Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Primary school principals'
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Wang, Jing. "Training primary school principals in China." Thesis, University of Manchester, 2009. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.509096.
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Hardie, Lorraine. "Successful primary school principal leadership /." Title page, contents and abstract only, 1991. http://web4.library.adelaide.edu.au/theses/09EDM/09edmh262.pdf.
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Yeung, Kin-chung Clifton. "Understanding primary school principals the biographies approach /." Click to view the Table of Contents. Click to view the abstract. Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2000. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31962087.
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Yeung, Kin-chung Clifton, and 楊健忠. "Understanding primary school principals: the biographies approach." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2000. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962087.
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Dung, Kwong-ping. "In-service training programme for primary school principals in Dongshan region of Guangzhou." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18810676.
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Al-Shaibani, Hama. "Leadership behaviour of public primary school principals in selected schools in the UAE." Thesis, University of Exeter, 2000. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.312420.
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This is primarily a study of the leadership behaviour of women principals in primary schools in the UAE. Differences between principal's views of their own behaviour and teacher's perceptions of the principals leadership behaviour were analysed. Data was collected through a demographic Questionnaire and the use of the Leader Behaviour Descriptive Questionnaire (LBDQ), Form XII. The sample consisted of 60 elementary school Principals and 425 teachers. Women principals face problems peculiar to their situation as working women in a deeply conservative society and this is put into the wider context of the educational system within which they work. The major findings and conclusions were that Principals perceived themselves as exhibiting leadership behaviour, in most of the 12 leadership behaviour categories, more often than their teaching staff. In particular Principals perceived their leadership behaviour to be significantly higher than did their teachers in the areas of : 1. Demand Reconciliation 2. Initiating Structure, 3. Tolerance of Freedom, 4. Role Assumption, 5. Production Emphasis and 6. Integration And lower than teachers in Predictive Accuracy. No significant differences existed in the other 5 dimensions. Principals' leadership behaviour was perceived by teachers to be more related to consideration of their staff, than to issues surrounding the initiating of structure in the school. There were significant differences between non-trained and trained Principals in leadership behaviour in the following areas : 1. Tolerance of Uncertainty and 2. Superior Orientation No significant differences were found between teacher's perceptions of their principals' behaviour regarding the demographic variables being investigation except for years of experience. However, significant differences were perceived in principals' leadership behaviour based on different school size, in terms of : 1. Persuasiveness and 2. Integration. Finally major recommendation and implication include: 1.The re-design of training programmes to improve principals' technical, human relations and conceptual skills. 2.The Ministry of Education should consider upgrading the criteria by which Principals are selected, and encourage higher education to participate more actively in preparing school administrators. Efforts to improve performance among the Principals starts with the recruitment, selection and training of both teachers and administrators. It is also hoped that in the future Principals and Administrators in schools will be given a greater role in the decision making process.
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Bezzina, Christopher George. "The Maltese primary school principalship : perceptions, roles and responsibilities." Thesis, Brunel University, 1995. http://bura.brunel.ac.uk/handle/2438/5149.
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The main aim of this research was to investigate the conditions that influence and shape the occupational perceptions of principals; systematically observe primary school principals in the islands of Malta, and to contrast these findings with the perceptions of a group of deputy principals. To achieve this aim three studies were conducted. The first study employed a self-administered questionnaire survey method employed with all principals in primary schools (i. e. state, church and private). 'Discussions with parents', 'discussions with staff' and 'desk work' have been highlighted as the major job functions taking up most of the principals' time. Half of the respondents rated 'desk work' as their majorjob function. The Maltese principal tended to perceive his/her role as falling within the chief executive model. The principal's duties related largely to the division and allocation of work, the co-ordination and control of organisational activities, communication with parents and staff, maintaining discipline and order, and maintaining the level of resources and plant upkeep. This survey, however, shows that principals wanted to take on functions within the leading professional model. In the second study, an observational study was conducted with the aim of checking out some of the perceptions principals held towards their role and to add another dimension to the overall picture by identifying what principals actually did in their daily life at work. The study explored the work patterns of eight primary school principals in the state sector. The observational study attested to the multi-varied nature of the principal's role. The principal's day was generally hectic in pace, varied in its composition, discontinuous and superficial in any pursuit of tasks, with the unexpected always as one of the few certainties of thejob. The principal's energy was observed as being devoted to keeping the school ticking over in the short run with hardly any time being devoted to discuss matters of direct relevance to the teaching-learning process, such as classroom practice, curriculum review and update. The dominant model was that of the transactional leader who is fixing things, managing and coping in order to maintain the smooth operation of the organisation. As highlighted in the questionnaire survey principals devoted their time to administration, pastoral care and communication with parents. Little to no time was stated as being devoted to high value tasks such as strategic planning and curriculum review. The portrayal of Maltese primary school principals is that they are not so much reflective or transformational leaders, rather they are chronically busy, reactive as against proactive, and caught up in, and tied down by the unceasing demands of others for their attention. The present research seems to have identified the transactional nature of leadership as the main medium of interaction that the primary school principals opted for. Bearing in mind the present period of changes and development of school management practices in Malta, it was felt appropriate to seek feedback from deputy principals whose own role was undergoing change. A small group of twenty newly-appointed deputy principals were approached to view how they perceived the role of the principal. At the same time it sought to identify their perceptions of their own role, and get an indication of how they viewed tomorrow's principalship. This, it was felt, would provide data as to how Maltese administrators in general viewed their role. Deputy principals presented similar feedback to that presented by principals. The major difference being in the way deputy principals perceived tomorrow's principalship – one which went beyond the transactional model of principal as administrator to the transformational model of principal as leading professional. However, nothing conclusive can be drawn out. There is a strong indication that principals and deputy principals desire this move but some responses express a certain degree of inconsistency which shows that the implications behind the transformational model are not well and truly understood by the participants of this survey. The implications of the findings for today's and tomorrow's principalship were discussed.
