Showing papers in "Journal of Educational Administration in 2006"
TL;DR: In this article, the main themes of this book are organized as follows: 1) Identify and understand the ethical paradigms and how they act as a tool for educational leaders, 2) Using the construction of a multiple paradigm approach, the reader is challenged to analyze real-life ethical dilemmas.
Abstract: came to Joan Shapiro and Jacqueline Stefkovich in their enduring work in the area of educational leadership, it also comes from the great many students that have continually supporting their efforts to teach ethics in education. From the works of Nash (1996), Beck (1994)and Starratt (1994) and their work on ethical training of educational administrators, Shapiro and Stefkovich have transformed their graduate courses largely into a case study approach whereby theory and reflection melded into one. As Nash pointed out in his book on professional ethics, “A good case can be a provocative, almost indispensable tool for teaching the relevant moral concepts...” In recognizing this fact, Shapiro and Stefkovich’s book has become somewhat of a manual in the understanding and analyzing of ethical issues as they relate to school leadership. Having said this, the main themes of this book are organized as follows: 1) Identify and understand the ethical paradigms and how they act as a tool for educational leaders. 2) Using the construction of a multiple paradigm approach, the reader is challenged to analyze real-life ethical dilemmas. 3) Building an ethics course while working within your own ethical pedagogy. Table of
308 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors examine the challenges facing new principals in Africa and propose an induction model for principalship in Africa based on recent research and literature and analyse the experience of principals.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to examine the challenges facing new principals in Africa.Design/methodology/approach – Based on recent research and literature, the paper analyses the experience of principals and proposes an induction model for principalship in Africa.Findings – School principals in Africa face a daunting challenge. They often work in poorly equipped buildings with inadequately trained staff. There is rarely any formal leadership training and principals are appointed on the basis of their teaching record rather than their leadership potential. Induction and support are usually limited.Originality/value – The paper provides an overview of the limited literature and research on new principals in Africa and develops a grounded conceptualisation of their role.
256 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a framework for preparing leaders for social justice in the context of social justice education, which can serve as a guide for developing a course, set of courses, or an entire program.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this article is to propose one possible framework for conceptualizing the preparation of leaders for social justice. To this end, three central questions guided this conceptualization: “What are the common themes in the literature and research on preparing leaders for social justice?”; “How can this framework serve as a guide for developing a course, set of courses, or an entire program toward preparing leaders to lead socially just schools?”; and “How can this literature and conceptualization inform future scholarship in administrator preparation?”.Design/methodology/approach – This work included a review of 72 pieces of literature. To address the research questions, the growing body of leadership for social justice literature was reviewed. Each of these articles was analyzed and explicit recommendations for preparing school leaders noted. These recommendations were then catagorized into the proposed framework.Findings – Three domains: critical consciousness; knowledge; and pract...
236 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors contribute to the literature and practice on beginning principal socialization by identifying the features of post-industrial work that create a more complex work environment for the practice and learning of the principalship in the US.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to the literature and practice on beginning principal socialization by identifying the features of post‐industrial work that create a more complex work environment for the practice and learning of the principalship in the USADesign/methodology/approach – Based on recent literature on the changing nature of work, the paper applies those features of complexity to components of beginning principal socializationFindings – The nature of work in post‐industrial society and the changes in education, including a knowledge society, technology, demographic changes, and public accountability increase the complexity for US school principals These features provide an important conceptual and normative basis for understanding and changing the content, sources, methods, and outcomes of beginning principal socializationOriginality/value – The paper contributes a set of conceptual and normative features that strengthens the understanding of how beginning principals learn the role
229 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a conceptual framework, based on research on the valuation processes of school principals and their strategic responses to ethical dilemmas, is used as a practice grounded approach to describe authentic leadership and the acquisition of moral literacy by school leaders.
