Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'School principals – Australia'
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1
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.
2
Fittock, Simon. "The socialisation of early career principals in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2020. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/2309.
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This research aimed to investigate and understand the socialisation of early career principals in Western Australian public schools. It is widely acknowledged that school principals are critical in the successful education of students and delivering on this is seen to be the core purpose of the role. It is evident that the development of effective principals has great value. As a result, the socialisation of principals during the formative early career stage, whereby they learn the necessary knowledge, skills and understandings of the role, is important in the educational experiences of students. Due to the impact principals have on student learning, research into the socialisation of early career principals holds significance.
The Department of Education (DoE) is the largest employer of school principals in Western Australia. DoE see effective leadership as a key priority and is committed to the development of effective principals through the provision of professional learning. In the past, research (including Clarke et al., 2011; Gurr et al., 2014; Wildy & Clarke, 2008a, 2008b) has reported that Western Australian early career principals have faced many complex challenges during their socialisation. Much of this research was conducted over 10 years ago and it is problematic that the topic of principal socialisation in Western Australia has received little attention since. My research sought to address this problem by providing a current insight and investigate the extent of which the findings from previous studies are still relevant. Furthermore, this research provided an opportunity to investigate whether DoE’s professional learning provision had addressed the challenges faced by early career principals as suggested by previous studies.
The participant cohort for this research was comprised of seven early career principals of Western Australian public schools. The participants were located in multiple regions across the state of both metropolitan and rural areas. This research used a qualitative methodology because it aimed to develop an understanding of the meanings that the participants attached to their experiences. To gain this understanding, individual semi-structured interviews were used as the data collection method.
Findings from the data suggest that during the initial stages of their career, the participants felt unprepared, unqualified and isolated. Unpreparedness came from a lack of understanding of what the principalship would entail and inexperience in school management tasks. The feeling of being unqualified emerged from an increase of focus in the area of school management in comparison to other roles the participants had held prior to becoming a principal. Feelings of isolation were evident as a result of being an outsider to the school community and, for the rural participants, the geographical location. The significance of this study can be seen in the alignment between its findings and with those of previous studies. The findings also have provided a current insight into the challenges faced by early career principals and the type of support they perceive to be most beneficial. This information could be seen to be valuable to DoE and their ongoing provision of professional learning to early career principals.
3
Hughes, Eleanor Maree. "Entry planning : a key aspect in preparing for school leadership in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2014. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/928.
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Through my work in various contexts, as a senior leader, a curriculum improvement officer, a deputy principal, a project manager for professional learning and now as principal, I recognised from experience and dabbling in research that there were gaps in professional learning offered to aspirant and beginning secondary school principals in the public system. Undertaking research in this field would either confirm or refute my theory that support for secondary principals through professional learning in the Western Australian Department of Education was limited. The premise that quality leadership enhances quality teaching was a driver in establishing my goal, which is to inform and influence the system to better support secondary principals in public schools in Western Australia. Therefore, this is a unique study of beginning principal preparation in the public secondary education sector in Western Australia. The specific purpose of the study was to investigate the level of preparation undertaken by new and experienced principals for their role and to explore to what extent entry planning could assist in the preparation for principalship.
A comprehensive literature review was undertaken and to date the majority of the literature investigates the challenges facing beginning principals and how well prepared they felt they were to meet those challenges. Clarke, Wildy and Styles (2011) argue that:in educational settings where generations of school principals have taken up their appointments without any prior preparation, who have learned to do the job while on the job, and whose professional development has been driven mainly by their own initiative, it is unlikely that incumbents have an understanding of what might have been different for them in their work had they experienced a formal preparation program prior to appointment. (p. 174)
The study sought to ask questions of practitioners that would either validate the global research or support the view of Clarke, Wildy and Styles. The findings were consistent between the literature and the case studies. The participating principals articulated the components of effective principal preparation programs and they have a keen desire to see these implemented in support of public education in Western Australia.
The study found that professional learning and preparation for secondary principals in the public sector is adhoc, and often developed, or not, at the personal level. There were three main findings: effective principal preparation can reduce the perceived complexity of the role and therefore minimize the expectations experienced by the beginning school principal; formal implementation of informal learning opportunities such as mentoring, coaching and networking can reduce the drift from the profession; and that entry planning has a significant effect in assisting in preparation for the principalship. Principals from a range experience, from 18 months to 20 years, agree that a systemic, coordinated approach would more adequately prepare secondary principals for the complexity of expectations from local, state and national perspectives, and encourage aspirant school leaders to move into the principalship during a time when a predicted shortage in the teaching profession is making the role even more complex.
4
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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Jericho, Adrienne John, and n/a. "Perceptions of Principal Appraisal: Experience in Australian Lutheran Schools." Griffith University. School of Cognition, Language and Special Education, 2004. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20040919.113840.
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This study was an investigation into participant perceptions of principal appraisal in Australian Lutheran schools where a national, systematic appraisal process for principals, entitled Principal Appraisal for Development (PAD), has been in place since 2000. The study group for the investigation consisted of fifteen principals, ten chairpersons of school councils and two district directors, all of whom had been involved in the process. The literature review indicated that whilst there was substantive scholarly writing on the purpose and methods of principal appraisal, there was a lack of recorded research on the experience and longer term outcomes of appraisal. Accordingly, the focus of the study was an examination of participant perceptions of the experience and impact of appraisal. The study's theoretical underpinning was symbolic interactionism and it adopted a qualitative approach to answer the central research question: What are principal and governing council chairperson perceptions of the efficacy of principal appraisal processes in Australian Lutheran schools? Data for the study were gathered through focus group and individual qualitative interviews. In addition, documents associated with the appraisal process were obtained for analysis. The data were then analysed using grounded theory methods, leading to the generation of three theoretical propositions. The first proposition was that the efficacy of principal appraisal depended on the completion of an explicit process that followed six clearly defined and understood steps; the second: that five perceptions of the efficacy of the appraisal process could be identified amongst participants; and the third: that the role played by key players in a spirit of trust in the process and in one another facilitated perceptions of efficacy in the appraisal process. Furthermore, the context in which the process took place, the actual purpose of the process and the nature of responses by participants emerged as key factors in each proposition. In particular, these factors determined whether the appraisal process advanced through the six defined stages required to ensure meaningful, long-term development for the principal, which of the perceptions of efficacy of the process for development was held by participants, and the extent to which trust in one another and in the process was evident. From these propositions eight statements that describe the experience of study participants were identified. These comprised: their belief that a development purpose must have priority in appraisal for perceptions of efficacy of the process; credible messages needed to emerge from the appraisal process for perceptions of its efficacy; appraisal needed to be perceived as a complex process of change involving meaning-making; principal as agent and initiator in the appraisal process facilitated perceptions of efficacy; a supportive and improvement-oriented environment for professional development was associated with perceptions of efficacy of the process; professional development of the principal needed to be perceived as a complex process; trust in the process and in one another was necessary for perceptions of appraisal's efficacy; and appraisal was recognised as having outcomes that may distract from development. These findings have specific implications for the policy and practice of principal appraisal in Lutheran schools, especially as PAD is reviewed. The findings also have application to other appraisal settings and generated key questions to assist in developing, implementing and evaluating principal appraisal systems. The study also indicated that those involved in the appraisal process need to think through how appraisal, development and accountability are related. These concepts are important and legitimate, and are to be both separated and recognised in any employment context. The study found that appraisal that resulted in development was a complex process of change involving shifts to meaning and behaviour. Such a process needed to be supported through an environment of trust with an improvement focus. The study has indicated that appraisal for development needs to be informed more fully by an understanding of the professional development literature. In summary, the study has contributed to an understanding of the place of appraisal in the learning and development of school principals.
6
Deece, Alan T., University of Western Sydney, of Arts Education and Social Sciences College, and School of Education. "Secondary school organisation : a view through the lens of a principal." THESIS_CAESS_EDU_Deece_A.xml, 2004. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/583.