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O'Mahony, Gary Raymond McColl, and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Learning the role: Through the eyes of beginning principals." Deakin University. School of Scientific and Developmental Studies, 2002. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20051017.120428.
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This study examines how first year principals learn their roles and provides the picture through their eyes. As there is no formal preparation requirement to become a principal in Victorian government schools, new principals must seek out and direct their own learning for the role. The study describes the informal and formal sources of learning that are sought by beginning principals to help them learn about their new role. The focus is on identifying what sources of learning were used through different phases of the study and how some became more critical than others in shaping and developing the role of a principal in the school.
This thesis is a story of continuous professional socialization and learning of a group of seven beginning principals using case studies and interviews over four phases of learning in their first year in the role as they proceed from appointment, entry, establishment through to consolidation of the role.
The process of socialization underpins the study and is conceived as a process of learning in which the participants actively direct and participate in their own socialization. However, greater emphasis is placed on the developing nature and reliance on learning in role development. Previous studies of professional socialization of beginning principals have identified licensure programs as significant in the preparation and ongoing development process, whereas this is not the case in Victoria where no such requirements exist. This study adds to existing studies through the finding that there are similarities in the stages of professional socialization process in the Australian context, but also explores new aspects about professional learning by identifying various phases and sources of learning for Victorian principals. These ranged from dependence upon an apprenticeship arrangement, through self-directed task learning, to that of becoming an independent learner within a professional community of equals. Some of the themes identified and explored in this study included examining phases of learning, sources of learning, and their effect on role development.
The study was initially based on identifying and exploring some of the key issues and the significance of learning experiences suggested by the beginning principals rather than researching predetermined hypotheses. This grounded and qualitative approach involved data collection over four different time phases in the first year in the role and allowed flexibility in the construction of case studies and the cumulative development of data through the study. The greater part of the data were collected through interviews in each of the four phases of the study along with the collection of survey data for comparison and contrast in the first and final study phases.
The research raises many issues that can serve as a basis for further exploration of the complexity of the role of learning within professional socialization for beginning principals. As well, it suggests a number of implications for the organization of professional learning and socialization in beginning principal socialization for the first year in the role.
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Wong, Shuk-ching. "Improving ICT use in a primary school." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2004. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B40040069.
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Chan, Mei-yuk Yonny. "Stress faced by school headteachers : a study of sources of stress of local primary school headteachers /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2002. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B25752078.
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Gillan, Kevin P. "Teaching principals : Educational restructuring and transformational leadership." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1997. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/879.
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The restructuring of. the Education Department of Western Australia (EDWA) since 1987 has seen the devolution and decentralisation of administrative responsibilities from the central education authority to schools. The onset of an era of educational restructuring has significantly changed the work of primary school principals. They have become responsible for the transformation of schools from a bureaucratic form of organisation to ones that are characterised by school based decision-making and management. The new form of organisation is intended to sustain a process of continuous school improvement. As well as managing change there has also been an expectation for principals to provide educational leadership. School decision-making and management appears to have intensified the work of the principal. The schools of EDWA offer a special opportunity to study the way in which principals who have increased responsibility for managing change and establishing school based decision making and management have responded to the challenge of leadership. In the research literature theories of transformational leadership have been viewed by several researchers and perhaps education authorities as a desirable form of leadership. According to this view transformational leadership may enhance school based decision-making and management during a period of educational restructuring. This study considers the case of the teaching principal in EDWA primary schools. The focus of the research is to establish the extent to which principals who are successful in managing school improvement during a period of educational restructuring are using transformational leadership practices. Leithwood's (1994) synthesis of transformational leadership practices is used to conceptualise the way.in which principals attempt to do their work. The qualitative study used a sample of three teaching principals who were reported as being successful in managing change. The study focussed on whether teaching principals had been able to make use of opportunities to demonstrate any or all of the dimensions of transformational leadership. This research comprised a pilot study followed by the main study. The participants in both studies were selected using a purposive sampling technique to maximise variation. The pilot study involved three teaching principals from country and city schools. Three teaching principals and two teachers from each of their schools in both city and country areas participated in the main study. In each study data were collected using a semi - structured interview schedule. Principals and teachers in the main study were asked the same questions as a means of obtaining data triangulation. The findings of the study suggested that educational restructuring had compressed the amount of time in which teaching principals had to complete their educationalleadership1 administrative and teaching work. This resulted from an intensification of the principals' work. The findings indicated that many of the practices in Leithwood's (1994) synthesis of transformational leadership are being used and are relevant to the leadership of teaching principals during an era of restructuring. However, the study found some limitations of the model as it applied to the Western Australian context. These appeared in the dimension of developing a widely shared vision. It was found that in the Western Australian context the operationalisation of developing a widely shared vision in a school was obstructed due to a centralised. focus on objectives and outcomes.
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Van, der Merwe H. "In-house mentoring and school leadership : perceptions of well-performing primary school principals." Journal for New Generation Sciences, Vol 12, Issue 2: Central University of Technology, Free State, Bloemfontein, 2014. http://hdl.handle.net/11462/664.