Abstract: Purpose – The article proposes three prerequisites to authentic leadership by school principals: self‐knowledge, a capacity for moral reasoning, and sensitivity to the orientations of others.Design/methodology/approach – A conceptual framework, based on research on the valuation processes of school principals and their strategic responses to ethical dilemmas, is used as a practice grounded approach to describing authentic leadership and the acquisition of moral literacy by school leaders.Findings – Four motivational bases for administrative decision making are described: self‐interest/personal preferences, rational consensus, rational consequences, and trans‐rational ethics/principles. The achievement of self‐knowledge, capacity and sensitivity to others can be best achieved in professional settings through strategies of personal reflective practice, and sustained dialogue on moral issues and the ethical dilemmas of educational practice.Practical implications – Principals need the capacity to discriminate...
170 citations
TL;DR: A systematic review of 13 English-language papers that have been published in peer-reviewed journals in educational administration, gender studies in education, and comparative education is presented in this paper.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to set the stage for the exploration of female leadership in educational systems within developing countries by reviewing the current research on women in educational administration within developing countries and suggesting future directions for further research on this subject in non‐western countriesDesign/methodology/approach – The paper is based partially on a systematic review of 13 English‐language papers that have been published in peer‐reviewed journals in educational administration, gender studies in education, and comparative educationFindings – The review points to particular barriers to women's career advancement in educational systems within developing countries (eg strong family obligations, low levels of girl education, majority of men in teaching positions), unique career experiences (eg the important role of the father), and to the adoption of “androgynous” leadership style by the few women administrators in these countriesPractical implications – Future
141 citations
TL;DR: In this article, a structured review of the literature on formalised mentoring programs for principals with the purpose of exploring their nature and the positive and negative outcomes for the parties involved is presented.
Abstract: Purpose – To draw on a structured review of the literature on formalised mentoring programs for principals with the purpose of exploring their nature and the positive and negative outcomes for the parties involved.Design/methodology/approach – The methodological approach utilised in this paper was a structured review of the literature which is a pre‐determined set of criteria, namely a set of coding categories, used for analysing research papers. Forty research‐based papers constituted the structured review and major coding categories utilised in this paper were positive and negative outcomes of mentoring programs for mentors and mentees and factual data relating to the research focus of the sample.Findings – Both positive and negative outcomes of mentoring were reported in the 40 research‐based papers, with substantially more papers reporting positive outcomes. Frequently cited positive outcomes for mentees included support, sharing ideas and professional development, while, for mentors, networking, prof...
140 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors focus on the current expectations of principals and potential principals, which also touch on a shortage of principal candidates in some societies; the life of beginning principals, including strategies suggested by research for "surviving" those hectic first years; and issues related to principals' preparation and learning.
Abstract: Purpose – This article aims to set the scene for this Special Issue on beginning principals and to inform one's understanding of how new principals manage their work lives to make a difference in their schools.Design/methodology/approach – Based on recent literature on beginning principals, the paper draws together and analyses issues encompassing principals' formal preparation, recruitment, licensure and socialisation.Findings – This article outlines the broader context that frames the lives of beginning principals across societies. It does this through focusing on three fairly general topics: the current expectations of principals and potential principals, which also touches on a shortage of principal candidates in some societies; the life of beginning principals, including strategies suggested by research for “surviving” those hectic first years; and issues related to principals' preparation and learning. These topics encapsulate the focuses of the articles that follow.Originality/value – The paper con...
134 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the consequences of relational trust, especially parent measured trust, for desirable school outcomes were investigated using a US Midwestern state sample of 79 schools, using a trust-effectiveness typology.
Abstract: Purpose – To investigate the consequences of relational trust, especially parent measured trust, for desirable school outcomes.Design/methodology/approach – Using a US Midwestern state sample of 79 schools, parent and teacher trust data are used to derive a trust‐effectiveness typology. Trust was conceptualized as one party's willingness to be vulnerable to another party based on the confidence that the latter party is benevolent, reliable, competent, honest, and open.Findings – Findings derived from the extraction of canonical correlation variates support the prediction that a complex and extensive trust environment is predictive of internal school conditions and consequences, even after accounting for socioeconomic status of the school community. Four theoretical trust‐effectiveness patterns emerge from the interpretation.Research limitations/implications – The research design was planned as a school level study. Perceptual data collected at the individual level were intended for aggregation thus, neste...
