Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Maltese schools'

This thesis is mainly concerned with the peripheral standing of Physical Education (PE) in Maltese state primary schools, presenting the first in-depth study of its type in this context. It draws upon the interpretive and critical approaches to qualitative research to portray the interpretations of various key stakeholders, and offer possibilities for change. 1 he study adopts a mixed-method approach that fit the purpose of the study.

This thesis has investigated how positive relationships between school leaders, teachers, and students can enhance school leadership. Adopting a case-study approach the study used semi-structured interviews with eight Heads of School and five members of the teaching staff: two assistant heads, a Head of Department, and two teachers, a questionnaire to all the teaching staff, and eight focus groups with students from different schools in one state college in Malta. The findings presented in this thesis offer practical insights for educational leaders in Malta in order to enhance school leadership through positive relationships. The major outcome of this study is the conceptual framework presented in a cyclical model, showing clearly that communication, trust, motivation, sense of community, and the fact that people matter, all result from positive relationships. The emerging themes of communication, trust, motivation, sense of community, and 'people matter' which emerged from the data, all contribute towards enhancing school leadership, and the thesis invites consideration of the term 'Leadership that Loves', to describe a focus on leadership in schools which features care, respect, and love. Findings indicate that the link between positive relationships and the emerging themes is highly dependent on how a school leader goes about nurturing all of these qualities. Currently, Malta is facing a crisis in education and whilst major reforms have been implemented, it is necessary to address the role of positive relationships of school leaders in order to better support every teacher and student, whilst aiming for effective school leadership in Malta. The way forward for school leadership in Malta is highlighted in the light of the findings emanating from this research study. Recommendations for policy and practice are also given.

Internationally, there is a gender-related performance gap in literacy attainment, and in the Maltese islands, recently published international literacy test results caused rising concern about the academic achievement of boys. Within the global context of concern about 'boys' underachievement', this thesis reports a study which investigated the lived literacy experiences of young boys in three co-educational Maltese state schools. The purpose of this enquiry was not to solve the widely discussed phenomenon of 'boys' underachievement' but rather to create new understandings about boys and early literacy learning in the first years of compulsory schooling in Maltese state schools. Consequently, this study is framed within the exploration of the concepts of 'boys' underachievement', 'early literacy learning', and 'school readiness' in its local context. The theoretical foundations of this research were underpinned by several theoretical perspectives including posthumanist, emancipatory, socio-cultural, experiential education and childhood theories, attuned to my epistemological stance of pragmatism in mixed methods phenomenological research. Young boys' voices, several stakeholders' perspectives and the lived experience of three groups of five- to six-year-old boys during schooled reading and writing practices were investigated through an online questionnaire, classroom observations, individual interviews, and focus groups. Findings suggest that the three main concepts explored were inclined to biased and constricted worldviews that resulted in the majority of the young boys experiencing undesirable reading and writing practices. Merged findings funneled down to questioning whether a 'paradigm paralysis' effect - the inability or rejection to embrace new ways of thinking - is restraining stakeholders and policymakers from taking action, rethinking and repositioning existing conceptualisations concerning 'underachieving boys', 'early literacy learning' and 'school readiness'. Subsequently, this research study implies the risk of a 'paradigm paralysis' in the fields of gender, literacy, and early years education in the local context, and offers new conceptualisations towards an educational response. This study posits that policymakers, educators and all stakeholders involved in education should ensure that all children have access to quality early literacy learning through a more socially just education system: a solid foundation for all successful literate citizens.

The thesis explores what makes an inclusive school in the Maltese context. Three main themes are discussed in the literature review: inclusive leadership, Universal Design for Learning and professional learning communities for inclusion. The study is focused in six Maltese secondary state schools across different parts of Malta and Gozo, where three groups of participants, Heads of School, Inclusion Coordinators and teachers discuss their views, their challenges and their strategies with regards to inclusion. They also share their lived experiences, feelings and attitudes within their work. A mixed-methods approach is applied for the study; data comprise interviews with six Heads of School, six Inclusion Coordinators and twelve teachers; questionnaires distributed to two hundred and twenty-two teachers. Data are analysed according to four themes: views about inclusion, difficulties and challenges, good practices and recommendations. Findings indicate that the majority of stakeholders in Maltese secondary state schools believe in inclusion and do their best to implement the inclusion policy. However, the participants demonstrate feelings of worry and frustration, especially when catering for mixed ability classes, learners with multiple living and learning needs, gifted students and international students. The principal implications for improvement that emerge from this study suggest that primarily, there is the need: to re-evaluate the national inclusion policy; to provide effective training for all educators; to offer more human resources and, to revise particular syllabi so as to further accommodate the educational needs of all learners. These implications are also presented as suggestions to policy-makers as a means to further develop inclusive schools.

