This paper uses evidence from a small-scale interview of five primary school principals within the Stockholm Municipality to examine their focus on student learning. To facilitate this analysis, four questions were addressed: • What are the expectations principals have of learning for their students? • Has there been a change in perception of learning in the 21st Century? • How do principals think they have influence on student learning? • How do principals see their role towards lifelong learning? This thesis argues that we have to redefine learning for the 21st Century through emphasizing a more holistic approach to both teaching and learning and by paying more attention to learning outcomes. It explores contemporary trends in leadership education and connects them to the literature. In practice, the study uses two models, instructional leadership and transformational leadership, to integrate the the data collected. It proposes that school principals play a part in student learning through their roles of setting directions, developing people and developing the organisation. The main results showed that the principals and vice-principals who participated in the study were aware of their roles in student learning. However, their roles were not immediately identifiable with a particular leadership style but a combination of styles. They realised that they did not encourage lifelong learning, which is an important component of 21st Century learning. Key Words: 21st Century learning, lifelong learning, learning expectations, learning outcomes, leadership styles, instructional leadership, transformational leadership, cultural change leadership.

This dissertation explores public school superintendent self-efficacy influences on instructional and student achievement within three Texas public school districts. The purpose of this research study is to investigate superintendent self-efficacy and it’s perceived influence on instructional leadership in districts with persistent student achievement inequities for economically disadvantaged and students of color. This study specifically focused on three White male public school superintendents with varying numbers of student populations that have large percentages of economically disadvantaged students and students of color. Two research questions guided the inquiry process: 1. How do superintendents in school districts in which children of color and children from low-income homes persistently under-perform perceive their effectiveness in the area of instructional leadership? 2.What are superintendents’ perceptions about how their instructional leadership beliefs are influenced by the context of federal and state accountability in which they work? This study employed a qualitative method of investigation utilizing a case-study approach to examine the perceptions, beliefs, and views of participating superintendents. Two in-depth interviews with each school superintendent served as primary data collection sources, while field notes, personal observations, email, and phone conversations served as secondary and clarifying sources. Data were interpreted using a critical interpretivist lens. This inquiry contributes to the body of superintendent practice and limited research scholarship by assisting in the understanding of perceived superintendent self-efficacy influences on instructional leadership and student achievement. These understandings have additional implications for the intersection of power, privilege, and emancipatory critical constructs for superintendents with populations of economically disadvantaged students and students of color. Findings from this study serve to highlight needed calls to action and reforms in superintendent preparatory programs, research scholarship, professional organizations, and regional educational service centers.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

In 2001 White Paper 5 on Early Childhood Development announced that a year-long Reception Year (Grade R) programme would gradually be phased in at primary schools. In addition, the Report on the Nationwide Audit of ECD Provisioning noted that the overwhelming majority of ECE teachers are inadequately trained. Despite the teachers’ lack of capacity, the national Department of Education introduced the official curriculum, the National Curriculum Statement (NCS), into Grade R classes in 2004. Prior to 2004, there was no official curriculum for Grade R. Instead, teachers designed their own curricula. The NCS, by its very imposition, is an example of radical curriculum change. I undertook a qualitative study from Grade R teachers' perspectives in order to illuminate how nine ECE teachers in Gauteng, South Africa are responding to this curriculum change. My findings are consistent with the four main responses discussed in the literature, and on which I based my conceptual framework, namely ignore, resist, adopt and adapt. The Grade R teachers in my study viewed the NCS as developmentally inappropriate for their five-year-old learners. Although they manifested all four responses, they mainly resisted, adopted or adapted curriculum change. Their response could best be typified as "reluctant compliance". After six years of implementation, ignoring it completely is no longer a realistic option. In addition, they either reinterpreted their traditional practices as already compliant with the NCS or they implemented formal academic activities to develop school readiness skills The Grade R teachers in my study had one outstanding characteristic in common they are passionate about their work. Overall, the teachers reported that the NCS has detracted from their enjoyment of their work. In most cases, the Grade R teachers noted that they would pursue Foundation Phase posts because of the absence of a career path for Grade R teachers. Instructional leadership should be developed to support Grade R teachers to implement the NCS appropriately. Once this is in place, Grade R teachers need to be convinced of how the NCS could be implemented in developmentally and culturally appropriate ways and how this could benefit their learners. / Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Education Management and Policy Studies / unrestricted

This research investigated the relationship between the school principal’s instructional leadership role and the academic performance of pupils in Swaziland primary schools. A qualitative investigation was conducted using individual and focus group interviewing. This was supplemented by a study of official documents on instructional leadership at each research site and the observation of the prevailing culture of teaching and learning traits at each school. A research sample of eight school principals and forty teachers was purposefully drawn from eight well-performing primary schools in the Southern Hhohho region of Swaziland. The findings of the study confirmed that the school principal’s instructional leadership role serves as a pillar for the development and sustainment of a sound culture of teaching and learning in order to ensure that learners achieve optimally. Based on the perceptions of school principal and teacher participants, strategies were developed for effective instructional leadership so as to ensure optimal learner performance. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between effective school characteristics and norm referenced standardized test scores in American-style international schools. In contrast to schools in traditional effective schools research, international schools typically have middle to high SES families, and display average to above average achievement. Eleven effective school characteristics were identified and correlated with standardized test scores for grades 4, 6, and 8 and high school SAT scores. Data was gathered from an online teacher questionnaire designed for this study. All eleven characteristics were present in high performing international schools while frequent analysis of student progress, high academic expectations and positive school environment were more prominent. Positive school environment, high academic expectations, strong instructional leadership and cultural diversity were chosen as important characteristics of an effective international school. Learning time is maximized was the only characteristic that was significantly correlated with achievement and only in grades 4, 6 and 8. There was no statistically significant relationship found between norm referenced test scores and the aggregate effective school characteristics score.

This qualitative study sought to identify the common behaviors and practices of principals in high achieving standards-based schools. Three schools were examined in the study. These schools were selected from a ten county area and had demonstrated consistent and unusual growth on the Academic Performance Index (API). The practices of principals were identified through a phenomenological study of the experiences of successfully implementing a standards-based instructional system. Principals were interviewed individually, and focus groups of teachers were interviewed separately. Both groups were asked about the principal behaviors and practices that led the school to achieve academic success. Principals and teachers across the three sites identified similar practices including high expectations of students and staff, planning and goal setting based on student achievement data, frequent monitoring of student achievement, teacher collaboration, principal classroom visits, principal visibility on campus, principal accessibility, and a school culture that promoted trust and team work.

No description available.

The aim of this study was to find out the perceptions on the principals’ implementation of instructional leadership in the Amajuba District of KwaZulu-Natal with a view to provide guidelines that may be employed to enhance the execution of this role. Scholars believe that instructional leadership can assist in the transformation of schools into effective schools with consistent high learner achievement. In the Amajuba District schools show fluctuation in their grade twelve results, hence the need to investigate the principals’ implementation of instructional leadership. The grade 12 results were used because it is assumed that the variance is indicative of the differences in the principal’ leadership roles in these schools. This qualitative study examines the principals’ instructional leadership role. Data was gathered by means of literature study and focus group interviews. Four interviews were held: three with Deputy Principals and Heads of Departments, and the fourth one comprised of principals of the six selected secondary schools. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)