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The research articles presented in this portfolio originate from questions and concerns about the organization, leadership and practices of government secondary schools in NSW. There are presently 395 high schools and 66 central schools providing secondary education in government schools (DET, 2004 Directory, p.55). Of these high schools, 98 are specialised in some way – selective, performing arts, sports, technology, senior and multi campus (Vinson, 2002, p. 126). Over one quarter of schools are now specialised in some way, leaving just under 300 comprehensive high schools. Of these, 30 are single sex. The Department of Education and Training in NSW now says that it does not offer a system of comprehensive high schools, but a comprehensive system of high schools (Vinson, 2002, p.127). The specific focus of the research is to examine how NSW government secondary schools came to be where they are today. Change in secondary schools from both the systemic and school level is examined. The issue of the selection of a school by parents and students is also considered. And finally, development of an initial learning culture in a new high school was also a focus for researchDoctor of Education (D. Ed.)
7
McEvoy, Francis Joseph, and res cand@acu edu au. "How is Religious Leadership Understood and Practised by Principals in Catholic Secondary Schools in South Australia?" Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2006. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp125.25102006.
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This thesis explores the religious dimension of the role of the principal in the Catholic Secondary Schools of South Australia. The study is set in the context of a complex and changing environment. Society is becoming increasingly secular, and religious values are on the wane. The role of the principal has become progressively more encumbered by government regulation and policy and an increased level of accountability for a wide range of school outcomes, many of these outside the core purposes of the school (Fullan, 2003). In Catholic schools, the numbers of the professed religious men and women, traditionally the backbone of those schools, has declined dramatically in the last two decades and lay persons have taken over from members of religious congregations as principals in most Catholic Secondary Schools in South Australia This represents a paradigm shift in leadership in the Catholic schools. It has resulted in an increased focus from within both the Church and the Catholic Education System on the essential Catholic nature of those schools, and the role of the Principal in nurturing and managing this. The study found that principals had a deep sense of the importance of this dimension of their role, but that they felt a real need for more support and formation, especially in the scriptural and theological aspects of leadership. Most felt pressured by the ‘normal’ routine of principalship, and were looking for ways to ‘make time’ for reflection in order to better ground their actions and decisions in the core values of the schools, the System and the Church. As a result of this research, a series of recommendations are offered to Church and System authorities, to principals and to those aspiring to be principals in the Catholic Secondary Schools in South Australia. These relate to professional practice in such areas as defining the nature of the Catholic schools, and recognizing their particular charisms; developing leadership succession strategies and preparation courses for aspiring leaders; exploring alternative approaches to the principal selection process, and developing a mentoring program and professional support networks.
8
Cheung, Chun-ming, and 張俊明. "New roles of school principals in school-based management reform: a comparative study." Thesis, The University of Hong Kong (Pokfulam, Hong Kong), 2000. http://hub.hku.hk/bib/B31961502.
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Chalmers, Ronald F. "An evaluation of the deputy principals' leadership development program." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1992. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1133.
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The Deputy Principals' Leadership Development Program (DPLDP) was researched and developed by the Calgary Board of Education from 1983 to 1987. It was conducted for the first time in Western Australia when deputy principals from schools in the Narrogin Education District participated in the program during the period 1989-91. This study is an evaluation of the DPLDP. It was designed to determine whether there is justification for the continued use of the program as a means of enhancing the instructional leadership capacities of deputy principals in the Narrogin Education District. This research is located within the naturalistic paradigm. It can best be described as a qualitative case study based mainly upon ethnographic methods of data collection. The organisation and analysis of the data, however, was structured largely by utilising Stufflebeam's CIPP (context, input, process, product) framework of program evaluation and a typology of instructional leadership developed from a review of the literature. This typology presents instructional leadership as a process based on three components: vision, information and action. The data for this evaluation was collected during a twenty two month period between April 1989 and November 1990. A variety of data gathering techniques was used. In depth, semi-structured interviews and participant observations generated most of the data. Document analysis and unstructured, informal interactions provided supplementary material. Data validation formed an integral component of the research design. A thorough and wide-ranging validation process involving the participants was utilized to check the accuracy and relevance of the research findings. The major conclusions of the study, that emerged within the CIPP framework of program evaluation and the typology of instructional leadership, were: 1. Participation in the DPLDP leads deputy principals to examine their role in schools, and builds a commitment to their role as instructional leaders. 2. The DPLDP has the potential, more than other available programs examined, to meet the professional development needs of deputy principals in key areas associated with instructional leadership. 3. Collegial support is the single most important element of the DPLDP for the development of deputy principals as instructional leaders. 4. The DPLDP can be implemented successfully in the Narrogin Education without significant modifications. Based on these results, and other subsidiary findings of the study, it was concluded that, on balance, there is justification for the continuation of the DPLDP in the Narrogin Education District.
10
Elliott, C. S. "Leadership and Change in Schools : the Case of District High Schools in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1990. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1676.
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The focus of the research was on the manifestation of leadership that emerged in one district high school in Western Australia undergoing both imposed and self-determined change. Given the phenomena, which were deemed to involve complex human behaviour, a decision was made to locate the research within the naturalistic paradigm. The research was established in the “bounded case study” mode in which the school was regarded as an instant draw from a class within which issues would be discovered the described and studies in order to achieve understanding. A second district high school was used as a reference point from which developments in the case study school might be judged. A bounded case study of a second district high school as its school development plan was ratified by the district superintendent, was conducted. The school development plan was considered to be the product of the changes this school had undergone. A three phase research design was adopted in order to formulate research questions and procedures, undertake trialing and collect data. Data was collected by formal and informal interviews, direct observations and weekly three day visits to the case study school and periodic visits to the reference school. The Principal of the later school was used as an “external auditor” for the data analysis and interpretations. Data were analysed using a data content analysis system based upon a single frame of reference - interventions - and a preliminary categorization taxonomy developed as an initial conceptual framework. Data were ‘mapped” using two techniques based on chronologies of action and events (interventions) and leadership approach. Analysis of data indicated that the cultural difference between the secondary, upper primary and junior primary sections of district high schools should be taken into account when change is implemented in those schools. A clear and unambiguous definition of the tasks, functions and powers of district superintendents and principals of self-determining schools within the reform Ministry of Education should be developed so that conflicting understandings by Ministry of Education staff no longer exist. To develop a non-adversary relationship with principals, district superintendents should move from the use of legitimate and coercive power bases and use export and referent power. A system of professional support for principals, independent of the Ministry of Education hierarchy, should be implemented at Education District level. A principal need not exhibit all of the levels of leadership in the proportions suggested by Sergiovanni (1984) to aspire to be the principal of an excellent school, so long as the aggregate of the leadership behaviour in the school includes leadership in all levels, in the proportions suggested. In situations where individuals are permitted by peers to exercise leadership roles, their behaviour will not be consistent with that suggested by Sergiovanni (1984), as constituting excellent leadership. Effective leadership is fluid. As subordinates expectations vary, as they become more familiar with the task, an effective leader will monitor the situation and make fine adjustments to exert the necessary coordinations, control and motivation of staff. Individuals in leadership positions will vary their behaviour in response to situations where there is actual conflict or the potential for conflict. Individuals in leadership positions will vary their behaviour to accommodate changes in their perception of the flexibility of the task. The potential for conflict exists when the cultural situation changes. This conflict will, most often, be between “tribal” groups created on the bases of social, shared and vested interests. In cases where the tasks traditionally performed at executive or managerial levels, such as by deputy principals, the individuals at that level will be subject to diminished legitimate power and become without roles.
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Berber, Mujgan G. "The role of the principal in establishing and further developing an independent Christian or Islamic school in Australia." View thesis, 2009. http://handle.uws.edu.au:8081/1959.7/46255.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Western Sydney, 2009.A thesis presented to the University of Western Sydney, College of Arts, School of Education, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Includes bibliographies.
