Understanding Educational Advisors' Impact on the Implementation Practices in Schools

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 25
  In Roundtable Session: Dynamics of Local Educational Improvement

Abstract

Using educational advisors to facilitate the implementation of innovations in schools is a widespread, yet still relatively little studied and understood strategy in reform policies. This paper reports on a multiple case study on the support interventions provided by these externals in primary schools in Flanders (Belgium) on the implementation of a new policy on inclusive education. Building on the results of a former study in secondary education that studied this phenomenon from an agency-structure perspective, we found that the form and content of support practices, as well as the perceived effect of these practices, were determined by four key factors: congruency, legitimacy, loyalty, and urgency.

Authors

• Kaat Mennens, KU Leuven

• Karen Vermeir, University of Leuven

• Geert Kelchtermans, University of Leuven