The purpose of this study is to explore the role of Leadership Practice Communities (LPCs) in developing the leadership capacity of school principals. Given the minimal requirements to become a school principal and the increasing demands made on the principal in terms of his/her job, the question arises as to how best are school principals developed for their school leadership role. This study is underpinned by the theory of Communities of Practice and a conceptual framework on leadership development. Sense is made of how school leadership learning of principals can occur within a community of practice. This works on the premise that people with common goals and interests work together to better themselves and their institutions. This study explores whether this can be done within these structures and how best it can be formalized to assist all leaders in the education field. This study seeks to answer the following critical questions: What forms of leadership learning take place within leadership practice communities? How does the leadership practice change as a result of participation within leadership practice communities? What challenges and possibilities exist for leadership development within leadership practice communities? This study is located within the interpretivist paradigm. A case study methodology is used in this study and semi-structured interviews of a group of principals have been undertaken. This particular Leadership Practice Community was purposively selected based on convenience. Seven principals were selected based on the following criteria: secondary/primary; male/female; urban/township/rural. The findings indicate that a leadership practice community has played a major role in developing the capacity of novice and senior principals. The findings direct that this could be the way to ensure that development of school principals could be undertaken and it should be replicated by all Ward Managers with a view to developing and strengthening leadership in schools under their control. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Edgewood, 2011.

The study was exploratory in nature, and had two major emphases. One thrust of the research was to describe the learning efforts of school principals. The other was to determine the existence and nature of relationships between learning efforts and several independent variables. Learning efforts were described as having two major components: learning interests and learning activities. Two categories of learning interests, recent and priority were examined. Recent interests were those relating to the previous and the then-current school year. Priority interests referred to the coming few months. Three dimensions of a learning activity were studied: recent use, desired greater availability and preference. Respondents reported the frequency with which they had used various learning activities during the previous year. Further, they identified those activities which they probably would have used more frequently, given greater availability, and those which they would prefer to use in learning more about areas of priority interest. Learning activities were classified as formal, consultative and personal. Formal activities included workshops, conferences and similar activities. Consultative activities included various means of consultation with different categories of personnel. Personal activities were generally informal and carried out alone. Three categories of independent variables were studied: school district, school and respondent characteristics. School district variables included urban/rural district group and individual school district. School variables studied were school location, school type and principal's relief time. Respondents' experience and education were also examined. The study surveyed principals in ten mid-sized British Columbia school districts. A contrasting sample design was used to obtain urban and rural districts. The data collection process utilized a questionnaire developed for this project, which was identified to respondents as the Principals' Professional Development Study. The overall response rate was 93.8 percent, and the study sample consisted of 212 principals. Generalization of the findings was limited to the population of principals in the ten