the local schools. The data analysis is supported by the theoretical concept of organisational memory built up by ‘soft’ and ‘hard’ forms of knowledge. The findings show that primarily soft types of knowledge were developed and stored in organisational memory in the local schools. The programmes, therefore, became highly dependent on leaders’ and teachers’ personal knowledge and commitment, in-job training, imitation and socialisation. Regarding hard types of knowledge, for example, clear guidelines, organisational routines, processes and roles for improvement work, the programmes and their infrastructures were, generally, less supportive. These findings illuminate the importance of an organisational learning perspective in successful school system improvement.

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“…Yet, in contrast to international trends in which LEAs have been challenged, undermined and occasionally even sidestepped (e.g. Foreman, 1989;Whitty et al, 1998), the importance of LEAs is preserved in Sweden ( Johansson et al, 2013).…”

mentioning

confidence: 96%

State policy directives and middle-tier translation in a Swedish example

Nordholm

2016

Journal of Educational Administration

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Local Decisions Under Central Watch: A Nordic Quality Assurance System

Cited by 8 publications

References 9 publications

Superintendent leadership under shifting governance regimes

Superintendent leadership under shifting governance regimes

Educational infrastructures and organisational memory: Observations from a Swedish perspective

State policy directives and middle-tier translation in a Swedish example

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