Abstract:

This study is part of a large scope project which aims to systemically activate and analyze the impact of all interrelated driving forces in the school system that promote the empowerment of student learning in the Sultanate of Oman. It was hypothesized that any sustained improvement in the school system is a function of a set of interrelated driving forces or subsystems that collectively drive the overall performance of the school system, and impacts students’ learning. The primary purpose of this particular study was to examine the interrelated factors that would extend the learning landscape, and contribute to sustainable school improvement. Accordingly, a descriptive analytic methodology, which draws upon mixed methods of quantitative and qualitative data, was used. As part of the project, the sample for this study included 110 teachers and administrators from the participating experimental schools. The results indicate that the 13 factors that were examined in the proposed model (i.e., leadership, vision, communication networks, accountability, resource mobilization, participation, profession development, reward system, institutionalization, coordination, ownership, empowerment, and research) contribute significantly to the overall sustainable school improvement. However, the degree of importance of these factors varies from one factor to another, with school vision, and school leadership, embedded professional development, and participation being among the main determinants of a sustained improvement in school performance. Based on the findings of the study, it can be concluded that activating all interrelated driving forces in the school system is deemed to result in sustainable improvement in students learning overtime. It is imperative, therefore, to systemically improve the performance of all interrelated driving forces in the school system.

Keywords:

School improvement, Predictive factors, Sustainable change, Innovation Sustainability Wheel, Oman.