The study is an exploratory and illuminative case study of a principal’s leadership of a cross section of his students. It is situated within an11-18, comprehensive school in a semi- rural, coastal town in the southwest of England. This predominantly white British school, with above national average levels of economic and social deprivation, has a recent historical context of rapid and sustained improvement in examination results at all levels over the period just before and during the study: two Ofsted inspections during this time judged the school to be good with outstanding features, following a previous judgement of ‘satisfactory’ just before the arrival of the principal. The study offers an insider perspective in the field of principal effectiveness, which is more usually dominated by research from the outside, as the principal in question is also the researcher. Equally unusually in this field, the study explores the principal’s leadership from a student’s perspective by operating at the level of student voice and collecting their personal stories and opinions using six student focus groups. The groups were constructed and facilitated by a co researcher with the purpose of protecting students’ identity, aiding reliability and adding a collaborative level of interpretation. A social constructionist approach is adopted for the study which is situated in an interpretivist methodological paradigm. The data were analysed thematically and viewed from a socio cultural perspective. The research suggests that students are able to describe and recognise the concept of the principal’s student leadership. Some, more than others, place a value on this in terms of it having an instrumental effect on their school experience and many view it from a relational perspective. These data support the findings of another piece of research from a similar perspective that suggests students value personal affirmative and affiliative qualities and traits in the leadership they experience from the headteacher (Moos et al 1998). From the socio cultural perspective of this study and the definition of social capital as being “relationships matter” (Puttnam 2000) then it may be suggested that a principal’s student leadership is likely to contribute, either positively or negatively, to students’ social capital. Although it is not possible to suggest generalisablity from these findings, due to the very limited scope of the case study and small number of participant students, practitioners may nevertheless find the study of some value. This detailed and illuminative interrogation of the principal /researcher’s specific context, may provide reflective colleagues with examples of good practice, that can be applied to their own context, when seeking ways to ensure that all students feel valued and empowered.

With a focus on leadership, this study examines the leadership characteristics of principals in schools that are recognized as National Blue Ribbon Schools by the United States Department of Education. This mixed methodology study utilizes the causal comparative method to compare what teachers consider to be effective leadership characteristics of principals in National Blue Ribbon Schools to those of principals in matched sets of selected Non-Blue Ribbon Schools in Pennsylvania. The Audit of Principal Effectiveness is used to collect quantitative data and a survey protocol is used to identify confounding factors and extraneous variables. The research revealed significant findings in nearly all areas of the Audit of Principal Effectiveness. Principals in the selected matched-set schools were ranked higher than principals in National Blue Ribbon Schools. Additional analysis using a multiple regression showed that teachers perceive their principal as effective if the principal has good relations with them, employs and evaluates staff effectively, has high expectations, and does not exceedingly involve the community in the life of the school. / Educational Administration

abstract: Educational Leadership is inherent of many qualities. Individuals who possess leadership stand apart from the mainstream population in general society and in any organization, thus they are change agents who influence others by their uniqueness and dynamism. The art of leadership is challenging, but meaningful, and purposeful as the focus is implementation of consistent affective and effective practices at all levels to assure achievable outcomes no matter the organization type. A leader's calling is rewarding and the journey is that of making and sustaining change through influence. The purpose of this study centered on the relationship factor of educational leadership especially the dynamics between the principal and the teacher and what constructs affect this relationship to affect principal effectiveness. The methodology employed a quantitative format and consisted of a 20 question survey sent to one school district's teachers (N=465) over a 3 month window. The summaries of results were presented in two formats: Raw (exactly how teachers answered) and a Cross-tabulation (Age & Licensure). The findings of the study yielded attitudes and perspectives of teachers regarding valuable information on leadership behaviors, styles, and practices that teachers believe were relevant to principal effectiveness. The most noteworthy aspect gleaned from this study was the people factor wherein relationships are a key factor to a leader's success in any realm that one leads. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ed.D. Educational Administration and Supervision 2012

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No description available.

