Novice principals leading rural schools experience unique challenges that define their leadership practices. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how novice principals interpret and understand the challenges they experience as developing leaders within a rural school setting in Virginia. The research question for the study was, what challenges do novice principals situated in a rural setting in Virginia experience as leaders of their schools? This study adds to the existing body of research on the challenges novice principals face as leaders of schools situated within a rural community. For this study, six novice principals working in Rural-Remote (Code 43) schools (as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics) in Virginia participated in a 45-minute, one-on-one interview. The findings revealed that the novice rural principals experienced unique challenges with hiring staff, managing limited budgets, wearing multiple hats, distributed leadership, meeting their community's expectations for accessibility and visibility, readily available collaboration opportunities with professionals in similar roles, and intense feelings of ultimate responsibility. Participants hired with previous administrative experience within the district reported smooth transitions to the principalship. Although the participants reported limited activities from their districts to assist with understanding the rural setting, they expressed satisfaction with the overall support provided by their school district. The implications could help school districts, policymakers, and principal preparation programs effectively manage rural principal successions by establishing mentorship programs; providing field experience to aspiring principals; creating robust principal induction programs; and finding creative solutions to attract, hire, and retain rural school staff. / Doctor of Education / Novice principals leading rural schools experience unique challenges that define their leadership practices. This research focused on how novice principals interpret and understand the challenges they experience as developing leaders within a rural school setting in Virginia. The research question for the study was, what challenges do novice principals situated in a rural setting in Virginia experience as leaders of their schools? For this study, six novice principals working in Rural-Remote (Code 43) schools (as defined by the National Center for Education Statistics) in Virginia participated in a 45-minute, one-on-one interview. The implications could help school districts, policymakers, and principal preparation programs effectively manage rural principal successions by establishing mentorship programs; providing field experience to aspiring principals; creating robust principal induction programs; and finding creative solutions to attract, hire, and retain rural school staff.

The purpose of this study was to identify the initial steps that a planning principal takes to open a new plus one elementary school. Too often, the focus is on the completion of the bricks and mortar of the facility instead of what takes place in the building once construction is complete (Lane, 2008). "Effective planning for the opening of a new school produces an environment in which teachers can teach and students can learn effectively and efficiently" (Lane, 2008, p. 2). Thus, the opening of a new plus one school requires a well-planned, detailed, organized approach for occupying the facility as the success or failure of the school opening process weighs heavily on the ability of the planning principal (Lane, 2008). New plus one schools are continuing to be built regularly within the United States to address student enrollment increases in existing schools with limited capacity, yet there is no set of instructions to guide a planning principal. With new school construction still needed to address increasing student enrollment in local school districts, the perceptions of the initial steps planning principals take to open a new plus one elementary school are valuable. This study involved interviewing four planning principals in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Interview questions sought the actions that planning principals take to start a new plus one elementary school. All four planning principals indicated that they had no playbook or guide, were self-directed and initiated support when needed, and exercised a high level of autonomy with decision making, specifically with staffing, developing a school vision, and determining the school mascot and school colors. Implications for practitioners were identified including the need for a guide or handbook, a structure of support, and training or professional development. The outcome of the study provided opportunities for future planning principals to identify the key responsibilities, experiences, and guidance recommended for opening new plus one elementary schools. / Doctor of Education / New plus one schools are continuing to be built regularly within the United States to address student enrollment increases in existing schools with limited capacity, yet there is no set of instructions to guide a planning principal. With new school construction still needed to address increasing student enrollment in local school districts, the perceptions of the initial steps planning principals take to open a new plus one elementary school are valuable. This qualitative study interviewed four planning principals from the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States that served as a planning principal within the past five years of a public K-5 elementary school, had at least three years of experience as a school administrator, and opened a new plus one school versus a rebuild. The interview questions sought the actions planning principals take to start new plus one elementary schools. All four planning principals indicated that they had no playbook or guide, were self-directed and initiated support when needed, and exercised a high level of autonomy with decision making, specifically with staffing, developing a school vision, and determining the school mascot and school colors. Implications for practitioners were identified including the need for a guide or handbook, a structure of support, and training or professional development. The outcome of the study provided opportunities for future planning principals to identify the key responsibilities, experiences, and guidance recommended for opening new plus one elementary schools. A suggestion for future research would be to expand the sample to secondary planning principals to compare and contrast responsibilities with elementary planning principals.