The National Minimum Curriculum recommends that English lessons should be taught in English, with some code-switching if necessary for the pupils to understand. Maltese and English are the official languages of Malta and both are used in primary education. The aim of this study was to explore the actual use of Maltese and English by student teachers during English lessons. This was done through the use of case studies of three participants: Anne, Suzanne and Lisa. I was interested in how the student teachers used English and why and when they drew on Maltese during their lessons. Through the process of data collection, coding and analysis I became more aware of the possible pedagogic use of Maltese that was involved in the teaching and learning process. I came to the conclusion that both languages were being used to mediate learning and to negotiate meaning and understanding in Maltese primary school classrooms. I also realised that the choice of using Maltese or English in the classroom depended on the identity of the user, as constructed through lived experiences, knowledge about language, and beliefs about language use and teaching as well as the social, cultural, educational and linguistic context. In the classrooms I observed, Maltese was drawn on frequently to ensure understanding and learning, for procedural issues, to address classroom management issues and at times to establish a friendly atmosphere during English lessons. Thus, I came to question the 'English-only' immersion policy in view of the use of Maltese as an additional pedagogical resource in the classroom.

The main aim of this research was to investigate the conditions that influence and shape the occupational perceptions of principals; systematically observe primary school principals in the islands of Malta, and to contrast these findings with the perceptions of a group of deputy principals. To achieve this aim three studies were conducted. The first study employed a self-administered questionnaire survey method employed with all principals in primary schools (i. e. state, church and private). 'Discussions with parents', 'discussions with staff' and 'desk work' have been highlighted as the major job functions taking up most of the principals' time. Half of the respondents rated 'desk work' as their majorjob function. The Maltese principal tended to perceive his/her role as falling within the chief executive model. The principal's duties related largely to the division and allocation of work, the co-ordination and control of organisational activities, communication with parents and staff, maintaining discipline and order, and maintaining the level of resources and plant upkeep. This survey, however, shows that principals wanted to take on functions within the leading professional model. In the second study, an observational study was conducted with the aim of checking out some of the perceptions principals held towards their role and to add another dimension to the overall picture by identifying what principals actually did in their daily life at work. The study explored the work patterns of eight primary school principals in the state sector. The observational study attested to the multi-varied nature of the principal's role. The principal's day was generally hectic in pace, varied in its composition, discontinuous and superficial in any pursuit of tasks, with the unexpected always as one of the few certainties of thejob. The principal's energy was observed as being devoted to keeping the school ticking over in the short run with hardly any time being devoted to discuss matters of direct relevance to the teaching-learning process, such as classroom practice, curriculum review and update. The dominant model was that of the transactional leader who is fixing things, managing and coping in order to maintain the smooth operation of the organisation. As highlighted in the questionnaire survey principals devoted their time to administration, pastoral care and communication with parents. Little to no time was stated as being devoted to high value tasks such as strategic planning and curriculum review. The portrayal of Maltese primary school principals is that they are not so much reflective or transformational leaders, rather they are chronically busy, reactive as against proactive, and caught up in, and tied down by the unceasing demands of others for their attention. The present research seems to have identified the transactional nature of leadership as the main medium of interaction that the primary school principals opted for. Bearing in mind the present period of changes and development of school management practices in Malta, it was felt appropriate to seek feedback from deputy principals whose own role was undergoing change. A small group of twenty newly-appointed deputy principals were approached to view how they perceived the role of the principal. At the same time it sought to identify their perceptions of their own role, and get an indication of how they viewed tomorrow's principalship. This, it was felt, would provide data as to how Maltese administrators in general viewed their role. Deputy principals presented similar feedback to that presented by principals. The major difference being in the way deputy principals perceived tomorrow's principalship – one which went beyond the transactional model of principal as administrator to the transformational model of principal as leading professional. However, nothing conclusive can be drawn out. There is a strong indication that principals and deputy principals desire this move but some responses express a certain degree of inconsistency which shows that the implications behind the transformational model are not well and truly understood by the participants of this survey. The implications of the findings for today's and tomorrow's principalship were discussed.

