Alejandra Meyer Romero

Doctoral Researcher

alejandra meyerCurrent Status

PhD full-time

Research Topic

Promotion and Retention in Chilean Primary Schools: Policies and Practices

Research Summary

This project aims to explore the influence of school promotion and retention regulations on the everyday processes of primary schools in Chile. By doing this the project will generate new understanding of the functions of grade progression practices and their value within educational communities.

To achieve this, an ethnographic study will be conducted in a small number of primary schools in Santiago. Research data will be collected mainly through interviews and observations, with visual methods and documentary analysis also being employed.

Research Interests

  • Inclusive Education and Student Academic Diversity
  • Primary Education
  • Assessment, Abilities-Inabilities and Educational Goals
  • Grade Promotion and Retention
  • Tensions between Policy and Practice
  • Ethnographic and Visual Research Methods

Research Supervisors

Deborah Youdell and Ian McGimpsey

Funding

Becas Chile (CONICYT), Chilean Government

Academic Qualifications 

2016-present: PhD, School of Education, University of Birmingham

2010-2012: MSc in Sociology, Institute of Sociology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

2009: PGCert in Social Research on Integration of International Migrants, Department of Sociology, Universidad de Chile 

2004-2008: BA in Psychology, School of Psychology, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Experience and Participation in Research Projects

Centre for Development of Educational Leadership (CEDLE), Universidad Diego Portales

  • Research Project: Socio-educational Conflicts and School Leadership 

Centre for Comparative Education Policy (CPCE), Universidad Diego Portales

Research Projects:

  • Third Comparative and Explicative Regional Study TERCE (Latin-American Laboratory for the Assessment of the Quality of Education, UNESCO)
  • The Anillo Project: Improving School Effectiveness in Chile (National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research (CONICYT), Chilean Government).
  • Comparative Study on Teachers' Professional Development: Models and Institutions (Organization of Ibero-American States (OEI) and Centre for Training, Experimentation and Pedagogical Research (CPEIP) Ministry of Education of Chile).
  • Educational Transitions during the Secondary and Political Definitions to this Educational Level (Research Centre Ministry of Education of Chile and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
  • Design of Questions for the Assessment of Other Elements of Educational Quality: academic self-esteem, school motivation, school climate and other indicators (Educational Quality Agency, Chilean Government). 

Centre for Training, Experimentation and Pedagogical Research (CPEIP), Ministry of Education of Chile

  • Consultant in Initial Teacher Training 

Divergente Consultancy Group

  • Consultancy Project: Elaboration of professional profiles of technical degrees in The Technical Training Centre and Professional Institute INACAP 

Publications 

Godoy, F., Varas, L., Martínez, M. V., Treviño, E., and Meyer, A. (2016) Interacciones pedagógicas y percepción de los estudiantes en escuelas chilenas que mejoran: una aproximación exploratoria, Estudios Pedagógicos XLII (3) 149-169. 

Treviño, E., Fraser, P., Meyer, A., Morawietz, L., Inostroza, P., and Naranjo L. (2015) Informe de resultados Tercer Estudio Regional Comparativo y Explicativo (TERCE): Factores Asociados. UNESCO Regional Bureau of Education for Latin America and the Caribbean. Santiago, Chile: Santillana.  

Meyer, A. and Simonetti, F. (2011) Modelo Multicultural Canadiense: Comparación con Chile, in C., Arriagada and S., Órdenes (Eds.). Inmigrantes Internacionales, Ciudades y Servicios Sociales Urbanos: El desafío de la integración con diversidad. Extension Documents N°1. Department of Sociology, Universidad de Chile.