Session Information
26 SES 05.5 PS, General Poster Session
General Poster Session
Contribution
Principals’ field of work is very broad and school is a complex institution that combines the cooperation of many participants and therefore the success and quality of school leading are dependent on both principal’ competence and a sense of good governance. Namely the principal is the responsible person for impelemnting learning, teaching and also administrative managing of school. As highlighted by Moos, Mahony & Reeves the school governance is characterized by: (1) Leadership means having a clear personal vision on what you want to achieve; (2) Good leaders are in the thick of things, working alongside their colleagues. They lead by example; (3) Leadership means respecting teachers’ autonomy, protecting them from extraneous demands; (4) Good leaders look ahead, anticipate change and prepare people for it so that it doesn’t surprise or disempower them; (5) Good leaders are pragmatic. They are able to grasp the realities of the political and economic context and they are able to negotiate and compromise (MacBeath 2002, pg. 63). Also the quality of work in each institution is strongly related to those characteristics. In accordance with the fact that the managerial role is becoming more dynamic and decentralised it is possible that the proactive behaviour is the most critical determinant of success of certain organization (Zarevski, 2002).
In the paper we focus on different methods of leadership and management and these are briefly introduced. Hereafter we present the results of empirical research based on TALIS data which determines the associations of some factors (such as school size, principals’ gender, principals’ working experience and principals’ age) with leadership and management approaches. The results of the analysis are placed in the international context since the paper focuses on comparison of Slovenian, Austrian, Slovakian and Hungarian data from principals questionnaires.
In this paper we will focus on certain characteristics which are addressed within the section of school leadership and management in relation to principal and school background characteristics. The section on school leadership and management was partly based on PIMRS scale (Principal Instructional Management Rating Scale), which provided indicators of principals' emphasis on instructional leadership job functions associated with leadership in effective schools (Hallinger, 1994 in TALIS Technical report 2010, pg. 34). It was also guided by other work undertaken by the OECD (ibid.). The Principal questionnaire therefore consisted 35 items on principals’ behavior on school leadership and management. Using techniques of modern item response modeling and factor analysis, five indices of management behavior were constructed from the responses of 4 665 school principals in the 23 countries (TALIS Report, pg. 193).
In terms of fundamental research on school management characteristics the principal is witohut the doubt the key participant for quality assurance. Within Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS) 2008, conducted under the auspices of OECD, the principals have among others answered the questions on quality assurance. The school managements is of course focused on different areas. In any case it is possible to conclude, through the tested characteristics, what the principals' role in ensuring quality educational school work is. Within the part of the principals’ questionnaire that was aimed at school management we have focused on questions on those aspects of management that are associated with the quality of education. We were specifically interested in predictors of management styles (such as principal’ gender, their experience, school size and school location) and the differences between several countries. Based on principals’ data gathered during the TALIS survey it is possible both to identify the current state on the field in question and also to provide the guidelines for further development of the field and the specific policies.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
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