The constant and rapid change in technology is creating opportunities as well as challenges for schools. School leaders need to embrace the use of information communication technology (ICT) to enhance the effectiveness of management in a school. A great deal of concern, however, is the ineffective use of ICT in school management. Although some school leaders are aware of the multiple advantages of the use of ICT in school management, they do not incorporate it in the management of the school. Research has identified that one of the main advantages and opportunities for the use of ICT in school management is that it is less time consuming because it reduces paper work. The ineffective use of ICT in school management seems to be even more of a problem in rural and township primary schools. The White Paper on e-Education states that “every South African manager, teacher and learner in the general and further education and training bands will be ICT capable” by 2013. The most important finding is that, despite the increase in educational and technological development of information communication technology in South Africa, school leaders are still not capable of using ICT effectively to manage their schools. Even though the use of technology is encouraged, it is not used efficiently by school leaders to manage their schools. Literature indicates that little research has been done as yet regarding the use of ICT by school leaders in school management. In the light of the above-mentioned, the need arises to determine and understand what the training needs of school leaders are for them to effectively use ICT in managing their schools. The aim of the research was firstly, to determine the importance of the use of ICT in the management of schools. Secondly, to establish the role ICT currently plays in the management of schools. Lastly, to determine the specific training needs of school leaders for them to effectively use ICT in managing their schools. In this research qualitative methodology was used which is embedded in the interpretive paradigm. The qualitative strategy of inquiry was phenomenological. The qualitative approach attempted to examine personal experiences and viewpoints of interviewed school leaders with regards to their training needs concerning the use of ICT in school management. The method of data collection was individual semi-structured interviews, based on the literature review. Interviews were recorded by the researcher using an audio recorder. The trustworthiness of the collected data was ensured. Collected data was transcribed and analysed by means of the computer software programme Atlas ti™. The main findings of the research include: - Findings with regard to the importance of the use of ICT in the management of schools. ICT is an important tool that makes school management easier and less time consuming. - Findings with regards to the current role ICT plays in school management. Even though school leaders realise the importance of the use of ICT, it does not play an important role in school management. The most important role ICT currently plays in school management is merely communication. - Findings with regards to training needed by school leaders in the use of ICT in the management of schools. School leaders need ICT training starting from basic courses to more advanced ICT courses in all aspects of ICT, software and hardware included. Finally, recommendations are made to assist school leaders to obtain the necessary skills and knowledge regarding the use of ICT in the management of schools. Training needs of school leaders regarding the use of ICT should be addressed in training programmes which are specifically designed for leadership. Courses should be short, hands-on and aimed at developing ICT skills for use in school management. Follow-up and refreshment courses need to be presented on a regular basis, while progress is monitored regularly. / PhD, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The constant and rapid change in technology is creating opportunities as well as challenges for schools. School leaders need to embrace the use of information communication technology (ICT) to enhance the effectiveness of management in a school. A great deal of concern, however, is the ineffective use of ICT in school management. Although some school leaders are aware of the multiple advantages of the use of ICT in school management, they do not incorporate it in the management of the school. Research has identified that one of the main advantages and opportunities for the use of ICT in school management is that it is less time consuming because it reduces paper work. The ineffective use of ICT in school management seems to be even more of a problem in rural and township primary schools. The White Paper on e-Education states that “every South African manager, teacher and learner in the general and further education and training bands will be ICT capable” by 2013. The most important finding is that, despite the increase in educational and technological development of information communication technology in South Africa, school leaders are still not capable of using ICT effectively to manage their schools. Even though the use of technology is encouraged, it is not used efficiently by school leaders to manage their schools. Literature indicates that little research has been done as yet regarding the use of ICT by school leaders in school management. In the light of the above-mentioned, the need arises to determine and understand what the training needs of school leaders are for them to effectively use ICT in managing their schools. The aim of the research was firstly, to determine the importance of the use of ICT in the management of schools. Secondly, to establish the role ICT currently plays in the management of schools. Lastly, to determine the specific training needs of school leaders for them to effectively use ICT in managing their schools. In this research qualitative methodology was used which is embedded in the interpretive paradigm. The qualitative strategy of inquiry was phenomenological. The qualitative approach attempted to examine personal experiences and viewpoints of interviewed school leaders with regards to their training needs concerning the use of ICT in school management. The method of data collection was individual semi-structured interviews, based on the literature review. Interviews were recorded by the researcher using an audio recorder. The trustworthiness of the collected data was ensured. Collected data was transcribed and analysed by means of the computer software programme Atlas ti™. The main findings of the research include: - Findings with regard to the importance of the use of ICT in the management of schools. ICT is an important tool that makes school management easier and less time consuming. - Findings with regards to the current role ICT plays in school management. Even though school leaders realise the importance of the use of ICT, it does not play an important role in school management. The most important role ICT currently plays in school management is merely communication. - Findings with regards to training needed by school leaders in the use of ICT in the management of schools. School leaders need ICT training starting from basic courses to more advanced ICT courses in all aspects of ICT, software and hardware included. Finally, recommendations are made to assist school leaders to obtain the necessary skills and knowledge regarding the use of ICT in the management of schools. Training needs of school leaders regarding the use of ICT should be addressed in training programmes which are specifically designed for leadership. Courses should be short, hands-on and aimed at developing ICT skills for use in school management. Follow-up and refreshment courses need to be presented on a regular basis, while progress is monitored regularly. / PhD, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

