The role played by the principal as instructional leader worldwide is critical due to its direct and indirect impact on learner achievement.In South African primary schools the role of the principal as instructional leader in improving learning achievement is a pressing issue since most South African primary school learners perform far below par as determined by benchmarking carried out by local and international education assessment agencies with reference to curriculum goals and literacy and numeracy milestones.This descriptive exploratory study examined the role of the principal as instructional leader in primary schools in South Africa with special reference to the Tshwane South District, Gauteng Province. The study was informed by a literature review of local and international sources related to theoretical perspectives on instructional leadership, the features of instructional leadership that impact on learner achievement and selected models of instructional leadership. An overview of contextual and school factors which shape primary school learner achievement in South Africa with reference to the rural and township communities also framed the empirical inquiry. A mixed method study was conducted according to two phases: Phase 1 comprised the quantitative component (questionnaires); Phase 2 comprised the qualitative component (interviews). Both phases were conducted in the Tshwane South District, Gauteng Province. In both phases data were gathered from primary school principals and Institute Development Support Officials (IDSOs) selected by random and purposeful sampling respectively. The questionnaire findings indicated that the principals and IDSOs had adequate qualifications and experience, and that key school policies are in place. However, the principals are less confident about policy implementation, particularly with regard to educator and learner discipline. They face many systemic problems, such as inadequate school resources and additional funds in no fee-paying schools to improve the infrastructure and reduce the learner-teacher ratios. The findings from the interviews indicated that the principals struggle to maintain participative management with the school governing bodies; are hampered by contextual factors, especially poor school infrastructure; and are challenged to meet the requirements of annual benchmarking assessments. Based on the findings of the literature study and the empirical inquiry recommendations are made to improve practice, including a call for the professional development of principals in project management and fundraising. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This research investigated the instructional leadership roles of selected township principals. Its main focus was therefore to explore and understand the roles and practices engaged in by township principals in order to influence effective teaching and learning in their schools. A qualitative research method was used to conduct a case study with two schools. A total of six participants were purposefully sampled: two principals and four teachers. The data was collected using individual interviews, document analysis and observations. From the data, five themes emerged in this study. Although the findings revealed that there are some principals with a weak and partial understanding of what instructional leadership entails, these principals do put a remarkable effort into executing their instructional roles. Instructional leadership development programmes are necessary for all School Management Team (SMT) members. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Instructional leadership (IL) is a powerful tool that is used by principals to manage schools. There is a need for principals to fully embrace this concept of leadership and understand how educators respond to their IL. This study investigated the response of educators to principals’ IL. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six teachers at a selected high school. The results found that teachers were comparatively impressed by the principal’s IL. The principal showed partial involvement in managing an instructional programme and promotion of a culture of teaching and learning. The results will enable principals to understand the reaction of teachers to their IL, thereby empowering them to be better instructional leaders. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Educational Management and Leadership)

The role of the principal can no longer be viewed as merely being a manager and administrator but rather as learning-expert and lifelong learner. Principals are expected to establish appropriate preconditions for effective teaching, learning and assessment, and flow through with interactions aimed at improving teaching and leaning. The problem statement for this study was based on the researcher’s opinion that the lack of knowledge of effective assessment practices by principals as instructional leaders seemed to have a negative influence on teacher’s perceptions of the implementation of quality assessment practices in their respective classrooms. The reason for this challenge is because principals are not involved in the classroom assessment practices, to revise, support and manage the quality of assessment by indentifying teacher’s assessment to them. The purpose of this study was to design a proposed instructional leadership model/ framework to ensure effective and quality assessment practices at school level. This ILQA framework/model was designed from the literature review, findings and personal experience as a principal. The aim of this ILQA framework/model was to support principals understand their roles in the teaching and learning environment in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. This study investigates how principals execute their roles as instructional leaders in ensuring effective and the implementation of quality assessment practices using structured questionnaire from a sample of 250 respondents and semi structured interviews with five primary school principals in the Free State Department of Basic Education. It was found that to ensure quality assessment practices, principals should understand their role in assessment for learning, assessment of learning and assessment as learning and integrate them into classroom instruction as an important component of quality teaching and learning. In summary the researcher further hopes that when the findings and the recommendations of this study are implemented, it will add value to the school principals’ instructional leadership roles in ensuring quality assessment practices at school level. / Curriculum and Instructional Studies / D. Ed. (Curriculum Studies)

The role played by the principal as instructional leader worldwide is critical due to its direct and indirect impact on learner achievement.In South African primary schools the role of the principal as instructional leader in improving learning achievement is a pressing issue since most South African primary school learners perform far below par as determined by benchmarking carried out by local and international education assessment agencies with reference to curriculum goals and literacy and numeracy milestones.This descriptive exploratory study examined the role of the principal as instructional leader in primary schools in South Africa with special reference to the Tshwane South District, Gauteng Province. The study was informed by a literature review of local and international sources related to theoretical perspectives on instructional leadership, the features of instructional leadership that impact on learner achievement and selected models of instructional leadership. An overview of contextual and school factors which shape primary school learner achievement in South Africa with reference to the rural and township communities also framed the empirical inquiry. A mixed method study was conducted according to two phases: Phase 1 comprised the quantitative component (questionnaires); Phase 2 comprised the qualitative component (interviews). Both phases were conducted in the Tshwane South District, Gauteng Province. In both phases data were gathered from primary school principals and Institute Development Support Officials (IDSOs) selected by random and purposeful sampling respectively. The questionnaire findings indicated that the principals and IDSOs had adequate qualifications and experience, and that key school policies are in place. However, the principals are less confident about policy implementation, particularly with regard to educator and learner discipline. They face many systemic problems, such as inadequate school resources and additional funds in no fee-paying schools to improve the infrastructure and reduce the learner-teacher ratios. The findings from the interviews indicated that the principals struggle to maintain participative management with the school governing bodies; are hampered by contextual factors, especially poor school infrastructure; and are challenged to meet the requirements of annual benchmarking assessments. Based on the findings of the literature study and the empirical inquiry recommendations are made to improve practice, including a call for the professional development of principals in project management and fundraising. / Educational Leadership and Management / D. Ed. (Education Management)

