The literature on middle level education addresses teaching and learning in great detail. While research on elementary and high schools consistently supports the importance of the school principal, the middle level principal is not readily addressed. Relatively little empirical evidence exists that addresses the career orientation of the middle level principal. Knowing the career orientation of middle level principals is important for principal-training programs, school corporations who hire middle level administrators, and educators who are contemplating or preparing for entry into the middle level principalship.This study examined the career orientation of Indiana middle level principals, grades six (6) through eight (8), during the 1998-1999 school year. The population consisted of 215 principals; 194 (90.2%) participated in the study. The purpose of the study was to determine the career orientation of practicing middle level principals by examining three strands: career aspirations, focusing on career path and career goals; professional preparation, focusing on licensing, educational background, and perceptions of preparedness; and job satisfaction, focusing on work preference and satisfaction. The demographic variables of age, gender, school size, experience as an assistant principal, years of professional experience, geographic location, highest degree earned, and employment of middle school constructs were considered in light of the three strands.Research questions examined four areas of the Indiana middle level principal's career orientation: the extent to which the individuals 1) aspired to be a middle level principal, 2) followed a career path that included middle level experience, 3) were prepared for the middle level principalship, and 4) were satisfied being a middle level principal.Findings of the study indicated that Indiana's middle level principals did aspire to the middle level principalship. Prior to their first middle level principalship, the career path for most middle level principals included middle level experience. Although middle level courses were part of most degree programs, most of the participants believed that preparation for middle level administration was not adequate. Finally, Indiana's middle level principals were satisfied with their work and most considered the middle level principalship to be their ultimate career goal.Recommendations for further study are included. / Department of Educational Leadership

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Illinois State University, 2006. / Title from title page screen, viewed on May 14, 2007. Dissertation Committee: Linda Lyman (chair), Beth Hatt-Echeverria, Joe Pacha, Nancy Sherman. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 148-154) and abstract. Also available in print.

The problem with which this investigation is concerned is that of determining the nature of the differences and relationships between self-reported levels of stress and job satisfaction of elementary and secondary school principals in a selected school support region. This research effort employed a co-relational design. A random sample of 100 elementary and 100 secondary school principals were selected to participate in the study, for which the response rate was 93 per cent. The principals were mailed the Morse Index of Employee Satisfaction and the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Part A, and asked to assess their own job satisfaction and stress levels.

A recent study conducted by the National Association of Secondary School Principals found that 45% of principals report that pandemic working conditions are accelerating their plans to leave the profession (2021). The current principal attrition crisis has only been exacerbated by the chaos and uncertainty of the global health pandemic. These conditions combined with the stressors that already exist in public education have created a crisis that cannot be ignored. On average, 1 in 5 principals turn over each year (Levin, et al., 2020). In order to create strong schools, it will be important to prioritize the needs of current principals and recruit and train future aspiring leaders to take the helm (NASSP, 2020). The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore with a group of female high school principals how they manage stressors in their professional and personal lives--specifically, what health and wellness strategies are used to remain in their roles over time, feel satisfied in their role, and experience a sense of efficacy. Four overarching research questions will guide this study to focus on how female principals identify challenges and stressors experienced by school leaders and examine how strategies are utilized to manage and overcome the inevitable occupational stressors associated with the role of the school leader. This dissertation study examines (a) how female principals in urban high schools describe the challenges they face in carrying out their dual role as leaders at work and at home, (b) how female principals in urban high schools learn to overcome the challenges they face, (c) the factors that female principals in urban high schools say facilitate and/or impede their ability to manage the personal and professional demands they face, and (d) the strategies that female principals in urban high schools use to improve job satisfaction, professional efficacy, and longevity in the role. A select sample of six female principals shared their experiences in in-depth interviews. This research makes an important contribution to the field of educational leadership by facilitating a more sustainable female workforce, strengthening school leadership, and increasing support not only for women in the role but for all school leaders who experience occupational stressors and role conflict.