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Roberts, Irma. "Performance management : a connected professional learning model." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2006. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/324.
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Increasingly school principals are more accountable for the performance of both their staff and students. In Australia and most OECD countries, the performance management process is identified as a mandatory vehicle for accountability and improving teacher professional development to advance student achievements. Yet, professional development is identified as a secondary discourse in performance management models, while accountability is arguably the dominant discourse. The purpose of this portfolio is the development of a blended performance management model that meets teachers' needs. The model seeks to shift the emphasis from accountability to professional development and bring the two discourses into a more compatible relationship.
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Bartel, Kenneth Cyril, and res cand@acu edu au. "Leadership in a Lutheran School: an Exploration of principal and school pastor worldviews and their potential impact on the transformation of the school learning community." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2004. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp43.29082005.
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This ethnomethodological study focuses on the worldviews of Lutheran school principals and pastors. Essentially, these leaders in a Lutheran school provide direction and vision for the school learning community. The degree to which their worldviews coalesce will naturally result in positive or negative influences on the whole school community. These leaders within the Lutheran school can be seen as a hub for all kinds of learning experiences and interaction in the context of vital Christian communities in mission outreach and quality education. Any dissonance of worldview has potential for impact on school processes and relationships. The Lutheran Church has defined the role of the pastor in the school and the difference from his role in a congregation (Lutheran Church of Australia, 2002). Lutheran principals have a delegated authority from their school councils to be responsible for the complete oversight of the school’s direction, the observance of policies, and the assignment of tasks and duties of staff. The blurring of responsibility occurs over the pastor’s rightful responsibility in regards to a word and sacrament ministry. In a Lutheran school where the Gospel is to inform all learning, such tension can cloud school dynamics and transformation. The Lutheran church policy, Relative responsibilities of pastor and principal within the Lutheran school, identifies three critical areas of required mutual respect for the Principal and School Pastor: theological, professional and personal (Lutheran Church of Australia, 2001, p. 3). Thus, the ‘worldview’ dimensions considered in this research centre around the theological, the educational and the interpersonal domains. The school transformation themes of lifelong learning, postmodernism and curriculum, school organization and change, and school community relationships are used to challenge worldview dimensions of Principals and School Pastors through a series of online ‘stories’, or scenarios, backed by personal interviews and a document study. The identification of school leadership tension points brings about recommendations for action.
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Martin, G. R. "Job factors contributing to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals in one Ministry of Education district in Western Australia." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1991. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1124.
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Recent changes in the Western Australian education system, resulting from the release and implementation of Better Schools in Western Australia: A Programme for Improvement (1987), have induced significant changes in the nature of the Western Australian primary principalship. Within this context of change, this research explores job factors contributing to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals in one Ministry of Education district in Western Australia. Studies based on Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory, conducted in educational and non-educational settings, in addition to previous principal job satisfaction research were important in the development of the study's conceptual framework and research questions. Data to address the research questions were collected through a modification of Flanagan's critical incident technique. During interview sessions, eighteen primary principals were each asked to provide four sequences of events: two relating to periods of job satisfaction, and two sequences relating to periods of job dissatisfaction. An a posteriori approach to content analysis revealed that eleven job factors contributed to the job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction of primary principals; seven job content factors and four job context factors. Four job content factors and two job context factors were identified as being bipolar. Results indicated that principals' job satisfaction was strongly related to the job content, and that job dissatisfaction was related both to the job content and to the job context. Based on the results obtained, a description of a work situation which would make principals more satisfied with their work was described, and recommendations for further research were proposed.
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Stamopoulos, Elizabeth. "The Professional Background And Perceptions Of Principals On Their Leadership Role In Preprimary." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1995. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1459.
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The incorporation of pre-primary centres into Western Australian government primary schools has shifted the responsibility for administrative, managerial and educational leadership from the kindergarten director to the primary school principal. Several pre-primary teachers and specialists in Early Childhood Education have expressed concern that principals lack theoretical and practical background in early childhood, have not been provided with professional development assistance, are providing inadequate educational leadership to pre-primary teachers, and yet a responsible for appraisal of pre-primary teachers. Similar concerns have been expressed in the United States, and resulted in the swing towards early academics and acknowledgment of the significant differences between early childhood education and primary education. However, no study of these leadership issues has so far been conducted in Western Australia.
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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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Hutchinson, Jacquie. "The effect of equal employment opportunity policies on the promotion of women to the position of school principal in the Western Australian government school system (1985-1991)." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1992. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1136.
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The purpose of this study was to analyse and explain the effect of the introduction of equal employment opportunity policy on the Ministry of Education with reference to the promotion of women teachers to the position of principal during the period 1985 to 1991. This research represents a case study of the Western Australian government primary and secondary school system conducted through a review of relevant government and Ministry of Education policies, analysis of employment statistics and interviews with key policy actors. Four questions which directed the research sought a conceptual framework through which to analyse and explain events, policies and outcomes. The study claims that while there existed an expectation amongst women teachers that equal employment opportunity would increase the number of women principals by removing both the direct and indirect barriers that prevented their promotion, there is no evidence that this was ever the intention of either the Ministry of Education or the Western Australian State Labor government. The evidence from this study suggests that equal employment opportunity policies have continued the subordination of women in the State government school system by the subsuming of their interests by more powerful forces of an economic, administrative and political kind both internal and external to the State government school system. Whilst in the past the barriers to promotion for women were formal, direct and visible, the application of equal employment opportunity has created a cloak of invisibility to the forces that operate against the promotion of women within the State government school system. The implications of this study are firstly that unless there is some external intervention the numbers of women principals will continue to decline. Secondly until women teachers achieve political power, the likelihood of changing the current culture of the Western Australian government school system to ensure that women are promoted to the position of principal, is remote .
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McGowan, Wayne S. "An evaluation of a professional development model for primary school administrators." Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 1993. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/1141.
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Better Schools advocated a decentralisation in the administrative structure and a devolution of responsibilities within Western Australian education system. One outcome was the establishment of twenty nine school districts in 1987. Since then, these districts have faced the problem of providing for the professional development needs of their primary school principals. In response to this situation different districts have developed different models for the training and development of principals. This research evaluates, as a case study, a particular model developed in one of the districts. To help preserve the anonymity of the district chosen, it is referred to throughout the study under the fictitious name of the Fairmont district. The evaluation centres around the question: From the view point of meeting corporate managerial needs, is there justification for the continued use of the Fairmont model? To answer this question, the study focuses only on primary school principals in the district.
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Boyle, Maureen, and n/a. "Principals' perceptions of school based management in Australian Capital Territory government schools." University of Canberra. School of Teacher Education, 1999. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060609.152858.
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This thesis investigates the views of principals in government schools in the Australian
Capital Territory (ACT) regarding school based management (SBM). School based
management is defined as the delegation of certain decision making functions from
central bureaucratic control to a group of personnel located at the school site. In the
case of the ACT, delegation of decision making to school sites began in 1974. An
additional set of responsibilities was delegated in the 1997/98 period. This study
concentrates on the latter period but also takes the extended period of devolution into
account.
This investigation is based on qualitative and quantitative methods of enquiry and data
collection to investigate principals' perceptions of SBM, particularly in relation to the
demographic variables of the schools, and selected personal and professional
characteristics of the principals. Initially twenty six semi-structured interviews were
conducted with principals to determine a framework of seven constructs in relation to
SBM. Qualitative data are reported by drawing on the extensive unabridged transcripts
of the interviews. The data arising from the interview stage formed the basis for
construction of a questionnaire administered to the total population of ninety seven
principals in government schools in the ACT. The questionnaire consists of
demographic, personal and professional items concerning the school and the principal,
items related to the impact of SBM, questions regarding the principals' perceptions of
satisfaction with their work, and the importance principals place on selected aspects of
their role, particularly following the extension of SBM.
