The research focuses on the role of the principal in the implementation of the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) in Tshwane North District 3. The district is characterised by urban areas, townships and informal settlements. Educators in schools in these areas are well qualified; however, schools in the informal settlement lack resources and facilities. Thus, the curriculum implementation problems experienced by principals and educators in the informal settlements differ from those of principals and educators in urban schools. The amendment of the Curriculum 2005 through the RNCS introduced innovations in schools and changed the principal's role in its implementation. A literature review provided a conceptual framework and covered requirements for successful curriculum implementation, the principal's role therein and relevant training for principals. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted and data gathered by interviews with principals, officials from the Department of Education and educators. Finally, a synopsis of the findings and recommendations for further research are provided. / EDUCATIONAL STUDIES / MED (EDUC MANAGEMENT)

This study investigates the actions, roles and beliefs of curriculum leaders and managers as they work to secure improvements in curriculum delivery and in managing curriculum change, using the context of an academically successful rural secondary school as a case study. This study acknowledges that curriculum reforms are far from over in South African education scape and that these reforms are unlikely to neglect the school as a curriculum management site. The rationales of this study are threefold. First, in view of the challenges facing curriculum managers at school level, as well as the questionability of the school managements’ capacity to mediate the curriculum, there is a need for empirical investigation as to how successful rural schools manage the curriculum effectively. Secondly, to gain a greater understanding how school leaders might influence curriculum delivery through effective instructional leadership. Thirdly, given that South African principals have little experience of instructional leadership and managing, teaching and learning is one of the core modules in the new qualification for school principals, this study aims to contribute case study evidence in this field. This study was conducted within two research paradigms. Firstly, this study assumes that in a school setting there are key participants who are informative about the research foci. These participants have something important to say about curriculum management processes, curriculum change and instructional leadership. This assumption is located within phenomenology. Secondly, symbolic interaction is another conceptual paradigm in that curriculum management is studied as a complex process requiring interaction among role players. Findings indicated that the principal impacts positively on teaching and learning if he focuses on instructional leadership. Secondly, the effective use of regular meetings is essential in order to clarify the vision and build an organization and culture where teaching and learning flourish. Thirdly, curriculum managers are directly involved in curriculum management, albeit at different angles. Fourthly, the capacity of the School Management Team (SMT) needs to be strengthened through use of innovative practices and lastly, the principal needs to be a proactive leader who observes and takes ownership of curriculum changes. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / M. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The aim of this research was to explore the principals’ perceptions of their instructional leadership role in the improvement of literacy and numeracy in the Foundation Phase. This study was guided by a desire to find out and understand what principals perceive as their instructional leadership role in the improvement of literacy and numeracy. Although instructional leadership has been studied intensively, these studies have not explicitly considered principals’ perceptions of this concept. Most of the research has tended to explain this phenomenon from other stakeholders’ point of view. There has been very little research that has sought to understand how and in what ways principals view their instructional leadership role. As a domain of school leadership, instructional leadership is viewed by many as the primary role of principals which is meant to ensure effective and efficient teaching and learning. The deteriorating level of learner performance in both national and international tests has prompted the South African ministry of education to redirect efforts and seriously consider the importance of basic numeracy and literacy skills. The Department of Basic Education introduced programmes, namely the Foundations For Learning Campaign, the Annual National Assessment and Action Plan to 2014 to address the problems of learners’ inability to read, make basic calculations and write. This study is, thus, premised on the assumption that literacy and numeracy are prerequisites for learners’ future learning. To best understand instructional leadership, six primary school principals were purposefully sampled according to their schools’ performance in the 2012 Annual National Assessment results. They were sampled as “good”, “average”, and “poor” performing schools. All these participants shared the same socio-economic background and were situated in the deep rural villages of Limpopo Province. Semi-structured interviews were used as a data collecting technique for the study. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / gm2014 / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Researchers in the field of educational administration have given little attention to the role of the associate principal. The research reported in this dissertation sought to fill that void through a close examination of the roles of the associate principals on two campuses in two different school districts. In addition to illustrating the role of the associate principal, the research examines how experience as an associate principal influences the careers of educational administrators. Data were collected primarily by means of semi-structured interviews with principals and district administrators as well as the associate principals themselves to provide multiple perspectives. Data were summarized in detailed interview logs, coded to discover the themes that were characteristic of each case, then analyzed to identify the patterns within and across the cases. The interviews were also analyzed as narratives reflecting on how experience as an associate principal can shape an educational administrator's career. The interview data were supplemented with documents relating to the associate principals, their campuses, and their districts. The results suggest that the associate principal position is a crucial step on the career ladder to a secondary principalship. Assistant principals with knowledge and skills in curriculum, instruction, and assessment are more likely to be selected as associates, and associates are more likely to be selected for principalships. The results also indicate that instructional leadership for associate principals in Texas focuses primarily on improving students' performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills and on increasing participation in and performance on other standardized tests, in particular Advanced Placement, SAT (formerly the Scholastic Aptitude Test), ACT (formerly American College Testing), and the PSAT/NMSQT (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test).

