This study focused on whether empowerment at individual, organisational and
community levels was evident in the context of a school development
planning programme. A contextualist, multi-method approach to the study
was used, combining quantitative and qualitative data. A School
Development Planning Evaluation Scale was developed to assess
organisational empowerment in a school context. Quantitative data
measuring variables associated with empowerment were also examined to
establish whether involvement in the programme was associated with
empowerment at the individual (locus of control and general and specific
efficacy) and organisational (participation and leadership) levels.
An ex post facto analysis based on a post-test only comparison group
evaluation design was conducted to explore the impact of the programme.
Focus groups and interviews were conducted to establish whether school staff
reported that involvement in the programme had led to their personal
empowerment and the empowerment of their schools. Archival data relating
to the schools were also examined. Relationships between the variables
were explored using multiple regression and structural equation modelling. A
model of school development was developed and tested.
The results indicated that extent of involvement in the programme was not a
significant influence on level of empowerment. More important was the
influence of school leadership, and in particular the leadership style exercised
by the principal. Impact and relationship matrices, integrating the quantitative
and qualitative analyses, indicated that the programme had effects on both
individuals and schools, and that the process of school development planning
was related to aspects of organisational empowerment. Issues of
organisational internal capacity and contextual support, however, influenced
implementation of school development planning.
The study suggests that school development planning is a process which is
contextually related, and confirms and refines the nomological network of
II
organisational empowerment. The results indicate that a variety of individual,
organisational and contextual factors impact on individual and organisational
empowerment and that a multi-level perspective is necessary for
understanding the school development process. The study also suggests that
community psychology, and empowerment theory in particular, offer useful
frameworks for theorising and researching school development issues at
individual, organisational and community levels.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/4957 |
| Date | 12 June 2008 |
| Creators | Hassett, Alexander Richard |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 4517339 bytes, application/pdf, application/pdf |
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