Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed March 3, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 208-227).

In recent years, the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act has increasingly had a major impact on daily decisions in schools, especially for principals' performance. Depending on the accountability rating, schools are in jeopardy of closing, and principals and teachers are at risk of being fired (McGhee [and] Nelson, 2005). As a result, it is increasingly difficult to make daily ethical decisions on behalf of students and teachers when much of the focus is on standardized testing and accountability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the leadership practices used by an elementary principal in her effort to balance accountability and ethics. Models of ethical, educational leadership including Servant Leadership, Transformational Leadership, Moral Leadership, Ethical Leadership, and Democratic, Ethical, Educational Leadership have described the practices implemented by ethical leaders. However, research concerning how an elementary principal is able to balance the pressures of accountability and ethical practices to meet the needs of the students, teachers, and parents is less prevalent. This qualitative single-case study of a principal in one high achieving, low socio-economic status elementary school examined the leadership practices in an accountability context. Semi-structured interviews, field notes of observations at the school, and relevant documents were collected and used as the data for the study (Marshall [and] Rossman, 1999). Findings revealed that a clear vision, positive relationships, honest communication, and school-wide systems lend strong support to teaching and learning. Meaningful curriculum, instruction, and assessment; caring, supportive relationships; and a student-centered school culture, are essential components of intended efforts to balance the pressures of accountability and the needs of the students. Resources, shared decision-making, and a culture of mutual respect and responsibility may lead school leaders to address the pressures of accountability and meeting the needs of the teachers. A welcoming environment, pertinent information in English and Spanish, and opportunities for parents and families to get involved are critical avenues to meet and address the concerns of parents. This information may generate recommendations to educational leaders and serve as suggestions for pre-service and in-service training programs which are designed to prepare future ethical school leaders. / text

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Toronto, 2005.

Thesis (Ed.D.)--Teachers College, Columbia University, 1996. / Typescript; issued also on microfilm. Sponsor: Frank L. Smith. Dissertation Committee: Jeanette E. Fleischer. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-130).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Mississippi State University. Department of Curriculum, Instruction, and Special Education. / Title from title screen. Includes bibliographical references.

Management development in educational contexts is a relatively recent development in South Africa. The Task Team Report on Education Management Development of 1996 drew pertinent attention to the need for education management development in South Africa, and set an agenda for such development. Since then many management development programmes have been launched by both National and Provincial government. However, very little research seems to have been conducted on these programmes, especially on how they have been received. This study seeks to address that need. The study is a qualitative phenomenological investigation of how four secondary school principals experienced and perceived the management development programmes they have attended. In line with a phenomenological approach, the study sets aside preconceived ideas and attempts to describe the phenomenon through the eyes of the participants. Findings suggest that management development programmes are perceived as having a big role to play in the development of school managers, but that the programmes on offer suffer from various shortcomings. These include poor planning, lack of organisational and facilitating skills in presenters, lack of commitment, monitoring and support from the bodies offering the courses, and especially the failure of training programmes to bring about increased confidence and self-awareness among participants. Increased selfawareness can help in personal and organisational renewal and growth, and help to minimise the dependency syndrome among principals. Particular needs highlighted by the findings include training in the new curriculum (Outcomes Based Education), holistic development by experts in all facets of school management, training of School Governing Bodies and development of all educators in management as future managers. These findings may prove helpful to education departments and other bodies in the planning and delivery of programmes for new and incumbent school managers.

The study set out to investigate the perceived effects of the Leadership Development Programme, a two-years training programme for school principals in the Ondangwa East Educational Region of Namibia. The objective has been to find out whether the training curriculum and content were related to what participating principals thought they needed to help them to do their work better, and improve their schools. Data were collected through interviews with two of the first group of nine principals who have completed the training. The study has found that the Leadership Development Programme helped the participating principals to experience personal changes and professional growth. Through the process of participatory action research, the Leadership Development Programme has been able to bring together theory and practice. It has also helped the principals to recognize their responsibility for planning, implementing and evaluation of action, and problem solving initiatives in their schools. The study has also found that the Leadership Development Programme recognized, and therefore applied, the element of experiential/adult learning. Although the Programme has had its basic core curriculum, its content and training process have been flexible in the sense that the Programme tried first to establish what participants knew, and then assisted them to gain a new and enquiring perspective on their knowledge and practice, which helped them to become reflective practitioners. While the study could not establish with a degree of certainty as to what extent the principals have taken up the processes of the training Programme in their schools, it has, however, found that there are many positive changes brought in about schools during the time the training was running. Secondly, while the study could obviously not establish a direct link between every change and the inputs made by the training Programme, it concluded, however, that the Programme at least brought about changes in the mindsets of principals, which were conducive to teaching and learning. What was important, though, was the question of how many of the initiatives were still bearing fruit three years after the training has taken place.

