University and school collaborative programs: A case study of the University of Houston-Downtown and Jefferson Davis High School collaborative program in Houston, Texas.

摘要

The rapid growth in university/school collaborative programs indicates an increased willingness on the part of institutions of higher education and schools to work together in trying to improve the much-criticized system of public education. However, despite the diversity of goals and objectives of the many current programs, most university and school collaborations have encountered common organizational problems.;While there is a tremendous body of literature on what works and why collaboratives are desirable, according to Trubowitz (1984) there has been little systematic study of the difficulties entailed in university/school collaborative efforts. The existing literature indicates that many of today's problems revolve around the fact that universities and schools operate by different organizational structures and cultures. It is these differences that often undermine both the development and implementation of collaborative programs.;This analytical paper is a case study of the collaborative program between the University Houston-Downtown and Jefferson Davis High School in Houston, Texas, established in 1988. The study seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) How did the University of Houston-Downtown and Jefferson Davis High School differ in organizational structure and culture? (2) What did these two institutions do within their collaborative agreement to address these differences? (3) How did the organizational similarities and differences between these two institutions influence the roles that the faculty and teachers played in the collaborative program?;In order to answer these three questions, a methodology was developed utilizing document analysis, observations and interviews at both institutions for the purpose of collecting and analyzing the data.;The study found that seven major obstacles reduced the ability of the two institutions to collaborate. The obstacles were different in (1) institutional goals and purposes; (2) organizational structure; (3) uses of authority, power, and control; (4) leadership styles; (5) working conditions; (6) conceptions and use of time; and, (7) communications. Colleges and schools planning joint ventures need to confront these obstacles or differences, if their collaboration is to be successful.