districts studied. The study found three areas to be the foci of most widespread interest: development and evaluation of the instructional program, provision of educational services to students with special needs, and supervision of the work of teachers. Learning activities for which most frequent recent use was reported tended to be consultative in nature. Most formal activities tended to be less frequently used, but widely reported as preferred activities and as ones for which greater availability was desired. Greatest evidence of relationships between learning efforts and independent variables occurred for the variables school district, school location, school type, relief time and experience as a principal. The first four of these might be called situational variables. The findings of the study had theoretical, methodological and practical implications. At a theoretical level, consideration might be given to a re-conceptualization of independent variables to facilitate further study of situational variables and experience as a principal. Further study might also involve a re-examination of the scheme for classifying learning activities and an exploration of the possibility of relationships between learning interests identified and learning activities preferred. At a methodological level, an interview approach was suggested for further study of the importance of experience in principals' learning efforts. The case study technique might be used to study situational variables. Recommendations at the level of practice were directed toward personnel and agencies involved in planning and delivering professional development programs for principals. The study found that local and regional activities, and those which would facilitate ongoing study of a topic, were important to principals. These activities might further facilitate such consultative activities as intervisitation, which was also seen as desirable and preferred. The need for further local research before utilization of the study's findings was also indicated. / Education, Faculty of / Graduate

<p>The Namibian education system was affected by a number of changes and challenges. These changes and challenges emanated from new political, financial and socio-economic trends in Namibia and the global village. Due to their strategic positions as educational leaders-cum-managers, principals were expected to lead and manage schools to overcome the challenges and meet increasing expectations of varied stakeholders. However, many secondary school principals especially those in rural areas could not cope with the changes and challenges. Rural secondary school principals did not have what it takes to manage and lead their schools effectively and efficiently. This study investigated the professional development of Namibian secondary school principles with special focus on rural secondary school principals in the Omusati Region, a region in north central of Namibia.</p>

published_or_final_version / Education / Master / Master of Education

<p>The Namibian education system was affected by a number of changes and challenges. These changes and challenges emanated from new political, financial and socio-economic trends in Namibia and the global village. Due to their strategic positions as educational leaders-cum-managers, principals were expected to lead and manage schools to overcome the challenges and meet increasing expectations of varied stakeholders. However, many secondary school principals especially those in rural areas could not cope with the changes and challenges. Rural secondary school principals did not have what it takes to manage and lead their schools effectively and efficiently. This study investigated the professional development of Namibian secondary school principles with special focus on rural secondary school principals in the Omusati Region, a region in north central of Namibia.</p>

