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The View From Down Under:Practical Guides for EffectiveSchoolingPamela Sanders AngellePublished online: 09 Aug 2010.

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School Effectiveness and School Improvement 0924-3453/00/1104-0531$15.002000, Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 531–538 © Swets & Zeitlinger

The View From Down Under:Practical Guides for Effective Schooling

Schools and the Social Development of Young AustraliansAuthors: J. Ainley, M. Batten, C. Collins, & G. WithersCanberra, Australia: ACER Press1998. ISBN: 0 86431 300 4

The Global ClassroomAuthors: T. Townsend, & G. OteroVictoria, Australia: Hawker Brownlow Education1999. ISBN: 9 781740 250153.

Reviewed by: Pamela Sanders Angelle, Louisiana State University, LA

School effectiveness research (SER) has rapidly evolved and matured overthe last 20 years. The field has emerged as one with three separate branch-es and numerous sub-branches (e.g., Teddlie & Reynolds, 2000). As thefield of research increases, the need to transfer this research to the class-room also increases. Practical guides for the practitioner, offering princi-pals and teachers methodology that utilizes the most effective approachesto achieve improving schools is needed. This review will examine thework of two prominent Australian researchers, Tony Townsend and JohnAinley, along with their co-authors, as they offer a “view from downunder” for improving schools.

THE GLOBAL CLASSROOM:A GUIDE FOR THIRD MILLENNIUM SCHOOLS

The work of Townsend and Otero, The global classroom, expands on theresearch of Townsend, Clarke, and Ainscow (1999) proposing their viewof tomorrow’s school, The Third Millennium School, an extension of their

BOOK REVIEW

Correspondence: Pamela Sanders Angelle, Louisiana State University, College of Educa-tion, 111 Peabody Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803-4721, USA. E-mail: pangell@lsu.edu

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work in school effectiveness and school improvement research. The au-thors’ stated goals for The global classroom are first, “to take issues,values and knowledge that are of concern to the international communityand build them into the regular curriculum” and second, to promote “prov-en strategies designed to engage students in their learning, that is, to movefrom the cycle of tell me, I forget and show me, I remember, and into thecycle of involve me, I understand” (p.1).

Townsend and Otero begin by stating a case for the importance ofschool effectiveness and school improvement research, discussing a varie-ty of viewpoints on what constitutes an effective school. The authors laythe groundwork for the book by first defining an effective school, thendescribing the four bodies of school effectiveness research as identified byScheerens (1990). These four distinct bodies are:

• that which considered the equality of educational outcomes;• that which considered educational production functions;• that which came to be known as the effective schools research; and• that which was called the instructional effectiveness research.

After discussing the evolution of these research areas, Townsend andOtero argue that the thinking regarding education must also evolve, that is,we must move from second millennium thinking to third millennium think-ing. This somewhat bold and dramatic view may be embraced by some andmay cause concern for others; nevertheless, all readers will pause to con-sider the impact of this view toward school improvement. Extensive dis-cussion of the body of opinions toward education, the operations of theschools themselves and even the design of the school are outlined in thebook as part of the evolution of Second Millennium to Third MillenniumSchools. Some examples include:

• In Second Millennium Schools success is based on how well the learn-ers learn; in Third Millennium Schools success is based on how welllearners work together.

• Today the government funds education. Third Millennium Schools willbe funded by both public and private sources.

• Teachers today are the source of knowledge and the student learns whatis taught by the teacher. Third Millennium Schools employ teacherswho teach according to student needs.

• Schools today provide education during a particular time frame whilethe Third Millennium Schools provide education through a variety ofmeans, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

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• School divisions by subject, by time periods, by classrooms and age-grade would not be included in the design of a Third Millennium School.

Townsend and Otero argue for Third Millennium Schools that are basedon four pillars: education for survival, understanding our place in theworld, understanding community, and understanding our personal respon-sibility (p.24). After stating the arguments for not only the utility, but alsothe necessity for Third Millennium Schools, Townsend and Otero thenpropose the importance of global learning as a critical component to thecurriculum of these schools. As technology has decreased the size of theworld, the call for a global education has increased.

Those advocating a global perspective note the many approaches globaleducation can take. Schools may opt to expand the study of history, geog-raphy, economics and ecology from a world perspective. Cultural diversi-ty may be expanded through the student’s understanding of the world’sart, music, dance, and literature. Another approach may focus on problemoriented programs of study, targeting world poverty, human rights or glo-bal warfare (Anderson, 1991). Calling students “citizens of the world”(p.33) and noting that the possibilities for learning are endless, Townsendand Otero, likewise, call on educators to build students’ awareness thatthey are only one of many; therefore, a respect for and understanding ofother views is necessary for peaceful and tolerant living.