Results of the questionnaire are reported using frequency distribution for each of the
items in the questionnaire, followed by factor analysis and analysis of variance to test
significant differences in the principals' views at the 0.05 or greater level. Results of
these analyses show that principals have common perceptions in general about the
nature and impact of SBM. Principals' perceptions are however, mediated by a
number of independent variables. These are gender of the principal, experience of
more than one year's work outside the field of education, the sector of their school, ie
primary, high school or college, and the geographic location of the school. Their
participation in SBM training programs, bureaucratic support to assist them in
implementing SBM, and their expressed need for continued professional development
are additional independent variables where statistically significant differences are
apparent.
Principals in this study view the extension of SBM responsibilities more as an
administrative function, than an opportunity to engage in restructuring the school.
They see that their role has expanded to place strong emphasis on business
management and they consider that they are now working in a market oriented climate
where competition for students is a real issue. Hours of work have increased, and
maintenance of a balance between work and personal life is a growing concern.
Despite this they do not want to return to the former arrangements and continue to
express satisfaction with the intrinsic rewards of their profession such as contact with
students, colleagues and the community.
These results provide important insights into the type of SBM evident in ACT
government schools at the time of this study. A number of recommendations for future
research and practice are presented related to the findings and linked to the key themes
arising in the literature.These suggest ways that SBM can and might be used as a
catalyst for development of a new paradigm for education, which will meet the needs
of a 'knowledge society' (Drucker, 1995) and engage schools in moving 'beyond the
self managing school', (Caldwell and Spinks, 1998).
20
Paki, Dionne. "What do primary school principals from the Yamaji region or Mid West Education District say about their school's bullying prevention and management guidelines and practices and how they support the strengths and needs of Aboriginal students and their families?" Thesis, Edith Cowan University, Research Online, Perth, Western Australia, 2010. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses/150.
Full textAbstract:
Background: Australia‟s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are over represented in poor health and education outcomes. Little is known about the bullying experiences of Aboriginal school age children and young people. This Master's study aimed to investigate the policies and practises school principals use for bullying prevention and management in primary schools located in the Yamaji region or Midwest Education District of Western Australia.This study was conducted in conjunction with the Child Health Promotion Research Centre‟s Solid Kids, Solid Schools project. Solid Kids, Solid Schools is a four-year study that aimed to contextualise the bullying experiences of Yamaji school-age children and young people; and develop a locally relevant and culturally secure bullying prevention and management resource.
Method: Thirty-one principals and four deputy principals of primary school aged students participated in either a semi-structured telephone interview or survey. Instrument items asked principals: how often staff at their school used 12 bullying management strategies; to describe and rate the effectiveness of 25 bullying prevention guidelines and strategies; and to describe enablers and barriers to working with Aboriginal students who are bullied or who bully others.Participant responses were matched for compliance with evidence-based recommendations (Cross, Pintabona, Hall, Hamilton, & Erceg, 2004, p. 11) and national policy as set out in the National Safe Schools Framework (NSSF) (Department of Education Science and Training; DEST, 2003) for school bullying prevention and management. Participant responses were also compared to a culturally secure bullying prevention and management model to determine if their guidelines and strategies are culturally secure and could respond to the strengths and needs of Aboriginal students.
21
Mellor, Graeme J., and res cand@acu edu au. "Reimagining the Catholic School: an exploration of principals’ responses to changing contexts of the contemporary catholic school." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2005. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp114.25102006.
Full textAbstract:
The focus of this research project was the changing perception amongst practising Catholic school principals of the nature and purpose of the contemporary Catholic school. This examination was set within the changing social, ecclesial and educational contexts within which the Catholic school has operated in the decades following the Second Vatican Council (1962–1965). The research which was conducted amongst principals in the Archdiocese of Brisbane, Australia, was focused by two research questions. These were:How do principals currently perceive the purpose of Catholic schools? How do they perceive Catholic schools changing? The review of the literature examined elements of the changing environment of the contemporary Catholic school. It also surveyed the ways in which that literature described the effects of changing social, ecclesial and educational contexts upon the sense of purpose amongst principals of Catholic schools. The demise of “inherited meanings” and the reconstruction or reimagining of a new meaning structure provided the conceptual template for the study. Since the study explores the perceptions of leaders concerning their schools in times of extensive and foundational contextual change, it involved an interpretive research design. An epistemological stance of constructionism was adopted because it acknowledges the impact which engagement with the research exerts upon participants’ construction of meaning. An interpretivist theoretical perspective served to structure the research in a manner that was congruent with the philosophical foundations of the research questions. The employment of the research orientation of symbolic interactionism was appropriate because it holds that meaning and interpretation of phenomena are to be understood by listening to the voices and perspectives of the participants within a given context. A case study approach was utilised in the execution of the research design which allowed for flexible, systematic and continuing data collection, analysis and participant feedback. Data were collected through the use of personal, open-ended questionnaire, semistructured interviews, critical review interviews, focus groups and independent review and were analysed using constant comparative method. The research led to the conclusion that in the contemporary Catholic school, a high priority is given to the offering of a holistic educational experience to students. This, in turn, is predicated upon an anthropology which adopts a more unitive rather than dualistic view of the human person. This represents a significant conceptual movement within the period under study. A greater emphasis is also placed upon the evangelising role the Catholic school, which, in turn, acknowledges the increasingly secular environment within which it operates. At the same time, there is a strong, expressed belief amongst its leaders that the contemporary Catholic school offers an experience of a redemptive community in which its members can find acceptance, inclusion and a sense of the spiritual dimension of life which transcends the status of affiliation with the institutional Church.
22
Hanks, Jennifer A., and n/a. "School based management: the Principals' perspective." University of Canberra. Education, 1993. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060207.133742.
Full textAbstract:
This study details the background to the establishment
of Parish School Boards in the Archdiocese of Canberra and
Goulburn, and reports and analyses the perceptions of all
ACT Catholic, systemic, primary school Principals who
operated with a Parish School Board in 1993.
The movement towards Parish School Boards finds its
genesis in the Second Vatican Council where the Church was
invited to collaborate in decision-making based on the
belief that all the faithful have gifts, knowledge and a
share of the wisdom to bring to the building of the Church.
The nature and structure of Catholic education was seen as a
suitable vehicle for encouraging communities to engage in
shared decision-making and in participatory democracy under
the Church model of subsidiarity, collegiality and
collaboration.
The introduction of Parish School Boards into the
Archdiocese can be seen as the implementation of a radical
change to the educational mission of the Church and the
educational leadership of the faith community. Reflecting
'new management theory' in both the secular and Church
worlds, a key stakeholder is the school Principal whose role
and relationships change as he or she learns to work within
a team, sharing leadership.
This study examines the responses of nineteen
Principals who were interviewed by the researcher in order
to determine how they work with a Parish School Board and
what effects the board has on their work.
Research studies in the area of School-Based
Management and Shared Decision-Making have informed the
review, and the Principals' responses from this study have
been analysed in the light of secular and Church literature
on leadership, devolution and change.
The respondents of this study, the school Principals,
report the benefits of collegiality and collaboration but
their unresolved tensions relate to work overload, lack of
clarity of the roles and responsibilities of the various
local level decision-making groups, increased administrative
complexity, community demand for ever widening consultation
and the challenge of consensus decision-making.
All Principals report an urgent need for professional
development for themselves and for the system to provide a
more explicit focus on parish and community formation with
the commitment of the necessary resources to sustain this
radical change.
23
Albinger, Kenneth Charles, and n/a. "Using Values: a Qualitative Analysis of Ethical Dilemmas Encountered by Australian Lutheran Secondary School Principals." Griffith University. School of Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, 2005. http://www4.gu.edu.au:8080/adt-root/public/adt-QGU20060815.170949.
