Mario Cutajar | University of Malta (original) (raw)

Papers by Mario Cutajar

Junior College he lectures on Maltese Literature and Practical Criticism, while in the Faculty of... more Junior College he lectures on Maltese Literature and Practical Criticism, while in the Faculty of Education, he lectures B.Ed students on Research Methods, Classroom Management and School Experience and M.Ed students on Quantitative Methods and Basic Statistics. Mario is a member of the association Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM), member of the Association of Commonwealth Examination and Accreditation Bodies (ACEAB), member of the Akkademja tal-Malti (i.e. the academy of Maltese language and literature). He is a member of a committee compiling an Anthology of Maltese Literature, and co-author of a criticism book for post-secondary students of Maltese. He is presently reading for a Doctorate Degree at the University of Bath.

In 2006, the Act to amend the Education Act, Cap. 327 1 made provisions to reinforce and enhance ... more In 2006, the Act to amend the Education Act, Cap. 327 1 made provisions to reinforce and enhance the current school-parent partnership and collaboration. The study examined the current partnership and collaboration between schools and parents in four Maltese colleges and the challenges that Maltese educational leaders face so as to reinforce, enrich, and sustain joint-working. Data was collected from a substantial number of interviews with the selected policy-makers, college principals, heads of school, and teachers; reviewing official documents and observing council of heads meetings. The convenience and purposive sampling methods were employed to select the required sample of interviewees. The results of the study indicated that the schoolparent collaboration showed proof of a fractured history, an area fraught with uncertainty given a turbulent period in the 1970s and 1980s. 2 The research findings will illuminate the position that educators currently hold towards parental involvement in the education of their children, together with the issues and challenges that educational school leaders can face in sustaining a partnership with parents. The study seeks to contribute towards an understanding of these issues and challenges.

List of Tables and Figures .

... Mario Cutajar mario.cutajar@um.edu.mt Mario Cutajar is assistant lecturer at the University J... more ... Mario Cutajar mario.cutajar@um.edu.mt Mario Cutajar is assistant lecturer at the University Junior College, where he lectures in Maltese Literature and Literary Criticism. ... I. Saydon Aquilina Ward ta' Qari Malti it-tieni Ktieb, pp. 1-157. II. Dun Karm X'emmen il-Poeta. III. ...

Management in Education, 2013

In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational refor... more In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational reform, which focuses on state compulsory primary and secondary schooling. A central part of this reform was the creation of state-maintained colleges. By February 2008 all state primary and secondary schools on the Maltese Islands were clustered into ten provisional colleges. This article aims to show the nature of collaboration that is required to sustain the establishment of school networks. It analyses the nature of collaboration in a policy context that requires joint working within and by individual schools and the formation of a partnership with parents and the community at large. Data collected from face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and documented material have underpinned the importance of the theme of collaboration as a core aspect of this case study. This article reports the results of phase 1 of a larger study that was undertaken in one college.

Advances in Psychology and Psychological Trends, 2020

This study explores teachers' awareness of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SE... more This study explores teachers' awareness of social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD) in primary schools. Data was collected through questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews carried out with teachers teaching Years 2, 3, and 4. This study revealed that teachers who supported students with SEBD were more aware of strategies to be used in the classroom than those who never supported such students. However, the strategies adopted were largely self-devised. These included establishing a good relationship with the student and keeping daily routines consistent. All respondents expressed the desire to be provided with further training opportunities. Training would help teachers gain a deeper understanding of SEBD and develop strategies to manage such challenges more effectively.

In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational refor... more In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational reform; primarily re-organising all State maintained schools into semi-autonomous regional colleges, sustaining partnerships between the schools, the parents and the wider community and re-structuring the education authorities into two Directorates. This thesis reports research into inter-school working that Malta, as in other countries, was actively promoting. The research aims were to: •analyse the nature of collaboration in a policy context that required joint working within and by individual schools; •explore the implications for educational leadership, governance and accountability within and between the institutions involved. Case studies of four colleges were carried out. Key participants were interviewed and documents analysed. The cases were analysed individually and a cross-case analysis was also undertaken. The classification and interpretation of the data focuses on the four key t...