Having made the argument for the necessity of both Third MillenniumSchools and for global education, Townsend and Otero then tackle studentengagement. Once again they note that as the world is changing, so, too,are students and the way they are learning. Thus, schools’ and teachers’methodologies must undergo a transformation in order for effective in-struction to occur. Townsend and Otero cite five beliefs that are essentialto successful student engagement. These are:

• Learning occurs best when success is the expectation.• Fear is not an effective motivator.• Change is possible.• Control is an illusion.• Interdependence is crucial to success. (p.41)

Thus, Townsend and Otero propose that the school should be a “com-munity of learners” rather than a “dispenser of information” (p.41). Thiscall for community assumes that schools must be inclusive of teachers,parents, students and administrators in their vision, philosophy, goals,policies, and priorities. Stakeholders in the school share in decision mak-

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ing and goal setting; the community becomes a part of the process forimprovement. In this way, all members of the learning community haveboth an interest in and a responsibility for the success or failure of theschool.

The last third of the book contains a wide variety of activities andworksheets that the authors have given permission to be duplicated byteachers. The lessons target understanding the student’s place in the worldand developing personal responsibility. The activities are numerous andvaried, but all have in common the goal of encouraging students to think.The book also includes discussion questions for teachers, which will en-courage them to think about their views of learning and their philosophyof effective schooling.

Whatever the context in which global education is approached, criticsagree that implementing global education as a part of the curriculumcan serve as an agent for school change. A research study conducted adecade ago found results that support the general orientation ofTownsend and Otero. Kirkwood (1991), using a case study approach inFlorida, cited several reasons for using global education programs as anagent of change. First, global awareness makes subject matter relevantto the student. In addition, teachers demonstrate a renewed enthusiasmgained from the permission to be creative, flexible, and innovative. Thisenthusiasm, in turn, is transferred to students. Kirkwood notes increasedparticipation and reflective thinking on the part of students who are re-cipients of a global approach to learning. Collaboration between teach-ers, administrators, and the community is a by-product of global aware-ness programming implemented in schools. Finally, an understandingand appreciation for the culture and traditions of other inhabitants ofthis world is gained.

SCHOOLS AND THE SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF YOUNGAUSTRALIANS: A STUDY OF STUDENT DEVELOPMENT AND

ATTITUDES

In another effort to understand the social development of young people,the Commonwealth Department of Employment, Education, Trainingand Youth Affairs in Australia commissioned a study as part of the An-nual National Report on Schooling in Australia, produced each yearsince 1989. This study resulted in the book Schools and the social de-velopment of young Australians compiled by Ainley, Batten, Collins,and Withers.

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As a study commissioned to specifically examine schools in Austral-ia, the book is limited to the schools and society in New South Wales,Tasmania, Victoria, and other Australian states. However, while the spe-cific data may relate to Australia, the findings are useful to all thoseseeking to develop the whole child in an environment of effectiveschooling.

The stated purpose of the study was:

to define and describe aspects of the social objectives of schooling, toobtain baseline data on achievements against the selected social objec-tives and to investigate the role and influence of schools in this regard.(p. 2)

Thus, the focus of the study was not on achievement, but rather on studentattitudes. Of course, there has long been a stated need for the explorationof a wider variety of outcomes in school effectiveness research. This studypartially addresses that by focusing on student attitudes.

Ainley and his colleagues contend that the attitudes of children as theydevelop emotionally and morally falls under the influence of the schoolsystems, whether that influence is intentional or not. Character develop-ment is influenced from the larger culture of the school. This school cul-ture emerges from rituals that bring the community together, award sys-tems that recognize academic effort and good discipline, as well as howwidely known and accepted the school’s mission statement is (Wynne &Ryan, 1992). The authors contend that as society changes so, too, must thefocus of the social development of children.

Obviously, schools today face a far different student in terms of socialdevelopment than the student of a decade ago. When compared to studentsin 1989, students in 1995 were more likely to report that they were victimsof violence and that they could more easily obtain illegal drugs (NationalCentre for Education Statistics, 1998). Students today face choices un-heard of a generation ago, choices which may result in AIDS, pregnancy,or any number of violent situations. Unfortunately, the student has changedfar more rapidly than the schools that educate the student. Ainley and hiscolleagues believe that school systems should be more concerned with thesocial development of children and how to address problematic areas inthat development.

The Australian study was conducted in two stages, a mapping phaseand a definitional phase, both undertaken concurrently. Teachers and stu-dents from government, Catholic, and independent schools completedquestionnaires with case study visits conducted at 14 schools.

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Findings from the study produced information regarding the youngAustralians’ views. Students addressed issues which included:

• relating to others• interest in learning• the well-being of their community• the importance of social rules and conventions• self-confidence, optimism for the future• the environments within their schools.

In addition, teachers’ views in these areas were solicited as well as infor-mation regarding school practice in several of these targeted domains. Thevalue of this study for schools outside of Australia is found in these inter-views with principals, teachers, and staff.

As the authors note, the purpose of the study was not to determine howstudents act, but to offer information on how students perceive the impor-tance of different aspects of the school environment. The interview proto-cols also examined information regarding curriculum, co-curriculum (thatis, extra curricular activities), pastoral care, and behavior management.