Full textAbstract:
Recent studies of effective leadership for schools suggest relationships between the work of principals and beliefs, values and theoretical knowledge. However, it is not clear how these relationships work. In schools of the Lutheran Church of Australia the situation is complicated by expectations that principals will be operating with a Lutheran Christian world view. The precise nature of the role of world view in determining professional action has not been fully researched. This study made use of analysis techniques grounded in symbolic interactionism to examine the construction of meaning and rationale for professional actions by Lutheran secondary school principals. It sought to understand the impact of value on meaning and decision in ethically challenging situations. The central question of this research was: What values influence the reflection of Australian Lutheran secondary school principals as they address ethical dilemmas in their woik? Drawing on the accounts given by three Australian Lutheran secondary pnncipals to provide data for analysis, and making use of membership category analysis techniques, the study found that three statements could be made: 1. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the way principals perceive dilemmas is the result of a filtering process where some facts ate not fully considered prior to action. 2. There is evidence in the accounts to suggest that the filtering process is more strongly influenced by sub-rational and trans-rational values than by rational values. 3. There is evidence in the accounts that each piincipal has a world view that is partially shaped by values implicit in the Christian tradition. These findings are tentative because of the limited scope of the research. They have implications for the theoretical literature, suggesting that mote attention needs to be given to the impact of trans-rational and sub-rational values as filters of perception in difficult decisions. 'The findings suggest that any study of the reflection of school principals in ethically challenging situations should take into account the power of non-rational values to be a lens that distorts what is considered in the reflective process'. They also have implications for further research by those interested in Lutheran schools and those interested in the importance of values in shaping perception. Finally they have implications for those who prepare piincipals for Lutheran schools, suggesting the need for a clearer articulation of a philosophy for Lutheran schooling and for the development of the habit of critical reflection in Lutheran principals.
24
Nelipa, Tanya, and n/a. "The changing role of the A.C.T. government school principal : an investigation of administrators' perceptions." University of Canberra. Education, 1993. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060824.095312.
Full textAbstract:
This study researched three major areas of the school Principalship within the
Australian Capital Territory government school system. The three major areas of
research concern related to school Principalship were:
1. Changes in the role and responsibilities of the Principal
2. Skills Principals require to perform effectively within the role and responsibility.
3. How the education department may best facilitate and support effective
performance of its Principals.
An outline of the history of administrative and organisational restructuring within the
A.C.T. government education system during the past two decades has been presented
to provide the context of the study. A review of the literature also contributed to the
contextual understanding of the study by examining specific issues and understandings
within the literature. The specific issues and understandings related to:
context and the role of the Principal
concept of the role of the Principal
instructional leadership and the role of the Principal
administrative and organisational devolution and the role of the Principal
The research methodology used to examine the issues central to this study is
qualitative or descriptive in nature, reflecting a phenomenological perspective. The
data was collected through personal interviews conducted with senior administrators of
the A.C.T. government school system and written questionnaires completed by
Principals of the A.C.T. government school system. The data comprises the
perceptions, ideas and beliefs of the two defined groups targeted in the study.
The analysis of responses presented the major findings regarding the perceptions, ideas
and beliefs of the Principals and senior administrators of the A.C.T. government school
system relating to the key research areas of this study. The major findings show that
the role of the school Principal has changed, with Principals requiring a broader array
of skills to effectively meet the challenges of the new role. The major findings discuss
how the education department may best facilitate and support effective performance in
the Principalship.
The conclusions of the study discuss how changes to the role of the Principal have
increased the Principal's workload, with Principals now required to utilise a broader
scope of often new skills to effectively perform their changed role and responsibilities.
The Principal respondents and senior administrator respondents suggest best ways that
the education department may facilitate and support effective performance of the
Principalship. It was also suggested that the amount of professional development and
training was inadequate to facilitate the performance of effective Principalship.
Respondents indicated that incentives such as sabbatical leave for Principals be
facilitated by the education department to ensure Principals' professional renewal.
Finally, the implications of the conclusions of the study address the ways in which the
education department may best assist Principals to acquire the necessary new skills to
effectively perform their changed role. The implications of the conclusions of the
study also address the ways in which the education department may best facilitate and
support Principals' professional renewal. The implications of the conclusions of the
study state that the responsibility for Principals' professional development and renewal
should be a shared responsibility between the school Principal and the education
department.
25
Moody, Craig William, and res cand@acu edu au. "An Exploration of the Role of School Principals in Faith Formation Leadership Within the Educational Mission of Two Australian Anglican Schools." Australian Catholic University. School of Education, 2009. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp234.01072010.
Full textAbstract:
This study offers a response to the question facing the Australian Anglican Church about how the mission of Anglican schools is aligned with the mission of the whole Church. The study explores two Anglican school principals’ faith formation leadership, as they engage in this mission. Fundamental to understanding the context of this study is awareness of Anglicanism’s broad variety of expression balanced with unity through Scripture, Reason and Tradition. In spite of differences, the Anglican Church seeks the ‘Via Media’, the middle way, held together in a dynamic tension of debate. Anglican school principals lead faith formation in this context of diversity, which leads to the purpose of this study: to explore two Australian Anglican school principals’ perceptions of their role and capability as school leaders of faith formation within the Anglican Church’s mission. The three questions guiding this study relate to the ways in which the principals understand their role, their capability for the role, and the ways in which the Anglican Church has equipped them to be faith formation leaders in their schools. Various Anglican sources note that these questions have been on the Anglican Church’s agenda for several decades. A recent report on the governance relationship between an Australian Anglican Diocese and its schools noted lack of Anglican identity and role definition of schools’ mission in the Church as significant issues (Nicholson, 2007), and this appears to be the case in faith formation leadership also. Underpinning this study are assumptions that the nurturing of the Christian faith in the Anglican tradition is a core task of Anglican schools as agents of Anglican mission, and that the principal of an Anglican school plays a key role in leading faith formation by authentic personal Christian witness. In this study, Anglican school faith formation leadership has been explored in cultural and symbolic dimensions of leadership. Catholic and Lutheran schools’ faith formation leadership practices are reviewed to inform the study. This exploratory, qualitative study has an orientation of social constructionism, seeking two purposively sampled Australian Anglican school principals‟ perceptions from an open research stance. A theoretical framework of symbolic interactionsism has valued the participants’ context. A phenomenological research methodology has used data gathering methods of interview, survey questionnaire, observation and documentary analysis. The study indicates that areas for further study include the shared faith formation leadership roles of principals and school chaplains; the fostering of a culture of research about Anglican school faith leadership; the provision of professional mentoring for principals; the relationship of principals to the Anglican Church; and provision by the Anglican Church of guiding statements and training to equip principals for their faith leadership roles.
26
Moody, Craig William. "An exploration of the role of school principals in faith formation leadership within the educational mission of two Australian Anglican schools." Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2009. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/2568a52bf93b72dc8f2e7f3ac75df4a840e1285d11263a13600e47975c2a25e2/1752427/65005_downloaded_stream_230.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This study offers a response to the question facing the Australian Anglican Church about how the mission of Anglican schools is aligned with the mission of the whole Church. The study explores two Anglican school principals' faith formation leadership, as they engage in this mission. Fundamental to understanding the context of this study is awareness of Anglicanism's broad variety of expression balanced with unity through Scripture, Reason and Tradition. In spite of differences, the Anglican Church seeks the 'Via Media', the middle way, held together in a dynamic tension of debate. Anglican school principals lead faith formation in this context of diversity, which leads to the purpose of this study: to explore two Australian Anglican school principals' perceptions of their role and capability as school leaders of faith formation within the Anglican Church's mission. The three questions guiding this study relate to the ways in which the principals understand their role, their capability for the role, and the ways in which the Anglican Church has equipped them to be faith formation leaders in their schools. Various Anglican sources note that these questions have been on the Anglican Church's agenda for several decades. A recent report on the governance relationship between an Australian Anglican Diocese and its schools noted lack of Anglican identity and role definition of schools' mission in the Church as significant issues (Nicholson, 2007), and this appears to be the case in faith formation leadership also. Underpinning this study are assumptions that the nurturing of the Christian faith in the Anglican tradition is a core task of Anglican schools as agents of Anglican mission, and that the principal of an Anglican school plays a key role in leading faith formation by authentic personal Christian witness. In this study, Anglican school faith formation leadership has been explored in cultural and symbolic dimensions of leadership.;Catholic and Lutheran schools' faith formation leadership practices are reviewed to inform the study. This exploratory, qualitative study has an orientation of social constructionism, seeking two purposively sampled Australian Anglican school principals? perceptions from an open research stance. A theoretical framework of symbolic interactionsism has valued the participants' context. A phenomenological research methodology has used data gathering methods of interview, survey questionnaire, observation and documentary analysis. The study indicates that areas for further study include the shared faith formation leadership roles of principals and school chaplains; the fostering of a culture of research about Anglican school faith leadership; the provision of professional mentoring for principals; the relationship of principals to the Anglican Church; and provision by the Anglican Church of guiding statements and training to equip principals for their faith leadership roles.
