The Challange of Educating Principals so it Directly Influence their Practice

Author(s):

Helene Ärlestig(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

26. Educational Leadership

Format:

Paper

Session Information

26 SES 02 A, Educational Leadership

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-18

15:15-16:45

Room:

FFL - Aula 8

Chair:

Helen Wildy

Contribution

We know through research what successful principals do in their schools (Day & Leithwood, 2007, Leithwood & Riehl, 2005, Robinson, 2008, Moos, Johansson & Day 2011). But we know less about how to train them to become successful. What we know is that it requires more than telling them in lessons about various findings from research and how theory can be used. It also requires an ability to put the knowledge into practice. Oftentimes principal get their formal training before they enter their position. In Sweden the obligatory national training program is a part of principal’s work during their first three years in office. Is that enough or can explicit task during the program increase principals’ ability to transform knowledge in to practice? New reforms all over the world put focus on how to work with results and take accountability for all students despite their socio economic background. To contribute to higher outcomes and increased learning creates high expectations both on principals and principal programs.

Recent research has shown that it is time to design development project where practitioners and researchers work together in the improvement process. By letting the principals identify and study authentic problems the learning and possibilities for principal to make practical use of the new knowledge in their own school increases. As tutors and researchers following the process the learning is two folded and gives a chance to increase our understanding of reality. We are inspired of research by Peanuel, Fishman,Haugan Cheng and Sabelli (2011) and Bredeson (2011).

The paper will discuss different aspects of the relation between a principal training program with a learning model that integrates policy, theory, research and practice. Year two in the obligatory national principal program focus on steering with objectives’ and results. The focus in this study is on a specific task during year 2 were the participants were ask to write a report on an issue that need development in another school and how that task contributed to the principals learning and action.

Method

The examination of the second course on Management by goals and objectives in the program is to write an essay in which the principal/learner describes an evaluation that he/she has conducted a in a school lead by a course college. This is a way to let practitioners identify and study current and real areas and problems. The study follows the first year groups who participate in the national principal training program that is offered by one of the universities. The 2009 cohort of 165 principals are divided in to 5 groups and meets for three days twice each semester. The empirical data builds on document studies of the programs for the meetings, 148 examination reports and 35 documents with reflections on what the principals learning experiences. Knowledge and theories about successful principals and schools will be used to analyze the empirical data.

Expected Outcomes

The results show that there are five main areas in the chosen subjects in the reports. These are content and method in learning, cooperation with others, Policy and documentation, systematic work with quality and student influence and activity. Most common is to interview teachers and there is a greater emphasis and knowledge in interpreting objectives than analyzing data. The participating principals state that even if they have studied another school the main input and knowledge is about their own school and leadership. The task also verifies that principalship is mainly an oral endeavor and several of the participants were inexperienced to write a report with academic formalities. Many reflected on the importance to connect what they do with research. Relating the results to our learning model the participating principals developed good skills and found the work with connecting policy, research and practice important. The theoretical connections were weak or missing in the reports. To work with authentic data seems to give knowledge that affect the principals to work in a more systematic way and train their critical view rather than giving examples of best practice and increasing their oral rhetoric’s.

References

Ärlestig, H. (2008). Structural prerequisites for principals' and teachers' communication about teaching and learning issues. Improving Schools, 11(3), 191-205. Ärlestig, H. (2008). Communication between Principals and Teachers in Successful Schools. Umeå: Umeå Universitet. Bredeson, P. (2011). Breaking the Box, a new Architecture for Leadership and Learning. Presentation Honoree Doctor. Umeå university. Day, C., Johansson, O. & Moller, J. (2011). Sustaining Improvement in Students Learning and Achievement: The importance of Resilience in Leadership. In Moos, L., Johansson, O. & Day, C. How School Principals Sustain Success over Time. Dordrecht. Springer Day, C. & Leithwood, K. (2007) Successful Principal Leadership in Times of Change. Dordrecht: Springer. Johansson, O & Bredeson, P.V.(2011). Research on Principals: Future Perspectives and Whats missing? In Johansson, O.(Ed.) Rektor – en forskningsöversikt 2000-2010. Stockholm: Vetenskapsrådet. Johansson, O. (2001) School Leadership Training in Sweden – perspectives for tomorrow in Journal of In-Service Education, Vol 27 number 2, Cambridge University Press Johansson, O. (2004). A Democratic, Learning and Communicative Leadership? Journal of Educational Administration, 42(6), 697-707 Leithwood, K., & Riehl, C. (2005). What do we already know about educational leadership? In W. A. Firestone & C. Riehl (Eds.), A New Agenda for Research in Educational Leadership. New York: Teachers college press. Lgr11 (2011) Läroplan för grundskolan, förskoleklassen och fritidshemmet 2011 [Curriculum for the nine-year compulsory school, the pre-school class and the after school centre, 2011, in Swedish] Stockholm: Fritzes förlag Moos, L., Johansson, O. & Day, C. (2011). How School Principals Sustain Success over Time. Dordrecht. Springer Penuel, W., Fishman, B., Haugan Cheng, B. & Sabelli, N.(2011) Organizing Research and Development at the intersection of Learning, Implementation and Design. Educational Researcher (40(7) 331-337. Robinson, V. M. J. (2008). The impact of leadership on student outcomes. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(5), 653-674.

Author Information

Helene Ärlestig (presenting / submitting)

Umeå University, Sweden

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