111 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify the main challenges faced by new headteachers after taking up their first headship in the UK and compare how these challenges have changed over time.
Abstract: Purpose – This article aims to identify the main challenges faced by headteachers after taking up their first headship in the UK. It also compares how these challenges have changed over time. Other purposes include the setting of the initial phase of headship within a whole career model and how heads become socialised into the role.Design/methodology/approach – Based on evidence from empirical studies using longitudinal data over a period of 20 years, the paper reviews the challenges faced by new headteachers in the UK; it also advocates a stage model for studying the principalship.Findings – Many of the main challenges experienced by new headteachers remained the same over a 20‐year period; most of the differences were accounted for by changes in government policy over the period. The main difficulties included catering with the legacy of previous incumbents, overcoming established school cultures and communication behaviours, coping with poorly performing staff, and countering a poor public image of the...
105 citations
TL;DR: This paper examined the influence of three contextual variables: socioeconomic status, school level, and school structure on teacher perceptions of collective efficacy, and found that these proximate sources of efficacy information theoretically shape a teacher's perception of the teaching context.
Abstract: Purpose – Recent scholarship has augmented Bandura's theory underlying efficacy formation by pointing to more proximate sources of efficacy information involved in forming collective teacher efficacy. These proximate sources of efficacy information theoretically shape a teacher's perception of the teaching context, operationalizing the difficulty of the teaching task that faces the school and the faculty's collective competence to be successful under specific conditions. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of three contextual variables: socioeconomic status, school level, and school structure on teacher perceptions of collective efficacy.Design/methodology/approach – School level data were collected from a cross‐section of 79 schools in a Midwestern state. Data were analyzed at the school level using hierarchical multiple regression to determine the incremental variance in collective teacher efficacy beliefs attributed to contextual variables after accounting for the effect of prior aca...
TL;DR: A review of existing school culture inventories and a bibliography of questionnaires that can be used for diagnosing school culture can be found in this paper, where a literature search was conducted to identify school culture questionnaires in international research indexes and educational administration abstracts.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose is to provide a critical review of existing school culture inventories and to provide a bibliography of questionnaires that can be used for diagnosing school culture.Design/methodology/approach – A literature search was conducted to identify school culture questionnaires in international research indexes and educational administration abstracts. Multi‐dimensional questionnaires were selected that were directed towards measuring organisational culture in schools and which were validated. Where insufficient data were available in the literature, authors were contacted for additional information and/or to check the descriptions of the instruments.Findings – Questionnaires can be a valuable tool in diagnosing school cultures. A number of validated instruments are available for measuring cultural factors in both primary and secondary schools. School culture inventories are primarily concerned with the identification of particular cultural traits in schools.Research limitations/implication...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors posit that the new economy places a new set of demands on schools and those who lead, and that mindfulness, intentional engagement of people and adaptive confidence are needed developmental features of beginning principal success.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper sets out to posit that the new economy places a new set of demands on schools and those who lead. Mindfulness, intentional engagement of people and adaptive confidence are needed developmental features of beginning principal success. The paper examines how beginning principals in Canada respond to the capacity‐building work of leading learning communities.Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines data from a number of Canadian studies of beginning principalship and makes sense of these data using learning community and leadership literature.Findings – Beginning principals must create a learning community culture that sustains and develops trust, collaboration, risk taking, reflection, shared leadership, and data‐based decision making. Mindfulness, engaging people in capacity building and the development of adaptive confidence are key features of new principal maturation.Originality/value – Beginning principals need to first develop personal, then collective efficacy, as well as...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors report on research into the ethical dilemmas faced by school heads from seven independent schools in Australia, all of which were experienced school leaders and had religious affiliations.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on research into the ethical dilemmas faced by school heads from seven independent schools in Australia.Design/methodology/approach – Data for the research were gathered by semi‐structured in‐depth interviews with the Heads, all of whom were experienced school leaders. All the schools had religious affiliations.Findings – The findings are broadly consistent with the conclusions reached in other Australian and international studies dealing with school leaders which suggest that ethical dilemmas, usually concerning issues to do with staff or students, are so common now that they have become the “bread and butter” of educational leaders' lives. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the struggles school leaders experience when faced with such dilemmas and the forces at play as they seek to resolve them Typically, the dilemmas are not about “right” versus “wrong”, but “right” versus “right” options.Research limitations/implications – It is clear t...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors discuss how public school administrators with a social justice perspective have an obligation to permeate society beyond their schools and how they might address the perilous politics associated with advocating social change.
Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to discuss how public school administrators with a social justice perspective have an obligation to permeate society beyond their schools and how they might address the perilous politics associated with advocating social change. Using George Counts' landmark 1932 speech, Dare the School Build a New Social Order? as the conceptual lenses, it examines the relevancy of Counts' words for contemporary school leaders and professors of educational administration.Design/methodology/approach – While this article is historical in tone, the paper proposes pursuing a critical hermeneutic rather than a strictly historical approach.Findings – The paper finds that there are similarities between the present‐day call for social justice and the earlier Social Reconstructionist movement that Counts' manifesto sparked. Both movements have invited educators, and particularly the professoriate, to think more expansively when it comes to US public education, society at large, and the influence of educa...
TL;DR: In this article, the EFQM model self-assessment in a Spanish university is studied and a case study methodology is used based on five services provided by a public university in Spain.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the EFQM model self‐assessment in a Spanish university.Design/methodology/approach – A case study methodology is used based on five services provided by a public university in Spain.Findings – The findings show the steps that one university can follow in order to apply this exercise in a successful manner, its benefits, its obstacles and its key factors such as management and employee commitment, and the support to self‐assessment teams (e.g. training, review).Originality/value – The paper provides lessons for managers from other universities who wish to develop a self‐assessment exercise.
TL;DR: The authors presented a conceptual model of parent satisfaction with schools that was derived from the literature as well as researchers at the Harris Interactive Poll Organization, and reported the findings from a survey of 27,605 African-American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic parents from 121 schools in 27 school districts across the US.
Abstract: Purpose – Parent satisfaction with their children's school is an important issue in today's competitive educational environment characterized by school choice and government standards; however, few empirical studies address school satisfaction similarities and differences among parents from different ethnic groups. The purpose of this paper is to determine empirically similarities as well as differences in the factors important to parents from different ethnic backgrounds.Design/methodology/approach – This article presents a conceptual model of parent satisfaction with schools that was derived from the literature as well as researchers at the Harris Interactive Poll Organization. The article reports the findings from a survey of 27,605 African‐American, Asian, Caucasian, and Hispanic parents from 121 schools in 27 school districts across the US. Regression analyses identified factors that contribute to overall school satisfaction among the ethnic groups.Findings – Ethnic parental groups share attributes w...
TL;DR: In this paper, a study of the work lives of beginning principals in Hong Kong is presented, where the authors explore the concurrent influence of their inner worlds and the external contexts on their leadership within a reforming environment.
Abstract: – Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to one's understanding of how beginning principals in Hong Kong exercise leadership by exploring the concurrent influence of their inner worlds and the external contexts on their leadership within a reforming environment.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a study of the work lives of beginning principals in Hong Kong, this paper discusses a number of findings which attest to the complexity of the role of principals in a reforming environment and how this is influenced by an amalgam of personal and other contextual factors.Findings – These include a set of categories and sub‐categories which help to frame an understanding of the work lives of beginning principals, and a rough typology of beginning principals.Originality/value – The paper contains original data about secondary school beginning principals in Hong Kong, illustrating how their personal characteristics interact with other contextual features to shape their leadership.
