A Critical Analysis of Relationship Governance in a Formal Multi-School Collaboration: A Case in China

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 3:35 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership, School Governance, and Organization (Table 6)

Abstract

This paper explores the relationships between governance structures of Education Collectives (ECs) within China’s compulsory education system, a formal multi-school organisational model that facilitates the collaborative enhancement of educational resources. This research critically examines and conceptualises how governance structures shape, and are shaped by, individual agency and collective action, emphasising their significance in the broader context of educational equity and social justice. Using interview data from case studies in four Chinese ECs, the research intertwines relational governance with Confucian Virtue, Authority, and Collectivism. It provides a comprehensive understanding of relational governance in formal school partnerships, illustrating possible relationships between schools, districts, and central governments. The findings offer insights for recontextualisation, policy borrowing, and policy learning in other educational contexts.

Author

• Pinyan Lin, Beijing Normal University