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.

The problem of this study was to determine training priorities as mandated by the Texas Legislature on the CORE Curriculum for Management and Leadership Development and their implications for Texas public school principals. Purposes of the study were to validate an instrument for assessing principals' training needs, to provide data for planning and delivering training for principals, to provide results to staff developers, and to develop a profile of similarities and differences in the perceptions of principals and their superordinates.

Beginner principals need support through a mentoring and coaching program to ensure effective curriculum management and to develop as curriculum leaders. The aim of the study was to determine the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs to ensure support in effective curriculum management. A comprehensive literature study was done and resulted in the success of mentoring and coaching programs and the focus pointing to effective curriculum management and specifically curriculum leadership in South Africa. The results from the literature study guided the empirical study through combined research. The focus fell on the roles, expectations, problems and support of beginner principals, curriculum management and leadership and the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs. Empirically it was dicovered that beginner principals are not supported efficiently as curriculum managers and curriculum leaders. Mentoring and coaching will address this need. The requirements of mentoring and coaching programs consist of: (1) Compulsary mentoring and coaching programs for all beginner principals; (2) Experienced principals as mentors; (3) Approved mentors who should receive training; (4) The beginner principal being allowed to choose his/her own mentor; (5) Mentors as curriculum experts / Beginnerprinsipale benodig ondersteuning in die vorm van 'n mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram om die kurrikulum effektief te bestuur en om as kurrikulumleier te ontwikkel. Die doe! van hierdie studie was om die behoefte aan en die vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme te bepaal om beginnerprinsipale in effektiewe kurrikulumbestuur te ondersteun. 'n Uitgebreide literatuurstudie is uitgevoer wat die sukses van mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme vir beginnerprinsipale aandui en die fokus op kurrikulumbestuur en meer spesifiek kurrikulumleierskap in Suid-Afrika plaas. Die Iiteratuurstudie het as basis gedien vir die empiriese studie wat uit gekombineerde navorsing bestaan het. In die empiriese studie is daar op rolle, verwagtinge, probleme en ondersteuning van beginnerprinsipale gefokus. Daar is verder aandag gegee aan kurrikulumbestuur en -Ieierskap van beginnerprinsipale en die behoefte aan en vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme. Empiries is daar bevind dat beginnerprinsipale nie voldoende in kurrikulumbestuur en die ontwikkeling as kurrikulumleiers ondersteun word me. Mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme sal hierdie behoefte aanspreek. Die vereistes vir die mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme bestaan uit: (1) Verpligte mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram vir aile beginnerprinsipale; (2) Die gebruik van ervare prinsipale as mentors; (3) Goedgekeurde mentors wat opleiding ontvang; ( 4) 'n Keuse deur die beginnerprinsipaal ten opsigte van sy/haar mentor; (5) Mentors wat kurrikulumkundiges is. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

Research has shown that most school leaders lack the knowledge necessary to deal with the many different aspects and issues that special education programs encompass. This lack of knowledge ultimately places special education teachers, programs, and students with disabilities at a clear disadvantage. With The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 and the reauthorization of The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA) in 2004, schools and school leaders are being held accountable for the learning gains of all students, including students with disabilities. This study sought to assess the knowledge of Florida school principals in the area of special education policies and procedures through survey administration. In addition, the survey was designed to establish the method by which school principals purport to have learned the majority of special education policies and procedures. Social justice as defined by Adams, Bell, and Griffin (1997) and ethical reasoning in educational leadership, developed and defined by Shapiro and Stefkovich (2005) were chosen as the conceptual framework with which to guide the design and analysis of the study. These underlying sets of ideas were used to help recognize the many inequalities that have hindered education for a variety of students, including those with disabilities (Lashley, 2007). FIndings of this study demonstrate the level of knowledge practicing administrators in Florida possess, the methods by which they acquired that knowledge, and the dire need for this knowledge under new state mandated reform initiatives. / by Lindsay Jesteadt. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2012. / Includes bibliography. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / System requirements: Adobe Reader.