27
Cannon, Helen Mary, and res cand@acu edu au. "Redesigning the Principalship in Catholic Schools." Australian Catholic University. School of Educational Leadership, 2005. http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/digitaltheses/public/adt-acuvp76.09042006.
Full textAbstract:
The purpose of this research was to determine how the role of the principal in the Catholic school could be redesigned so that more quality applicants are prepared to seek principalship and principals already in the role could be retained. The catalyst for this study derived from the shortage of suitable applicants for the position of principal, a problem that exists not only in Australia, but also in many Western countries. An exploratory mixed method design was chosen for the study with the data gathering divided into two phases. The first phase was the qualitative phase during which the data were gathered using focus group interviews and analysed using QSR N6. The second phase was the quantitative phase, where the data were collected using a survey constructed from the data gathered and analysed in the first phase. This research project asked the question, how can the principalship be redesigned to attract more quality applicants to the role and retain incumbents already in the role? The research revealed that, to answer the question a fundamental rethinking of the principalship is necessary and that such momentous change requires nothing less than a paradigm shift. The new paradigm would be based on sharing leadership rather than on an hierarchical approach. It would have structures that are flexible and customised to the local needs of the school and school community. Learning would be central and a work/life balance would be essential, for all principals. The new paradigm would also offer enough flexibility to encourage women to both take up, and remain in, principalship. The findings from this research led to the development of nine propositions, which, it is suggested, should inform and influence the new paradigm of principalship. Together with the recommendations, they provide a scaffold and a guide to action for redesigning the principalship.
28
Browning, Paul D. "Why trust the Head? : key strategies for transformational school leaders for building a purposeful relationship of trust." Thesis, Queensland University of Technology, 2013. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/61709/1/Paul_Browning_Thesis.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
Trust is widely recognised as one of the key qualities that a successful leader needs to bring about change within their organization. Browning’s study aimed to identify practices which a school leader can effectively use to inspire, build, and maintain trust between themselves, their staff and Chair of governing body.
The study was undertaken in two phases. Phase One was the identification of four highly trusted transformational leaders from the Australian independent schooling sector. Phase Two was a multicase study of the four school leaders.
The findings provide practical advice for school leaders wishing to have a positive impact on the outcomes of the students in their school.
29
McEvoy, Francis Joseph. "How is religious leadership understood and practised by principles in Catholic secondary schools in South Australia?" Thesis, Australian Catholic University, 2006. https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/download/5a1e4d850721e10574540c4b761356c519619e31f605d4a52ceba6480d4fe6cf/1202776/64989_downloaded_stream_214.pdf.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis explores the religious dimension of the role of the principal in the Catholic Secondary Schools of South Australia. The study is set in the context of a complex and changing environment. Society is becoming increasingly secular, and religious values are on the wane. The role of the principal has become progressively more encumbered by government regulation and policy and an increased level of accountability for a wide range of school outcomes, many of these outside the core purposes of the school (Fullan, 2003). In Catholic schools, the numbers of the professed religious men and women, traditionally the backbone of those schools, has declined dramatically in the last two decades and lay persons have taken over from members of religious congregations as principals in most Catholic Secondary Schools in South Australia.
30
Penn, Sarah. ""How do they do it?" An investigation into the practices of Australian teachers and principals working in low SES schools." Thesis, Penn, Sarah (2019) "How do they do it?" An investigation into the practices of Australian teachers and principals working in low SES schools. Professional Doctorate thesis, Murdoch University, 2019. https://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/53648/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis examines the pedagogical strategies used by teachers and principals of high performing government schools that serve large numbers of students from low socio-economic backgrounds. Individual interviews were conducted with 16 teachers and 4 principals from four low socio-economic status (SES) primary schools in Victoria, Australia that have higher than expected scores on the National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN). Participants were interviewed about the strategies that they use to promote learning in their classrooms and as a school. A secondary aim was to examine teachers’ perceptions of the efficacy of NAPLAN for informing learning and teaching. Three main themes were identified from the data and the strategies discussed were categorised as Teacher Pedagogy and Practice, Engagement and Leadership. To extrapolate, these themes identify what was deemed as most important by the participants when improving academic outcomes. The suite of strategies identified by the participants centre around identifying and overcoming the obstacles to students’ learning, using strategies to address and at times remove the obstacles, while fostering relationships and learning as a school community. All the schools considered themselves “student-centred”, underpinned by an ethos of accountability as educators, driven by the leadership of the schools. Participants believed that NAPLAN was useful for tracking performance gains over multiple years but it was unanimously viewed as an irrelevant tool for supporting learning or teaching. Teachers noted that they did not devote much time to preparing students for NAPLAN, nor did their school give it much emphasis either. Implications for practice suggest the importance of providing students from this cohort with a holistic educational experience coupled with strategic intervention in order to address the obstacles that are deemed prevalent for this student demographic.
31
Dwyer, John Aloysius. "Catholic schools and Catholic social principles : a comparative study of Australia, England and Wales, and the United States of America." Thesis, University College London (University of London), 1991. http://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/10006565/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis questions to what extent Catholic schools in Australia, England and Wales, and the United States are being able to form their pupils in Catholic social principles today. Catholic schools, because of what they are and of what they purport to be, must always be open to questions of authenticity. Over recent years there has been a steady and subtle, but very significant, increase in the role of governments in non-government education in Australia, England and Wales and the United States. There is concern that non-government schools, particularly Catholic schools, may be becoming unwitting and complacent vehicles of government policy, whether it be a Labour government in Australia, a Conservative government in England and Wales, or a Republican government in the United States. The thesis examines the nature of this government intervention in Catholic schools in these countries over recent years, and considers whether such intervention has been antithetical to the school's capacity to develop the pupils in a sound understanding of Catholic social justice principles. It looks at reasons why Catholic schools in these countries today have difficulty reconciling their aims for social justice with prevailing government's economic and social policies. It is a comparative study, to see how an analysis of such developments in England, Wales and the United States can illuminate these issues in Australia. The thesis attempts to locate, evaluate and synthesise evidence to give a much clearer picture of the difficulties Catholic schools have to face in their call to evangelise modern youth. The investigative method used is essentially a historical analysis of policy documents of the Catholic Church, of the popes, bishops and Catholic education bodies, of the governments and Courts of the countries concerned, of recent statistical data, and of a series of informal interviews. Visits were made to a number of Catholic tertiary institutions to estimate current input in terms of modern Catholic social teaching. In the conclusion the thesis offers strategies to current Catholic educational administrators which may help improve the effectiveness of their Catholic social justice teaching.
32
Hawkins, Clive Richard, and n/a. "The primary principalship in the Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory : a study of the changing role and procedures for promotion to the position." University of Canberra. Education, 1991. http://erl.canberra.edu.au./public/adt-AUC20060720.142102.