This thesis is located in the emerging field of early childhood education for sustainability and has particular focus on Malta. It sought to gather insights into young children’s perceptions of environmental sustainability, and the influences that shaped these perceptions, particularly in the context of the family and the school. Twelve Maltese children, aged between 3 and 7 years, ten parents, five teachers and a head teacher participated in this study, which was conducted in two Maltese State schools and one household. Designed within interpretive methodology, this study adopted a qualitative multiple case study approach. It was guided by cognitive theory, socio-cultural theory, bio-ecological theory of human development, the “new sociology of childhood” and related policy initiatives like the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, and theories of inter-generational influence. Data were generated through observations; conversational interviews with children; their interpretations of photographs; and their drawings and interpretation of them. Semi-structured interviews with parents, teachers and head teacher, a researcher’s journal and document analysis were used to triangulate the data. Manual data analysis produced a plethora of rich and in-depth data. The main findings reveal three themes which reveal children’s perceptions of the environment; their perceptions of environmental sustainability; and the contextual influences upon these perceptions. Children’s perceptions of environmental sustainability started at an early age; were influenced by context; and were socially and culturally constructed. Children were able to discuss issues related to environmental sustainability at a basic level by drawing on personal experience. Overall, the study indicates that young children possess some knowledge of environmental sustainability and can talk about it. This thesis concludes by considering the implications of the study for educators, researchers, curriculum and policy-makers; and by outlining several avenues for future research.

This study concerns school reform in Malta. Under the policy framework ‘For All Children to Succeed’ (Ministry of Education, Youth & Employment, 2005) [henceforth referred to as FACT], Maltese state schools embarked on the process of being organized into networks called ‘colleges’. These consisted of primary and secondary schools according to geographical location, under the leadership of the Principal – a newly-designated role hierarchically above that of the individual Heads of School. The purpose of my research is to explore relations of power in a Maltese college. My study gives prominence to both theory and methodology. The theoretical research question investigates how networking unfolds among the various leadership hierarchies in school governance in a Maltese college. This is explored through the performance of policy-mandated collegiality; the circulating relations of power; and leadership distribution. My study is framed within a postmodern paradigm and adopts a Foucauldian theoretical framework, more specifically his concepts of power, discipline, governmentality, discourse, and subjectification. Data for my case study are collected through semi-structured, in-depth interviews; observation of a Council of Heads meeting; and a documentary analysis of FACT. Narrative is not only the phenomenon under exploration, but also the method of analysis, and mode of representation. Thus, I attempt to answer my methodological research question that investigates the ways a researcher negotiates the methodological tensions and contradictions in the conduct of qualitative inquiry in order to construct knowledge differently. The Maltese college is viewed as a surveillance mechanism by both the Principal and the Heads, with collegiality being regarded as a straitjacket imposed by the State through a policy mandate. However, there is unanimous agreement on conscription being the only way forward for Maltese state schools. Different degrees of ‘support’ and empowerment exist, according to the directives of the Principal and the State. College setup is problematized on geographical clustering and college streaming, due to which it may end up defying the primary aim of networking by clustering students from particular areas in isolation, resulting in social injustice and educational inequality. This study exposes a strong sense of sectoral isolation among the Heads – a situation being mirrored at macro-level with very few opportunities for inter-networking among colleges. There is an asymmetrical power flow among the college schools, both within the same level and across different levels. Despite the policy FACT mandating distributed leadership, hierarchical forms of accountability are still inherent within the system, bringing out a tension between autonomy and centralization.