TL;DR: This article explored some of the current tensions within educational administration in the USA and concluded with a few cautions for educators who engage in social justice projects, concluding that those who embrace a social justice perspective will do so at their own peril.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this article is to explore some of the current tensions within educational administration in the USA and conclude with a few cautions for educators who engage in social justice projects.Design/methodology/approach – Using a selective case, this historical essay examines the issues of social justice and equity as they have related to educational administration in the USA.Findings – The article finds that while educational administrative practice has been characterized as maintaining the social and political status quo, there are historic examples of leaders promoting social justice. One exemplar is J. Rupert Picott, who provides an example of how one educational leader navigated through a hostile environment to achieve equity.Practical implications – In a society where accountability is narrowly defined and economic concerns continue to perpetuate a managerial model for educational administrators, those who embrace a social justice perspective will do so at their own peril. However...
TL;DR: This article explored the relationship between externally generated pressures and tensions facing beginning principals and their influence on principal socialisation and development, and identified tensions between increasing pressure on schools to meet a diverse range of social objectives and a context of high pressure accountability, limited resources and increasing institutional and systemic complexity uncertainty.
Abstract: Purpose – The paper seeks to develop a conceptual framework capable of informing future research into beginning principalship in diverse cultural contexts.Design/methodology/approach – Based on recent literature, and specifically drawing on contributions to this Special Issue, the paper explores the relationship between externally generated pressures and tensions facing beginning principals and their influence on principal socialisation and development.Findings – The paper identifies tensions between increasing pressure on schools to meet a diverse range of social objectives and a context of high‐pressure accountability, limited resources and increasing institutional and systemic complexity uncertainty. Beginning principals face the difficult task of having to reconcile these tensions and in some contexts there is emerging evidence of this impacting on a crisis in principal supply. The paper argues that if systemic problems of supply are to be addressed educational researchers need to develop more sophist...
TL;DR: A 34-item Likert-type survey instrument, The Reflective, Ethical, and Moral Assessment Survey (REMAS), measuring perceptions of use of reflective, ethical and moral dispositions and leadership practices was developed as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Purpose – A 34‐item Likert‐type survey instrument, The Reflective, Ethical, and Moral Assessment Survey (REMAS), measuring perceptions of use of reflective, ethical and moral dispositions and leadership practices was developed. Items, component factors, and results of the self‐assessment of graduates from an educational leadership preparation program in which the reflective, ethical and moral constructs are two of four curricular strands are reported.Design/methodology/approach – Data from mailed surveys from 106 program graduates and 113 co‐workers were compiled and analyzed. Descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and analyses of variance (ANOVA) were used for analyses of program graduate responses on the factor scores based on demographic variables of age, gender, and position, i.e. higher education, p‐12, or other.Findings – Its show differences among the graduates by gender for the defensive behavior factor with males tending to be more defensive than females, and for age on the reflective dimension...
TL;DR: In this article, the impact of incorporating a set of readings focused on issues of gender, diversity, leadership, and feminist thought into the curriculum of a statewide educational leadership doctoral program was considered.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this article is to consider the impact of incorporating a set of readings focused on issues of gender, diversity, leadership, and feminist thought into the curriculum of a statewide educational leadership doctoral program.Design/methodology/approach – Based data from open‐ended surveys, semi‐structured interviews, and reflection statements, the article presents a qualitative analysis of how students react to, learn from, and resist social justice‐oriented curricula and teaching strategies, particularly those related to gender issues.Findings – The analysis of the data collected in this research suggests that, after a year of exposure to readings and written assignments about gender and other diversity issues, few students had undergone significant transformations in their learning regarding gender issues. Moreover, it was found that many students demonstrated resistance to reading, reflecting on and discussing gender issues.Originality/value – Programs and professors that endeavor...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated relationships among teachers' occupational stress, coping, teacher self-efficacy and relevant teachers' perceptions of curriculum changes in a major educational reform, and found that teachers may cope with stress associated with the changes using palliative strategies rather than direct problem solving.