The political change in 1964, when the Maltese Isla nds became an Independent Archipelago, initia... more The political change in 1964, when the Maltese Isla nds became an Independent Archipelago, initiated a number of revo luti nary reforms that the Maltese Education sector has been going through ever since. These last ten years have been extremely significant for Malte se Education, because of the several major measures and reforms that have be en introduced. Their aim was to augme nt the country’s intellectual capital and provide i mproved quality education that will help all Maltese childr en to succeed. Replacing the questionable dichotomy of ‘top-down’ and ‘botto m-up’ has been, for the past decade, part of an extensive drive by t he Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment and the Education Division to reform the education system in Malta. This paper will present a historical ov er iew of the educational reforms aimed at devolving greater responsibilities to the schools and in particular the establishment of school networks. It will also treat the kind of leadership that has h...

In 2006, the Act to amend the Education Act, Cap. 3271 made provisions to reinforce and enhance t... more In 2006, the Act to amend the Education Act, Cap. 3271 made provisions to reinforce and enhance the current school-parent partnership and collaboration. The study examined the current partnership and collaboration between schools and parents in four Maltese colleges and the challenges that Maltese educational leaders face so as to reinforce, enrich, and sustain joint-working. Data was collected from a substantial number of interviews with the selected policy-makers, college principals, heads of school, and teachers; reviewing official documents and observing council of heads meetings. The convenience and purposive sampling methods were employed to select the required sample of interviewees. The results of the study indicated that the schoolparent collaboration showed proof of a fractured history, an area fraught with uncertainty given a turbulent period in the 1970s and 1980s.2 The research findings will illuminate the position that educators currently hold towards parental involvem...

Management in Education, 2013

The Open Education Journal, 2012

opportunity to establish distributed governance

Management in Education, 2013

ABSTRACT This article critically analyses the current Maltese educational reform process, which a... more ABSTRACT This article critically analyses the current Maltese educational reform process, which aimed to transform educational governance in Malta from a centralized system to a more decentralized one. This longitudinal study adopted a multi-site inquiry of a sample of the colleges involving different stakeholders, including key policy-makers, college principals, heads of primary and secondary schools, and a sample of teachers. It explores the reform by reviewing the relevant literature, studying statutory documents and policies, and researching governance processes at the grassroots level where the reform policies have been and continue to be implemented. It analyses the experience of ‘governing stakeholders’, including those who work in schools, as they engage and work with the reforms. Preliminary findings indicate that what has been created is just another ‘notch’ in the hierarchical structure of the system with the introduction of a new post, that of College Principal, and the setting-up of the Council of Heads, which has managerial and organizational responsibilities, and the non-statutory Council for Educational Leaders (ELC). A top-down approach to change management continues to be adopted, leaving limited space for the development of governance networks and distributed forms of governance. This study sheds light on the significance of governance networks, distributed governance and the effects of overly strong governing relationships between government and the schools at the periphery. We argue that the opportunity to establish and develop a governance network has been missed.

Management in Education, 2013

ABSTRACT In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educatio... more ABSTRACT In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational reform, which focuses on state compulsory primary and secondary schooling. A central part of this reform was the creation of state-maintained colleges. By February 2008 all state primary and secondary schools on the Maltese Islands were clustered into ten provisional colleges. This article aims to show the nature of collaboration that is required to sustain the establishment of school networks. It analyses the nature of collaboration in a policy context that requires joint working within and by individual schools and the formation of a partnership with parents and the community at large. Data collected from face-to-face in-depth semi-structured interviews with stakeholders and documented material have underpinned the importance of the theme of collaboration as a core aspect of this case study. This article reports the results of phase 1 of a larger study that was undertaken in one college.

List of Tables and Figures .

Management in Education, 2013

Advances in Psychology and Psychological Trends, 2020

In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational refor... more In October 2005, the Maltese Government embarked on a new phase of its national educational reform; primarily re-organising all State maintained schools into semi-autonomous regional colleges, sustaining partnerships between the schools, the parents and the wider community and re-structuring the education authorities into two Directorates. This thesis reports research into inter-school working that Malta, as in other countries, was actively promoting. The research aims were to: •analyse the nature of collaboration in a policy context that required joint working within and by individual schools; •explore the implications for educational leadership, governance and accountability within and between the institutions involved. Case studies of four colleges were carried out. Key participants were interviewed and documents analysed. The cases were analysed individually and a cross-case analysis was also undertaken. The classification and interpretation of the data focuses on the four key t...

Management in Education, 2013

The Open Education Journal, 2012

opportunity to establish distributed governance

Management in Education, 2013