Unintended consequences? : the governance of modern foreign language learning in Scotland (1962-2014)
In Scotland, modern foreign language (MFL) learning is declining. This thesis provides a new perspective on this issue by investigating the nature and effectiveness of MFL governance from national to school level. I examine politico-educational rationales for MFL, layers, structures and elements of meso- and macro-level governance, the balance between structure and agency, the impact of powerful individuals on a small system and the extent of cooperation and contention among governing individuals and groups. Using a mixed research approach, triangulating findings drawn from existing research, official documents and evaluation reports with statistical findings on MFL qualifications, teaching and attainment and with the outcomes of questionnaires and interviews involving key/elite governance actors, I analyse macro- and meso-level educational governance in Scotland and its effectiveness. I employ Governance Theory to test my findings on the nature and effectiveness of governance. I find that MFL governance in Scotland operates within a complex, layered, asymmetric, politico-educational system with linkages of varying effectiveness. Governance has been well motivated but inconsistently successful, having suffered
Scott, James David
Unintended consequences? : the governance of modern foreign language learning in Scotland (1962-2014). In Scotland, modern foreign language (MFL) learning is declining. This thesis provides a new perspective on this issue by investigating the nature and effectiveness of MFL governance from national to school level. I examine politico-educational rationales for MFL, layers, structures and elements of meso- and macro-level governance, the balance between structure and agency, the impact of powerful individuals on a small system and the extent of cooperation and contention among governing individuals and groups. Using a mixed research approach, triangulating findings drawn from existing research, official documents and evaluation reports with statistical findings on MFL qualifications, teaching and attainment and with the outcomes of questionnaires and interviews involving key/elite governance actors, I analyse macro- and meso-level educational governance in Scotland and its effectiveness. I employ Governance Theory to test my findings on the nature and effectiveness of governance. I find that MFL governance in Scotland operates within a complex, layered, asymmetric, politico-educational system with linkages of varying effectiveness. Governance has been well motivated but inconsistently successful, having suffered
unintended consequence governance modern_foreign language_learn scotland scotland modern_foreign language mfl learn decline provide_new perspective issue investigate_nature effectiveness mfl governance national school level examine politico educational rationale mfl layer structure element meso macro_level governance balance structure_agency impact powerful individual small system extent cooperation contention among govern individual_group using mixed finding draw exist official_document evaluation report statistical finding mfl qualification teach attainment outcome questionnaires interview involve key elite governance actor analyse macro meso level educational governance scotland effectiveness employ governance theory test finding nature_effectiveness governance mfl governance scotland operate_within complex layer asymmetric politico educational_system vary effectiveness governance well_motivate successful suffer