Exploring the Concept of Classroom Leadership

Author(s):

Inger Ulleberg(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

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

Format:

Paper

Session Information

01 SES 07 C, Knowledge and Leadership in Classrooms

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-19

17:15-18:45

Room:

FCEE - Aula 2.9

Chair:

Inger Ulleberg

Contribution

Proposal information

In a three year project we developed an understanding of the complexity of classroom leadership in collaboration with the practice field. The research question was "Can we develop a broad, didactical and applicable concretization of the concept of classroom leadership for use in practicum in teacher education?”. The first year (2007-2008) a preliminary draft of the concept was developed through "shadowing" to student groups in their practicum, interviewing them and their supervisors and analyzing assessments of students from their supervisors.

The next year (2008-2009) this draft was tried out and developed in collaboration with three supervisors and their eleven students in their seven-weeks practicum in the second year of teacher education. The third year (2009-2010) this scheme for classroom leadership was further tried out by six supervisors and their twenty-two students. Both supervisors and student teachers from all three years participated actively in discussing and trying out this way of operationalising and concretising the concept of classroom leadership. The concept was understood within a relational and communicational framework (Kounin 1970, Bateson 1972, Dysthe 2003). Classroom leadership was also connected to the concept of practical knowledge and learning within the profession in a relational framework (Grimen 2008, Molander 1996, Fuglestad 1997, Wenger 1998).

Method

Methodology/Methods The project is a qualitative study, and is also inspired by methods developed within actions research (Denzin & Lincoln 1998, Tiller 2004). The first year the methods included observation through "shadowing", interviewing and text analysis. By the triangulation of methods and the exploration of the different voices, I developed a "thicker" description and understanding of the concept of classroom leadership. In analyzing the first year's data I used thematic analysis the way it is described by Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). The next two years of the project I used methods from action research such as dialogue conferences and other participatory meetings. The participants also made diary notes, answered focused questions through e-mail and wrote reflection notes. The concept of classroom leadership was developed and discussed through circular processes among all participants, and the concretization was tried out as a didactical tool in the students' learning through practicum.

Expected Outcomes

Conclusions The outcome of this project is a model that covers both typical situations that occur in the schools connected to classroom leadership, as well as important dimensions to pay attention to in carrying out the leadership. This model for operationalizing classroom leadership will be presented and discussed. We will discuss how classroom leadership can be understood as a form of practical knowledge, drawing upon the concept practical synthesis (Grimen 2008). We ask the question if this model can address both the skills needed to be developed as a leader in the classroom, as well as the personal and ethical aspects of being a teacher. We will discuss to what extent this model can be applied as a tool for teacher education, as well as to further education of teachers or in school development projects.

References

References: Bateson, G. (1972). Steps to an Ecology of Mind. Ballantine Books. Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in Psychology. In: Qualitative Research in Psychology 2006; 3: 77-101. Denzin, N. K. & Lincoln, Y. S. (1998). The Landscape of Qualitative Research. Sage Publications. Dysthe, O. (2003). Det flerstemmige klasserommet. Oslo: Gyldendal Norsk Forlag. Fuglestad O. L. (1997). Pedagogiske prosessar- empiri - teori - metoder. Bergen: Fagbokforlaget. Grimen, H. (2008). Profesjon og kunnskap. I: Molander, A. & Terum, L.I. Profesjonsstudier. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Kounin, J.S. (1970). Discipline and Group Management in Classrooms. New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston Molander, B. (1996). Kunnskap i handling. Gøteborg: Daidalos. Tiller, T. (red) (2004). Aksjonsforskning. Høyskoleforlaget. Ulleberg, I. (2004). Kommunikasjon og veiledning. Oslo: Universitetsforlaget. Ulleberg, I. (2008). Det mangetydige klasserommet – kommunikasjon og handlingstvang. I: Michelet, S. Mangfold i klasserommet – individ og fellesskap. HiO-rapport 13/2008. Wenger, E. (1998). Communities of Practice. New York: Cambridge University Press.

Author Information

Inger Ulleberg (presenting / submitting)

Oslo and Akershus University College of Aplied Sciences

Faculty of Teacher Education and International Studies

Oslo

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.