The thesis addresses a relatively under-explored area in this field of study within the socio-constructivist paradigm. The main aim is to investigate how 9-year-old school children visualize habitat dioramas to build a mental model, how they make sense of the dioramas to understand local flora and fauna, and how previous knowledge influences the way they visualise habitat dioramas. Data collected included a first drawing done in class, a second drawing done at the Natural History Museum before and a third following the viewing of the habitat dioramas. Each pupil was interviewed after the respective task to allow for a comprehensive description of the content of the drawings. The children we also asked to produce a web (mind map) and they were also observed as they interacted with the dioramas. Data was mainly analysed qualitatively through direct examination of the drawings and with the aid of the computer package Atlas.ti. Some general trends emerge in the findings such as animals being more present in drawings than plants. Animal diversity ranks in decreasing order from birds, mammals, arthropods and fish to reptiles, while plants are mainly seeded and ornamental. Generally drawings progress from imaginative in class and before seeing the diorama, to increasingly drawing from observation in the diorama drawings. More significantly, pupils undergo a transformation through their drawings, which may show a change from isolated organisms on a sheet of paper to greater elaboration or better accuracy in placing organisms in habitat. However, others show an opposite transformation or no significant change at all. To a certain extent, children seem to interpret the diorama through the lens of their previously held mental model. What children already know partly influences what they choose to represent, but they also accommodate new knowledge they obtain from the diorama. Dioramas that help recall familiar environments are more likely to capture attention and afford a longer viewing time, thus imparting new knowledge and moulding the child’s mental model. Habitat dioramas have the potential to serve as models for learning in Biology and Environmental Education at primary level. An interpretative model for museum settings is proposed, while its potential applications in other areas of science education and limitations are considered.

In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational reform; primarily re-organising all State maintained schools into semi-autonomous regional colleges, sustaining partnerships between the schools, the parents and the wider community and re-structuring the education authorities into two Directorates. This thesis reports research into inter-school working that Malta, as in other countries, was actively promoting. The research aims were to: •analyse the nature of collaboration in a policy context that required joint working within and by individual schools; •explore the implications for educational leadership, governance and accountability within and between the institutions involved. Case studies of four colleges were carried out. Key participants were interviewed and documents analysed. The cases were analysed individually and a cross-case analysis was also undertaken. The classification and interpretation of the data focuses on the four key themes: - collaboration, (presented by the 2006 Education Act as a meta-concept and the basis for the success of the Colleges reform), educational leadership, governance and accountability. The data helped me to appreciate the importance of tradition, history and time which are necessary to understand how reforms impact differently on schools in general and school life in particular. The results show that in spite of a highly centralised system, we were used to examples of collaboration that had existed, albeit in informal and ad hoc ways. Many respondents felt that their school leaders lacked leadership qualities and failed to foster a culture of shared leadership. At the same time there was growing concern about the growing administrative responsibilities facing school management. There was consensus that the move to devolve greater responsibilities to the schools through inter-school working and the college system was a move in the right direction. This, in turn, was fostering an ethos of collective accountability within and across schools.

The context of this research was the European Union (EU) funded Specialised Animated Interactive Learning (S.A.I.L.) project that set out to incorporate group work as well as to integrate information computer technology (ICT) within primary school classrooms in three European countries. As part of this project, online resource material on the Romany culture was developed and introduced to a group of primary school teachers in Malta. A self-selected group of five of these teachers formed a collaborative enquiry group. The focus of the research was the teachers’ developing classroom practice and pedagogic understanding as evidenced by their developing use of pedagogic language and observations of classroom practice. The research methodology evolved during the project to describe and understand the ways the enquiry group sessions were influencing pedagogic understanding and practice. The teachers’ classes were videotaped and used during the sessions to demonstrate, discuss and problematise classroom practice. The teachers led the sessions and the researcher acted as a facilitator. Data collection instruments included videos of classroom practice and the enquiry group sessions; an initial free writing exercise and questionnaire; teachers’ classroom logs; and a final interview. Data analysis was an on-going process as it was important to develop an understanding of the dynamics of the enquiry group process and how this translated into classroom practice during the five weeks in which this occurred. Concordancing of the transcripts was used to identify key lexical items and their frequency and this was followed by an analysis of how specific lexical items were used in each session. Critical incidents were also identified; providing an understanding of the ways the enquiry group process supported classroom change. The research provides evidence of the ways the enquiry group process adopted influenced classroom practice and the teachers’ pedagogic understanding which has implications for teacher professional development models and programmes. All five teachers’ classroom practice changed over the five-week period, as did each teacher’s use of language about their practice. This was evidenced by lexical item use within the enquiry groups and three categories emerged: (a) new lexical items adopted by individuals; (b) the change in use and meaning of specific lexical items; and (c) the way they used lexical items to convey a pedagogical issue that they were integrating within their classrooms.

