Under Pressure: Why School Managements Use Garbage Can Model of Decision?

Abstract

Article Info This qualitative study identified and analyzed the occurrences of the Garbage-Can decision making model in public schools. The study was based on semi-structured interviews with 34 teachers from elementary and middle schools in Israel. Data analysis showed three major decision areas in which the Garbage-Can model was employed, and the conditions under which these decisions were made. Specifically, salient occurrences of Garbage-Can decisions making were found regarding pedagogical decisions, opportunities to obtain additional resources, and change management. The main conditions that evoke the use of the model are administrative limitations which create pressure and ambiguity, and time limits which do not allow systematic decision making. Results of this study may inform school principals and policy-makers when making decisions in schools.

Surviving the reform: management usage of the garbage can model during implementation of reform

“…When reforms are imposed top-down, the political rationale outweighs issues of teaching and learning such as curriculum, teaching methods and student assessment (Crossley, 2017). Reforms that are driven by such motives are often not planned thoroughly enough, they are rather pragmatic, intended to produce results for rapid implementation, which can lead to hasty or conservative decisions (Tamir and Grabarski, 2018). For example, it is common to implement policies that have proven effective in other contexts to increase their chances of repeated success, without adapting to the needs of the specific system (Oplatka, 2019), often resulting in failure (Nir et al, 2018).…”

Decision-Making Processes Using WhatsApp

“…School principals' decision-making is not only influenced by their wish to leave a mark, but also by their preconceptions that influence their use of data (Buske & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, 2018), the individual interests and alliance partners (Walter, Kellermanns, & Lechner, 2012). Even though, the principals are not automatically comply to given policy and have their discretion (Torres Jr & Chen, 2006;Tamir & Grabarski, 2018) and can find themselves in a clash between personal beliefs and values and organizational or professional demands which lead them to variate decisions (Frick, 2009;Tamir & Grabarski, 2018).…”

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“…School principals' decision-making is not only influenced by their wish to leave a mark, but also by their preconceptions that influence their use of data (Buske & Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia, 2018), the individual interests and alliance partners (Walter, Kellermanns, & Lechner, 2012). Even though, the principals are not automatically comply to given policy and have their discretion (Torres Jr & Chen, 2006;Tamir & Grabarski, 2018)…”