Beginner principals need support through a mentoring and coaching program to ensure effective curriculum management and to develop as curriculum leaders. The aim of the study was to determine the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs to ensure support in effective curriculum management. A comprehensive literature study was done and resulted in the success of mentoring and coaching programs and the focus pointing to effective curriculum management and specifically curriculum leadership in South Africa. The results from the literature study guided the empirical study through combined research. The focus fell on the roles, expectations, problems and support of beginner principals, curriculum management and leadership and the need of and the requirements for mentoring and coaching programs. Empirically it was dicovered that beginner principals are not supported efficiently as curriculum managers and curriculum leaders. Mentoring and coaching will address this need. The requirements of mentoring and coaching programs consist of: (1) Compulsary mentoring and coaching programs for all beginner principals; (2) Experienced principals as mentors; (3) Approved mentors who should receive training; (4) The beginner principal being allowed to choose his/her own mentor; (5) Mentors as curriculum experts / Beginnerprinsipale benodig ondersteuning in die vorm van 'n mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram om die kurrikulum effektief te bestuur en om as kurrikulumleier te ontwikkel. Die doe! van hierdie studie was om die behoefte aan en die vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme te bepaal om beginnerprinsipale in effektiewe kurrikulumbestuur te ondersteun. 'n Uitgebreide literatuurstudie is uitgevoer wat die sukses van mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme vir beginnerprinsipale aandui en die fokus op kurrikulumbestuur en meer spesifiek kurrikulumleierskap in Suid-Afrika plaas. Die Iiteratuurstudie het as basis gedien vir die empiriese studie wat uit gekombineerde navorsing bestaan het. In die empiriese studie is daar op rolle, verwagtinge, probleme en ondersteuning van beginnerprinsipale gefokus. Daar is verder aandag gegee aan kurrikulumbestuur en -Ieierskap van beginnerprinsipale en die behoefte aan en vereistes vir mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme. Empiries is daar bevind dat beginnerprinsipale nie voldoende in kurrikulumbestuur en die ontwikkeling as kurrikulumleiers ondersteun word me. Mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme sal hierdie behoefte aanspreek. Die vereistes vir die mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogramme bestaan uit: (1) Verpligte mentorskap- en afrigtingsprogram vir aile beginnerprinsipale; (2) Die gebruik van ervare prinsipale as mentors; (3) Goedgekeurde mentors wat opleiding ontvang; ( 4) 'n Keuse deur die beginnerprinsipaal ten opsigte van sy/haar mentor; (5) Mentors wat kurrikulumkundiges is. / Educational Studies / M. Ed. (Onderwysbestuur)

In the 21st century, there is a growing realisation that providing principals with the necessary opportunities of training in leadership and management skills has become increasingly important as a way to increase school effectiveness and achieve quality performance. Central to this argument is the fact that principals are merely accorded a status and role without the necessary training. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore the effectiveness of state-funded professional development programmes of school principals with specific reference to Soshanguve secondary schools and also to ascertain the extent to which principals’ training meets the schools’ and principals’ needs given the changed conditions that exist in the country. The study employed a quantitative research methods approach to collect data from 100 educators and 20 Head of Departments (HoDs). This was done through administration of questionnaires. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), which was used to generate the frequencies and descriptive statistics that were used to answer research questions. While it is expected that principals should effectively and rigorously be developed to enable them to improve teaching and learning at their schools, the study, however, found that training of school principals in Soshanguve was elusive and ineffective, and as result, the majority of these principals lack basic management training prior to and after their entry into principalship. The study has shown that apart from being faced with various challenges and being promoted to principalship without the necessary leadership experience, principals rely on trial-and-error experience and common sense in leading and managing schools. The study also showed that a majority of principals are in great need of being professionally developed in some specific areas. Furthermore, the study discovered that the Department of Basic Education does not seem to be making efforts in ensuring that principals are professionally developed. Consequently, principals develop on their own through informal professional development strategies. In conclusion, the study recommended, amongst others, that principals should be encouraged to take personal responsibility and initiative in preparing and developing school leadership through self-study, reading literature, attending seminars and workshops out of their own personal volition. That Department of Basic Education (DoBE) needs to look into ways of subsidising the training of school principals. DoBE should also find ways of formally incorporating more of the private sector and non-governmental organisations to help in the preparation and development of principals for school leadership by allowing them to offer in-service courses for potential principals and serving principals. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