This study is an interpretive narrative that seeks understanding of self as a human being and as a school leader through examining my lived experiences over seventeen years. To interpret my reflections on these experiences, I retell and interrogate my narratives and some writings of contemporary authors on leadership and on the purposes of education. I develop propositions about leadership that provide me with preliminary understandings about leading others. After listening to various professional voices heard as I participated in local, state and national professional activities Australia-wide, I am compelled though to go beyond my propositions and subject them to more intense scrutiny, drawing on the works of philosophers such as Aristotle, Plato and Aquinas, to broaden and deepen my understanding of self as a school leader. I come to a desiring of a virtuous kind of leadership that is deeply moral and ethical. This eros, this passion for understanding, provokes a turning point in my study towards looking for guidance and inspiration from various religions such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, about possibilities for wisdom and virtue in leadership. Thus, my narrative, the getting of wisdom of a school leader, releases new insights about the role of self-knowledge, love and “the good” in leading education.

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<p>School leaders face the challenge of creating and maintaining learning during rapid and complex conditions. Some of the challenges associated with leadership based on authenticity in intercultural schools will be discussed. The purpose of this essay is to describe and gain an insight into three school leaders´ views on leadership in multicultural schools. The study is based on scientific articles and the survey consists of interviews with head teachers in different multicultural schools. The hermeneutic research approach has been the basis for this study through qualitative interviews and collected data for analysis. To get a better understanding of the issues this essay culminates in, different leadership styles are shortly presented. The characteristics that underpin this study will hopefully be better understood through definitions of key concepts. In an attempt to further define authentic leadership, the concept of authentic followership will be introduced and discussed. Effective leadership in intercultural schools requires genuine understanding and action. In line with this, various strategies are proposed by which leaders can consciously transform and better understand the problems and find solutions in intercultural school contexts.</p>

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Sedan införandet av förskoleklassen har denna frivilliga skolform blivit omdiskuterad. Olika utredningar och forskningsprojekt visar att det finns otydligheter kring syfte och uppdrag för förskoleklassens verksamhet som i sin tur påverkar lärarens roll i förskoleklassen. Förskoleklassen betecknas som någonting mellan förskolan och skolan och befinner sig i ett gränsland i vilket förskolans och skolans kultur möts. Syfte med den här studien är att undersöka hur skolledare uppfattar och funderar över lärarens roll i förskoleklassen. Skolledare tillhör en beslutformande yrkesgrupp inom skolvärlden och därmed utövar inflytande på vem som arbetar i förskoleklassen. Studien är baserad på öppna och kvalitativa intervjuer med fem skolledare och analysen är utförd utifrån ett fenomenografisk och hermeneutisk forskningsansats. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt för studien används gränslandsteori. Resultatet visar att skolledares uppfattningar kring lärarens roll kopplas till uppdraget för förskoleklassens verksamhet. Andra centrala begrepp som diskuteras i samband med lärarens roll i förskoleklassen är kompetens, samverkan, yrkesstatus och läroplanen. Skolledares uppfattningar visar båda likheter och skillnader. Samtidigt framkommer det att i sina resonemang skolledare rör sig i gränslandet.

School leaders face the challenge of creating and maintaining learning during rapid and complex conditions. Some of the challenges associated with leadership based on authenticity in intercultural schools will be discussed. The purpose of this essay is to describe and gain an insight into three school leaders´ views on leadership in multicultural schools. The study is based on scientific articles and the survey consists of interviews with head teachers in different multicultural schools. The hermeneutic research approach has been the basis for this study through qualitative interviews and collected data for analysis. To get a better understanding of the issues this essay culminates in, different leadership styles are shortly presented. The characteristics that underpin this study will hopefully be better understood through definitions of key concepts. In an attempt to further define authentic leadership, the concept of authentic followership will be introduced and discussed. Effective leadership in intercultural schools requires genuine understanding and action. In line with this, various strategies are proposed by which leaders can consciously transform and better understand the problems and find solutions in intercultural school contexts.