The research on high-poverty, high-performing schools, suggests instructional leadership is an essential component for principals to be effective school leaders. Unfortunately, in spite of themes in the research, and shifts in principal preparation initiatives, practice suggests principals struggle to hold to instructional priorities. Given the significant costs of education reform this challenge to prioritize instructional leadership needs to be understood, particularly in the area of leading the improvement of high-poverty, lower performing schools. The gap between research and practice, and the causes for these differences in principal leadership, were the subject of this study. Qualitative methods were used to study eight instructionally-centered principals in their schools to identify "how" they navigate the competing demands to focus on instructional priorities. Common themes emerged from the interview, observation, and calendar study data providing strategies for how these principals navigate demands to remain focused on instruction. Findings affirmed the research from effective school reform and school leadership research. Themes also emerged for practices aligned with the research on organizational leadership; for example, principals delegated purposefully, served as relatable "lead learners," and used data to create a sense of urgency and leverage improvements to instruction. Principals were also found to be "kid-centered" in their decision making. Most interesting in the themes that emerged; however, was the unanimous belief that all students can learn. Principals demonstrated evidence of self-efficacy about their leadership, and perhaps more importantly, the belief that the "locus of causality" for learning lies within the school and teachers. This set of beliefs appeared to drive their planning towards creating a data-centered environment in their schools. Implications for further research and principal professional development are discussed. / Educational Leadership