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Published ArticleA growing scholarship links good leadership with in-house mentoring. This article looks at how well-performing school leaders benefitted from the inhouse mentoring they received. The author reports on a qualitative investigation based on in-depth individual interviews with six primary school leaders from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo and Northwest Provence who were purposefully selected based on their receiving a national award for excellence in leadership. These awards were made by the Department of Basic Education in the category 'Excellence in primary school leadership'. The findings show that in-house mentoring benefitted participants holistically through behavioural, knowledge and skills acquisition. Behavioural acquisition included being humble and empathetic towards constructive work performance. Knowledge and skills acquisition related to sustaining the standard of teaching of core subjects, relying on committee input in a relational leadership approach and ensuring a dedicated teacher corps and positive parent involvement. The findings contribute to the discourse on inhouse mentoring for improved school leadership practice.
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Tso, Yun-ping Brenda. "The biographies approach to study primary school headteachers in Guangzhou." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B23568768.
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Sekhu, Madikobe Stephina. "Practices of primary school principals as instructional leaders : implications for learner achievement." Diss., University of Pretoria, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27248.
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Effective principal's instructional leadership yields high achieving schools (Dhlamini, 2008:105; Hallinger and Heck, 1998; Hargreaves, 1994; Hopkins, 2001; Effective principal’s instructional leadership yields high achieving schools Khuzwayo, 2005; Kruger, 1999; Mbatha, 2004; Mthombeni, 2004). Annual National Assessment (ANA) (DoE, 2009) and Systemic Evaluation (SE) in 2001 and 2007 (DoE, 2008) revealed that South African learners are not able to read and write, and that their numeracy skills are not well developed. The performance is also evident in the Grade 12 performance which has not shown great improvement over the years. In an effort to address the poor performance as experienced in schools, the department of education introduced Resolution 1 of 2008 (DoE, 2008) which requires principals to provide professional leadership which is based on curriculum management; and to take accountability for the quality of learning that takes place within the school. The poor learner achievement in schools triggered the question about the quality of education provided in the primary schools and the instructional leadership provided by primary school principals as it is a foundation to the schooling system. A qualitative approach was used to explore the practices of primary school principals as instructional leaders and the implications for learner achievement. Six primary schools in the Tshwane West district in Gauteng province were sampled for the research. The research revealed the following distinguishing factors by those schools that performed extremely well in the Annual National Assessment (ANA) (DoE, 2009) and Systemic Evaluation (SE) in 2001 and 2007 (DoE, 2008): - The principal has to establish good relations amongst and between educators and learners and also foster two-way communication.
- The principal should make sure that academic results are analysed and interventions strategies are followed to improve learner achievement.
- Educators should be encouraged by the principal to perform a self-reflection of their teaching performance. The principal has to provide support for underperforming educators and encourage them to develop themselves professionally.
- The principal needs to conduct class visits.
- The principal should ensure that teaching and learning time is protected and that educators and learners attend classes punctually.
- The principal needs to keep abreast of the curriculum and instruction changes and provide the necessary support and guidance.
- The principal has to ensure that instruction is given priority and is central to the school’s activities.
Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Education Management and Policy Studies
unrestricted
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Wimolsittichai, Nilobon. "School libraries and their roles in rural Thailand: Perceptions of public primary school principals." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2017. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/116146/1/Nilobon%20Wimolsittichai%20Thesis.pdf.
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Background:
Thailand continues to face a serious long-term problem developing effective school libraries, particularly in rural small public primary schools. Even though the Thai government has developed school library standards and supports many projects to help all schools establish effective libraries, most rural small public primary schools still struggle to improve their libraries enough to reach even the minimum criteria of the standards (Thailand Knowledge park 2011). Thai government and policy makers appear to overlook the special management, guidelines and standards challenges for libraries in rural small public primary schools. The lack of expenditure in Thailand on research and development of rural small public primary school libraries has led to a minimum of related primary data and studies, giving very little indication of ways to improve the quality of those libraries effectively.
Objectives and Methods:
This research, which aims to explore principals' perceptions of public primary school libraries, library characteristics and effectiveness, employs a research method using questionnaires to survey 375 school principals in 6 regions in Thailand. Survey part 1 requested basic information about principals, their schools and their school libraries. Survey part 2 asked principals to illustrate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and limitations of their school libraries. Survey part 3 was a semantic scale for principals to rate their perceptions about the impact of the school library on students' academic achievement. Both quantitative and qualitative data are used in this research: quantitative data were analysed through 3 analysis techniques including descriptive, cluster and multiple regression; qualitative data were analysed through thematic analysis.
Findings:
This research found that in general small public primary school libraries lack resources for their collections, physical facilities, and staff. Of the 6 regions surveyed, libraries located in the North and Northeast regions face the greatest lack of resources. Principals participating in this study perceive the necessity for an effective administration, sufficient staff and sufficient library physical facilities to overcome the limitations of their libraries. Most principals understood very well the impact that school libraries have on students' academic achievement, particularly in enhancing students' literacy levels. The research also found that principals aged younger than 51 years tended to have more positive perceptions about this impact of libraries on students' academic achievement.
Recommendations:
At a policy level, the Thai government should urgently equip the small schools in rural areas with Information and Communications Technology (ITC). It needs to reauthorise and modernise the National Education Act 1999 to mandate the importance of the pedagogical role of school libraries and school librarians. Clear library policies are required for both school libraries in general and for the provision of library services in rural small public primary schools. Moreover, the Thai government should assign the Thai Library Association to develop new national school library standards. The Thai government should also acknowledge the role of parents and local community participation in education development. The Thai government should conduct and support research on existing barriers to developing effective education and learning resources in rural small public primary schools.
