University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 RETAIN PERSPECTIVES FROM BRUSSELS Setting the European Scene Inclusion on the European agenda – how to deal with it as school managers and teachers? European Educational Research Association, EERA & UC South Denmark Christian Quvang NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Points Point # 1 Inclusion as compulsory according to conventions, laws etc. Point # 2 Inclusion as an objective for all in the welfare professions Point # 3 Inclusion as local and situated concerning specific people at a specific place at a specific time Point # 4 Inclusion as role modelling for teachers and other employees in school Point # 5 Inclusion as a tool for school management NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 European challenges related to inclusion - The meta perspective Everybody knows I assume - but to summarize – inclusion is about: Learning; Skilled Children, SEN etc. Education; Socio cultural issues and equity Ghettofication; Concentration and isolation with others like ourselves Refugees; Before and after Syria etc. Economics; The A and B society ETC. NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 So, for a start; what IS inclusion? Definitions and understandings is needed: Globally Nationally Locally A possible definition*: “Inclusion is when a person or a group actively participates on an equal basis in mutually evolving communities despite differences in prerequisites and level of functioning, including contextual factors. Comment: The word equal means the mutual acceptance of diversity. The word communities means the general societal institutions where people interact and influence each other; at work, in education, in associations and in local community life”. * A definition from the Danish Ministry of Social Affairs NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 European challenges related to inclusion - The ‘school matters’ perspective Common meeting place for most children; School Hence the importance of school management to take lead on this issue! … And of teachers and others in school to be role models! … and last but not least “Inclusion is not a method, it is a way of thinking” So, three things are badly needed: - Research - Structured reflections and related actions - Flexible tools NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Support for inclusion acts – part one; Research in an European perspective Further research and knowledge is needed: In a research perspective EERA is one of several places setting the agenda Networks working with inclusion from various perspectives: NW 4, Inclusive Education NW Teacher Education Research NW 20 Research in Innovative Intercultural Learning Environments NW 26 Educational Leadership Many examples of research projects! But here and now, are there any examples of “How to deal with Inclusion as school managers and teachers?” NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Example; Research in Denmark* A research project in Denmark shows how leaders with the use of action learning theory are able to further development of inclusive practices. At the same time this research project shows that the many agents participating in the project on some level need to establish a collaborative outset of agreed values and that the most important resource working with inclusion is knowledge. *”Great leadership paves the way for inclusion” - a research project for the Danish Ministry of Education baner-vej-for-inklusion.html NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 The special feature of management of inclusion Managers action learning process points to four important insights: That inclusive processes are managed through a certain way og organizing which invites to the participation of many different actors whose contributions to the process must be coordinated. That management of inclusion also is management of diversity, which provide the actors the opportunity to participate albeit their different resources, skills and knowledge, which applies to all actors in inclusive processes. That dynamic leadership means exercising leadership in the right place at the right time and in the right way. When management is close to employees' practice, management achieves greater and greater insight into the inclusion practices to be managed, such as the professional and ethical dilemmas employees needs support to handle The leadership of inclusion is a game changer in line with other types of processes of change in an organization. It is a dynamic process with no end goal, where it's management's job to set up the framework, give direction and develop criteria for evaluation of the process and its outcomes. NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Obstacles and challenges A focus is that school managers do not demand better opportunities for professional and collegial sparring, but rather an expanded space for management as a mean to define priorities that meet local and specific needs for practice development. Focus on current projects and ensuring that new projects will not derail the inclusion project. This is speaking of 'a municipal project throng' where projects may contradict each other. A barrier is a lacking common understanding of inclusion, and regarding this perhaps a special mind-set needs to be developed, lack of expertise in the general pedagogical didactical area, an individual-oriented understanding of children's difficulties as well as well as a differentiated understanding of different conditions for competence in day care and school Obstacles are typically described as a series of organizational barriers that are embedded in institutions' cultures and routines, such as individualized understandings of cooperation where inclusion offers a new meaning and enhances the importance of core management functions Forms of resistance among parents and employees are important information for school management NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Support for inclusion acts – part two; - Structured reflections - Flexible tools Possibilities for support solving this important task: The Inclusion Compass The RETAIN toolbox The Index for Inclusion NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 The Inclusion Compass Possibilities for support solving this important task: NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 The RETAIN toolbox Possibilities for support solving this important task: NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Tools related to practice; The Index for Inclusion NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk Producing inclusive POLICIES Evolving inclusive PRACTICES Creating inclusive CULTURES Possibilities for support solving this important task:

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 European perspective a; Education With these outcomes it becomes clear that possible pathways to retainment, which has to be tested, includes the implementation of inclusive core values and perspectives in school routines such as the following two issues (quotes from ‘European Agency for Special Needs and Inclusive Education’ … Profile of Inclusive teachers:2012:10): “Working with others - collaboration and teamwork are essential approaches for all teachers” “Continuing personal professional development - teaching is a learning activity and teachers take responsibility for their own lifelong learning” NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 European perspective b; School This perspective is supported by the experiences from working with “Index for Inclusion” (quote from “Index for Inclusion – developing learning and participation in schools ; Booth & Ainscow:2011:13): “Inclusive development happens when adults and children connect their action to inclusive values and draw compatible initiatives together. They can do this informally but their actions may be undermined unless there is also a commitment to making a more formal school development to making a more formal school development plan reflect inclusive values”. NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 European perspective c; Transformation/transition Reflections and questions related to themes for RETAIN land last year ECER/EERA conference “Transformation and embedment of environ- ments in an inclusive transitional perspective” include issues as like: Why …. Isn’t transition from study to work supported more systematically and allocated with a wider variety of resources? What …. Couldn’t it be productive with further analysis's of how structural and psychological issues in transformative processes for newly educated professionals work? When … Shouldn’t there be some kind of tool that reveal when retainment is at danger? How …. Would it not be obvious to start and support local inclusive initiatives? NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Points, a brief return Point # 1 Inclusion as compulsory according to conventions, laws etc. Point # 2 Inclusion as an objective for all in the welfare professions Point # 3 Inclusion as local and situated concerning specific people at a specific place at a specific time Point # 4 Inclusion as role modelling for teachers and other employees in school Point # 5 Inclusion as a tool for school management NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk

University College Syddanmark, 3. juli 2016 Thank You for listening NATIONALT VIDENCENTER FOR INKLUSION OG EKSKLUSION / / NATIONAL RESEARCH CENTRE FOR INCLUSIVE PRACTICEwww.nvie.dk