Identification of the Topics Suggested for the Training of Junior High School Principals in Mexico

Author(s):

Graciela Cordero-ArroyoRosa Maria Torres-HernandezSerafin Antunez

Conference:

ECER 2010

Network:

1. Continuing Professional Development: Learning for Individuals, Leaders, and Organisations

Format:

Paper

Session Information

01 SES 09, Leadership Development/ Instructional Improvement

Paper Session

Time:

2010-08-27

08:30-10:00

Room:

AUDITORIUM XV, Päärakennus / Main Building

Chair:

Cornelia Knoch

Contribution

Mexican education authorities’ interest in the training of primary school principals is registered in the Educational Development Program 1995-2000. This program recognizes that principals are placed in job positions for which they are not prepared. Their getting these jobs by climbing the corporate ladder does not guarantee that they will perform well in them (PEF, 1995). The implementation of national training courses for principals began in the school year 2000-2001.

During the last decade, numerous courses have been offered for acting principals (SEP, 2008). There are, however, three problems (Alcocer, 2007; Araujo, 2007; Camacho, 2001; Escamilla, 2006; Rodriguez, 2007). First, the courses that have been implemented have favored the primary school, and have pushed aside the junior high school principal. Second, principals generally enroll in these courses while they are actually in office, not before. Finally, in courses of this type, the contents do not take into account what the principals feel they need, but rather, are designed according to what the educational authorities consider important, from a very normative perspective (Benedito, Imbernón and Felez, 2001).

Among other things, this project aims to know and analyze the training needs of junior high school principals so as to provide vital assistance in the design, implementation and evaluation of a training model for this professional group in Mexico. It also aims to identify the principles that should orient the model; the most pertinent training modalities, according to each situation and context; and the criteria for making decisions regarding methodological strategies, and for determining the selection of training content.

This presentation is a partial report of the results. Its objective is to analyze the thematic content in which the principals desire to be trained, and which they have expressed as a result of their experience in administration.

The project was developed by two Mexican universities (the National Pedagogical University and the Autonomous University of Baja California [UABC]), and Barcelona University’s FODIP group. It was funded by the Spanish Agency of International Cooperation for Development.

Method

The study included 40 school principals20 from Baja California and 20 from Mexico City. Included were urban and suburban schools, and morning and afternoon shifts. Principals came from Mexico’s three types of junior high schools: general, technical and teleschool. The study was conducted during 2009. In each state, the university carried out the access negotiations with education authorities, and subsequently, with principals. The study was conducted using semi-structured interviews, and focus groups of junior high school principals. The interviews lasted approximately one hour, and the discussion groups, about two hours. Data were tape-recorded, and later transcribed in full. The transcripts were analyzed on the basis of analytical categories previously defined by the research team.

Expected Outcomes

The contents which the principals consider central to their training are two: normative contents and contents related to group management, leadership and human relations. Both contents have a particular logic, but from the principals’ perspective they are directly related, since the application of rules requires some handling of human relations. On the other hand, the management of individual school actors, teachers, workers, students, and parents cannot be guided only by the principal’s good intentions, but must be based on his or her profound knowledge of the rules. In Mexico, beginning in 2008, knowledge tests were set up for those wishing to obtain a teaching position. It is hoped that this same thing will occur in the case of principals of basic educational institutions. The results of this study will allow the clarification of key themes or essential content to be included in proposals for training prospective junior high school principals. They will also help set up a performance profile and define the content upon which to construct a future test for principals.

References

.Benedito, V., Imbernón, F. y Félez, B. (2001). Necesidades y propuestas de formación del profesorado novel de la Universidad de Barcelona. Revista de Currículum y Formación del Profesorado, 5 (2). Alcocer, M.A. (2007). Ser director… un proceso de autoaprendizaje. Tesina de licenciatura. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. Unidad 31 Mérida, Yucatán. México. Araujo, L. (2007). El director de la escuela: un perfil profesional en construcción. Educación 2001, 7 (142), 45-52. Camacho, V. (2001). Los directores de la escuela hablan. Educación 2001, 7 (76), 33-39. Escamilla, S. A. (2006). El director Escolar. Necesidades de formación para un desempeño profesional. Tesis Doctoral publicada en línea. Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, España. Consultada el 12 de mayo de 2008 en http://www.tesisenxarxa.net/TESIS_UAB/AVAILABLE/TDX-0412107-125929//saet1de1.pdf Poder Ejecutivo Federal [PEF] (1995).Programa de Desarrollo Educativo 1995-2000. México: autor. Rodríguez, E. (2007). Actualización de directivos escolares: sistematización de una experiencia. Tesina de licenciatura. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. Unidad Ajusco Distrito Federal. México. SEP. (2008). Sistema Nacional de Formación Continua y Superación Profesional de Maestros en Servicio. México: Autor

Author Information

Graciela Cordero-Arroyo

Universidad Autonoma de Baja California

Instituto de Investigacion y Desarrollo Educativo

Ensenada

Rosa Maria Torres-Hernandez

Centro de Cooperacion Regional para la educacion de adultos en America Latina

Serafin Antunez

Universidad de Barcelona

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