Leading Towards Quality Education For All: School Leader’s Perceptions About Their Challenging Context In South African Schools

Author(s):

Jan Heystek(presenting / submitting)Trevor Van Louw(presenting)

Conference:

ECER 2012

Network:

26. Educational Leadership

Format:

Paper

Session Information

26 SES 01 B, Educational Leadership

Parallel Paper Session

Time:

2012-09-18

13:15-14:45

Room:

FFL - Aula 7

Chair:

Lawrence Drysdale

Contribution

Perceptions may not be real but they are reality for the perceiver. South African school leaders lead in a very diverse socio political and economic context. This context will have an influence on their leadership and therefore also on the possible academic results in their schools. The influences of the context are many times more determined by the principal’s perceptions of the context than the actual influence of for example the poverty or literacy level in the community. Although the South African context and challenges may differ from many European school contexts, school leaders are internally challenged. The challenges may differ from country to country but the challenges will always have an influence on the leaders’ perceptions about how much potential influence they may have to change and improve educational achievement; especially in low and under performing schools

The key focus of this research is therefore: How do principal’s perceptions of the socio-political and economic context influence their leadership towards quality education for all children?

The influence of a person’s perception about the contextual reality in which he/she must perform can have a significant influence on the person’s actual performance. This perception plays out in the potential balance and influence of the agency and structure continuum; or in Bourdieuian terminology, the habitus of the leader in the field and space where they work. The importance of the perception formed is that it may in all probability have an influence on the leader’s motivation, dedication and determination to strive (together with his/her staff) for an improvement in practice and in so-doing for an improvement in the academic results of the school.

Method

This is a research project in progress because the participants are in a two year program. The questionnaires assist the academic staff to assess some of whether participants are indeed experiencing the programme as empowering as well as to get feedback on the way in which the programme may influence the students own perceptions of their personal influence on academic achievement. A quantitative methodology was followed. A questionnaire was developed and piloted with a group of teachers. After the necessary changes were made, the questionnaire was administered to the group of teachers/students. The sample is a group of students/teachers (180) in an academic leadership program at the university. The students come from a large geographical area of about 200 km radius. The group consists of principals, deputy principals and heads of departments. Most of the participants come from rural schools in poor communities and low socio economic areas. The students attend monthly meetings in groups of about 9 per under the leadership of a university appointed mentor. These mentors handed the questionnaires out at one of the meetings and brought it back to the university.

Expected Outcomes

The results from the questionnaire will be available at the conference. The initial indications and motivation for the quantitative research were that during informal discussions, class discussions and in academic assignments the impression was that these teachers feel they are not in control of the context and circumstances. . Their perception is therefore that their effort to improve the already low academic achievement level was less effective. They experience the structure’s influence as being too overwhelming for them as individual leaders to make much of a difference. The perceptions of these students are important since all of them are already serving in leadership positions (at the different levels) at the school. Hence their perception of their potential as leaders to change the academic achievement is important. The potential influence of the “captured audience” scenario with students in a program is acknowledged and also that these teachers may already be influenced by the program since they are already at least six months into the program. They also volunteered to become part of the program and that may also already be an indication they are potentially already more positive that they may be able to make a difference in spite of the difficult context.

References

Forrester, G. 2011. Performance management in education: Milestone or millstone? Management in Education, 25(1): 5-9. Fullan, M. 2001. Leading in a culture of change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Halpin D, Croll P, Redman K. 1990. Teachers' Perceptions of the Effects of In-Service Education. Source: British Educational Research Journal, 16(2) 163-177 Hustler D, McNamara O, Jarvis J, Londra M and Campbell A. Teachers’ Perceptions of Continuing Professional Development. Queen’s Printer, DfES Jackson, N. & Carter, P. 2000. Rethinking organisational behaviour. Harlow, England: Financial Times Management. Johnson S O. 1977. A Study of the Perceptions of Black Administrators Concerning the Role of the Black Principal in Florida During the Period 1973-78. The Journal of Negro Education, 46(1) 53-61 Kets de Vries, M.F.R. 2009. Reflections on character and leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Mestry R Hendricks I and Bisschoff T Perceptions of teachers on the benefits of teacher development programmes in one province of South Africa. South African journal of education 29(4), Rosenfield d, Oandasan, i and Reeves S 2011. Perceptions versus reality: a qualitative study of students' expectations and experiences of interprofessional education . Medical education, May, 45(5), 471-7] Sharma S. 2010. Perceptions of teachers & school leaders on competencies of teachers & training needs. Academic leadership. The online journal, 8(1) Steyn G M. Educators' perceptions of continuing professional development for teachers in South Africa: A qualitative study. Africa Education Review, 7: 1, 156 — 179 Winkler, J R. 2011. Reality, perceptions of reality, and the creation of new realities diplomatic history 35(4), .701

Author Information

Jan Heystek (presenting / submitting)

University Stellenbosch, South Africa

Trevor Van Louw (presenting)

University of Stellenbosch

Education

Somerset West

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