The central problem of the study was to determine the nature of the workday of the urban high school assistant principal. Specific questions guiding the investigation were as follows: (1)What are the workday activities of an assistant principal? (2)How long is this day? (3)How might the pace of the workday be described? (4)With whom does an assistant principal interact? How? Why? (5)To what extent is daily work proactive? Reactive? (6)Do the workdays of the various urban high school assistant principals differ? The investigator, in the nonparticipant observor role, employed five data-collection techniques: field notes; structured interview; review of written materials; and structured observation, employing the framework of Mintzberg (1973), whereby chronology, written communication, and verbal contact records were kept. The sample was composed of five assistant principals, representing a cross-section of administrative functions, in an urban school district on the West coast. Each assistant principal was observed throughout five days and evenings of school-related activities. The worktime of the composite sample was apportioned in the following manner: six percent, telephone calls; 17 percent, desk work; 24 percent, scheduled meetings; 24 percent, unscheduled meetings; and 34 percent, observational/informational tours. The average work week was 42 hours and 33 minutes; the average workday, 8 hours and 31 minutes. The dimensions of brevity, fragmentation, and variety were evident in daily work. In twenty-five days, 1,280 separate activities were undertaken. The average duration per activity was quite short: telephone calls, two minutes; unscheduled meetings, five minutes; desk sessions, nine minutes; tours, 12 minutes; and scheduled meetings, 36 minutes. Seventy-five percent of all activities lasted less than nine minutes. Only one percent exceeded an hour. The assistant principal interacted with many participant groups, with heaviest emphasis on subordinates within the building (64 percent of input mail, 79 percent of output communications; 49 percent of all verbal contacts) and clients, or students and their families (26 percent of all verbal contacts). Fifty-eight percent of all meetings and tours were with one other person. The prime purpose for interactions was to convey, receive, review, or exchange information (66 percent of input mail, 74 percent of contacts, and 79 percent of contact time). The assistant principals initiated 54 percent of their verbal contacts and 46 percent of the number of pieces of mail received. The factors tentatively isolated as related to workday differences were physical facilities, personal style and philosophy of assistant principal, time of year, and assigned functions.

在全球教育改革此起彼伏的今天，竞争型国家都力求通过教育领先战略以提升国家的竞争力。因此为校长及学校领导提供专业支持，提供有质量的培训与发展项目以确保教育竞争力是各国近期教育政策执行链中重要的一环。各国出台了很多政策与措施来确保学校领导培训与发展项目质量的持续改进。然而，值得注意的是所有政策措施的影响都是通过关键持份者在培训过程中的互动建构而实现的。迄今为止，学校领导培训项目中关键持份者的过程建构仍是一个黑匣子。 / 本研究采用质性研究方法，以中国五个校长培训机构的高级研修培训为个案，探究中国大陆校长培训的过程建构。本研究揭示了培训机构的管理者/专职人员、培训者与参训校长在培训前、培训中及培训后的行为表现与互动特点。在此基础上，研究者进一步分析了他们对校长学习、参训校长与专家的关系、校长培训的认识及这种认识对他们互动建构过程的影响。最后在国家、市场和高校的情境架构中，深入探讨培训机构与国家、高校和市场的关系如何形塑他们对培训的认识。通过上述三个层次的递进与拓展分析与追问，本研究揭示了中国大陆校长培训过程建构的黑盒子，提供了清晰的理解视角。 / 本研究发现，首先国家、市场、高校是影响校长培训发展的三股外在制度力量。国家从管制、提供和资助三方面影响校长培训的需求和供应。市场被当做国家提升培训质量的工具，在国家的管制下，在实践中发挥着有限的影响。高校则通过校内的部门定位与人员配备影响培训的核心建构过程。国家、市场、高校之间的张力，形塑了关键持份者对校长学习、参训校长与专家的关系和校长培训的认识。目前这种认识以技术控制旨趣为主导，实践中逐渐开始浮现理解实践的旨趣。 / 其次，在培训过程建构中，管理者/专职人员看似占据主导地位，但在实际的互动中，其与培训者并不存在管理关系，对培训者所讲内容与教学方式的可控性弱。他们能够强制要求参训校长扮演好“学员的角色，但是他们并不能控制参训校长在培训过程中的参与度。 / 最后，培训中的校长学习主要以授受的方式进行。由于参训校长准备不足、缺乏培训相关性与共同性的协商，在一定程度上呈现出专家主导的特点。在培训结束之后，部分参训校长能利用培训结识各方人员的机会决定是否继续联系管理者/专职人员与培训者。 / 本研究通过质性的实证个案研究，增进了对在职学校领导发展与培训的理解，在国家、市场和高校的架构中，深化对中国目前普遍的以高校为本的校长培训的理解，弥补了中国大陆现有校长培训与发展研究的不足，同时具有研究方法的意义和研究视角的价值。 / Education has been prioritized by competition states to imporve national competitiveness in the global trend of educational reform. Providing professional support and high quality leader training programs for school principals are therefore critical to implementing the ambitious and desirable educational reforms. Various educational policies and measures applied in some countries to ensure the quality and continous improvement of school principal development programs. However, the policies and measures can only matter through the stakeholder’s interative construction process of the training programs. How various stakeholders construct the training process is still a blackbox until now. / This research is qualitative in nature, exploring the construction of principal training process in Mainland China with five training institutions as cases. It presents what administrator/ full-time staff, trainer and principal trainee do before, during and after principal training program, and how they interact with each other. Then, the research analyzes how the stakeholders perceive principal learning, the relationship between principal trainee and trainer, and principal training as well. This research also explores how their understandings influence the interactive construction process. Finally the above mentioned actions, perceptions and interactions are integrated into a larger institutional context in which state, market and higher education institution have shaped the construction of principal training process and ultimately impact on the development of principal training. / This resesearch first finds that the state, market and higher education institutions are the three external institutional forces shaping the context for process construction of principal training in Mainland China. The sttate influences the supply and demand of principal training through regulation, provision and funding. Market as an extended policy instrument from the state to improve program quality, and exerts limited impact under the regualtion of the state. Higher education institutions influence core process construction through department function orientation and staffing. The tension among state, market and higher education institution shapes stakeholders’ perceptions of principal learning, relationship betweeen principal trainee and trainer, principal training as well, which are dominated by technical-control interest while the interest of understanding practice is emerging gradually. In the process construction, administrator and full-time faculty appear dominating the process, but they have little control over part-time trainers either in content or in pedagogy. At the same time, they can contrive the principal trainee to play out the role of trainee, but they can not force their engagement. Principal learning in training is constructed as ‘give and receive’ between the trainer and the principal trainee. In fact, the whole process is dominated by the trainer as a result of unreadiness of the principal trainee, lacking of relevance and negotiation of mutuality. After the principal training, some principals would further use the connections by their own needs. / This research is the first empirical qualitative study focusing on the process construction of school principal training in China. It contributes to the understanding of in-service school leader training and development for school leadership in the university-based training system and fills the gaps of existing principals of training and development research in the Mainland China. This research has its value in research methods attempted and perspectives applied in this kind of studies. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 郑玉莲. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-217). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Zheng Yulian. / 摘 要 --- p.1 / Abstract --- p.3 / 致 谢 --- p.5 / 目 录 --- p.8 / 图目录 --- p.14 / 表目录 --- p.15 / Chapter 第一章 --- 导论 --- p.16 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究背景 --- p.17 / Chapter 一、 --- 西方学校领导培训与发展的变革 --- p.17 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的实践脉络 --- p.20 / Chapter 第二节 --- 研究问题 --- p.23 / Chapter 第三节 --- 研究意义 --- p.25 / Chapter 第二章 --- 文献综述 --- p.28 / Chapter 第一节 --- 学校情境下的教育领导理论的发展 --- p.28 / Chapter 一、 --- 领导理论发展述评 --- p.29 / Chapter 二、 --- 教育领导理论流派 --- p.30 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.38 / Chapter 第二节 --- 从领导者培训到领导力发展：校长培训理论视角的转型 --- p.40 / Chapter 一、 --- 从领导者到领导力 --- p.40 / Chapter 二、 --- 从培训到发展 --- p.44 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.57 / Chapter 第三节 --- 学校领导培训与发展实施与研究 --- p.60 / Chapter 一、 --- 学校领导储训项目 --- p.60 / Chapter 二、 --- 入职与在职培训项目 --- p.61 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.62 / Chapter 第四节 --- 学校领导培训与发展治理架构的调整 --- p.62 / Chapter 一、 --- 学校领导培训与发展的治理分析架构 --- p.63 / Chapter 二、 --- 国家、大学、市场与学校领导培训与发展 --- p.65 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.66 / Chapter 第五节 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究进展 --- p.67 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究全景扫描 --- p.67 / Chapter （一） --- 期刊文章 --- p.67 / Chapter （二） --- 硕博论文 --- p.71 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究评述 --- p.72 / Chapter 第三章 --- 研究设计 --- p.75 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究者的认识旨趣与质性研究取向 --- p.75 / Chapter 一、 --- 质性的研究取向 --- p.75 / Chapter 二、 --- 研究者认识旨趣的澄清 --- p.76 / Chapter 三、 --- 研究范畴界定 --- p.76 / Chapter 第二节 --- 个案研究设计 --- p.76 / Chapter 第三节 --- 个案选择与资料搜集 --- p.77 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训机构的选取 --- p.77 / Chapter 二、 --- 资料搜集 --- p.79 / Chapter 三、 --- 资料编码与分析 --- p.81 / Chapter 第四节 --- 研究的可靠性与伦理考量 --- p.82 / Chapter 一、 --- 研究可靠性 --- p.82 / Chapter 二、 --- 研究的伦理考量 --- p.83 / Chapter 第五节 --- 研究阶段 --- p.84 / Chapter 第四章 --- 中国大陆校长培训的本土情境与案例机构简析 --- p.85 / Chapter 第一节 --- 中国大陆校长培训的历史发展：政策分析的视角 --- p.85 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训发展阶段 --- p.86 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训政策的延续与变革 --- p.90 / Chapter 第二节 --- 中国大陆校长培训系统 --- p.96 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的管理体系 --- p.96 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的层级 --- p.97 / Chapter 三、 --- 中国大陆校长培训承担机构的类型 --- p.98 / Chapter 四、 --- 高校为本的校长培训机构 --- p.99 / Chapter 第三节 --- 案例机构简析 --- p.100 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训机构的分析架构 --- p.100 / Chapter 二、 --- 案例机构背景分析 --- p.101 / Chapter 第五章 --- 中国大陆校长培训过程建构的全景扫描 --- p.106 / Chapter 第一节 --- 培训前的管理者/专职人员独角戏 --- p.106 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训前的准备 --- p.106 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训前的动态互动关系分析 --- p.112 / Chapter 第二节 --- 培训过程中的校长学习 --- p.114 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长培训的时空架构 --- p.115 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长学习的核心活动 --- p.116 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长学习的边缘活动 --- p.123 / Chapter 四、 --- 培训过程中动态互动关系分析 --- p.126 / Chapter 第三节 --- 培训后的非正式交汇 --- p.128 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训后的不同关注点 --- p.128 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训后的动态互动关系分析 --- p.130 / Chapter 第四节 --- 结语 --- p.131 / Chapter 第六章 --- 对校长培训的认识与培训过程建构 --- p.138 / Chapter 第一节 --- 对校长学习的理解与认识 --- p.138 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长为什么要学 --- p.138 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长学什么 --- p.142 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长怎么学 --- p.144 / Chapter 第二节 --- 对参训校长-专家关系的认识 --- p.145 / Chapter 一、 --- 传统的“参训校长-专家关系的认识 --- p.145 / Chapter 二、 --- 新型“参训校长-专家关系认识的浮现 --- p.146 / Chapter 第三节 --- 对校长培训的认识 --- p.148 / Chapter 一、 --- 将校长培训视为一种任务和待遇 --- p.148 / Chapter 二、 --- 将校长培训视为一种教学平台 --- p.151 / Chapter 三、 --- 将校长培训视为超级市场或信息中心 --- p.152 / Chapter 四、 --- 将校长培训视为学习社群 --- p.153 / Chapter 第四节 --- 结语 --- p.154 / Chapter 一、 --- 技术控制旨趣下的认识及其对校长培训过程建构的影响 --- p.154 / Chapter 二、 --- 理解实践旨趣的认识及其对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.155 / Chapter 三、 --- 解放旨趣的认识及其对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.156 / Chapter 第七章 --- 国家、市场、高校角力下的校长培训 --- p.157 / Chapter 第一节 --- 