D.Ed. / The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 (RSA, 1996(a): 14) requires that school education be transformed and democratised in accordance with fundamental values and principles. These include human dignity, non-racism, non sexism, the rule of law, accountability and transparency. The democratisation of education includes participation by parents, educators, learners and the community at large. The Governing bodies are also expected to make critical decisions on behalf of the school and to ensure that the school is managed and administered effectively and efficiently. The provisions of the Department of Education's White Paper 1 and 2 (RSA, 1996(b)), the report of the Review Committee on School Organisation, Governance and Funding, new legislation including the South African School Act (SASA) of 1996(RSA, 1996(c)) as well as provincial policy directions point South Africa firmly towards a decentralised school based system of education management and governance with substantial decision making authority at the school level. However, while the policy framework attempts to transform education, the legacy of the past education system characterized by fragmentation and inequity in provisions, a crisis of legitimacy in many schools, the demise of a culture of learning and teaching, the relevancy of the curriculum as well as resistance to change has created substantial managerial problems at schools leading to a deterioration in the standard of education. According to Ramphele (1997:25) attempts by the government to transform the inequitable and inadequate schooling system is characterised by a failure to translate good policies into sound practice. This is further confirmed by the poor matric results of the past two years. Table 1.1 (Perkins, 1998:11) and Table 1.2 (Gauteng Department of Education, 1998:37) reflect the poor state of education in South Africa.

在全球教育改革此起彼伏的今天，竞争型国家都力求通过教育领先战略以提升国家的竞争力。因此为校长及学校领导提供专业支持，提供有质量的培训与发展项目以确保教育竞争力是各国近期教育政策执行链中重要的一环。各国出台了很多政策与措施来确保学校领导培训与发展项目质量的持续改进。然而，值得注意的是所有政策措施的影响都是通过关键持份者在培训过程中的互动建构而实现的。迄今为止，学校领导培训项目中关键持份者的过程建构仍是一个黑匣子。 / 本研究采用质性研究方法，以中国五个校长培训机构的高级研修培训为个案，探究中国大陆校长培训的过程建构。本研究揭示了培训机构的管理者/专职人员、培训者与参训校长在培训前、培训中及培训后的行为表现与互动特点。在此基础上，研究者进一步分析了他们对校长学习、参训校长与专家的关系、校长培训的认识及这种认识对他们互动建构过程的影响。最后在国家、市场和高校的情境架构中，深入探讨培训机构与国家、高校和市场的关系如何形塑他们对培训的认识。通过上述三个层次的递进与拓展分析与追问，本研究揭示了中国大陆校长培训过程建构的黑盒子，提供了清晰的理解视角。 / 本研究发现，首先国家、市场、高校是影响校长培训发展的三股外在制度力量。国家从管制、提供和资助三方面影响校长培训的需求和供应。市场被当做国家提升培训质量的工具，在国家的管制下，在实践中发挥着有限的影响。高校则通过校内的部门定位与人员配备影响培训的核心建构过程。国家、市场、高校之间的张力，形塑了关键持份者对校长学习、参训校长与专家的关系和校长培训的认识。目前这种认识以技术控制旨趣为主导，实践中逐渐开始浮现理解实践的旨趣。 / 其次，在培训过程建构中，管理者/专职人员看似占据主导地位，但在实际的互动中，其与培训者并不存在管理关系，对培训者所讲内容与教学方式的可控性弱。他们能够强制要求参训校长扮演好“学员的角色，但是他们并不能控制参训校长在培训过程中的参与度。 / 最后，培训中的校长学习主要以授受的方式进行。由于参训校长准备不足、缺乏培训相关性与共同性的协商，在一定程度上呈现出专家主导的特点。在培训结束之后，部分参训校长能利用培训结识各方人员的机会决定是否继续联系管理者/专职人员与培训者。 / 本研究通过质性的实证个案研究，增进了对在职学校领导发展与培训的理解，在国家、市场和高校的架构中，深化对中国目前普遍的以高校为本的校长培训的理解，弥补了中国大陆现有校长培训与发展研究的不足，同时具有研究方法的意义和研究视角的价值。 / Education has been prioritized by competition states to imporve national competitiveness in the global trend of educational reform. Providing professional support and high quality leader training programs for school principals are therefore critical to implementing the ambitious and desirable educational reforms. Various educational policies and measures applied in some countries to ensure the quality and continous improvement of school principal development programs. However, the policies and measures can only matter through the stakeholder’s interative construction process of the training programs. How various stakeholders construct the training process is still a blackbox until now. / This research is qualitative in nature, exploring the construction of principal training process in Mainland China with five training institutions as cases. It presents what administrator/ full-time staff, trainer and principal trainee do before, during and after principal training program, and how they interact with each other. Then, the research analyzes how the stakeholders perceive principal learning, the relationship between principal trainee and trainer, and principal training as well. This research also explores how their understandings influence the interactive construction process. Finally the above mentioned actions, perceptions and interactions are integrated into a larger institutional context in which state, market and higher education institution have shaped the construction of principal training process and ultimately impact on the development of principal training. / This resesearch first finds that the state, market and higher education institutions are the three external institutional forces shaping the context for process construction of principal