At a practitioner level, principals, teacher librarians and school library stakeholders are crucial for developing effective libraries. Principals need to know and understand the school library standards and the policy related to learning resources development; they also need to be prepared to convert traditional school libraries into modern libraries by integrating ICT in library administration, collections, services, activities and staff. Importantly, principals need to support teacher librarians and staff, enhancing their knowledge and skills in library and information fields; equally, they need to collaborate with school library stakeholders, in both internal and external school communities, to develop effective libraries and to promote and enhance their capacity.
Conclusion:
This research identified a much-needed foundation for developing an effective library in rural Thailand. Although principals have an important role in directing and managing change in libraries, collaboration among library stakeholders is also a significant factor leading to the development and enhancement of effective school libraries. In the light of this research, the researcher recommends for the Thai government and school library stakeholders pay more attention to and to prioritise dealing with school library issues. The researcher also expects that this research will help build international cross-cultural understanding beyond the school libraries of small public primary schools in rural Thailand, to developing countries more widely. Such knowledge would be beneficial to the Thai government, and to school library communities and stakeholders, both in Thailand and internationally, to establish and develop effective school libraries that lead to educational success.
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Liu, Chun-lung. "Implementing ICT into teaching in a primary school." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2003. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B40039869.
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Chiu, Shiu-yim, and 招紹琰. "The administration of bisessional primary schools: challenges and strategies." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1989. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B38626512.
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Fontaine, Samuel G. "An evaluation of the orientation program for newly appointed Catholic primary principals." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2001. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1054.
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The structure and operation of Catholic schools in Western Australia have been in a process of change since the early 1970’s. Prior to 1971, most Catholic primary schools were administered by religious orders and much of the religious character of the school reflected the charisma of the particular religious order that operated the school. In the Year 2000 most Catholic primary schools former part of a state-wide system in which the Catholic Education Office (CEO) plays a major administrative and co-ordinating role.
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Rajnapong, Ranee. "A Delphi Investigation of Staff Development Knowledge and Skills Needed for Primary School Principals in Thailand." Thesis, University of North Texas, 1991. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc332654/.
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This study sought to determine the staff development knowledge and skill needs of school administrators as perceived by primary school principals in Thailand. This study posed the following questions for investigation: what specific knowledge and skills do primary school principals in Thailand perceive as necessary for them to perform the role of staff developer in their schools, and which competencies are perceived to be the most important?
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董廣平 and Kwong-ping Dung. "In-service training programme for primary school principals in Dongshan region of Guangzhou." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 1997. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31959350.
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Yue, Yun-fai. "The impact of a headteacher : a case study of a newly established primary school /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18811206.
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Kelly, Angela, and res cand@acu edu au. "The Chameleon Principal: A reconceptualisation of the notion of leadership as seen within the context of a rural primary school and its community." Australian Catholic University. School of Teaching and Learning, 2008. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp189.09122008.
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This narrative autoethnography tells the story of a small rural community over a ten year period through the ethnographic eye. It is told within the context of a primary rural school and the community that supports it. It reflects the aspirations, the pain and the dreams of the community. Within the telling of stories, lies the question of what a leader needs to ‘be’ for the people (the concept of educational leadership). This ‘being’ for the people should certainly be part of the body of thought on educational leadership. The literature review examines concepts of educational leadership pertaining to aspects or issues of change, community, teaching and learning and the inner life of the Principal. These issues are explored within the framework of the school and its community. Combining literary and ethnographic techniques allows the creation of a story that intends to devise a concept of educational leadership created by and authentic to the community to which the leadership belongs. This narrative autoethnography provides the vehicle for the researcher to explore Principal / Leadership. It connects modern day educational theory to an understanding of lived experiences – the stories lived by the people in the research. A multi-perspective approach is applied to provide analytical interpretation and reflection of the lived experience documented. The findings of this research study suggest that Principals need to reflect on the lived experiences of the communities they are within in order to understand the path of leadership. The research strongly recognizes that the formation of meaningful, ethical relationships is a vital foundation for authentic leading in an education world that is constantly changing.
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Portin, Bradley S. "Primary headship in a time of systemic change : conceptions of leadership : case studies of three Oxfordshire primary headteachers." Thesis, University of Oxford, 1995. http://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:a7bc8ed0-ae19-41b9-be25-9d75025e1185.
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The primary headship in England and Wales is in a time of fundamental change and increasing expectations. The influences of recent education acts, and forces, such as choice, parent and governor participation, and increasing LMS responsibility have contributed to a changing headship context. The relative paucity of research which develops a qualitative understanding of primary headteacher perspectives lends an imperative to this qualitative study. A number of central research questions are posed to explore headteacher conceptions of leadership, the influential forces which shape those conceptions, and the context of primary school development. Particular attention is paid to the influence of reflective practice and critical theory as a contribution to professional development. The literature review examines the historic and thematic development of 20th century leadership and management theory. Particular emphasis is placed on what has been termed 'transformational leadership' and the influence of 'reflective practice' in professional development. A case is made for substantive differences between leadership and management, with leadership forming the central core of the study. The data sources were case studies of three perceived 'effective' Oxfordshire primary headteachers; the headteachers represented an opportunity sample of large, multiplestaff primary schools. Semi-structured interviews represented the primary data source, however a breadth of methods were used to form a 'thick' description of the headteacher and school ethos. The repertory grid technique was utilised to illuminate the central constructs which guided the headteachers' conceptions of leadership. Findings from the study are grouped in three areas. The findings suggest headteacher conceptions of leadership were largely idiosyncratic and person-oriented. In addition, a mixed nominal understanding of the terms 'leader' and 'manager' was expressed by the participants. It was found that the headteacher's conception of leadership were influenced by the transitional nature of the headship role. Greater responsibility for LMS, and other governmental forces were indicated as strongly shaping factors. Findings point to the espousal of a number of transformational views, and all headteachers used language of reflective practice to describe a number of the professional development goals of the school. A sense of 'critical' reflection was also present, especially as schools prepared for inspection. The study concludes by discussing the implications for leadership theory and the suggestions for further research in area of headteacher development and evolving conceptions of leadership.