国家对校长培训的影响 --- p.157 / Chapter 一、 --- 国家对校长培训的管制 --- p.157 / Chapter 二、 --- 国家对校长培训的资助 --- p.159 / Chapter 三、 --- 国家对校长培训的提供 --- p.160 / Chapter 第二节 --- 逐渐兴起的培训市场 --- p.160 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长培训市场的供需方 --- p.161 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长培训市场的交换媒介 --- p.164 / Chapter 第三节 --- 高校对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.166 / Chapter 一、 --- 高校类型及其生存环境的变革 --- p.167 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训机构部门设置与功能定位 --- p.167 / Chapter 三、 --- 培训师资队伍的构成 --- p.172 / Chapter 第四节 --- 国家、市场、高校角力下培训机构能力建设的策略 --- p.176 / Chapter 一、 --- 理解校长培训机构能力建设的分析架构 --- p.176 / Chapter 二、 --- 不同类型培训机构能力建设策略分析 --- p.178 / Chapter 三、 --- 培训机构能力建设的思考 --- p.185 / Chapter 第八章 --- 结论与反思 --- p.187 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究发现 --- p.187 / Chapter 一、 --- 关键持份者的行为表现与互动特点 --- p.188 / Chapter 二、 --- 关键持份者的认识与培训过程的建构 --- p.189 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长培训机构与国家、高校及市场的关系及其影响 --- p.190 / Chapter 四、 --- 重新理解校长学习 --- p.192 / Chapter 五、 --- 中国大陆校长培训过程建构的隐喻 --- p.194 / Chapter 第二节 --- 研究贡献 --- p.195 / Chapter 一、 --- 理论贡献 --- p.195 / Chapter 二、 --- 实践启示 --- p.198 / Chapter 第三节 --- 研究限制 --- p.201 / Chapter 第四节 --- 后续研究建议 --- p.201 / 参考文献： --- p.203 / 附 录 --- p.218

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

The study focuses on public relations as a significant aspect of the functions of the principal as the manager of a secondary school. A review of selected literature suggests that a large number of the daily administrative and managerial tasks performed by principals require public relations skills. Research was conducted, by means of questionnaires and structured interviews, among principals and teachers at House of Delegates secondary schools in the greater Durban area. The research analysis examines principals' qualifications and in-service training in public relations. The public relations practice at schools used in the sample are evaluated in terms of selected public relations issues, viz. fund-raising, communication with the school's publics, coping with crises and image-building. The results of the study indicate that few principals have received training in public relations and that public relations practice at House of Delegates secondary schools in the greater Durban area is weak and inadequate. In the view of the researcher, principals should be given special in-service training, to develop their public relations skills and to teach them sound public relations practice, so that they will become better managers of their schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1993.

The primary aim of this study was to produce materials on ethics which could be used in the preparation of practicing and potential principals. To examine the views of secondary school principals involved in the study, twenty scenarios were developed which portrayed situations that principals typically encounter. School divisions in Virginia were divided into four categories according to enrollment and the number of secondary schools in the division. Ten schools from each classification were randomly selected, and on-site interviews were conducted with each principal in which four of the scenarios and a survey form were employed to collect information. Responses of the principals to the scenarios were transcribed, analyzed and distilled. The scenarios and responses became the foundation for the development of a primer on ethics for use in administrative in-service workshops and principal preparation programs. The primer was used in designing and presenting in-service programs on ethics for the administrative staffs of two school divisions. Responses by principals to situations presented during the study and the in-service programs indicate that practicing and potential school administrators would benefit by having ethics included as a fundamental part of their professional preparation program. / Ed. D.