Understanding the dimensions of school culture, an investigation into educators' value orientations and value conflicts

grantor: University of TorontoInvestigating school culture from multiple perspectives adds depth and breadth to our understanding of this complex phenomenon. In today's postmodern world, where universals and absolutes are virtually non-existent, and in light of increasing stakeholder involvement, there is a growing need for educators to distinguish between those issues which are contentious and those which are not. Without recognition of the variations in values perspectives, planned change, growth, and improvement in our educational institutions is less certain. This is particularly problematic in an era of social, political, economic, and technological upheaval. The primary purpose of this study was to inquire about the complexities and dynamics of school culture through an examination of value orientations, apparent variations in those value orientations, and consequent value conflicts. Though the investigation was an emergent one, it was guided by a multi-perspective (i.e., District; School; Teaching Teams; Individuals) conceptual framework for examining four major aspects of school culture: Educational Purpose, Curriculum Orientation, Educator Professionalism, and Leadership. This qualitative study entailed five weeks of participant observation in an urban, multi-cultural, elementary school. During this time, each of two teacher teams were separately observed for two-week periods while other school members were observed throughout the duration of the investigation. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 19 participants and informal interactions with and among these and the other participants were recorded for analysis. This interactive process uncovered commonalities, inconsistencies, and anomalies which led to further revelations concerning teachers' underlying basic assumptions about education. The data revealed that some of these basic assumptions were compatible with the cultural manifestations in the school while others were in apparent direct conflict. Examining both the similarities and the variations in core values from different perspectives provided added insight and a more thorough understanding of the school's culture beyond that which would have been achievable through a more limited shared-values orientation.Ph.D