Relational trust in schools¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 review), q1 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

Relational trust is the construct the article uses to organize trust relationships in schools: it "involves respecting, caring for, and believing in the honesty and competence of one's colleagues." The article treats it as operating among teachers, between teachers and principals, between students and teachers, and between teachers and parents, and as "a vital force for school improvement." It was measured with similar empirical data collected from teachers and students in Valparaíso, Chile and Illinois, US.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Measurement requires survey data from teachers and students about trust among teachers, between teachers and principals, and between students and teachers

Constraints¶

• The article notes trust materializes in schools regardless of vast differences in environments, but conditioning factors such as school size and student socioeconomic status operate differently across contexts

Target Learners¶

• school teachers
• school students
• school principals

Target Learning Objectives¶

• understanding and improving relational trust as a condition for school improvement

Claims¶

• Relational trust and rapid-response adaptation help research-practice partnerships survive acute disruption [+W]

Related Theories¶

• Role relational specificity: trust in schooling operates through asymmetric role relations among teachers, principals, and parents
• Research-practice partnership model treating research as public, relational, and adaptive infrastructure

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Key Questions: relational trust in schools in Valparaíso, Chile and Illinois, US. (2021). International Journal of Leadership in Education. https://www.tandfonline.com/journal/rled