Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Education in the Department of Education Planning and Administration at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2001. / One of the greatest challenges facing teachers in the new democratic South Africa has to do with understanding and facilitating change in education. The question of how teachers can be empowered at the school level was, therefore, a problem necessitating this research. The aim of the study was to discover educationally accepted ways and means of empowering teachers for change. It aimed at establishing what teachers need to do to acquire self-empowered behaviour, and what principals ought to do to see to the empowerment of their teachers for change. To carry out this study, the student made an in-depth study of literature on educational change and the empowerment role of principals. For empirical investigation use was made of observation method and interviews. The major findings that have emerged from this study are that teachers are not adequately involved in implementing changes directed by current policy documents, and that there is very little that is being done at school to promote change. Another finding is that schools are found to be lacking resources that may be utilized to promote or facilitate change, such as democratic governance, human rights culture and curriculum change. The principals were found to be doing very little to assist and motivate teachers for change. It was found that there was lack of efforts to facilitate self-empowered behaviour among both teachers and principals. The recommendation suggested focus on action to be taken by both teachers and principals. The principals are responsible for facilitating the implementation of change by empowering teachers at a school level.

<p>  </p> <p>This qualitative exploratory case study uses phenomenology to conduct an investigation of teacher collaboration and teacher empowerment within a Professional Learning Community (PLC) at a Title 1 elementary school. This study examined the experiences of five elementary and three administrators to learn about their perspectives on teacher collaboration and teacher empowerment at their school with a focus on discovering how administrators empower teachers and support teacher collaboration. The Professional Learning Community Organizer (PLCO) (Appendix A) developed by Hipp and Huffman (2010) is the framework utilized to assist in analyzing the responses from the respondents regarding collaboration and shared leadership in this study. From the responses from the interviews, the researcher identified in each of the five dimensions how the administrators initiated, implemented, and supported teacher collaboration and teacher empowerment at KES. </p> <p><br></p> <p>The emergent themes identified in this study were consistent with the research related to teacher collaboration and teacher empowerment in a PLC in Chapter 2. The themes include: 1) supportive relationships, 2) collaboration, 3) collective responsibility for all students, and 4) teacher empowerment. From these themes, three assertions were gleaned: 1) Administrators must create a culture of collaboration; 2) Administrators must create an environment that is conducive to supportive, trusting, respectful, and collaborative relationships; and 3) Administrators must create an environment that promotes and encourages shared leadership and teacher empowerment.</p>

The purpose of this non-experimental study was to investigate teacher empowerment and the participatory management within the schools’ cultures. Also, the study investigated the teachers’ expectations of their students’ social skill competency needs and classroom behavioral practices within the existing school culture. Pearson r coefficients were used to determine the degree of relationship between teachers’ perceived empowerment and school culture. Independent t-tests were run on the mean scores between middle school and high school teacher perception of autonomy and collaborative leadership. Responses to an open-ended questionnaire were analyzed as qualitative data on teacher expectations of student social skill competency. Descriptive profiles of the administrators’ strategies in the process of decision making and the formal structured participative management system were calculated. Cross tabulation of school, gender, and years of experience for the administrators’ participatory leadership was included. After data was analyzed, a positive correlation was determined for teacher empowerment and school culture from both the middle school and the high school. The independent t-tests indicated statistically significant differences between the two groups of teachers for autonomy and collaborative leadership. The data from the open-ended questionnaire indicated that teachers’ expectations of social skills in the classroom include cooperation and self-control, but not necessarily assertion. Administrators from both the middle school and the high school agreed that there exists a degree of participatory management. The male administrators with more years experience indicated that explicit procedures for participatory management are only used some of the time and exist infrequently at their schools. It was concluded that overall, the middle school fostered a school climate where teacher empowerment was facilitated by the administration and the teachers. Recommendations included a future study involving teacher empowerment in elementary schools and participatory leadership style in relationship to gender.