Students no longer respond to content-driven, teacher-centred learning. Literature reveals that changes in methodology and pedagogy of teachers needs to take place in order to keep education relevant and engaging. Classrooms where critical thinking, communication, creativity and collaboration are embraced are required in schools. The environment where these components are present can be referred to as 21st century classrooms. Establishing these locales require a leader who is able to create the vision for the changes that need to take place. One who will fashion a learning environment where teachers feel secure and have the confidence through teacher development to embark on and embrace a new arrangement in their classroom. The principal needs to embrace his/her instructional role in establishing these 21st century classrooms. This research project investigated precisely what the instructional role of the principal necessitates in aiding teachers to establish 21st century classrooms. A qualitative research design, embedded in the constructivist paradigm in the form of a hermeneutic study was chosen as research method. Using semi-structured interviews, the researcher attempted to find out how the principal of each school visited, viewed 21st century classrooms, as well as what skills and knowledge he/she required as the instructional leader in leading teachers to establish 21st century classrooms. The researcher used purposeful sampling to select the participants who would have the greatest insight into establishing 21st century classrooms at their school. Trustworthiness was ensured in the collection and interpretation of data. The researcher transcribed the collected data and it was later analysed. Once analysed, the data was interpreted and arranged under the research sub-questions. The findings established that each participant is quite knowledgeable concerning the attributes and characteristics of a 21st century classroom. Many of the principals played a strong instructional role in their school and displayed many of the characteristics and skills necessary to create an environment where teachers could competently bring 21st century skills and knowledge into their classrooms. In most of the schools visited, 21st century classrooms are well on their way to being established. It is evident that the theory of 21st century classrooms is far more prevalent in some of the schools visited than the practical application thereof. In some of the schools visited a whole philosophy of learning, which encases all the 21st century attributes has been implemented. Each school could be placed on a continuum, with no one school being at the same space in their journey to implement 21st century skills and knowledge into their teachers’ pedagogy. / Leerders reageer nie meer op inhoudgedrewe en/of onderwysgesentreerde onderrig nie. Literatuur toon dat veranderinge in onderwysmetodiek en pedagogie moet plaasvind ten einde onderwys relevant en interessant te hou. Klaskamers waarin kritiese denke, kommunikasie, kreatiwiteit en samewerking omhels word, is die nuwe maatstaf. Die omgewing waarin hierdie komponente teenwoordig is, word na verwys as die 21ste eeu klaskamers. Die stigting van 21ste eeu klaskamers vereis ʼn leier wat in staat is om ʼn visie te skep en dit na te volg. Een wat ʼn leeromgewing verseker waarin onderwysers veilig voel en selfvertroue opbou deur personeelontwikkeling. Sodoende word onderwysers bemagtig om die nuwe veranderinge in die klaskamer te omhels. Die skoolhoof speel ʼn sterk rol in die vestiging van hierdie 21ste eeu klaskamers en moet dus ʼn instruktiewe rol aanneem. Hierdie navorsingsprojek ondersoek wat presies hierdie instruktiewe rol van die skoolhoof behels in die ondersteuning van onderwysers om hul toe te rus vir 21ste eeu klaskamers. Hierdie navorsingsprojek is gebaseer op ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsontwerp, gegrond op die konstruktivistiese paradigma in die vorm van ʼn fenomenologiese studie. Deur gebruik te maak van semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, het die navorser gepoog om uit te vind hoe die skoolhoof van elke skool wat besoek is, 21ste eeu klaskamers beskou en oor watter vaardighede en kennis ʼn skoolhoof as onderrigleier moet beskik om onderwysers in 21ste eeu klaskamers te vestig. Die navorser het van ʼn doelbewuste steekproef gebruik gemaak om geskikte kandidate te identifiseer wat kennis dra oor die vestiging van 21ste eeu klaskamers by hul eie skole. Betroubaarheid van die data is verseker deur die versameling en interpretasie daarvan. Die data is deur die navorser getranskribeer en later ontleed. Na analise is die data geïnterpreteer en dan in geskikte navorsings sub-vrae ingedeel. Die bevinding was dat elke kandidaat grondige kennis aangaande die eienskappe en kenmerke van 21ste eeu klaskamers het. Baie van die hoofde vervul ʼn sterk instruktiewe rol in hul skool en beskik oor die nodige eienskappe en vaardighede om ʼn omgewing te skep waarin onderwysers met bevoegdheid 21ste eeu vaardighede en kennis in hul klaskamers kan toepas. In meeste van die skole wat besoek is, is 21ste eeu klaskamers besig om pos te vat. Dit is ook duidelik dat die teorie van 21ste eeu klaskamers baie meer op die voorgrond is by sommige van die skole wat besoek is, as wat die praktiese toepassing daarvan is. In sommige van die skole wat besoek is, is ʼn leerfilosofie wat alle 21ste eeu kenmerke omvat geïmplementeer. Daar is ʼn kontinuum waarop elke skool geplaas kan word wat aandui dat nie een skool op dieselfde vlak in hul implementering van 21ste eeu vaardighede en kennis in hul onderwyspedagogie is nie. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)