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Connecting Higher Education and Schools: Building Partnerships for Capacity Building and School Improvement in England

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Quality and Change in Teacher Education

Part of the book series: Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education ((PROD,volume 13))

Abstract

This chapter focuses on a new form of University-School partnership which is established as a positive response to the UK government-led deep structural and cultural changes in “relaunching” underachieving schools in disadvantaged urban areas. Drawing upon case study evidence from a Higher Education Funding Council for England funded research project, the chapter shows that there are many cultural, structural, and logistical barriers to schools and universities working together. However, when organisational trust is established and organisational priorities are aligned, such partnerships can offer significant benefits and/or opportunities for teacher development and capacity building for school improvement.

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Acknowledgement

I am grateful to my colleagues on the HEFCE funded project entitled “Partnerships for Education, Well-being and Work: Models of University Service in the Community”: Christopher Day, Joanna McIntyre, Eleanor Brown and Bob Curtis.

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Correspondence to Qing Gu .

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Gu, Q. (2016). Connecting Higher Education and Schools: Building Partnerships for Capacity Building and School Improvement in England. In: Chi-Kin Lee, J., Day, C. (eds) Quality and Change in Teacher Education. Professional Learning and Development in Schools and Higher Education, vol 13. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24139-5_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24139-5_14

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-24137-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-24139-5

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