/library/oar/handle/123456789/85594 2025-11-14T07:35:18Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/85772 Title: Looking for Beatrice : reflections from the ‘Divine Comedy’ on the theology of beauty Abstract: Through a discussion of some parts of Dante Alighieri’s Divina Commedia, in this dissertation it will be shown how beauty – which can be either be possessed or engaged with – reminds us of our own animality, of our part of nature, but also of our humanity, which encourages us to wear our animality gracefully. Refusing to see in nature traces of God’s glory is tantamount to renouncing God altogether. Dante engages with Beatrice in a way that was previously unimaginable. Yes, she inspires him, but not to possess her; rather, she inspires him to get closer to, more united with God. Description: M.Th.(Melit.) 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/85716 Title: The charismatic sustainability of a Catholic school ethos by newly recruited educators : a case study Abstract: The purpose of this qualitative research is to find how a Catholic school ethos can be transmitted, mastered, and fostered within a local Church school setting, particularly amongst the newly recruited educators. Although the evangelical mission of the Church, “Go and teach all nations” (Matt 28), is clear, on the other hand, influential progressive currents promoted by an ever-growing secular society are leaving their mark on the Catholic school’s climate. Consequently, this research attempts to explore how a Church school with a solid ethos, although challenging, can create a Catholic culture and identity founded on the values of the Gospel and the Catholic traditions. This study aims to equip NREs to truly master and foster the Catholic school’s ethos in their everyday school experience, in order to be able to pass it on to the school’s community through daily rituals, activities and through the hidden curriculum. This depends highly on the Catholic school’s SLT, and this study strives to challenge the role of the SLT in fostering and implementing the Catholic vision and mission within a Catholic School community. In fact, this research attempts to provide valuable insights and recommendations to Catholic school SLTs as to how the Catholic school ethos can be transmitted and practised in practical and effective ways. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/85715 Title: Leadership towards inclusion : the ALP Vocational Creative School Abstract: This study aims at understanding better Leadership and Inclusion in a Vocational Creative School like the Alternative Learning Programme School, situated in Paola, Malta and which was founded in 2014 under the leadership of Hon. Evarist Bartolo, Minister of Education and Employment. This change brought about interesting challenges to both educators and school leaders alike and was subsequently the key to various other transitions in the education sector. This research focuses on different styles of Leadership adopted throughout the years by two main School Leaders who led the school these last 5 years. Together with theoretical and conceptual frameworks, the study draws out common factors that are related to inclusion, school community factors and the student's behaviour in the Alternative Learning Programme School. The study also aims at analysing the structure of the Alternative Learning Programme School, identifying the changes throughout the years and measuring its Inclusive outlook towards an Education for all. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z /library/oar/handle/123456789/85700 Title: Culturally inclusive leadership styles among Church primary schools : the need for change Abstract: This dissertation aims at investigating heads of schools’ leadership styles in the Maltese primary sector of education in response to the increase in student population coming from diverse cultural backgrounds. The intent of this dissertation is to learn about the actions school leaders in Church schools take to work through the cultural diversity in their schools, as they project the way forward. It examines leadership styles and methodologies being used to adapt to changes brought by foreign students in the school. The study seeks to compare Church schools in Malta with State and Independent schools and the different realities they encounter due to multiculturalism in Malta, in order to propose changes which need to take place so that multiculturalism in Church schools is increased. This dissertation adopted a qualitative research approach. The research was carried out through semi-structured interviews with school leaders of Church, State and Independent primary schools from diverse regions across Malta. A focus group was conducted with members of the Secretariat for Catholic School Education discussing Church schools’ multicultural realities and improvements which can be further made. Results show that changes in leadership styles had to take place in order to improve the quality of our multicultural schools. The influx of multicultural students in Maltese primary schools was strongly felt by State and Independent schools but a different reality is found in Church schools where students of multicultural origin are presently minimal. Thus, changes need to be promoted in Church schools so that the multicultural student intake is supported and diversity is further appreciated. Church school leaders reported that despite the changes which need to take place externally with regards to certain policies favouring foreign student intake in Church schools, school leaders need to ensure that educators are prepared for the desired increase of foreign students in their schools. This needs to be done by adopting the appropriate leadership styles and making amends where needed. Description: M.A.(Melit.) 2021-01-01T00:00:00Z