A dissertation submitted to the FACULTY OF EDUCATION at the UNIVERSITY OF ZULULAND in fulfilment or partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF EDUCATION in the Department of Educational Planning and Administration, 1986. / What this research is about, is contained in the title. It is thus essential to analyse concepts in the title in order to establish a common understanding of the study.

No description available.

Public school principals who provide and sustain music in elementary programs are often confronted with budgetary cuts and reduced funding for music education. There is a dearth of research regarding music as an essential element in K-3 education in low-income rural schools. The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry was to explore and describe leadership practices of principals, who despite fiscal challenges, include and sustain music in the K-3 curriculum in a low-income rural area of a small county in North Carolina. Elliott and Silverman’s concept of praxial music education and Leithwood and Riehl’s philosophy of instructional leadership practices were used for the conceptual framework. Through individual interviews with principals (n = 4) and 3 focus groups with parents (n = 8) from Parent Teacher Organizations of elementary public schools in a low-income rural district, data were collected from a total of 12 participants involved with music education. Participants described the importance of and the criteria for including music in the K-3 program regardless of economic challenges emphasizing the significance of school principals’ leadership practices. Data were analyzed using open coding to find emergent themes. Results suggested that commitment to sustaining music education in the K-3 program comes from evidence of children’s development of creative and critical thinking. Providing opportunities for an enhanced education may create perspectives that lead students to become engaged citizens for a more equitable society. The findings may also encourage educational leaders to find ways to sustain music in educational programs as a contribution to positive social change.

The aim of this research project is to investigate the roles and responsibilities of foundation phase heads of departments (HoDs) in the Mpumalanga Province in South Africa. A quantitative research approach was used to assess the perceptions of the foundation phase HoDs. Questionnaires were distributed to 274 foundation phase HoDs in Mpumalanga and SPSS 20 was used to analyse the data. The findings show that HoDs perceive that they are overworked, whereas in reality, the amount of time they spend in school is not as expected in the Personnel Administrative Measures (PAM) document. It emerged that most educators leave school earlier than normal and thus experience a lack of time for supervision and administration, which then becomes a stress factor in the completion of their roles and responsibilities. Twenty two percent of the respondents indicated that they are not familiar with the HoD duties as outlined in the PAM document. Furthermore, the study uncovered issues such as lack of support and training for HoDs, the role of parents as motivators in terms of learner achievement, and the importance of evaluating and developing teachers to provide quality education in the 21st century. This research project utilises instructional leadership as a conceptual framework and maps out the roles and responsibilities of the HoD as outlined in the PAM document. Due to the low Annual National Assessment (ANA) results in literacy and numeracy, the research focuses on the challenges that HoDs in the foundation phase face regarding fulfilling their roles and responsibilities towards ensuring a quality education. On Tuesday 28 June 2011, the Minister of Basic Education, Angie Motshekga, revealed the results of the February 2011 ANA. In excess of 6.5 million learners from Grades 2 to 7 and a sample of G10s wrote tests in literacy/language and numeracy/mathematics. According to the statistics released by the Department of Basic Education (DBE), the average mark for literacy for G3 learners was a mere 35%. Grade 3 learners scored an average of 28% in numeracy. Amongst the Grade 3 learners, the Western Cape performed the best in both literacy and numeracy with 43% for literacy and 36% for numeracy. In Mpumalanga, Grade 3 learners scored 27% in literacy and only managed to score 19% for numeracy (DBE Report 40). If learners can’t read, write, spell and calculate at Grade 3 level, surely there is something wrong. Where are the foundation phase managers and how do they spend their time? Internationally, teachers responsible for supervising Grade R-3 are called middle managers. In South Africa, middle managers are called heads of departments (HoDs). The duties and roles of middle managers (or HoDs) in the foundation phase might be the cause of