The principals role in the post-evaluation process.

Author(s):

Anne Berit Emstad

Conference:

ECER 2010

Network:

26. Educational Leadership

Format:

Paper

Session Information

26 SES 02 A,

Paper Session

Time:

2010-08-25

11:15-12:45

Room:

U40 SALI 7, Metsätalo

Chair:

Klaus Kasper Kofod

Contribution

This paper refers to a study on how the principal participates in the post-evaluation process. Post ecaluation means the process following the completion of the evaluation, in other words, and examinaiton of how the school has used the evaluation. In this paper the focus is on how different the school levels deals with the evaluation, and how the principal has partisipated inthis work. The two schools studied in this paper have used the same evaluation tool, but differ in the way they have been able to get out of it. This paper look at how these differences may be affected by the partisipation of the principal.

Research question: How does the principal participate in the work following a school evaluation.

Theory: There is an emerging consensus among researchers that evaluation is good for the pupils, the parents and the teachers (MacBeath and MacGlynn, 2005). Evaluation is a way of looking back in order to improve in moving forward (Vedung, 2000). This paper is based on an evalution tool intended to be used as formative evaluation in order to improve teaching.

The theoretical framework for the analyses is based on Johnsens definition of the ideal leadership model, and Korthagens ALACT model. I look at the interaction between the different levels (individual - team - school) in the school in the process after the evaluation. In the discussion the process is following the phases in the post process – how they discuss and reflect upon the evaluation, and how they create alternative methods of action – if they do. The research and theories of Dahler-Larsen, Vedung, Argyris and Schon, Elmore and Robinson contributes to understanding the process in the discussion I do after presenting the process in the two schools.

Method

The primary source for the study on which this paper is based is in-depth interviews. The interviews gave me the teachers individual experiences and thought about the post evalution process and how they had experienced the principlas participation. TMy study is connetcted with the teachers teaching 5th to 7 th grade pupil, they work togehter in their team. The principal, three teachers and a group of 5 and 7 pupils were interviwed at both schools. This interviews were recordes, transcribed and used to understand and present the process after the evalaution. I visited the schools 6 months after their evalaution process, and at the time they did their evaluation they still didnt know about this research.

Expected Outcomes

The main issue of the paper is to understand the principlas role int the postevaluation process. It is possible to distinguish between the two schools by looking at how they make use of their evaluation process. The difference lies in how they have reflected on the evlauation, and how they have used it in relation to further action and decision making. One of the schools used it basically as a summative evaluation, and the other used is formative. One of the princpals have been involved in the entire process, following up and been close to the prosess all the way, the other principals has not. So the facillitation of the process diffears according to the principlas action.

References

Argyris and Schon (1998) Organizational learning: a theory of action perspective Johnsen (2005) managing the managerial process Robinson (2007) School leadership and student outcomes Schon (1983) The refelcive practioner: how proffesional think in action Korthagen (2008) Linking practise and theory Schriven (1991) beyounf formative and summative evaluation Vedubg (1997) Public policy and program evalaution Dahler-larsen ((2006) Evalueringkultur et begrep bliver til Elmore (2005) Accountable leadership MacBeath and MacFlynn (Self evaluation, whats in it for schools

Author Information

Anne Berit Emstad

NTNU

PLU

Trondheim

Search the ECER Programme

Search for keywords and phrases in "Text Search"
Restrict in which part of the abstracts to search in "Where to search"
Search for authors and in the respective field.
For planning your conference attendance you may want to use the conference app, which will be issued some weeks before the conference
If you are a session chair, best look up your chairing duties in the conference system (Conftool) or the app.