This capstone project was part of a group project completed by two principals in elementary schools and a principal coach in Hillsborough County, Florida. Each of the team members has a passion for the work of administrator and lead learner in a turnaround school. Through creating a culture of teacher leadership, especially in high poverty schools, we believe students will succeed. We were looking for what a high performing school culture would look like if teachers were leading the work through ongoing inquiry and personalized support. My individual focus was, in what kinds of work experiences did teachers feel they learned the most? What were those situations? Who else was involved, and what did they do? What did teachers do to foster their own development? What made these situations high point learning experiences? My review of selected literature was guided by an Appreciative Inquiry perspective. Themes in the literature reviewed included: teacher collaboration, teacher leadership, and job-embedded professional development. Key insights to my area of focus included strong confirmation of the need for differentiated professional development for teachers to foster and improve teacher leadership. The research reviewed examined different professional development models and their relationship to teacher needs. School leaders should pay attention to how teachers are supported, how time is allotted, the degree to which a leader is committed, the need for collaboration among teachers, and the need for job-embedded learning and teacher support.

This capstone project was part of a group project completed by two principals in elementary schools and a principal coach in Hillsborough County, Florida. Each of the team members has a passion for the work of administrator and lead learner in a turnaround school. Through creating a culture of teacher leadership, especially in high poverty schools, we believe students will succeed. We were looking for what a high performing school culture would look like if teachers were leading the work through ongoing inquiry and personalized support. My individual focus was, how can district and school leaders support a culture where teachers are leading teachers? As a principal coach, I am responsible for supporting principals at all levels in the schools within my area. I am also responsible for creating professional learning experiences that will permeate into the schools where leaders will take action and where teachers are empowered to make decisions to address the needs of their students. Selected literature was reviewed that considers how to create a system of support for leaders (teachers, administrators) who are increasingly expected to lead more autonomously when they have traditionally been provided directives through district initiatives that emphasize accountability. Themes in the literature reviewed included: community re-norming, teaching/learning symbiosis, and leadership that is proactive and reflective (inquiring). Key findings in my area of focus included valuing professional community and supporting it; moving control of professional development from the district to schools; developing models to allocate time for professional development at the school level; clarifying school and district leaders’ roles in supporting teacher leadership; and assessing and prioritizing district initiatives to determine what is really needed at school sites ̶ particularly in turnaround schools.

Education for All (2005) offers a developmentally appropriate plan based on responsiveness to intervention (RTI) research. The model, termed the tiered approach, advocates intervention as a step in the process of identification which involves closely monitoring students in the primary years and providing additional support through direct instruction and increased monitoring of students who are at-risk. There are numerous empirical studies discussing the potential benefits of the RTI model (Feiker Hollenbeck, 2007; Fuchs & Deshler, 2007). However, the promise of a theory is never enough to ensure a change in the practice of teachers or an improvement in the learning of students. Since it is the teachers who will alter their classroom practice and systematically monitor student progress in order to decide whether suitable learning trajectories are being achieved, researchers must examine how best to support teachers in the face of such change. This study describes, through the use of focus group data, teachers’ views of their experiences participating in a pilot project of the RTI model. While exploring the supports and barriers that these teachers face in the first year of implementing the RTI model, this study describes the limitations imposed by the teachers’ perceived lack of empowerment throughout the pilot project. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2009-06-24 12:49:27.836

