START checklist: Systematic Tool for the Analysis of Readiness for Transnationalisation

Determinants and statements

  • People
  • Curriculum
  • Organisation
  • School as a learning organisation

Categories / determinants / Statements
PEOPLE
Open attitude and motivation /
  1. Internationalisation may take some extra time.
  2. We can learn a lot from schools in other countries.
  3. International co-operation projects are very meaningful to the quality of our education.
  4. Main goal of internationalisation in education is to get a better understanding of other cultures.
  5. The number of members of the European Union should not increase any more.
  6. The introduction of the EURO is not desirable from the point of view of cultural diversity.
  7. Citizens of the European Union should be employable in the whole union. Therefore Internationalisation in schools is essential.
  8. Schools have their own responsibility in contributing to the unification of Europe.
  9. Involving children from their early years on in the end will promote a peaceful coexistence within and between states.
  10. The opinions about the use of internationalisation in our team are too diverse to make any initiative in this area work.

PEOPLE
Interpersonal relationships /
  1. An international project together with the colleagues, no doubt, socially will be an enjoyable event.
  2. International contacts are of vital importance to help us take a critical look at ourselves and at the way we operate.

Management competence /
  1. In our school several people with management experience in projects are available.
  2. Participation in international projects requires careful selection of the right teachers to do it.

Leadership /
  1. Internationalisation is a key element in the philosophy and the mission statement of our school.
  2. Our school leader stimulates and supports initiatives in the area of international co-operation wholeheartedly.

Foreign language awareness + skills /
  1. People who do not want to speak another language should not participate in an international project.
  2. The languages used in a project should not be the mother tongue spoken in one of the partner schools.
  3. Pupils that would like to participate in an international project should have a basic control over the (foreign) project language(s).

Communicative competence /
  1. International projects that are to affect the school as a whole require intensive internal communication within the school.

Technical skills (effective use of e-mail, internet, fax, etc.) /
  1. Participation of the schools webmaster is not necessary in an international project.
  2. Availability of a team member with technical skills is crucial for the success of an international project.

CURRICULUM
Flexibility /
  1. Our school is relatively autonomous in its decision making about matters such as curriculum content, methods and budgets.
  2. International co-operation can only be effective if the curriculum allows change.

Foreign language teaching /
  1. Only teachers teaching foreign languages are capable of initiating (and co-ordinating) an international project.
  2. An international project should include teachers representing as many subject areas/disciplines as possible.

Global and/or European orientation /
  1. Each teacher should take part in internationalisation at least once every five years.
  2. Our school needs to have a clear and shared vision on the value and purpose of a European or Global Dimension into its education.

Training of communicative and co-operative skills /
  1. An international project is a meaningful way of enhancing pupils' communicative and co-operative skills.

Teaching /
  1. No international project without the active involvement of pupils.
  2. Pupils only benefit from an international project when they are actively involved in it.
  3. Pupils should have a greater say in establishing international contacts or co-operation.

Email, fax, phone, Internet /
  1. Without the use of ICT-devices, co-ordinating an international project is almost impossible.

CURRICULUM
ICT support /
  1. Without ICT-support within our school an international project will not succeed.

Secretarial support /
  1. International projects require special secretarial skills and procedures.

Time /
  1. We do not mind to invest spare time in an international project.

Budget /
  1. Internationalisation is possible without sponsoring.

ORGANISATION
School structure /
  1. In our school we all are well informed about each other's activities, projects and approaches.

Educational organisation /
  1. International projects should be a compulsory part of the curriculum of each pupil in secondary education in Europe.

PR policy /
  1. Internationalisation makes our school more attractive for new pupils.

Career policy /
  1. Internationalisation belongs to the standard tasks of each teacher within our school.

Inservice / professional development policy /
  1. Our plans for international co-operation and our plans for inservice training of teachers show a great coherence.

Mix of ages within team /
  1. In the group of people interested in participating in a project teachers of different age are represented.

Organisation of events /
  1. Our school has relevant experience in organising various extra curricular projects and events.

School culture /
  1. Our school is known for its open inter-cultural, inter-national and inter-lingual climate.

ORGANISATION
Substitute teachers /
  1. For those who will participate in international projects substitute teachers will be available to take over their regular tasks while the teachers are abroad.

Co-ordinator internationalisation /
  1. Without a 'co-ordinator Internationalisation' only the actively involved teachers/pupils will benefit from an international project.

Connections with National Agency /
  1. Close connections with the national agency are essential for effective project work.

Supported by official authorities /
  1. Support of local authorities is necessary.

An identification, division and allocation of:
-Tasks
-Responsibilities
-Authorisation
-decision making procedures
-degrees of freedom (empowerment) /
  1. Everybody in our school has a clear picture of the tasks and responsibilities everybody in school will have in case of a project.
  2. Those directly involved in such a project will definitely consider it their project. They will feel the owners and the promoters of it.

Active involvement of all parties concerned (management, teachers, pupils, parents, local politicians, others) /
  1. The ideal age for pupils to be involved in internationalisation is: 4-6, 6-8, 8-10, 10-12, 12-14, 14-16, 16-18.
  2. Parents need to be involved in internationalisation.
  3. Before being permitted to take part in internationalisation pupils should be selected on criteria such as: finance, intelligence, social skills.

Ethos of the school (for example about international co-operation: vision, goals, development plan) /
  1. Internationalisation is a part of our school development plan.
  2. Our school has a shared vision on the value and purpose of internationalisation.

THE SCHOOL AS A LEARNING ORGANISATION
The capability to change/adapt/learn/acquire (characteristics of a learning organisation)
-content expertise - problem solving skills
-reflective skills - communicative skills
-self-regulatory skills
and the presence of
-peace and stability creative turmoil
Continuing inspiration, motivation, conviction, drive /
  1. Being involved in international co-operation is something highly valued in our school.
  2. Those who are involved in international projects are rewarded for the extra efforts that go with it.
  3. International co-operation is perceived as rewarding in itself by all teachers involved.

A rich learning environment inside the school or around it including various sources (plenty of opportunity to learn) /
  1. In our school we have access to books, journals, internet and other sources to get information about initiatives and options for international co-operation.
  2. We as teachers often have professional discussions about these opportunities to initiate such activities or participate in them.
  3. We often discuss our mutual ways of communicating in order to search for ongoing improvement.

Freedom to experiment and to discuss experiences /
  1. Whenever teachers wish to try out new approaches or new materials they experience curiosity and support among their colleagues and among the school management.

Feedback of pupils, colleagues and superiors on ones performance (is what you're doing successful?) /
  1. In the school it is common practice that new courses, projects or any kind of new initiatives are evaluated and discussed among all parties concerned (pupils, parents, teachers, Inspectorate etc.) before they will be made part of the regular programme.

THE SCHOOL AS A LEARNING ORGANISATION
The capability to change/adapt/learn/acquire (characteristics of a learning organisation)
-content expertise - problem solving skills
-reflective skills - communicative skills
-self-regulatory skills
and the presence of
-peace and stability creative turmoil
Personal responsibility for the eventual results (reporting) /
  1. Those who volunteer or are selected to do a project are held responsible for the success of it.

Balance between peace and stability > creative turmoil
(Indicators are: amount of turbulence in the organisation; innovative history;
personal characteristics; team; team dynamics) /
  1. Our project will be inspiring and challenging. There is a balance between high expectations and ambitions and a sense of confidence about the feasibility of it.
  2. In our team their is a balance between high expectations and ambitions.

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