Full textAbstract:
This study researched two major aspects of the primary school principalship in the
Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory viz., (1) How current trends in
educational governance have affected the role of the principal, and (2) Assessment and
selection procedures used for promotion to the principalship in the present educational
environment.
The context of the study has been outlined by presenting a brief historical and
organisational overview of public education in both Territories, along with an
examination of the literature on recent trends and issues in educational governance and
promotion procedures.
The research methodology used to examine the questions posed in this study is
qualitative or descriptive in nature. The data was collected through the use of a semistructured
interview technique and represents the ideas, opinions and perceptions of a
specially targeted group of principals and aspiring principals from both education
systems.
The findings demonstrated that many aspects of the role of the primary principalship in
the N.T. and A.C.T. are changing, due to a new set of values in educational policymaking
and increased political control. There was a high degree of similarity between
respondents in each Territory in regard to how the role is being reshaped.
It was also found that the level of support provided by both systems to assist principals
in coping with the changes has been inadequate and that the changes have led to a
degree of conflict and new job-related pressures for most primary school principals.
It was concluded that assessment and selection procedures should be rigorous and
demanding, commensurate with the significance of the position. In this regard both
educational systems need to improve present procedures by addressing perceived
weaknesses. To this end assessment centres may have a role to play.
Finally, further implications of the conclusions are addressed in terms of the necessity
for thorough preparation and training of aspirants to the principalship to enhance their
chance of selection and help them cope with the new expectations and demands of the
position. This responsibility should be shared between the aspirant, professional
associations and the employing education department.
33
Morton, Ellen C. "Static testing of large scale ground support panels." Thesis, Curtin University, 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/2067.
Full textAbstract:
The Western Australian School of Mines (WASM) developed a large area static test facility to enable the evaluation of three forms of surface support; namely, mesh, shotcrete and membranes. The purpose of this thesis is to document the test conditions and procedures under which these tests were conducted and to document the outcomes from testing.A review of previous mesh testing established that the most common method used for the evaluation of mesh types was two-dimensional linear elastic analyses, often using catenary principles. These analysis techniques have been used to estimate the tension in the wires of mesh and the strength characteristics of the mesh. These methods assume that forces are only transferred along directly loaded wires and that failure of the mesh is only related to the tensile strength of the wire.The force – displacement response from fully restrained mesh tests conducted at the WASM test facility have been characterised into distinct phases, clearly demonstrating the non-linear behaviour of mesh. The initial force response to displacement is slow; however the force response increases dramatically with further displacement. This behaviour has been shown to follow a cubic relationship.The force – displacement results have also been used to develop load transfer concepts for both weld mesh and chain link mesh. These concepts suggest that forces are transferred away from the directly loaded wires through adjoining wires, distributing forces over a greater area of the mesh. The force capacity of the weld mesh is not only dependent on the tensile strength of the wire but also the quality of the welding process. Likewise, the force capacity of chain link mesh is not only dependent on the tensile strength of the wire but also diamond configuration which allows load to be shared across a greater area of mesh.Several other test conditions were evaluated as part of the test program, including mesh sheet overlaps and wire orientation. The results have demonstrated that the boundary conditions and mesh orientation alters the force – displacement response of mesh.Most current shotcrete testing techniques focus on quality assurance and quality control. Shotcrete support mechanism and failure mechanisms are complex and not well understood. The WASM punch test method was developed to evaluate shotcrete using realistic shotcrete failure mechanisms such as shear and flexural failure and adhesion loss.The behaviour of shotcrete is characterised by an initial stiff reaction followed by rupture of the cement matrix. Rupture generally occurs at displacements of less than 5mm. The rupture force of fibre reinforced shotcrete is dependent only on the cement content of the shotcrete mix and the thickness of the layer, and not on the fibre type. The post rupture reaction of shotcrete is dependent on the reinforcing material; namely fibres or mesh. Mesh reinforced shotcrete had much greater force and displacement capacity compared with fibre reinforced shotcrete.Membranes have two theoretical support models (Norcroft, 2006); namely, the membrane support model and the beam support model. A total of 6 tests were undertaken to investigate the behaviour of a particular membrane product under the two theoretical support models. These tests were aimed at determining a suitable test method that could determine the capacity of the membrane and the behaviour of the membrane under realistic loading conditions.The results from both test programs demonstrated that the membrane has limited force and displacement capacity and cannot be compared with conventional mesh and shotcrete as suggested in the product data sheet. The failure mechanism was shear failure with minimal adhesion loss observed.The development of the WASM test facility has enabled the evaluation and comparison of various surface support elements. The results of this testing have provide a valuable insight into the performance of each of the individual products.
34
Shih, Yu-Yu, and 施又瑀. "A Comparative Study of Primary and Junior High School Principal Preparation Systems in Taiwan, the UK, and Australia." Thesis, 2015. http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/67242236131861663616.
Full textAbstract:
博士國立臺灣師範大學
教育學系
103
This research aims to probe into the primary and junior high school principal preparation systems in Taiwan, the UK, and Australia. Dimensions such as principal professional standard, principal certification, applicant qualification, principal preparation authority, principal preparation model, curriculum design, length of principal preparation, and principal internship, and mentor principal system are generalized in order to further compare and analyze the characteristics and differences of the primary and junior high school principal preparation systems. Finally, suggestions are proposed for improvement and further research of principal preparation. The conclusions are as follows: I. Principal professional standard: The principal professional standards in the UK and Australia are founded on a principal’s roles and missions, which has definite functions of guidance. As for Taiwan, there is a shortage of principal preparation standards for us to follow. II. Principal certification: The UK implements the principal licensure and license renewal system, while Australia is still developing the principal licensure system and programs. As far as Taiwan is concerned, there is no practice here so far. III. Principal preparation model: The UK adopts "training before selection" model; Australia prefers "professional learning" model; in Taiwan, principle preparation belongs to local matters, so each county/city takes charge of it on its own or entrusts it to the National Academy for Educational Research, mostly applying "selection before training" model. IV. Applicant qualification: It is mainly based on document review in UK with open qualification, which offers non-educational personnel to apply for. In each state of Australia, there are different selection standards regulated by the state itself. In Taiwan, we have clear and detailed principal qualification regulation. V. Principal preparation authority: In the UK, a total of 28 public and private sectors are authorized by NCTL to take charge of principal preparation. In Australia, the education administration department in each state takes responsibility for establishing the content and method of principal professional training. The authorities concerned in Taiwan come to the county/city governments. VI. Curriculum design: The principal preparation programs in the UK are developed on the base of unified fundamental abilities, which are flexible and focuse on individual differences. Each state in Australia designs the programs that meet the needs of specific regions and individual principals. In Taiwan, the principal preparation programs vary according to different local governments, and they tended to be trifle and lack of depth. VII. Length of principal preparation: The UK applies a long-term, flexible, and distributed time frame, while the public and private preparation sectors have divergent preparation periods in Australia. As for Taiwan, it is put into practice by short-term and compact mode that basically last 8 to 10 weeks. VII. Principal internship: UK emphasizes the practical learning in a trainee’s working school and intern school; Australia has shadowing programs for the trainees to experience the expert principals' ethos of a school; the internship programs in Taiwan are limited to school visiting. VIII. Mentor principal system: The UK sets up mentor-principal system and promotes leadership programs in local schools. Australia values the mentoring pairing in different territories to enhance the efficacy of mentoring that makes the best use of one's abilities and is the most suitable for one's nature. Currently, there is a shortage of complete mentoring programs in Taiwan. Based on the above conclusions, for the authorities concerned, the researcher suggests that: 1. The principal preparation systems in the UK and Australia are worthy of learning in planning our own principal preparation system. 2. The Ministry of Education should make laws and regulations to serve as the legal basis of the principal preparation system. 3. The government should establish a national institute to take responsibility for coordinating and tackling with principal preparation and evaluation mechanism. 4. The government should set up our own principal professional standards to serve as the cornerstone of principals’ professional development. 5. The principal certificate system should be built up in order to raise principals’ professional image. 6. It is better for the principal preparation system to combine the three-dimensional model and therefore make the system sound and complete. 7. The content of principal preparation programs should focus on leadership that can improve students' learning outcomes. 8. Principals’ professional growth network system should be set up to bring the energy of learning communities to a full play
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Abate, Tony. "A man of principle? : a political biography of Standish Michael Keon." Thesis, 1994. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/17942/.
