A autoavaliação da escola

: estudo de um processo

Abstract

The increased awareness of the need to improve schools’ performance given the challenges of a democratized school system that is often influenced by the masses as well as the increase of the comparison processes among academic institutions at national and international levels confirm the application of self-evaluation forms. In fact, within the last years there have been clear increases in their application and in the investigation of such tools, frequently influenced by self-evaluation practices in the business community. In Portugal, which is still in the initial stages of applying school self-evaluations, it is necessary to study what is involved to be able to implement them with more understanding and knowledge. The goal of this paper is to make a small contribution to that study. For such ends, this study begins with a review of the principal evaluation theories, especially those of Charles Hadji on evaluative judgment and its applications and Gerard Figari on the importance of referencing for the evaluation process. Since it aims at better understanding the self-evaluation process of a school, this study looks at that process within the context of an academic institution and its fundamental understanding by using organizational theory. Assuming that schools are very specific and complex organizations, the self-evaluation applications used should be adjusted to their complexity. The concrete study presented here includes legislative analysis, self-evaluation models and projects as well as other studies already implemented in Portugal. The field work, in the form of a case study, aims to better understand the mechanisms of the self-evaluation practice in the school aggregates. The documental analysis, interviews and questionnaires increase our understanding of the process, its weaknesses and strengths. The participants in the study agree that self-evaluation is positive and important. The drawbacks they expressed essentially arise from: lack of training in the area; shortcomings in the team that implement them; and because of the absence of organizational circumstances, time and proper resources. What has already been done, however, allow us to substantially improve the existing process. The application of self-evaluations is in true need of reform.

Date of Award	Jun 2012
Original language	Portuguese
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	António Sousa Fernandes (Supervisor)