Educational Administration: Theory, Research, and Practice

In this chapter we will be concentrating on one of the key processes in the ‘cultural circuit’ (see Du Gay et al., 1997, and the Introduction to this volume) – the practices of representation. The aim of this chapter is to introduce you to this topic, and to explain what it is about and why we give it such importance in cultural studies. The concept of representation has come to occupy a new and important place in the study of culture. Representation connects meaning and language to culture. But what exactly do people mean by it? What does representation have to do with culture and meaning? One common-sense usage of the term is as follows: ‘Representation means using language to say something meaningful about, or to represent, the world meaningfully, to other people.’ You may well ask, ‘Is that all?’ Well, yes and no. Representation is an essential part of the process by which meaning is produced and exchanged between members of a culture. It does involve the use of language, of signs and images which stand for or represent things. But this is a far from simple or straightforward process, as you will soon discover. How does the concept of representation connect meaning and language to culture? In order to explore this connection further, we will look at a number of different theories about how language is used to represent the world. Here we will be drawing a distinction between three different accounts or theories: the reflective, the intentional and the constructionist approaches to representation. Does language simply reflect a meaning which already exists out there in the world of objects, people and events (reflective)? Does language express only what the speaker or writer or painter wants to say, his or her personally intended meaning (intentional)? Or is meaning constructed in and through language (constructionist)? You will learn more in a moment about these three approaches. Most of the chapter will be spent exploring the constructionist approach, because it is this perspective which has had the most significant impact on cultural studies in recent years. This CHAPTER ONE

From Work to Representation

These resources are focused on qualitative research methods. They are particularly intended for those who are learning at and from workand support a University of Plymouth module, which can contribute to the University's Continual Professional Development (CPD) framework. Through this framework learners can achieve a Bachelors in Professional Developments or a Masters in Professional Development. Within the University's CPD programme the resources will be introduced and used by a tutor who will support and facilitate student learning through use of the resources. This will be in the form of blended learning; a mixture of face to face and use of these on-line resources. Information in this document and the tutor notes included within the PowerPoint presentations are intended to support the wider use and reuse of these Open Educational Resources.

In-depth Interviewing

A new research area linked to ethics, virtues, and morality is servant leadership. Scholars are currently seeking publication outlets as critics debate whether this new leadership theory is significantly distinct, viable, and valuable for organizational success. The aim of this study was to identify empirical studies that explored servant leadership theory by engaging a sample population in order to assess and synthesize the mechanisms, outcomes, and impacts of servant leadership. Thus, we sought to provide an evidence-informed answer to how does servant leadership work, and how can we apply it? We conducted a systematic literature review (SLR), a methodology adopted from the medical sciences to synthesize research in a systematic, transparent, and reproducible manner. A disciplined screening process resulted in a final sample population of 39 appropriate studies. The synthesis of these empirical studies revealed: (a) there is no consensus on the definition of servant leadership; (b) servant leadership theory is being investigated across a variety of contexts, cultures, and themes; (c) researchers are using multiple measures to explore servant leadership; and (d) servant leadership is a viable leadership theory that helps organizations and improves the well-being of followers. This study contributes to the development of servant leadership theory and practice. In addition, this study contributes to the methodology for conducting SLRs in the field of management, highlighting an effective method for mapping out thematically, and viewing holistically, new research topics. We conclude by offering suggestions for future research.

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A Systematic Literature Review of Servant Leadership Theory in Organizational Contexts

Implementing Change Patterns Principles And Potholes

A correlational analysis of servant leadership and school climate

The purpose of this mixed-method research study was to determine the extent that servant leadership was correlated with perceptions of school climate to identify whether there was a relationship between principals’ and teachers’ perceived practice of servant leadership and of school climate. The study employed a mixed-method approach by first administering two validated quantitative instruments: Laub's (1998) Organizational Leadership Assessment (OLA) measured the perceived servant leadership in the schools and Hoy, Tarter, & Kottkamp’s (1991) Organizational Climate Description Questionnaire-Revised (OCDQ-RE) measured the school’s climate. These instruments were administered to a randomly selected sample of 231 full-time teachers and 15 principals working in a Catholic school board in Ontario. Upon completion of the quantitative data analysis, focus group interviews were conducted with 10% of the sample. The data revealed a significant positive correlation between servant leadership and school climate