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Chan, Mei-yuk Yonny, and 陳美玉. "Stress faced by school headteachers: a study of sources of stress of local primary school headteachers." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2002. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962774.
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Chan, Oi-yan Katherine. "The implementation of IT in education a study of change in a primary school /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2003. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B39848735.
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Chan, Kam-ling Samantha. "The influence of principals' attitudes on the implementation of environmental education in primary schools." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2000. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B22244554.
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Corish, Sylvia, and n/a. "The excellent principal - what do students think? : Perceptions of selected senior primary school students about the role of the principal in three New South Wales public primary schools." University of Canberra. Education, 1991. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060629.160710.
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The research outlined in this thesis explores the issue of the
effective principal through the perceptions of a sample of senior
primary aged school students. The study originated due to a concern
that too much of the current literature concerning effective schools
and effective principals relies on the views of significant adults.
Given that students are the focus of the school's and principal's
energy it is difficult to understand why their views have not been
sought more frequently. This study was initiated and conducted in an
effort to determine what is was that students expected of the
effective principal.
The research is based on content analysis of the written responses
from a sample of one hundred and ninety five senior primary aged
school students aged between ten and twelve years from an
education district in an education region of the New South Wales
Public School System and in addition one to one interviews with a
group of thirty students. The analysis resulted in the development of
two sets of descriptors. One set of descriptors outline the fourteen
most significant Behaviour Descriptors of the effective principal as
perceived by the senior primary aged students surveyed while the
other set outlines the eleven most significant Quality Descriptors of
the effective principal.
These two sets of descriptors of the effective principal have much
support in the effective schools research. One area notably different
however is the emphasis given by the students to the need for the
principal to develop positive, warm and caring relationships with
each student in the school. Although students were realistic in their
understanding of what this implied they were adamant and
consistent in their desire for such a relationship in order that the
principal be deemed effective.
The results of the study provide specific, clear, unambiguous
descriptions of behaviours and qualities expected of the effective
principal by the students surveyed. The descriptors are presented in
a manner useful to practitioners.
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Leung, Kwok-wing. "Exploring curriculum leadership : a case study of school-based curriculum development in a local primary school /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2002. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?
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Chiu, Shiu-yim. "The administration of bisessional primary schools challenges and strategies /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1989. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/HKUTO/record/B38626512.
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Foxall, Gemma Louise. "A primary school internship model: Graduate teacher performance as perceived by employing principals." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1401.
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Achieving an effective balance between the theoretical and practical components of pre-service teacher education has been a long debated issue. The quality of pre-service teacher practicum experiences vary, and are dependent on numerous variables, such as the duration of the practicum and the quality of the mentoring and provision of feedback.
This study reports on an Internship Model, which began in 2009, and its perceived impact on the quality of graduate teachers in Western Australia. As an ‘Intern Teacher’, pre-service teachers spend their final academic year working at a selected primary school, paired with a trained mentor and receive ongoing standards-based feedback. Throughout the year they participate in weekly professional development sessions.
In 2014 there are over 50 ‘Intern Graduates’ working in Western Australia who have qualified through the Internship Model and two partnering Western Australian universities. This mixed-methods study invited all principals with an Intern Graduate in their school to compare the work of Intern Graduates and non-Intern Graduates via a survey, based on the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. The quantitative data analysis included a binomial analysis, looking at the proportion of principals who perceive their Intern Graduate to perform at a higher or significantly higher level than one they expect from traditionally educated graduate teachers. The qualitative component of the study includes analysis from interviews with four principals in order to identify key areas of significance in relation to principals’ perceptions of graduate performance.
This thesis makes recommendations based on the study’s key findings, which show that principal participants believe Intern Graduates perform at a higher level than non-Intern Graduates. Recommendations may be of interest to the Department of Education, school leaders and tertiary institutions, and are particularly relevant in the current national climate of improving teacher quality and addressing the problems of graduate teacher retention.
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Wong, Shuk-ching, and 黃淑貞. "Improving ICT use in a primary school." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2004. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B40040069.
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Sum, Fu-ming Terence. "Perception of Hong Kong primary school heads on their role in contributing to national development in China." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1997. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B18811954.
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Rhoden, Valmarie. "The Examination of the Relationships Among Secondary Principals’ Leadership Behaviors, School Climate, and Student Achievement in an Urban Context." FIU Digital Commons, 2012. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/635.
Full textAbstract:
School principals’ leadership is key to successful school reform, as is increased student achievement. This nonexperimental ex post facto study tested relationships among secondary school principals’ leadership behaviors, school climate, and student achievement.
Of 165 secondary school principals from the three largest school districts in South Florida, 58 completed three online survey instruments: the Leadership Practices Inventory, School Climate Inventory-Revised, and researcher-designed Demographic Questionnaire. Student achievement was measured by students’ scores on the reading and mathematics Florida Comprehensive Assessment Tests. Three null hypotheses tested relationships among (a) five principals’ leadership behaviors and seven domains of school climate; (b) principals’ leadership behaviors and student achievement; and (c) principals’ leadership behaviors, school climate, and student achievement.
Multiple linear regressions were used to determine the degree to which the independent variables predicted the dependent variables for the first two hypotheses. ANOVAs tested possible group differences between the demographic and research variables as controls for the third hypothesis. Partial correlational analyses tested the strength and direction of relationships among leadership behaviors, climate, and achievement.