Obesity in children is a major public health concern in Malta with prevalence statistics placing 11-, 13- and 15- year old Maltese children at the top of the scale, when compared to other Westernised countries. Obtaining valid information on diets is therefore vital to improve aspects of dietary behaviour in this age group. The main aim of this project was to carry out a feasibility study to improve sugar and water intakes in Maltese school children using a validated dietary assessment tool, REALITYMALTA™. This is a novel internet-based tool originally developed at the Rowett Institute for Nutrition and Health (RINH) and further upgraded, by incorporating local food and drink, for use in Maltese school children aged 9-11 years. Comparative results obtained using the new tool and a one day 24-hr MPR showed non-significant differences between the two tools for sugars, NMES and water, suggesting that it can be used with reasonable confidence to measure these nutrients in Maltese school children. Focus groups carried out in the pre-intervention period guided towards the development of a combined educational and environmental feasibility study carried out for a 12-week period in three local state schools. Educational sessions for parents and children were held, an educational leaflet was distributed, and free bottled water was supplied to the participating classrooms in the intervention schools. Nutrient results comparing the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods using the REALITYMALTA™ tool showed a significant reduction in caloric intake and a decrease, although non-significant, in sugars and NMES consumption. There were no statistically significant changes for water consumption. These encouraging results could provide baseline information for a future full scale trial. Further development work of REALITYMALTA™ is required to ensure the active participation of all those involved and to successfully improve dietary behaviour and reduce obesity in Maltese school children.

The current study examines the pupil, classroom and school level characteristics that influence the attainment and the progress outcomes of young Maltese pupils for mathematics. A sample of 1,628 Maltese pupils were tested at age 5 (Year 1) and at age 6 (Year 2) on the National Foundation for Educational Research Maths 5 and Maths 6 tests. Associated with the matched sample of pupils are 89 Year 2 teachers and 37 primary school head teachers. Various instruments were administered to collate data about the pupil, the classroom and the school level characteristics likely to explain differences in pupil attainment (age 6) and pupil progress. The administered instruments include: the Mathematics Enhancement Classroom Observation Record (MECORS), a parent/guardian questionnaire, a teacher questionnaire, a head teacher questionnaire and a field note sheet. Results from multilevel analyses reveal that the prior attainment of pupils (age 5), pupil ability, learning support, curriculum coverage, teacher beliefs, teacher behaviours and head teacher age are predictors of pupil attainment (age 6) and/or pupil progress. Residual scores from multilevel analyses also reveal that primary schools in Malta are differentially effective. Of the 37 participating schools, eight are effective, 22 are average and seven are ineffective for mathematics. Also, in eight schools, withinschool variations in teaching quality, amongst teachers in Year 2 classrooms, were also elicited. Illustrations of practice in six differentially effective schools compared and contrasted the strategies implemented by Maltese primary school head teachers and Year 2 teachers. A discussion of the main findings as well as recommendations for future studies and the development of local educational policy conclude the current study.

The master thesis focuses on education of immigrant pupils in Czech and Maltese schools. The aim of the thesis was to describe what particular measures the schools choose and what methods the teachers use to alleviate the impact of the language barrier in both environments and then to compare the results between each other. The research is of qualitative nature, with the research strategy being a multiple case study. The data collection was realised through observations in class, interviews with the school leadership, teachers and pupils and the analysis of digitalized materials. The case is represented by a particular school and the research was conducted at two schools in Czech and two schools in Maltese environment. The thesis consists of theoretical and practical part. The theoretical part aims its attention at the themes of appropriate approach towards the education of immigrant pupils, explanation of the Maltese education system, legislation of both countries on the issue of education of immigrant pupils and the theme of teacher training focused on education of these pupils provided at the Faculty of Education of Charles University. The practical part then develops the themes elaborated in the theoretical one and it mentions what findings the survey discovered. Last chapter of the thesis...