Fostering Inclusive Education: A Model of Participatory Peer Evaluation

The Italian school system aims to promote inclusive education, as defined by UNESCO, supporting the participation of all individuals and groups by removing barriers to access. Evaluation serves as a crucial tool for transforming educational institutions into more inclusive and equitable environments. The Nationally Significant Project Evaluating School Inclusion: A Shared Quality Index for Developing a More Inclusive Education for All is currently trialing a peer participatory evaluation pathway that focuses on inclusive processes within schools. This pathway combines social research techniques typical of participatory evaluation with peer review models between schools.

Participatory evaluation offers valuable insights into social contexts and related processes. Similarly, peer evaluation fosters transformative learning, enabling school staff to gain insights from observing different educational settings, thereby enhancing their professional development. In this field study, groups of three schools, totaling 15 institutions, participate in peer evaluation activities to analyze the inclusive processes implemented in each school.

Each school organizes a remote “visiting,” hosting the other two schools via videoconferencing and also participating in the remote visits of the other institutions. The primary goal is to present and critically assess the host school's inclusive practices, focusing on innovations and potential challenges. The visiting schools are guided through a virtual tour to observe the host school's inclusive processes during a three-hour session, which includes an introduction, observation of spaces and activities, interviews, and a follow-up discussion among participants. Presentations are enhanced by multimedia materials, including photographic and video evidence of school spaces and the surrounding community.

The anticipated outcome of this study is the development of a model of peer evaluation that supports the implementation of inclusive practices, facilitating broader community involvement and sharing of best practices among schools. Additionally, it aims to establish a more participatory governance structure, promoting accountability and shared responsibility in implementing inclusive policies.