Abstract
Trust is considered to be a crucial element of social cohesion. At the same time, as research has shown, education can be understood as an important precondition of trust. Furthermore, contextual conditions are important for the development of trust. In spite of this, the role of trust in the multi‐level education system has been scarcely investigated. This paper introduces a comprehensive model of trust in the education system, based on a systematic literature review of 183 recent peer‐reviewed articles following a thematic and interpretive review approach. The suggested model consists of four interconnected elements (generalised trust, educational governance, educational settings, educational attainment). By introducing a comprehensive model of trust in multi‐level education systems the paper aims at opening up perspectives for future theoretically driven, interdisciplinary comparative research that may shed further light on the role of trust in education systems. The paper proceeds as follows. First, trust is discussed as a complex subject in research, policy and practice in multi‐level education systems, and key research questions are derived from this. Second, the methodology of the systematic literature review is explained. Third, results from the literature review are presented, focusing on three domains of trust and their interrelations. Fourth, the comprehensive model of trust in multi‐level education systems is introduced. The fifth section discusses the findings and explores how future research could advance a comprehensive understanding of trust in education.
Highlights
IntroductionTrust as an ambiguous and challenging subject in research, policy and practice
Trust as an ambiguous and challenging subject in research, policy and practiceConcerns about a substantial decline in social cohesion are on the increase
The present study has addressed this issue and introduced a systematic model across different domains of trust on an empirical basis
Summary
Trust as an ambiguous and challenging subject in research, policy and practice. Concerns about a substantial decline in social cohesion are on the increase. Since seminal works introduced trust as a form of social capital (Coleman, 1988) and its relevance to a society’s cohesion, prosperity and democratic stability (Putnam, 1995; Fukuyama, 1995), theoretical and empirical research on trust has become established. Since trust has emerged as a worldwide research subject across disciplines. Recent research has investigated trust on the part of teachers in principals, colleagues, students and parents, parental trust in schools and the role of trust for school improvement (cf Forsyth, 2008). Trust has been shown to promote collective decision-making and teacher buy-in, increase the likelihood that school improvement will be undertaken, diffuse across schools and result in improved educational outcomes
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