training in Mainland China. The sttate influences the supply and demand of principal training through regulation, provision and funding. Market as an extended policy instrument from the state to improve program quality, and exerts limited impact under the regualtion of the state. Higher education institutions influence core process construction through department function orientation and staffing. The tension among state, market and higher education institution shapes stakeholders’ perceptions of principal learning, relationship betweeen principal trainee and trainer, principal training as well, which are dominated by technical-control interest while the interest of understanding practice is emerging gradually. In the process construction, administrator and full-time faculty appear dominating the process, but they have little control over part-time trainers either in content or in pedagogy. At the same time, they can contrive the principal trainee to play out the role of trainee, but they can not force their engagement. Principal learning in training is constructed as ‘give and receive’ between the trainer and the principal trainee. In fact, the whole process is dominated by the trainer as a result of unreadiness of the principal trainee, lacking of relevance and negotiation of mutuality. After the principal training, some principals would further use the connections by their own needs. / This research is the first empirical qualitative study focusing on the process construction of school principal training in China. It contributes to the understanding of in-service school leader training and development for school leadership in the university-based training system and fills the gaps of existing principals of training and development research in the Mainland China. This research has its value in research methods attempted and perspectives applied in this kind of studies. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / 郑玉莲. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-217). / Abstracts in Chinese and English. / Zheng Yulian. / 摘 要 --- p.1 / Abstract --- p.3 / 致 谢 --- p.5 / 目 录 --- p.8 / 图目录 --- p.14 / 表目录 --- p.15 / Chapter 第一章 --- 导论 --- p.16 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究背景 --- p.17 / Chapter 一、 --- 西方学校领导培训与发展的变革 --- p.17 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的实践脉络 --- p.20 / Chapter 第二节 --- 研究问题 --- p.23 / Chapter 第三节 --- 研究意义 --- p.25 / Chapter 第二章 --- 文献综述 --- p.28 / Chapter 第一节 --- 学校情境下的教育领导理论的发展 --- p.28 / Chapter 一、 --- 领导理论发展述评 --- p.29 / Chapter 二、 --- 教育领导理论流派 --- p.30 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.38 / Chapter 第二节 --- 从领导者培训到领导力发展：校长培训理论视角的转型 --- p.40 / Chapter 一、 --- 从领导者到领导力 --- p.40 / Chapter 二、 --- 从培训到发展 --- p.44 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.57 / Chapter 第三节 --- 学校领导培训与发展实施与研究 --- p.60 / Chapter 一、 --- 学校领导储训项目 --- p.60 / Chapter 二、 --- 入职与在职培训项目 --- p.61 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.62 / Chapter 第四节 --- 学校领导培训与发展治理架构的调整 --- p.62 / Chapter 一、 --- 学校领导培训与发展的治理分析架构 --- p.63 / Chapter 二、 --- 国家、大学、市场与学校领导培训与发展 --- p.65 / Chapter 三、 --- 结语 --- p.66 / Chapter 第五节 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究进展 --- p.67 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究全景扫描 --- p.67 / Chapter （一） --- 期刊文章 --- p.67 / Chapter （二） --- 硕博论文 --- p.71 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训研究评述 --- p.72 / Chapter 第三章 --- 研究设计 --- p.75 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究者的认识旨趣与质性研究取向 --- p.75 / Chapter 一、 --- 质性的研究取向 --- p.75 / Chapter 二、 --- 研究者认识旨趣的澄清 --- p.76 / Chapter 三、 --- 研究范畴界定 --- p.76 / Chapter 第二节 --- 个案研究设计 --- p.76 / Chapter 第三节 --- 个案选择与资料搜集 --- p.77 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训机构的选取 --- p.77 / Chapter 二、 --- 资料搜集 --- p.79 / Chapter 三、 --- 资料编码与分析 --- p.81 / Chapter 第四节 --- 研究的可靠性与伦理考量 --- p.82 / Chapter 一、 --- 研究可靠性 --- p.82 / Chapter 二、 --- 研究的伦理考量 --- p.83 / Chapter 第五节 --- 研究阶段 --- p.84 / Chapter 第四章 --- 中国大陆校长培训的本土情境与案例机构简析 --- p.85 / Chapter 第一节 --- 中国大陆校长培训的历史发展：政策分析的视角 --- p.85 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训发展阶段 --- p.86 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训政策的延续与变革 --- p.90 / Chapter 第二节 --- 中国大陆校长培训系统 --- p.96 / Chapter 一、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的管理体系 --- p.96 / Chapter 二、 --- 中国大陆校长培训的层级 --- p.97 / Chapter 三、 --- 中国大陆校长培训承担机构的类型 --- p.98 / Chapter 四、 --- 高校为本的校长培训机构 --- p.99 / Chapter 第三节 --- 案例机构简析 --- p.100 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训机构的分析架构 --- p.100 / Chapter 二、 --- 案例机构背景分析 --- p.101 / Chapter 第五章 --- 中国大陆校长培训过程建构的全景扫描 --- p.106 / Chapter 第一节 --- 培训前的管理者/专职人员独角戏 --- p.106 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训前的准备 --- p.106 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训前的动态互动关系分析 --- p.112 / Chapter 第二节 --- 培训过程中的校长学习 --- p.114 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长培训的时空架构 --- p.115 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长学习的核心活动 --- p.116 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长学习的边缘活动 --- p.123 / Chapter 四、 --- 培训过程中动态互动关系分析 --- p.126 / Chapter 第三节 --- 培训后的非正式交汇 --- p.128 / Chapter 一、 --- 培训后的不同关注点 --- p.128 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训后的动态互动关系分析 --- p.130 / Chapter 第四节 --- 结语 --- p.131 / Chapter 第六章 --- 对校长培训的认识与培训过程建构 --- p.138 / Chapter 第一节 --- 对校长学习的理解与认识 --- p.138 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长为什么要学 --- p.138 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长学什么 --- p.142 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长怎么学 --- p.144 / Chapter 第二节 --- 对参训校长-专家关系的认识 --- p.145 / Chapter 一、 --- 传统的“参训校长-专家关系的认识 --- p.145 / Chapter 二、 --- 新型“参训校长-专家关系认识的浮现 --- p.146 / Chapter 第三节 --- 对校长培训的认识 --- p.148 / Chapter 一、 --- 将校长培训视为一种任务和待遇 --- p.148 / Chapter 二、 --- 将校长培训视为一种教学平台 --- p.151 / Chapter 三、 --- 将校长培训视为超级市场或信息中心 --- p.152 / Chapter 四、 --- 将校长培训视为学习社群 --- p.153 / Chapter 第四节 --- 结语 --- p.154 / Chapter 一、 --- 技术控制旨趣下的认识及其对校长培训过程建构的影响 --- p.154 / Chapter 二、 --- 理解实践旨趣的认识及其对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.155 / Chapter 三、 --- 解放旨趣的认识及其对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.156 / Chapter 第七章 --- 国家、市场、高校角力下的校长培训 --- p.157 / Chapter 第一节 --- 国家对校长培训的影响 --- p.157 / Chapter 一、 --- 国家对校长培训的管制 --- p.157 / Chapter 二、 --- 国家对校长培训的资助 --- p.159 / Chapter 三、 --- 国家对校长培训的提供 --- p.160 / Chapter 第二节 --- 逐渐兴起的培训市场 --- p.160 / Chapter 一、 --- 校长培训市场的供需方 --- p.161 / Chapter 二、 --- 校长培训市场的交换媒介 --- p.164 / Chapter 第三节 --- 高校对培训过程建构的影响 --- p.166 / Chapter 一、 --- 高校类型及其生存环境的变革 --- p.167 / Chapter 二、 --- 培训机构部门设置与功能定位 --- p.167 / Chapter 三、 --- 培训师资队伍的构成 --- p.172 / Chapter 第四节 --- 国家、市场、高校角力下培训机构能力建设的策略 --- p.176 / Chapter 一、 --- 理解校长培训机构能力建设的分析架构 --- p.176 / Chapter 二、 --- 不同类型培训机构能力建设策略分析 --- p.178 / Chapter 三、 --- 培训机构能力建设的思考 --- p.185 / Chapter 第八章 --- 结论与反思 --- p.187 / Chapter 第一节 --- 研究发现 --- p.187 / Chapter 一、 --- 关键持份者的行为表现与互动特点 --- p.188 / Chapter 二、 --- 关键持份者的认识与培训过程的建构 --- p.189 / Chapter 三、 --- 校长培训机构与国家、高校及市场的关系及其影响 --- p.190 / Chapter 四、 --- 重新理解校长学习 --- p.192 / Chapter 五、 --- 中国大陆校长培训过程建构的隐喻 --- p.194 / Chapter 第二节 --- 研究贡献 --- p.195 / Chapter 一、 --- 理论贡献 --- p.195 / Chapter 二、 --- 实践启示 --- p.198 / Chapter 第三节 --- 研究限制 --- p.201 / Chapter 第四节 --- 后续研究建议 --- p.201 / 参考文献： --- p.203 / 附 录 --- p.218

The study focuses on public relations as a significant aspect of the functions of the principal as the manager of a secondary school. A review of selected literature suggests that a large number of the daily administrative and managerial tasks performed by principals require public relations skills. Research was conducted, by means of questionnaires and structured interviews, among principals and teachers at House of Delegates secondary schools in the greater Durban area. The research analysis examines principals' qualifications and in-service training in public relations. The public relations practice at schools used in the sample are evaluated in terms of selected public relations issues, viz. fund-raising, communication with the school's publics, coping with crises and image-building. The results of the study indicate that few principals have received training in public relations and that public relations practice at House of Delegates secondary schools in the greater Durban area is weak and inadequate. In the view of the researcher, principals should be given special in-service training, to develop their public relations skills and to teach them sound public relations practice, so that they will become better managers of their schools. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of Natal, Durban, 1993.