The aim of the research was to reflect phenomenologically on the role of the school principal as educational manager and instructional leader in enhancing a culture of teaching and learning in schools, and to reflect critically on this state of affairs in Limpopo Province. A literature study was undertaken to expose problems that deter principals from fulfilling these roles. Qualitative research in the form of ideograms, as well as, unstructured interviews with principles, was used to elicit principals' views concerning how they perceive their roles in an attempt to enhance a culture of teaching and learning in schools. Research findings indicated that principalship is beset with many problems which have to be addressed in order to restore the collapsed culture of teaching and learning in schools. Results revealed among other issues that: - The training of principals for the introduction of Outcomes Based Education in schools was not well carried out. It was incomprehensible for the Education Department to exclude principals from the training when the whole system of teaching and learning was supposed to change with the introduction of Outcomes Based Education - The redeployment and rationalisation of teachers has given rise to many complicated problems in schools, leaving teachers demoralised and being a major cause of job dissatisfaction for principals The research findings revealed that the role of principals as educational managers and instructional leaders in Limpopo Province is not authentically enacted. Recommendations include among other issues that: - The Department of Education in Limpopo Province review the implementation of Outcomes Based Education, particularly the training of principals - Attention should be given to problems arising from the process of redeployment and rationalisation of teachers in schools - There is a need for ongoing, effective and in-service lifelong training for teachers, principals and the School Governing Body with regard to education management. Attention to these issues, amongst others, it is proposed, will contribute to the effective implementation of the role of school principals as educational managers and instructional leaders, particularly in Limpopo Province. This will reinforce the desired culture of teaching and learning in schools. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)

University of Macau / Faculty of Education

The aim of the research was to reflect phenomenologically on the role of the school principal as educational manager and instructional leader in enhancing a culture of teaching and learning in schools, and to reflect critically on this state of affairs in Limpopo Province. A literature study was undertaken to expose problems that deter principals from fulfilling these roles. Qualitative research in the form of ideograms, as well as, unstructured interviews with principles, was used to elicit principals' views concerning how they perceive their roles in an attempt to enhance a culture of teaching and learning in schools. Research findings indicated that principalship is beset with many problems which have to be addressed in order to restore the collapsed culture of teaching and learning in schools. Results revealed among other issues that: - The training of principals for the introduction of Outcomes Based Education in schools was not well carried out. It was incomprehensible for the Education Department to exclude principals from the training when the whole system of teaching and learning was supposed to change with the introduction of Outcomes Based Education - The redeployment and rationalisation of teachers has given rise to many complicated problems in schools, leaving teachers demoralised and being a major cause of job dissatisfaction for principals The research findings revealed that the role of principals as educational managers and instructional leaders in Limpopo Province is not authentically enacted. Recommendations include among other issues that: - The Department of Education in Limpopo Province review the implementation of Outcomes Based Education, particularly the training of principals - Attention should be given to problems arising from the process of redeployment and rationalisation of teachers in schools - There is a need for ongoing, effective and in-service lifelong training for teachers, principals and the School Governing Body with regard to education management. Attention to these issues, amongst others, it is proposed, will contribute to the effective implementation of the role of school principals as educational managers and instructional leaders, particularly in Limpopo Province. This will reinforce the desired culture of teaching and learning in schools. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Philosophy of Education)