Within each focus area (e.g., interest in learning, self-confidence), spe-cific programs at 1 or 2 of the 14 schools where interviews were conductedare examined and critiqued. The programs described in the focus areas canbe valuable to schools exploring “what works”; at the very least, theseprograms should be of interest to upper level administrators and policymakers. The following two examples illustrate this.

In the area of “relating to others” one Australian secondary schoolpromotes collaboration and support in conflict resolution. Conflict wasseen as “a positive force in the process of change” (p. 35) and the resolu-tion of conflicts encompass shared decision making, team building andcontinuous learning. As a result of this program, Ainley et al. found resultsindicating that student behavior is better managed and violent incidents atthe school have decreased. Teachers credit the program with another out-come: students increasingly take responsibility for their own behavior.Likewise, parents in this community agree that the program has servedtheir children well.

The domain of “self-confidence” is demonstrated through another Aus-tralian secondary school, which promotes the ideal of servant leaders. Atthis school, in years (grades) 9 and 11, students directly service the commu-nity in some form. While the form may vary (i.e., gardening for the elderly,handing out blankets to the homeless), the main requirement was that thestudent have direct contact (“eye contact”) with those whom they serve. Re-

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search (Markus, Howard, & King, 1993) has indicated that this type of serv-ice learning has value, not only extrinsically but intrinsically as well.

Adlerian theory provides the psychological foundation for service learn-ing. One component of a healthy personality, according to Adlerian theo-ry, is social interest (Middleton & Kelly, 1996). Social interest is ex-pressed through concern for others, which triggers the desire to act onbehalf of those less fortunate. The caveat, however, is that while humanshave an innate desire to help others, this desire must be consciously devel-oped or it will remain latent. Middleton and Kelly (1996) explain that todevelop “individual psychological health and stability” requires “unionwith the community” (p.132). Service learning provides the opportunityfor such a union, thereby enabling students to develop the social interestcomponent of their personalities. According to Ainley et al., the staff atthis Australian school discovered that, as a result of community service,student self-esteem and self-confidence increased.

Practical Guide for Effective SchoolingA common lament from practitioners is, “Oh, that’s just theory. That willnever work in the real world”. The works of both Townsend and Otero andAinley et al. offer proof to the contrary. For the practitioner who wants“useful” information based on scientific research, these two books warrantmore than a cursory glance. The global classroom provides a logical andclearly written argument for global learning as a means to effective teach-ing. With this book as a “handbook for effective teaching”, practitionerscan first receive an education in school and teacher effectiveness researchand then bring that knowledge to the classroom through the activities andworksheets in the book.

Townsend and Otero repeatedly suggest that “it takes a village to raise achild”. Calling for the community to support education, they suggest thateven if one does not have a child in public education, it is incumbent onschools to work for the entire community’s support. In this time of fluctuat-ing, and often decreasing, support for education, their argument is timely.

Schools and the social development of young Australians, while ex-amining only Australian schools, nonetheless, also provides a researchbase related to many aspects of a child’s social development. Moreover,teachers and administrators can examine programs that work in theseschools and replicate or modify the programs to their individual schoolneeds. Written to use, not to gather dust on a shelf, The global class-room and schools and the social development of young Australians,serve as a bridge between School Effectiveness Research and the effec-tive classroom.

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REFERENCES

Anderson, L.F. (1991). A rationale for global education. In K.A. Tye (Ed.), Global educa-tion: From thought to action. 1991 Yearbook of the Association for Supervisionand Curriculum Development (pp. 13–34). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Kirkwood, T. F. (1991). Global education as a change agent. In K.A. Tye (Ed.), Globaleducation: From thought to action. 1991 Yearbook of the Association for Supervi-sion and Curriculum Development (pp. 142–156). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Markus, G.B., Howard, J.P., & King, D. C. (1993) Integrating community service andclassroom instruction enhances learning: Results from an experiment. EducationalEvaluation and Policy Analysis, 15(4), 410–419.

Middleton, E.B., & Kelly, K.R. (1996). Effects of community service on adolescent per-sonality development. Counseling and Values, 40, 132–142.

National Center for Education Statistics. (1998). Students’ reports of school crime: 1989and 1995. Washington, DC: Author.

Scheerens, J. (1990). Process indicators of school functioning. School Effectiveness andImprovement, 1, 61–79.

Teddlie, C., & Reynolds, D. (2000). The international handbook of school effectivenessresearch. London: Falmer Press.

Townsend, T., Clarke, P., & Ainscow, M. (1999) Third millennium schools: A world ofdifference in effectiveness and improvement. Lisse, the Netherlands: Swets andZeitlinger Publishers.

Wynne, E.A., & Ryan, K. (1992). Reclaiming our schools: A handbook for teaching char-acter, academics, and discipline. Columbus, OH: Merrill.

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