Results revealed partial support of the hypotheses. None of the leadership variables significantly predicted school climate. No significant relationships were found among the five leadership behaviors and student achievement. Demographic group differences in school climate and student achievement were marginally significant. The leadership behaviors of Inspiring a Shared Vision and Enabling Others to Act were positively linked to reading achievement. Partial correlations were found (r .27 to -.35) among school climate variables of Order, Involvement, and Expectation and achievement variables. The Modeling the Way leadership variable was negatively associated with reading achievement.
After controlling for gender, years at current school, and years in the district, partial positive correlations were found among leadership, school climate, and student achievement. Inspiring a Shared Vision, Enabling Others to Act, Encouraging the Heart, and Challenging the Process leadership variables were partially correlated to Order, Leadership (Instructional), and Expectation climate variables. Study results should provide policymakers and educators with a leadership profile for school leaders challenging the status quo who can create schools for enhanced student learning and relevance to the needs of students, families, and society.
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Xi, Yiheng. "A cross-level investigation of the effects of leadership style of school principals on teachers' satisfaction and organizational citizenship behavior : the mediating role of trust-in-principal /." View abstract or full-text, 2005. http://library.ust.hk/cgi/db/thesis.pl?MGTO%202005%20XI.
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Yuen, Kam-chao. "Teachers' and school heads' beliefs and feelings regarding calculator use in primary mathematics in Hong Kong." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 1996. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record.jsp?B17597481.
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Sun, Wai-hung. "The relationship between the principal's leadership style and school effectiveness a case study of a primary school /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2006. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B37623886.
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Graham, John David. "An exploration of primary school principals' perspectives on the concept of community as applied to Catholic schools." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2006. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/eada6ad5eff3d89d5e3beea2230404786e652062531e57de668e9fdf86ef81e6/1287173/Graham_2006_An_exploration_of_primary_schools_principals.pdf.
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This research study explores the issue of school community leadership in Catholic primary schools within the Diocese of Lismore. In so doing it seeks to understand and reconstruct the school community leadership role of the principal. This topic is worthy of study as an analysis of public education in Australia has highlighted an enduring controversy regarding the ‘community’ dimension of schooling. Further, the Catholic Church teaches that community is central to the nature of its schools. A comprehensive analysis of key literature in education, sociology, theology and leadership theory, revealed a number of key insights that informed the study. Here it is found that community is a contested, dense and widely appropriated sociological concept, of which the application to schools is problematic. Three major models of community could be applied to schools. Hence, there is a call for a careful and rigorous debate concerning the application of community to schools. Leadership and community exist in a binary relationship for Catholic school principals. Yet, the model of leadership required for community remains elusive. Finally, the principalship is in transition and suggestions toward a new model are being proposed...
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Tso, Yun-ping Brenda, and 曹潤冰. "The biographies approach to study primary school headteachers in Guangzhou." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2001. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31962609.
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Bernardo, Juana Xavier. "Provision for the gifted primary-schooler in Hong Kong perspectives and issues /." Thesis, Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 1990. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/HKUTO/record/B38625982.
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Le, Roux Moses Jakobus. "Principals and their possible power to influence quality education." Thesis, Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2012. http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/20015.
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Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2012.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The National Department of Basic Education is aware that it is not succeeding in providing quality education for all school children. At present the performance of grade 3 and grade 6 learners, in both international and local assessment, is a matter for great concern. The results suggest that most learners lack basic literacy and numeracy skills. Learners’ performance in the National Senior Certificate Examinations is also far from what it should be. The way in which schools are managed largely determines the quality of education learners receive. As the managers of schools, therefore, principals are held responsible for the poor performance of learners during these annual systemic evaluations. The study aimed to investigate whether the school principals are aware of their powers and whether they perceive themselves as able to use their power to influence school practices positively and thus promote quality education. The study indicates that principals rely on a combination of positional and personal power sources to promote quality education. The study also indicates that principals are aware of their power but have a limited understanding of the concept of power. They also seem to lack the knowledge and understanding to exercise these powers effectively. Although they seem able to exercise considerable power in different situations, principals are reluctant to use their power. It seems that various external and internal factors influence their ability to use their power effectively.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Geen Afrikaanse opsomming
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Collins, Graham J., and mikewood@deakin edu au. "Principalship and policy in small New Zealand primary schools." Deakin University. School of Social And Cultural Studies in Education, 2003. http://tux.lib.deakin.edu.au./adt-VDU/public/adt-VDU20050826.120007.
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This research investigates the relationship between principalship and policy in small New Zealand primary schools. A distinctive feature of small primary schools is that their principals typically have to teach as well as manage. Overseas research indicates that in times of educational reform, teaching principals face particular difficulty and may need special support. Following the watershed educational reforms of 1989 and a decade of hands-off policy in education (1989-1999), central policy towards school support in New Zealand is now more hands-on. The impact of this policy change on small schools has not been researched hi New Zealand, where such schools make up over fifty percent of all primary schools.
The aims of this study are to analyse the impact of current support policy in New Zealand on small primary school principalship, and to evaluate the extent to which policy adjustment might be needed in the future. Using multiple methods and a case study approach to gather data, the study focuses on small school principalship in one New Zealand region - the Central Districts region. It also considers the recent policy initiatives, their rationale and the extent to which they appear to be meeting the support needs reported by the principals whose work has been researched in the study.