The purpose of study was twofold. The primary purpose was to describe and explain the perceptions and lived experiences of high school teachers through their involvement in a Professional Learning Community, as defined by Hord (1997). Teachers' experiences within a Professional Learning Community were examined for patterns of cultivated leadership and social capital. The second purpose of the study was to identify the influencing variables connected with how the participants viewed themselves as leaders as a result of their participation in a professional learning community. One influencing variable in particular that was examined was the influence of social capital in professional learning communities. Hord's explanation of a professional learning community was the conceptual framework for this study, which states that such communities are made up of five essential dimensions: (1) Shared and supportive leadership, (2) Shared values and vision, (3) Collective learning and its application, (4) Shared personal practice, and (5) Supportive conditions. Online survey research method was used in order to investigate teacher leadership in Professional Learning Communities and the underlying variables associated with participation in such communities. The findings of this study indicated that teachers have varying perceptions of their work with professional learning communities. Overall, the data suggested that teachers' experiences and perceptions negatively correlated with their development as a teacher leader. Although most teachers in this study did not experience empowerment as a teacher leader, most gained some sense of social capital through their collaborative efforts within their learning communities. The data reflected that most teachers felt connected to the colleagues within their communities. School leadership is vital to the sustainability of professional learning communities and towards the professional growth of teacher leaders. Consequently, this study suggests that future research is conducted to examine the influence of school leaders on teacher leadership development and the impact that professional learning communities have on such development for teachers.

This transformative participatory study was designed to address the issue of limited culturally relevant Spanish or bilingual mentor texts for use in writing workshop. The researcher references critical pedagogy theory, writing instruction theory and transformative education theory to set a theoretical framework. In the study 2 Dual Language teachers currently implementing a Two-Way Dual Language program engaged in a six session book study and article discussion using Alma Flor Ada’s and Isabel Campoy’s book Authors in the classroom: A transformative Education Process (2004). Sessions were audiotaped, reflections were collected, and a pre and post questionnaire was used to gather data. Using grounded theory the data was coded and findings are included in this report. / text

School staff are continuously asked to adapt to changes that are set forth by various governmental and community agencies. These changes are set in motion to improve schools, however, with change brings conflict. Organizational learning has gained attention as a way to adjust to change. Because conflict can be a taxing, disruptive occurrence in organizations, the purpose of this study was to examine how leaders of schools with high teacher empowerment levels use conflict as a positive force to move their schools forward, despite constant change. Research suggests a connection between organizational learning and teacher empowerment. Additional research was necessary to explore this link. This study described and analyzed how school leaders use conflict constructively to promote individual growth and organizational learning. Review of district Teaching, Empowering, Leading and Learning (TELL) Kentucky survey data informed the selection of six schools which evidenced high teacher empowerment. Data were collected through individual interviews with principals, an online teacher survey, as well as focus group interviews with teachers to gain their perspectives about how their school leaders manage conflict. Analysis of data identified themes for how teacher empowerment and organizational learning are connected, and perceptions of conflict. The findings suggest that a risk-safe environment is essential for ensuring that conflict can be a constructive force in schools. Conflict is also affected by the level teacher leadership, engagement and decision-making. Constructive conflict is evidenced in school that have high levels of trust among school staff. Schools leaders can use constructive conflict to promote individual growth and organizational learning.

The purpose of this study was to investigate teacher perceptions of their empowerment. Six school systems in the Northeast Tennessee region were used in the study. Of the 600 teachers who were surveyed, 312 responded (52%). The Psychological Empowerment Instrument was used to survey the sample. Research supported the notion that teacher empowerment could be influenced by organizational structure, relationships, communication, conflict resolution, emotional intelligence, motivation, job satisfaction, and transformational leadership. Teacher empowerment also involved servant leadership. One research question guided the study. From this question, 12 null hypotheses were generated. Means were compared for the 4 dimensions of the PEI (Meaning, Competence, Impact and Self-Determination). The grouping variables were years of experience, gender, and level of education. ANOVAs and independent samples t tests were computed to evaluate the data. The results of ANOVA and Independent Samples t tests were that there were significant differences in the 4 dimensions with teacher years of experience but not with gender or level of education. Findings suggested that seasoned teachers often showed a higher level of empowerment than beginning teachers. The findings also suggested that gender and level of education did little to influence teacher empowerment in their schools. From the results of the study, conclusions and recommendations for future research were formulated. It was suggested that teachers be involved in a mentoring program. It was also suggested that administrators determine teacher empowerment through faculty assessments and follow up with professional development to ensure the continued empowerment of their staff.