The Hidden (Leadership) Life of Teachers in Australian and European Universities

Author(s):

Susan Roberts

Conference:

ECER 2009

Network:

26. Educational Leadership

Format:

Paper

Session Information

26 SES 09 B,

Paper Session

Time:

2009-09-30

10:30-12:00

Room:

NIG, Leseraum, 6. Floor

Chair:

Klaus Kasper Kofod

Contribution

A recent study undertaken with funding provided by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) has revealed an aspect of a university teacher's role that has formerly been implicit; that of leadership. We already know that the teacher is the person closest to the student because he or she usually designs a subject curriculum and then delivers it. It follows, then, that teachers are most likely to impact on their students' learning outcomes and, therefore, to lead their learning. To assist them, teachers may employ part-time staff to take tutorials and workshops. Teachers may, therefore, lead staff. In their departments and in the wider community teachers' expertise may be called upon for advice in the direction of courses and programs. They, therefore, lead knowledge and expertise in their disciplines. Often, they may help to shape and guide their research students' own programs of study and so they might also be involved in leading research. The literature on educational leadership reveals that the concept of informal or ‘non-positional’ leadership in educational institutions has traditionally aligned with the principles of distributed or dispersed leadership. The idea of teachers as leaders in their own 'right' is only recently emerging in the literature. While teachers, on the whole, do not regard themselves as leaders the evidence, nevertheless, suggests that their roles do incorporate features of leadership in one form or another. It is on this premise that further investigation was considered warranted. The guiding question asks whether this ‘new’ understanding of leadership is important to the shaping of student outcomes? Further questions ask: to what extent does learning leadership differ from other, more formal and traditional leadership roles in the university structure? Can learning leadership and 'good' teaching be differentiated, and to what extent? What value is likely to be derived from developing learning leadership capacity (are learning leaders born or made)?

Method

The intention is undertake a web search of a sample of Australian and European Universities to identify the responsibilities and tasks outlined in position descriptions for teachers and lecturers. Also sought will be the attributes and abilities expected of teachers to perform at a high level (to engender positive student outcomes). The sample selected will be based on one high profile, prestigious university in each state (of Australia) and country (in Western Europe) and one less well known university. Data will be recorded on a spreadsheet and analysed according to leadership traits found in the literature and other key words.

Expected Outcomes

Expected outcomes include: a clear, precise (generic) position description for teachers in universities; a definitive characterisation of their knowledge, skills and abilities; a mapping of the generic competencies and capabilities required to perform their roles to the highest standards; a definitive outline of the leadership traits found in the role of ‘learning leaders’ in contrast to other leaders in universities.

References

Bennett, Lorraine, Tasker, Christine, & Whitton, Joy (2008). Leading Excellence: A report on the 'Leadership for Implementing improvements in the Learning and Teaching Quality Cycle' Project, Available from http://www.altc.edu.au/carrick/webdav/site/carricksite/users/siteadmin/public/grants_project_report_leadingexcellence_oct08.pdf Bolden, Richard, Petrov, Georgy, & Gosling, Jonathan. (2008). Developing Collective Leadership in Higher Education: Final Report. London: Leadership Foundation for Higher Education. Christie, Pam, & Limerick, Brigid. (2004). Editorial overview: Leadership as a field of study. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 25(1), 3-6. Cohen, Lynne, Bunker, Alison , & Ellis, Rod. (2007). Exploring the role of unit coordinators. Paper presented at the Research and Development in Higher Education: Enhancing Higher Education, Theory and Scholarship, Canberra: Higher Education Research and Development Society of Australasia. Gunter, Helen. (2004).Labels and Labelling in the Field of Educational Leadership. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 25(1 March), 21-41. Parker, Lesley (2008). Leadership for Excellence in Learning and Teaching in Australian Higher Education: Review of the Australian Learning and Teaching Council (ALTC) Program 2006-2008. Journal. Retrieved from http://www.altc.edu.au/carrick/webdav/site/carricksite/users/siteadmin/public/review_leadershipprogram_parker_2008.pdf Parrish, Dominique, & Lefoe, Geraldine (2008). The Green Report: The Development of Leadership Capacity in Higher Education, Leadership Capability at the Course Level: Developing Course Coordinators as Academic Leaders http://www.altc.edu.au/carrick/webdav/site/carricksite/users/siteadmin/public/grants_leadership_curtin_buildingacademicleadershipcapability_projectsummary_2006.pdf (LELTP 2006) Parrish, Dominique, & Lefoe, Geraldine (2008). Distributive Leadership Project: Leader and leadership literature review summary, Available from http://www.uow.edu.au/cedir/DistributiveLeadership/ Ritchie, Stephen M., Tobin, Kenneth, Roth, Wolff-Michael, & Carambo, Cristobal. (2007). Transforming an academy through the enactment of collective curriculum leadership. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 39(2), 151-175. Sinclair, Amanda. (2004). Journey around Leadership. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 25(1 March), 7-19. Southwell, Deborah, West, Deborah, & Scoufis, Michele (2008). Caught between a rock and several hard places: Cultivating the roles of the Associate Dean (Teaching and Learning) and the Course Coordinator (A report for the Carrick Institute for Learning and Teaching in Higher Education), Available from http://www.altc.edu.au/carrick/webdav/site/carricksite/users/siteadmin/public/Grants_finalreport_southwell_april2008.pdf Zepke, Nick. (2007). Leadership, power and activity systems in a higher education context: will distributive leadership serve in an accountability driven world? International Journal of Leadership in Education, 10(3), 301-314. Zorn, Diane, & Boler, Megan. (2007). Rethinking emotions and educational leadership. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 10(2), 137-151.

Author Information

Susan Roberts

Murdoch University

Teaching and Learning

Salter Point

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