Institutional practices : a key factor for improving school effectiveness

Abstract

The work presents the development and main results of a research project related to school performance during the initial cycle of secondary school in Cordoba (Argentina). The object was to study the relationship between institutional practices (institutional organization and learning assessment) and performance from a sociological perspective. The reference framework was Basil Bernstein?s theory on "code" and "pedagogical discourse". A descriptive design was used, on a random sample of secondary schools in the city, stratified by performance levels. By means of quantitative data (repetition rates; teacher surveys; characteristics of the institutions) the general features of the institutions were described, the teachers? positioning regarding their role was characterized and indexes were calculated. With data from interviews with directors and group discussions in focal groups of teachers and students, an in-depth analysis of institutional practices was made. Main results: Practices regarding institutional organization differ between schools with differing performance; direction management accounts the differences. Those regarding learning assessments, on the other hand, are relatively homogenous throughout the schools. A number of proposals for the improvement of practices are posed based on the results obtained.