DIGI ESSA 4 SCHOOLS

Estela Costa

Studies show that external evaluation is not enough by itself to improve the quality of education (Bozkuş & Gündüz, 2013) and that one of the best ways to improve the quality of schools is institutional self-evaluation (Simons, 2013). Self-evaluation provides school leaders with important data to determine school improvement priorities and increase school quality. It can also lead to the promotion of collaborative professional learning between teachers and the academic and social success of students (ET2020 Working Group Schools Report). The self-assessment cycle, which follows a logic of evaluation and continuous improvement, ensures the sustainability of school development. However, in order to prevent organizational blindness in schools (Vanhoof & Petegem, 2007), self-evaluation must be supported by external evaluation (Kurum, 2019). The contribution of a self-assessment model compatible with external assessment, involving all stakeholders, including the voices of the most disadvantaged individuals, and facilitated by the use of digital, appears to be important to increase the effectiveness of self-assessment.

We aim to develop an effective digital self-evaluation model compatible with external evaluation, in which all stakeholders, especially the disadvantaged (where their voices can be heard).

Four main activities will be developed:

• Elaboration of the Effective Digital School Self-Assessment Report (DIGI ESSA 4 SCHOOL) for Sustainable School Development (WP Coordinated by IE-ULisboa)
• Development of DIGI ESSA 4 SCHOOL Toolkit
• Development of DIGI ESSA 4 SCHOOL Application Software and Design Development
• Conducting a Pilot, involving the application of the DIGIESSA 4 School model.

This collaborative work will be carried out within the framework of a European consortium involving universities, inspectorates, educational consultancy institutions, and schools in Europe. Reviewing, analyzing, reporting, and proposing a digital model of self-evaluation, linked to external evaluation and school improvement systems in the different countries will contribute to increase the quality of institutional capacity.

In addition to IE-ULisboa – Portugal, the following institutions also form part of the consortium: Board of Inspectors/ Ministry of National Education (Turkey); Ankara Provincial NED Local Authority for Inspection (Turkey); Romanian Regional School Inspectorate (Romania); EduXprss’ (Netherlands); Universitat Jaume I de Castellon (Spain); Hacettepe University Informatics Institute (Turkey), and University of Florence (Italy).

31/12/2022 – 30/12/2024

Programme: Erasmus+
Key Action 2 – Cooperation partnerships in school education

2022-1-TR01-KA220-SCH-000087735