poor performance of learners in numeracy and literacy, due to insufficient support being provided to educators and learners. The role of HoDs in schools is not widely understood (Turner, 1996; Blandford, 1997; McLendon&Crowther, 1998). As a consequence, the literature relating to their role and functions is sparse. What is apparent, however, is the dual role that HoDs play, namely an administrative role within the school, as well as a teaching responsibility. A great deal of the work in managing the teaching-learning process operates at the middle management level in schools. However, management development often occurs at the senior management level, and HoDs remain the forgotten tier in schools. HoDs co-ordinate all educational activities between the top management of the school and the educators. Gold (1998:1) describes the role of HoDs as the most exciting and probably the most influential position in a well-organised school. Given the dual roles of HoDs, it is evident that they are exposed to a dilemma in executing duties carrying competing demands namely managing a department and being a class teacher at the same time (Blandford, 1997:13). This dual role becomes a particular challenge in the foundation phase, depending on the type of school, e.g. private school, former model C school, township or rural schools (which normally fall under Quintile 1-3), and lastly farm schools. It is challenging, especially in township and farm schools, to manage teaching, supervise educators, ensure learners cooperate positively in a class, and to be responsible for all the classes in a phase, including the own HOD’s class. Educators are experiencing overcrowding in their classrooms and schools are under staffed. A thorough study needed to be conducted to ensure that HoDs in the foundation phase are operating as effectively as those in the intermediate, senior and FET phases. It is critical to formulate strategies to ensure that learners progress positively in the foundation phase, especially in terms of their literacy and numeracy. HoDs must be able to perform their roles and responsibilities to ensure that learners can read and write at Grade 3 level. The PAM document clearly spells out the roles and responsibilities of the HoD; however when an HoD has 90% of their time allocated for teaching, one wonders if it is fair to expect them to carry out their administrative role in the remaining 10% of their time. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This is an explanatory research investigation on the role of principals as instructional leaders which has been highlighted over the past two to three decades. The emergence of this concept in the leadership field and the rigorous research attention that it has received is a result of mounting pressure faced by principals as a result of the year-on-year poor performance of learners in the matriculation examinations. Parents, politicians and other organs of civil society expect principals to be accountable for what happens in the classroom (teaching and learning), including the performance of learners. The poor performance of learners in the matriculation examinations is the central focus of this study, growing out of the discussions and arguments which have dominated the media, social and political groupings, government, as well as the business sector. All these groupings and institutions are perturbed about the decline of learner performance in the matriculation examinations and seek possible solutions to this problem. I was therefore intrigued by the above concerns, which motivated me to engage in this study. This study set out to investigate the variables related to instructional leadership and the contribution of these variables to learner performance. The study was guided by the following research question: What are the variables related to instructional leadership practices of secondary school principals and what is their effect on the pass rate in the matriculation examinations? In order to respond to the above question, the following subsidiary questions were examined: a. How can instructional leadership possibly contribute to the improvement of learner performance? b. How do heads of department (HODs) and deputy principals perceive the role of their principals regarding instructional leadership? c. How are principals prepared with regard to their role as instructional leaders? This study followed an explanatory, mixed method research approach, utilising two sets of questionnaires (one for principals and another for HODs and deputy principals), semi-structured interviews, and focus group interviews. Seventy eight principals completed questionnaires regarding the performance of their learners. One hundred and thirty-seven deputy principals and HODs completed questionnaires regarding their principals‟ roles in instructional leadership and contribution to learner performance. The interviewing