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Correlational Analysis of Servant Leadership and School Climate

The purpose of this study was to explore the complex cognitive and affective challenges of teacher candidates in their development toward self-efficacy in their teaching. Twenty-two teacher candidates recorded their challenges and thinking process during the last six weeks of their practicum. Following their placement, they completed a summative reflection, in which they noted changes in themselves and described when or if they felt confident as classroom teachers. Four themes emerge as the challenge or condition for their self-efficacy: effective classroom management, successful curriculum planning and implementation, positive rapport with students, and supervising teacher approval. This research suggests that teacher preparation program educators can support teacher candidates’ self-efficacy by understanding the developmental stages of teachers, supporting critical reflection, and using motivational and descriptive feedback to improve practical skills. Keywords: teacher self-efficacy; reflection; concerns-based stages model; transformational learning theory; and supervising teacher

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Developing Teacher Candidates' Self-Efficacy Through Reflection and Supervising Teacher Support

Language policies in any country exist within socio-historical contexts—embedded in history and influenced by socio-political factors. In Canada, such factors were the impetus to the formation of the Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism (Royal Commission on Bilingualism and Biculturalism [RCBB], 1967), which was grounded in an English/French partnership and recommended that Canada become an English/French bilingual country. Although the subsequent Official Languages Act (Department of Justice, 1985) and Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Department of Justice, 1982) limited their focus to first language maintenance, they did recognise second language education as contributing to the equality of status of both official languages. In Canada, however, the impact of second language education is mitigated by the provinces and territories who hold constitutional jurisdiction over education (Liddicoat & Baldauf, 2008; Marsh & Willis, 2003). Currently in Canadian schools, policies for access to French as second official language (FSOL) programs range along a continuum from informal to formal. Where some Ministries of Education have developed informal policies that Delaney (2002) described as de facto policies or practices that have become legitimized over time, Loreman (2007) posits that these policies can lead to inconsistencies. On the other end of the continuum, some Ministries of Education have formal policies that have been developed through a formulation process that includes input by stakeholders before adoption of the policy (Delaney, 2002). As it pertains to access to FSOL education, the provinces and territories have not used their authority to create many formal policies. Such an absence of direction is a variable contributing to the inconsistent and inequitable access to FSOL education (Mady & Arnett, 2009; Mady & Turnbull, 2010) where formal policies may be the most effective starting point to achieving more equitable access (Conrick & Regan, 2007; Cooper, Fusarelli, & Randall, 2004). In addition to governments, language organizations also attempt to influence second language education. Canadian Parents for French (CPF), the sponsor of this research, is one such organization. With its view to improve FSOL, CPF identifies 11 criteria on which to judge equitability of access (CPF, 2010). It is these criteria that form the observation schema of this study.

https://journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ajer/article/download/55531/42508

Access to French as Second Official Language Programs in English-Dominant Canada.

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to explore the extent and nature of changes in personal and professional behaviors, values, and attitudes of 46 Canadian teacher candidates who participated in a three week teaching practicum in Kenya. All participants completed a pre and post practicum Global-Mindedness Survey (Hett, 1993), participated in interviews, and engaged in personal and public reflections. Our results suggest that the Kenyan practicum significantly increased the teacher candidates’ global-mindedness and intercultural competence. The teacher candidates’ teaching practice was positively affected as reflected in their increased commitment to build community, improved skills in teaching English language learners, their ability to globalize the curriculum, and their confidence in the realization that they were their own greatest teaching resource. We theorize planned transformative learning opportunities during the cultural immersion of international practicums can greatly enhance the intercultural competence of teachers in today’s diverse classrooms.

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Glenda L. Black

Papers

A correlational analysis of servant leadership and school climate

Correlational Analysis of Servant Leadership and School Climate

Developing Teacher Candidates' Self-Efficacy Through Reflection and Supervising Teacher Support

Access to French as Second Official Language Programs in English-Dominant Canada.

Developing Global Educators and Intercultural Competence Through an International Teaching Practicum in Kenya