Broadly, the study has found that within small schools, the role-balance within a teaching principals work is a critical factor, as the ratio within the principals role-balance between the teaching role and the management role creates variation in work-demands, work-strategies and types of support needed. Teaching principals in New Zealand generally feel better supported now than they did in the 1990s and the study identifies factors associated with this change. However the analysis in this study suggests that the current policy aim to both rationalise and strengthen the small school network as a whole is rather problematic. Without better targeted support policy in this area, old style parochial and competitive attitudes between schools are unlikely to change in the future.
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Ip, Tin-yau Peter. "Perceptions of the "through-train" model views of sponsoring bodies and principals of primary and secondary schools /." Click to view the E-thesis via HKUTO, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk/hkuto/record/B31962257.
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Ip, Tin-yau. "Perceptions of the "through-train" model views of sponsoring bodies and principals of primary and secondary schools /." Hong Kong : University of Hong Kong, 2001. http://sunzi.lib.hku.hk:8888/cgi-bin/hkuto%5Ftoc%5Fpdf?B23373465.
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Lai, Shui-ying Eva. "Teachers' qualifications and the quality of teachers : perceptions of primary school teachers and principals." Thesis, University of Bristol, 2005. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.419381.
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Kahikuata-Kariko, Inaani. "Namibian primary school principals' attitudes toward educating students with disabilities in the regular classroom." Virtual Press, 2003. http://liblink.bsu.edu/uhtbin/catkey/1263898.
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The SALAMANCA Statement (UNESCO, 1994), and the Namibian constitution (1990) commit the government to offering education to children with disabilities. The primary focus of this study was to examine the attitudes of the population of primary school principals' with regard to the inclusive education practice of placing and educating students with disabilities in the regular classrooms. In addition, the researcher sought to ascertain principals' perceived barriers and needs with regard to facilitating and implementing inclusive education practices. The survey instruments used to collect data consisted of: a) demographic section, b) Attitude Toward Inclusive Education Scale, c) Opinions Relative to the Integration of Students with Disabilities scale, and d) openended questions. The results suggest that Namibian primary school principals hold positive attitudes toward students with disabilities in general, though they have preferences of the type of disabilities to be accommodated in the regular classrooms. Students with social difficulties were more favored for inclusion than students with sensory and physical disabilities. Principals favored inclusion of students with behavioral challenges slightly more than students with academic difficulties. Principals' perceptions were that inclusive education has potential benefits for students with and without disabilities and that it presents opportunity for academic growth for students with disabilities. Yet, special school or classroom placement was perceived as the most stable environment for educating students with disabilities, especially when considering their social and emotional development. Furthermore, principals were of the opinion that due to pre-service training, which did not include courses on special education and disabilities, educators lack the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities to educate thesestudents, hence the need for comprehensive in-service. In addition to lack of training in special education as a major barrier, other reported barriers were lack of proper educational facilities and equipment, lack of parent involvement and students' characteristics. The multivariate analysis revealed that younger school principals held more favorable attitudes toward placement of students with disabilities in the regular classrooms. Principals with graduate degrees and BA/BS perceived themselves as not having the ability to educate these students in comparison to those with lesser qualifications. The demographic variables of years of experience as a principal and teaching location had no significant effect on the attitudes of principals with regard to placement or educating students with disabilities in the regular classrooms.Department of Special Education
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Sands, Gwendolyn Ella. "A principal at work : a story of leadership for building sustainable capacity of a school." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2000. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/36622/6/36622_Digitised%20Thesis.pdf.
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This study explores through a lifestream narrative how the life experiences of a female primary school principal are organised as practical knowledge, and are used to inform action that is directed towards creating a sustainable school culture. An alternative model of school leadership is presented which describes the thinking and activity of a leader as a process. The process demonstrates how a leader's practical knowledge is dynamic, broadly based in
experiential life, and open to change. As such, it is described as a model of sustainable leadership-in-process.
The research questions at the heart of this study are: How does a leader construct and organize knowledge in the enactment of the principal ship to deal with the dilemmas and opportunities that arise everyday in school life? And: What does this particular way of organising knowledge
look like in the effort to build a sustainable school community? The sustainable leadership-in-process thesis encapsulates new ways of leading primary schools through the principalship. These new ways are described as developing and maintaining the following dimensions of leadership: quality relationships, a collective
(shared vision), collaboration and partnerships, and high achieving learning environments. Such dimensions are enacted by the principal through the activities of conversations, performance development, research and data-driven action, promoting innovation, and anticipating and predicting the future. Sustainable leadership-in-process is shared, dynamic, visible and transparent and is
conducted through the processes of positioning, defining, organising, experimenting and evaluating in a continuous and iterative way. A rich understanding of the specificity of the life of a female primary school principal was
achieved using story telling, story listening and story creation in a collaborative relationship between the researcher and the researched participant. as a means of educational theorising. Analysis and interpretation were undertaken as a recursive process in which the immediate
interpretations were shared with the researched participant. The view of theorising adopted in this research is that of theory as hermeneutic; that is, theory is generated out of the stories of experiential life, rather than discovered in the stories.
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Tso, Shirley, and 曹秀玲. "On becoming teacher leaders: understanding the needs of novice deputy heads of primary schools in Hong Kong." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2011. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B48369019.