process took place in two stages / phases. During the first phase, a group of sixty principals was exposed to the four variables which underpin this study, namely: a. The principals’ role in promoting frequent and appropriate school-wide teacher development activities; b. Defining and communicating shared vision and goals; c. Monitoring and providing feedback on the teaching and learning process; and d. Managing the curriculum and instruction. In fifteen groups of four, the respondents brainstormed the strength of each variable and prioritised or arranged them in order of their importance and contribution to learner achievement. The outcome of this first phase of the interview process and the findings from the analysis of the questionnaires informed the formulation of questions for the face-to-face interviews with five principals who were randomly selected from the seventy eight principals who participated in the completion of the questionnaires for the quantitative part of this study. The key insights and contributions drawn from this study make it unique in the sense that it: <ul><li> has an impact on the preparation of principals for their role as instructional leaders; </li><li> informs the support that principals need with regard to their practice as instructional leaders; </li><li> assists principals to identify appropriate variables to help align their own visions for their schools with the national, provincial and regional visions for the improvement of learner achievement; </li><li> adds value to the existing body of knowledge on instructional leadership and the central role that it plays in improving the achievement levels of learners in the National Senior Certificate; and </li><li> clarifies the fact that "leadership" is not a semantic substitute for "management and administration", but rather an independent construct which is capable of interacting with the latter in the practice of education. </li></ul> / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

Effective principal's instructional leadership yields high achieving schools (Dhlamini, 2008:105; Hallinger and Heck, 1998; Hargreaves, 1994; Hopkins, 2001; Effective principal’s instructional leadership yields high achieving schools Khuzwayo, 2005; Kruger, 1999; Mbatha, 2004; Mthombeni, 2004). Annual National Assessment (ANA) (DoE, 2009) and Systemic Evaluation (SE) in 2001 and 2007 (DoE, 2008) revealed that South African learners are not able to read and write, and that their numeracy skills are not well developed. The performance is also evident in the Grade 12 performance which has not shown great improvement over the years. In an effort to address the poor performance as experienced in schools, the department of education introduced Resolution 1 of 2008 (DoE, 2008) which requires principals to provide professional leadership which is based on curriculum management; and to take accountability for the quality of learning that takes place within the school. The poor learner achievement in schools triggered the question about the quality of education provided in the primary schools and the instructional leadership provided by primary school principals as it is a foundation to the schooling system. A qualitative approach was used to explore the practices of primary school principals as instructional leaders and the implications for learner achievement. Six primary schools in the Tshwane West district in Gauteng province were sampled for the research. The research revealed the following distinguishing factors by those schools that performed extremely well in the Annual National Assessment (ANA) (DoE, 2009) and Systemic Evaluation (SE) in 2001 and 2007 (DoE, 2008): <ul> <li> The principal has to establish good relations amongst and between educators and learners and also foster two-way communication.</li> <li> The principal should make sure that academic results are analysed and interventions strategies are followed to improve learner achievement.</li> <li> Educators should be encouraged by the principal to perform a self-reflection of their teaching performance. The principal has to provide support for underperforming educators and encourage them to develop themselves professionally.</li> <li> The principal needs to conduct class visits.</li> <li> The principal should ensure that teaching and learning time is protected and that educators and learners attend classes punctually.</li> <li> The principal needs to keep abreast of the curriculum and instruction changes and provide the necessary support and guidance.</li> <li> The principal has to ensure that instruction is given priority and is central to the school’s activities.</li></ul> The above-mentioned factors proved to be essential in the instructional leadership of the primary school principal in ensuring improved learner achievement in schools. Copyright / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted