This report draws on the findings from data gathered for a mini dissertation. The research
investigates the role, importance and effectiveness of the Accounting HoD as an instructional
leader in contributing towards learner performance. Data has emerged from questionnaires,
interviews and discussions with principals, educators, some senior learners and from the HoDs
themselves. Much of the literature points to the school principal as the focus of this leadership
style but this study regards the HoD/middle manager/curriculum leader as being well suited to
implement instructional leadership and sees this position as one where it could potentially have
the greatest impact on learning and teaching. The Head of Department (HoD) as the middle
manager should have a vision that is underpinned by an aspiration to strive for academic
excellence within a particular subject area as well as considering the holistic development of
learners. This vision should be transparent to the learners, parents, educators and management.
Accordingly, if the EMS HoD envisions his/her role as that of an instructional leader, the teacher
of Accounting should have the necessary support to make learning successful and ultimately
learner performance should improve. Since the revision and restructuring of the Accounting
curriculum in South Africa the demands on teaching this curriculum have been higher than ever
before and have impacted negatively on learner performance. Many teachers across the country
have not been successful in facing up to those challenges and yet the need for expertise in this
area in South Africa has never been greater. Hence the potential importance the researcher sees
for this study at this time. The two schools investigated were selected for the very similar socioeconomic
profile of their learners, while displaying a wide discrepancy in the pass marks they
achieve in matric. Both had HoDs of Accounting who were qualified in the subject but the HoD
of the successful school was considerably better qualified than the HoD in the unsuccessful
school. Thus as far as possible the only distinguishing factors in the schools selected were the
quality of leadership of the Accounting department and the knowledge levels of their HoDs. As
anticipated from the literature, the findings confirm the key significance of each of these factors.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/12737 |
| Date | 29 May 2013 |
| Creators | Rajoo, Thanesha |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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