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A new group of primary school deputy heads has emerged as the new rank, SPSM, has been created for deputy heads of primary schools in Hong Kong with effect from 1 September 2008. On becoming teacher leaders, these deputy heads are serving significant roles in primary schools. The literature reviews that there are few local studies in this area. This study has recognized the research need to understand the needs of novice deputy heads. 489 invitation letters were sent to all SPSMs in ordinary aided and government primary schools in Hong Kong in March 2011 and five SPSMs participated in this study. A qualitative approach was adopted, including focus group interviews, individual interviews, shadowing, and analyses of relevant documents. Results of the study indicate that underlying the needs that they have voiced out (such as the need for more time and ‘space’, collegial support, appropriate professional development and training) are two fundamental issues, namely, their readiness for leadership responsibilities and their capacity for the multiple roles of a deputy head. This study also indicates that their needs are varied and personal. Their needs are affected by their major roles and responsibilities, different situations in schools, the decision and attitude of their principals, relationship with fellow staff, personal background, experience, mindset, and values, and situations in the local context. Implications on the ways in which their needs could be met indicate that besides issues related to other parties and provisions from external sources, more fundamental is the transformation from within, that is, a switch of mindset from being a teacher, a manager, to a leader.published_or_final_version
Education
Master
Master of Education
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Topaz, Beverley. "Leadership in transition : primary school principals' perceptions of leadership in a context of school-based management in Israel." Thesis, University of Leicester, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/2381/30931.
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This thesis seeks to increase understanding as to how primary school principals in Israel perceive the impact of school-based management on their leadership practices. The argument underpinning the thesis is that school principals represent the interface between policy makers and policy implementation and as such are the key players in educational reform. This is an interpretive qualitative study, using the collective case study approach. Fifteen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with twelve primary school principals, leading schools which had undergone a transition to school-based management in a large urban location in Israel. Data were analysed using both a categorical and a contextual approach in order to reach an understanding of the individual principals' perceptions as well as viewing them as a group. The findings reveal that principals are in a transitional stage in educational leadership and are facing new challenges. These are presented through six core themes: autonomy trust the corrupting nature of power unclear lines of responsibility work overload and stress and leadership beyond school boundaries. A conceptual framework is developed which underscores principals' differential responses to these challenges. This study validates findings of previous studies and offers two new insights into principals' perceptions of their leadership roles. The first is a perception of an erosion of trust across all levels of the education system. The second is a dilemma between autonomy, power and corruption. The typology developed in this thesis to represent principals' differential responses to school-based management provides a broad conceptual framework to underpin further research into principals' perceptions of their leadership roles.
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James, Godwin E. "Principals' and teachers' experiences and perceptions of school inspection in primary schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines." Thesis, University of Sheffield, 2016. http://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/15754/.
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This thesis aims to privilege the voices of principals and teachers by interrogating their experiences and perceptions of the new phenomenon of school inspection (SI) in primary schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The study also investigates how SI helps in understanding teaching and learning and leadership and management. Additionally, it looks at the implementation of the inspection recommendations and the challenges surrounding their implementation. I did this study out of an intrinsic interest in SI. It was a qualitative case study within the constructivist/interpretive paradigm. It utilised one-on-one interviews, documents, and observations to gather data. I used a postcolonial framework, a review of literature on SI, teaching and learning, leadership and management, and Ehren and Visscher’s theory of SI, as the main means, to analyse the findings. The study finds that accountability and school improvement are among the main experiences and perceptions of SI. There is unanimous agreement with its implementation, although there was some dissatisfaction with the top-down manner in which policymakers implemented it. SI has the potential to lead to school improvement, however, there are instances in which it results in negative unintended consequences on school staff. SI reveals leadership and management in primary schools is ineffective for the most part. However, there is some degree of evidence that leadership and management can make a difference in primary schools operating in challenging circumstances. Traditional teacher-centred methods dominate the teaching and learning process. The study also reveals that the implementation of inspection recommendations is limited to those that are easy to implement. Challenges, mainly from within the schools, exist to implementing those recommendations that are likely to have the greatest impact on change. There are ways in which SI may be enacted to fit the context of primary schools in SVG.
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Zhong, Wanjuan. "Leadership construction : an exploratory case study of two exemplary female principals in urban primary schools in mainland China." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2009. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/29357/1/Wanjuan_Zhong_Thesis.pdf.
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Worldwide, education systems have undergone unprecedented change due to a variety of economic, social, and political forces (Limerick, Cunnington & Crowther, 2002). The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is no exception. Continuous educational reform at primary and secondary levels in Mainland China has created new challenges and accountabilities for school principals. The important role of principals in primary and secondary schools has been acknowledged in both policy documents and the broader literature (Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, 1985; F. Chen, 2005; Chu, 2003; W. Huang, 2005; T. Wang, 2003). Yet, most of the literature on primary and secondary school principals in Mainland China is prescriptive in nature, identifying from the perspectives of researchers and academics what principals should do and how they should enact leadership. Lacking in this research is an awareness of the daily practices and lived experiences of principals. Furthermore, within the small body of writing on primary and secondary school principals in Mainland China, gender is seldom given any attention. To date, only a small number of empirical studies have focused on female principals as a specific category of research (Zen, 2004; Zhong, 2004). This study aimed to explore the professional lives of two female exemplary school principals in urban primary schools in Mainland China. A qualitative exploratory case study was used. Semi-structured interviews with each individual female principal, with six teachers in each of the school sites and with the superintendent of each principal were conducted. Field observations and document analysis were also undertaken to obtain multiple insights about their leadership practices. The conceptual framework was based largely on the theory of Gronn (1999) and incorporated five core leadership practices (vision building, ethical considerations, teaching and learning, power utilisation, and dealing with risks and challenges) taken from the wider literature. The key findings of this study were twofold. Firstly, while the five leadership practices were evident in the leadership of the two principals, this study identified some subtle differences in the way they approached each of them. Secondly, contextual factors such as Chinese traditional culture, the contemporary societal context, and the school organisational context, in addition to the biographical experiences of each principal were significant factors in shaping the way in which they exercised their leadership practices in the schools.