Prior to independence in Namibia in 1990 the education system of the day did not encourage the majority of Namibian learners to explore and investigate the wonder of the natural and physical world. The post independence education system has nurtured the study of the sciences and has emphasized participation, problem solving and independent studies. The inclusion of projects and other independent studies has been regarded as a key vehicle to develop scientific understanding and competencies related to this understanding. However, very few studies have hitherto investigated the teachers’ understanding and implementation of projects in the Namibian context. This study investigates how Grade 10 Life Science teachers understand and implement projects in selected schools in Namibia. The study focused on two teachers in two schools, a combined and a senior secondary school in the Oshikoto educational region of Namibia. The research was conducted through an interpretive case study aiming to gain a better understanding about the implementation of projects in schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, classroom observation and document analysis. The findings indicate that despite the focus on projects in the Life Science syllabus and broad curriculum, policy documents do not give detailed guidelines on how projects should be planned, organized and assessed. The results revealed that knowledge about projects and their implementation is primarily informed by practical activities rather than the critical enquiries or investigations required by the Life Science curriculum policy. The study also revealed that despite the in-service training received by the two teachers participating in this study on syllabus interpretation, it is apparent from the findings that project work in these in-service programmes was neglected. This has further hampered teachers’ understanding and implementation of projects. The findings of this study point to a need for project guidelines as well as in-service programmes in this area if the stated nature and role of projects in the context of Namibian education policy is to be achieved.

This study critically examines the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS), a quality and performance management system that was introduced into South African schools in 2005. The extent to which the Integrated Quality Management System has contributed to the development of the school in its entirety has been largely unchartered. The objectives of this dissertation were to determine what the perceived impact of the Integrated Quality Management System was on whole school development. A combination of both qualitative and quantitative research paradigms was employed in order to gather data in this study. Survey questionnaires were administered to principals and educators in KwaZulu-Natal in order to elicit their views on the IQMS. Semistructured and unstructured interviews were also conducted with principals, Senior Management Team members and educators. The data gathered was analyzed using the metatheoritical framework of ‘critical theory’ mainly because the main objective of the study was to uncover the assumptions underpinning the IQMS and its contribution to whole school development. The conclusions arrived at indicate that the mechanical aspects of the IQMS relating to ‘performitivity’ undermine the potential of the IQMS as a genuine professional development tool actuating whole school development. If IQMS is used for the latter purpose it would inevitably lead to an enhancement of the quality of teaching and learning and convert schools into highly developed institutions. Neo-liberal ‘managerialist’ and post-welfarist reforms adopted by the state are not apposite currently for a developing country like South Africa. South Africa requires an educator evaluation policy that is genuinely developmental, taking into account both the professional development needs of its educators and the socio-economic context in which schools operate to ensure schools develop holistically. / Further Teacher Education / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study explores the influence of teacher unions on the formulation and implementation of the Integrated Quality Management System (IQMS) in the Johannesburg Central District. The involvement of unions in the signing of Collective Agreement Number 8 of 2003 and the failure of unions to fully support implementation at school level is a challenge. Unions are part of the bargaining council in the Education and Labour Relations Council as they are also part of the policy formulation process. The constitutional duty that teachers need to align themselves with is to provide quality education that will allow learners fair and better opportunities of succeeding. The use of IQMS as a quality measurement system is of outmost importance to stabilise the education environment and to benefit the nation. Unions therefore have a statutory obligation not only to their constituencies but also to their clients, the teachers. The study was qualitative and exploratory in nature, based on grounded and social constructivism theory. It was conducted in the Johannesburg Central region that forms part of the Gauteng Education Department. The sample consisted of groups of five union representatives, two Gauteng Department of Education officials and 35 school-based unionised teachers. The researcher used observation, one on one interview as well as focus group interviews to collect data. The unions involved in the study were the Suid Afrikaanse Onderwyseris Unie the National Professional Teachers’ Organisation of South Africa and the South African Democratic Teachers’ Organisation .Findings showed a deficiency in processes such as advocacy, training and funding which are the main determinants of policy implementation. The unions were of the opinion that regardless of their role in the ELRC which some viewed as rubberstamping; their influence was not of much significance during the formulation of policies. They suggested a more rigorous and intense route that could give them the mandate to be hands on during the formulation of policies. They also reported that they needed qualified and competent people to spearhead training so as to ensure a better understanding by all stakeholders during the effective implementation of IQMS. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)