The research study investigated management strategies through which school effectiveness could be enhanced in primary schools situated in Gauteng Province. The enhancement of school effectiveness necessitated the discussion on school improvement to find ways to turn around the situation in dysfunctional schools in the province. The province is characterised by urban and suburban areas, townships, and informal settlements. Teachers in schools in these areas are well qualified. However, different challenges in these areas impact upon the enhancement of school effectiveness. A literature review was conducted to provide a conceptual framework and explain concepts such as effective management, administration, leadership, principal effectiveness, and teacher effectiveness. The literature review also investigated the factors that impact upon school effectiveness and school improvement and explored the historical development of School Effectiveness Research (SER) in the United States of America, Europe, Australia, and Africa to expound the problem investigated. An empirical investigation using a qualitative approach was conducted. Six primary schools were selected using purposive sampling to ensure that different demographic areas were covered in the research. Purposive sampling allowed the researcher to target schools from high and low socio-economic areas because they often experience different challenges concerning to school effectiveness. Data were collected through individual interviews with principals and officials from the Gauteng Department of Education (GDE) at the district and teachers in focus groups. Key findings were identified. Participants from the three categories respectively identified several characteristics of effective schools which concurred with the literature on school effectiveness. They also identified two features of effective schools which were unique to the study: in effective schools, there is little or no learner and teacher absenteeism; and school values which shape the behaviour of learners are clearly articulated. School values include trustworthiness, respectfulness, honesty, responsibility, striving for excellence and good leadership. School effectiveness is hindered by the current process of appointing principals which does not always succeed in selecting principals with the required leadership qualities and management skills. Further, the incorrect implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in schools hinders teacher development and leads to poor teacher performance. / Die navorsingstudie ondersoek bestuurstrategieë waardeur die effektiwiteit van primêre skole, geleë in die Provinisie van Gauteng verhoog kan word. Die verhoging van effektiwiteit in skole het die bespreking oor skoolverbetering genoodsaak om maniere te vind om die situasie in disfunksionele skole in die provinisie om te draai. Die provinsie word gekenmerk deur landelike en stedelike gebiede, lokasies, en informele nedersetttings. Onderwysers van skole in hierdie gebiede is goed gekwalifiseerd. Verskeie uitdagings in hierdie gebiede het egter n uitwerking op die verhoging van effektiwiteit in skole. ʼn Literêre oorsig is uitgevoer om n konseptuele raamwerk te voorsien en om konsepte soos effektiewe bestuur, administrasie, leierskap, effektiwiteit van die skoolhoof, en onderwysers te verduidelik. ʼn Kwalitatiewe benadering is gebruik om die empiriese ondersoek uit te voer. Ses primêre skole is gekies en doelgerigte steekproefneming is gebruik om te verseker dat verskillende demografiese gebiede deel was van die navorsing. Doelgerigte steekproefneming het die navorser toegelaat om skole van hoë en lae sosio-ekonomiese gebiede te teiken omdat hulle dikwels verskillende uitdagings aangaande die effektiwiteit van skole ervaar. Data is versamel deur indivduele onderhoude met skoolhoofde en amptenare van Gauteng Onderwys Departement (GDE) by die distrik en deur fokusgroep onderhoude met onderwysers. Sleutelbevindinge was soos volg. Deelnemers uit die drie kategoriëë het onderskeidelik geidentifiseer met verskeie eienskappe van effektiewe skole wat ooreenstem met die literatuur op effektiwiteit in skole. Hulle het ook twee kenmerke van effektiewe skole wat uniek was tot die studie geïdentifiseer: in effektiewe skole is daar min of geen afwesigheid van leerders en onderwysers; en skoolwaardes wat die gedrag van leerders vorm word duidelik verwoord. Skoolwaardes sluit betroubaarheid, respek, eerlikheid, verantwoordelikheid, strewe na uitenmendheid en goeie leierskap in. Effektiwiteit in skole word verhinder deur die huidge proses van aanstelling van skoolhoofde wat nie altyd daarin slaag om skoolhoofde te kies wat die nodige leierskap en bestuurseienskappe het nie. Verder, die verkeerde implementering van die Geïntegreerde Bestuurstelsel (IQMS) in skole belemmer die ontwikkeling en lei tot swak prestasie van onderwysers. / Dinyakisiso tse tsa go ithuta di be di tsomana le mekgwanakgwana ya bolaodi bja thuto go tiisetsa gore dikolo tsa motheo Profentsheng ya Gauteng di soma mesomo yeo e nepagetsego. Tiisetso ya go soma mesomonepagetsego ya sekolo e dirile gore go ahlaahliwe hlabollo ya dikolo go humana ditselana tseo ka tsona re ka hlabolang dikolo tseo di sa someng botse mo profentsheng. Profentshe ya Gauteng e na le dikolo tsa motsesetoropong le tsa mo go bego go dula batho basweu fela. Barutisi mo mafelong a ba na le di thuto tse maleba. Fela, dihlotlo tseo dileng gona mo mafelong a di huetsa tiistso ya go soma mesomonepagatso sekolong. Go dirilwe tekololeswa ya dingwalwa go hlalosa dikgopolo tse bjalo ka taolonepagatso, boetapele, mesomonepagatso ya hlogo ya sekolo le mesomonepagatso ya morutisi. Tekololeswa ya dingwalwa e nyakisisitse dintlha tseo di huetsang mesomonepagetso sekolong le hlabollo ya sekolo go lebeletswe tswetsopele ya dinyakisiso tsamesomonepagatso ya dikiolo dinageng tsa United States of America, Europa, Australia le Afrika go hlalosa bothata bjo bo nyakisiswago. Go dirilwe dinyakisiso ka poledisano go somiswa mokgwa wa kwalitetifi. Go kgethilwe dikolo tse tshela tsa fase ka go somisa kgetho ka maikemisetso go direla gore go akaretswe dikolo go tswa mafelong a go fapana. Kgetho ka maikemisetso e dumelela monyakisisi go tswa mafelong a batho ba go ba le sa bona le mafelong a batho ba go hloka sa bona ka ge ba itemogela dihlotlo tse fapaneng mesomonepagatso. Tshedimoso ye e kgobokeditswe ka dipoledisano le dihlogo tsa dikolo motho a le nosi le bahlankedi bammuso wa Kgoro ya Thuto ya Kgauteng motho a le nosi le dipoledisano ka sehlopha. Dintlha tsa dipoelo di be di le mo go latelago: Batseakarolo go tswa mafapeng a go fapana ba hlaotse diponagalo tsa dikolo tseo disomago ka nepagalo tseo di dumelelanago le tekololeswa ya dingwalwa. Gape ba hlaotse dipanagalo tse dingwe tsa moswana nosi: Dikolo tsa go soma ka nepagalo ga di na barutwana goba barutisi ba go se tle sekolong. Meano ya sekolo e akaretsa botshephegi, tlhompho, boikarabelo le go somela bobotse ka go fetisa le boetapele bjo bo botse. Mosomonepagatso ya sekolo e sitiswa ke tshepediso ya go thwala dihlogo tsa dikolo yeo ka nako tse dinwe e sitago ke go hlaola hlogo ya sekolo yeo e nago le boetapele le bolaodi bjo bo botse. Gape, go tsentshatirisong wo o fasagetseng wa tshepetso ya bolaodi bja hlabollo ya barutisi go sitisa tswelopele. / Educational Management and Leadership / Ph. D. (Education Management)