The primary aim of this study was to produce materials on ethics which could be used in the preparation of practicing and potential principals. To examine the views of secondary school principals involved in the study, twenty scenarios were developed which portrayed situations that principals typically encounter. School divisions in Virginia were divided into four categories according to enrollment and the number of secondary schools in the division. Ten schools from each classification were randomly selected, and on-site interviews were conducted with each principal in which four of the scenarios and a survey form were employed to collect information. Responses of the principals to the scenarios were transcribed, analyzed and distilled. The scenarios and responses became the foundation for the development of a primer on ethics for use in administrative in-service workshops and principal preparation programs. The primer was used in designing and presenting in-service programs on ethics for the administrative staffs of two school divisions. Responses by principals to situations presented during the study and the in-service programs indicate that practicing and potential school administrators would benefit by having ethics included as a fundamental part of their professional preparation program. / Ed. D.

Thesis (Ph.D.) - Central University of Technology, Free State, 2010 / Newly appointed principals are facing enormous challenges as managers of their schools today. When they are first appointed, many begin their work with a lot of uncertainty, anxiety and frustration due to lack of assistance, guidance and support. As principals of schools, newly appointed principals are expected to perform to the best of their ability in order to ensure that their schools succeed and achieve the best possible results. The constant changes in education require the newly appointed principal to adapt to these changes and to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills in order to implement the policies, regulations and procedures. Without proper guidance and support most newly appointed principals are unlikely to succeed. It is therefore necessary that these principals are exposed to induction and mentoring opportunities in order to capacitate them and enhance their performance and their competencies. Newly appointed principals should first be exposed to an induction programme after their arrival at work. The induction programme should subsequently be followed by a mentoring programme whereby a mentor is assigned to the newly appointed principal. The purpose of this study is to develop an induction and mentoring programme to assist newly appointed principals in selected education districts in the Free State province. The qualitative approach is used in this study as it seeks to represent reality from the perspectives of the participant, without interfering with or biasing that perspective, in their own words and using their own concepts. To analyse data for this study the researcher used coding in order to categorise data into themes. The findings of this study reveal that all the schools do not have a policy for the induction and mentoring of newly appointed principals. The study also revealed that schools did not have a formal induction and mentoring programme and as a result, there were not enough induction and mentoring opportunities for new principals in their first year as principals. It was also found that no monitoring and evaluation was done due to lack of formal programmes in the schools. It is recommended that a policy for the induction and mentoring programme be formulated in schools. Those responsible for inducting and mentoring newly appointed principals must ensure that the programme is properly managed in order for it to succeed. The induction and mentoring programme should be thoroughly planned in order to meet the needs of the newly appointed principals. Before implementing any programme it is essential that the training needs of newly appointed principals are identified. These needs should then be prioritised in relation to the needs they are intended to serve. The induction programme should have carefully formulated objectives so that the programme can address the needs of newly appointed principals appropriately. It is important therefore that this programme be monitored at all times in order to ascertain whether it is meeting the objectives of the programme. The induction and mentoring programme for newly appointed principals should be evaluated at the end in order to determine the success and impact of the programme on newly appointed principals.