Full textAbstract:
The following study will be broken into five sections. The first will general account of Keon's whole life and thus illustrate that he was
motivated by three general principles- aiding individuals from modest
socio-economic standing, Catholicism, and disdain for the major anti-
Labor parties. The second aspect of the study will show that all
published material on Keon, whilst partially recognising one stream of
his Catholicism, fails to fully tap into his 'ideological baggage'. The other
three areas of the study will concentrate expanding upon the principles
which shaped Keon's public life. Chapter Three will demonstrate that
Keon's readiness to champion the common man's cause can be aligned
to populist thought. Chapter Four will highlight Keon's Catholic
tendencies and sub-divide them into two categories- 'general' and
'specific'. Chapter Five will draw upon the evidence provided in the
previous two sections of the study and illustrate how Labor was the only
major political grouping which could accommodate Keon's principles.
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Lancione, Ascenzo. "A second chance: an investigation into adult re-entry education in the South Australian public secondary school system 1989-2005." 2009. http://hdl.handle.net/2440/59775.
Full textAbstract:
Over the 1980s secondary schools and Technical and Further Education (TAFE) colleges in South Australia had increasing numbers of adults returning to formal secondary education mainly in search of better jobs or to qualify for tertiary studies. The teaching of such students required an appreciation of the difficulties they faced with the competing demands of family and work, and the anxieties they had in meeting the requirements of formalised study. In 1989 the South Australian Government made a policy decision, to transfer all the year 11 and 12 classes which TAFE colleges had specially established for adult students to the public secondary school system. Funds were allocated for the establishment of a secondary school system wide structure of nine Adult Re-entry sites, eight of which are still successfully operating within the Department of Education and Children’s Services. Whilst adult educational sites existed elsewhere, no other Australian state had a comparable systemic secondary school structure designed for adults returning to study. As a teacher of adult re-entry students, I sought to investigate the historical factors behind the policy decision to establish of adult re-entry sites within the secondary school system, to research the development of adult programs at a particular site and to study the experiences of adult students, analysing in particular why they returned to formal studies. Overseas studies indicated that to understand the personal worlds of adult students two sets of factors needed to be taken into account. External social and cultural factors influenced their current situation and their life experiences. Internal psychological factors helped to determine how they responded to the new demands of study. Four different educational responses to adult students could be identified. Direct and structured teaching could be seen in many vocational training models. Programs based on andrological principles put the emphasis on the individual’s self – directed learning. A third approach was focussed on critical pedagogy which sought to change society. There was also evidence of a holistic approach, which was centred on the adult learners but provided sympathetic educators to support their learning. The researcher’s underlying perspective in carrying out this study was that associated with Weber’s social action theory, because of the way it enabled emphasis to be placed on the actions of individuals and their interpretations of their actions in their social and cultural contexts. In this research portfolio the individuals concerned were politicians and educational administrators making policy decisions (Part 1); teachers developing appropriate programs (Part 2); and adult students deciding to return to studies and participating in adult programs (Part 3). Part 1 of Portfolio Two main sources of data were used to investigate the reasons for the 1989 policy decision to establish a system of adult re-entry colleges and schools within the Education Department of South Australia. The first was the official Hansard record of debates in the South Australian Parliament during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The second was a series of interviews with the Minister of Education involved and key officials in the Departments of Education and TAFE. The debates were focussed on the ideal educational location for adult re-entry students. Arguments based on the perspective of social justice and the special needs of adult students led to the establishment of a formal network of sites and programs to cater for the needs of adults within the secondary school sector. Despite the closure of one site in 1996 and funding readjustments in 1998, by 2005 adult re-entry colleges and schools had a well established role in South Australian public education system. Part 2 of Portfolio The investigation into the development of adult re-entry programs on one site was based on documents available in the Research School chosen – annual statistics, reports, curriculum, administration and journals. In addition, key members of staff involved in the adult program were interviewed. There was evidence of the way the adult program had changed over the period 1990 - 2005 in response to changing demography in the surrounding area and to changing needs and interests of those returning to study, as well as satisfying Departmental requirements. In recent years there has been a trend for more students to study part – time and to seek vocational rather than pre – university education. The provision of appropriate courses, resources and support was regarded by staff as important in the ongoing success of the adult re-entry program. Part 3 of Portfolio The investigation of adult students’ motivations and experiences in returning to study was based on the memoirs and personal statements of 40 adult re-entry students from the Research School. Their comments provided a unique understanding of the diverse personal worlds of adult re-entry students, their expectations, goals and aspirations, their difficulties and problems and their learning experiences. The formation of adult campuses in the secondary sector in South Australia was influenced by both pragmatic factors and by principles of social justice which sought to promote educational opportunities and offer those who had left school without recognised qualifications a second chance. Adult re-entry sites have continued to provide for the needs of adult learners in the communities they serve. They have made an important contribution both to the individual’s right to life – long learning and to society’s need for skilled workers and well educated professionals. During the twenty first century adult sites in South Australia within the Department of Education and Children’s Services have faced two challenges. The learning interests of adult students have changed, with more looking to the acquisition of technical and vocational skills. Furthermore, in order to remain viable, adult sites have had to maintain a high profile in relation to innovative policy development, student numbers, funding and resource allocation. Their successes have been due in large measure to their recognition that adult re-entry students were not big kids, but required specific educational structure and programs catering for their diverse learning needs.http://proxy.library.adelaide.edu.au/login?url= http://library.adelaide.edu.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=1415385
Thesis (D.Ed.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Education, 2009
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Chartrungruang, Bung-On. "Relationship between staff selection and training based upon TQM principles and guest satisfaction with service quality in hotel settings." Thesis, 2002. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/15406/.
Full textAbstract:
This thesis proposes a theoretical model that aims to explain the relationship between staff selection and training based on the principles of Total Quality Management
(TQM) and guest satisfaction in 4-5 star hotels in the USA and Australia and Thailand. This exploratory research aims to generate emphical evidence concerning the relationship between TQM, guest satisfaction and human resource performance.
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Paracha, Zahir Javed. "Design and development of intelligent computational techniques for power quality data monitoring and management." Thesis, 2011. https://vuir.vu.edu.au/19381/.
Full textAbstract:
The most important requirement of power system operations is sustained availability and quality supply of electric power. In Electrical Power Distribution System (EPDS), non-linear loads are the main cause of power quality (PQ) degradation. The PQ problems generated by these non-linear loads are complex and diversified in nature. The power system which is not capable to handle non-linear loads faces the problem of voltage unbalance, sag, swell, momentary or temporary interruption and ultimately complete outage of EPDS. The PQ problems have motivated power system engineers to design and develop new methodologies and techniques to enhance EPDS performance. To do so, they are required to analyse the PQ data of the system under consideration. Since, the density of the monitoring nodes in EPDS is quite high, the aggregate analysis is computationally involved. In addition, the cost involved with the PQ shortcomings is significantly high (for domestic consumers and rises exponentially for industrial consumers), hence it also becomes mandatory to project /predict the undesired PQ disturbance in EPDS. This will provides power system engineers to formulate intelligent strategy for efficient power system operations. This objective of the research is to identify and exploit the hidden correlation in PQ data with minimal computational cost and further use this knowledge to classify any PQ disturbance that may occur. ... Further this research also investigates the power distribution system behaviour considering the relationship of main PQ disturbance harmonics in conjunction with the other major PQ parameters i.e. voltage unbalance, sag, swell and frequency.