Abstract: Purpose – The main research aim was to investigate relationships among teachers' occupational stress, coping, teacher self‐efficacy and relevant teachers' perceptions of curriculum changes in a major educational reform.Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework that included the attribution of responsibility for stress model, aspects of social cognitive theory and perceptions of the changes to the HSC, was used to guide the study. Multilevel variance decomposition and structural equation modelling were employed.Findings – Stress attributions to personal and organizational domains were associated with the teachers' perceived stress from implementation of the new curriculum. Furthermore, results suggested that these teachers may have coped with stress associated with the changes using palliative strategies rather than direct problem solving. Teachers' greater understanding of what the curriculum changes entailed was associated with lower teacher self‐efficacy.Practical implications – Emphasises t...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors provide insights into the work of beginning principals in their first year through the experiences of one beginning principal during his first year in post using an action learning methodology.
Abstract: Purpose – The paper aims to provide insights into the work of beginning principals in their first year through the experiences of one beginning principal during his first year in post.Design/methodology/approach – In order to illuminate the problems of beginning principals the paper sets out to answer the personal question: “What can I say about my experiences that can benefit other beginning principals?” To this end, it details a personal exploration of a beginning principal's first year in post using an action learning methodology.Findings – The paper describes some of the major problems faced and asserts that the key issue which emerged was how much or how little change beginning principals should implement in their first year on the job. The paper also suggests a personal generic framework for dealing with this and other issues in situ.Originality/value – This paper provides a unique insight into the work of beginning principals and their work problems. It also contributes a model that may stimulate r...
TL;DR: In this article, the authors call upon educational leaders to consider the forces that hinder hope-giving and to consider viewing their work as inspiring warranted hope among their constituents in situations of well-defined reality.
Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of the article is to call upon educational leaders to consider the forces that hinder hope‐giving and to consider viewing their work as inspiring warranted hope among their constituents in situations of well‐defined reality.Design/methodological/approach – The author argues that hope is an essential component of leader agency which when unhindered and defined in a multidimensional fashion may be used to transform the experiences of learning communities.Findings – The author argues that leaders who foster warranted hope in constituents will gain transformational leverage to improve educational practice and the experiences of learners and their communities.Practical implications – The author provides leaders with an overview of the utility of a reality‐based notion of hope that may serve to legitimate and focus constituent energies and make sense of key organizational challenges.Originality/value – Provides a unique framing and synthesis of the multi‐dimensional concept of hope into th...
TL;DR: The authors examined whether emerging school leaders are prepared to face this challenge and embrace the society-building responsibility at the core of public schooling, focusing especially on students from homogeneous backgrounds, their capacity to address issues of diversity and the extent to which their educational leadership program has prepared them to champion social justice within schools.
Abstract: Purpose – George Counts' classic 1932 speech asks, “Dare the school build a new social order?” This article proposes examining whether emerging school leaders are prepared to face this challenge and embrace the society‐building responsibility at the core of public schooling. It aims to focus especially on students from homogeneous backgrounds, their capacity to address issues of diversity, and the extent to which their educational leadership program has prepared them to champion social justice within schools.Design/methodology/approach – This study looks at emerging leaders in three master's level cohort programs in educational leadership at a state university in New England. It incorporates survey data, interviews, and document analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to organize and summarize the data. Open‐ended questions and interviews were transcribed and coded, and program documents examined to identify overall purposes of educational leadership and evidence of diversity awareness.Findings – Findi...
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors outline a framework for social justice, describes both the social and educational context of South Africa, highlights inequitable funding practices, and advocates for policy changes in the form of vertical equity.
Abstract: Purpose – Outlines a framework for social justice, describes both the social and educational context of South Africa, highlights inequitable funding practices, and then advocates for policy changes in the form of vertical equity.Design/methodology/approach – Provides a retrospective review of mandated segregation by race to hypothetical de‐segregation by post‐apartheid policies to de facto re‐segregation by class, in the “new” South Africa.Findings – Describes how overt racism in the form of apartheid laws has been replaced by covert racism and class domination in the form of school fees.Originality/value – Reveals how “new” educational injustices are preventing poor and marginalized groups from getting universal access to high‐quality education in the “new” South Africa.