Purpose and objectives

A research group (with representatives from different countries, most of them European) has been formed to study the quality of educational institutions and influence of educational leadership .Similarities and differences between European and non European conceptions and practical situations are being considered.

The research involves the analysis of:

Ø  Definition of the quality of an educational institution, its main components and elements that determine such quality.

Ø  Concept of educational leadership, its most relevant features and how is played in educational initiatives.

Ø  To what extent the educational leadership affect the quality of such institutions.

Theoretical background

The analysis of relevant sources on quality, quality of education, quality of educational institutions and educational leadership is facilitating a clear conception and systematic structure of the profile of an educational institution of quality. Contents to be treated on this theoretical analysis will be:

Ø  Conceptualisation of the term ‘quality’.

Ø  Quality of an educational institution.

Ø  Identifiers of quality of an educational institution.

Ø  European and international analysis of effectiveness or quality, with particular reference to educational institutions.

Ø  Conceptualisation of leadership.

Ø  Identification of pedagogical or educational leadership.

Ø  Relevant dimension of educational leadership.

Ø  Reports or studies related to educational leadership in Europe and other contexts.

Empirical study

As the empirical approach is a mixed or eclectic one, qualitative and quantitative techniques and instruments are being used. In particular, data are obtained by:

Ø  A questionnaire to collect data on assessment of the importance and evidence of components of quality in educational institutions.

Ø  A questionnaire to assess the importance and evidence of dimensions of educational or pedagogical leadership in educational institutions.

Ø  Semi-structures interviews to professionals playing roles of educational leadership in educational institutions or to other people committed or concerned on such role.

Ø  Case studies referred to people playing as educational leaders in educational institutions or to situations or circumstances related to educational leadership.

Ø  Discussion groups where educational leadership and its effect on quality or effectiveness of educational institutions is debated.

To obtain empirical information the research has the participation of representatives of different sectors such as: students, teachers, school heads or principals, student’s mothers and fathers, educational inspectors or supervisors, teacher’s trainers, university professors and other ones.

Information collected with the use of the mentioned techniques and instruments are processed with the programme SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences), for quantitative data. Qualitative data are treated with the programme AQUAD of Dr. G. Huber. Results of the theoretical analysis and some data obtained by the empirical research will be presented on this symposium at ECER 2012 by representatives of different countries.