01.Professional Learning and Development
Paper
Qualification Offers For School Managers - Interrelationships Between Process And Result Qualities
Stephan Gerhard Huber1, Larissa Lusnig1, Gregor Steinbeiß2
1Pädagogische Hochschule Zug, Switzerland; 2Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Austria
Presenting Author: Huber, Stephan Gerhard;
Lusnig, Larissa
Professional school leaders are indispensable for the quality of schools and for continuous development (Sammons et al. 1995; Huber, 2010; Huber & Mujis 2010). Therefore, adequate qualification offers and measures of continuing education are necessary for the function of school leadership. In this way, school leaders can further develop their professional competencies and reflect on their job-related values and attitudes (Huber, 2003, 2005, 2012).
The various design of the didactic framework of such qualification and continuing education offers is discussed in the relevant literature. The focus is no longer only on classic courses or seminars. Multiple learning occasions (Huber, 2013; Huber & Schneider, 2013) include cognitive-theoretical forms of learning (lectures, presentations), but also cooperative and communicative-process-oriented procedures (e.g., project work) and reflective methods (e.g., self-assessment, feedback, supervision, coaching).
The aim of the present study is to identify important process characteristics for the quality assurance and further development of qualification offers for school leaders. For the study, which was conducted in a mixed-methods design, 782 participants could be queried about the process qualities and outcome qualities of a preparatory national qualification offer for school leaders.
The interrelationships of different process and outcome qualities were analyzed on the basis of the offer-use-impact model for education and training (cf. Fend 1987, 1998; Helmke, 2003; Huber et al., 2008; Huber, 2011). This integrates the evaluation levels according to Kirkpatrick (1994) and divides process and outcome qualities into offer characteristics, offer perception, offer use, and offer effects. These are influenced by the offer evaluation and general conditions.
The results of the quantitative evaluation of the present study show that the better the survey participants evaluate the micro-didactic offer characteristics of the practical implementation and the process design of the courses, the greater are the offer benefit and the offer effects (the self-assessed competence development and the increase in motivation). The better the perception of the offer (satisfaction with the lecturers and the organization of the seminars, the overall satisfaction and the relevance of the learning content) of the survey participants is, the greater are the estimations of the benefit of the offer and the development of competencies. Also, correlations of offer effects among each other can be identified. The better the personal development is assessed, the greater the survey participants' assessment of their competence development and behavioral change. If the development of competencies and the increase in motivation are rated as better, the change in behavior is also rated as greater.
According to the designs of the BIO strategy model (Huber, 2020), it is presented which process features of the qualification offer should be preserved, innovated and optimized from the point of view of the participants (qualitative analysis). Here, it stands out that the survey participants particularly benefited from networking and exchange with other participants. Group work, practice-based project work, and specialist lectures are positively highlighted by the survey participants in terms of micro-didactic features. In terms of content, the greatest benefit is seen in dealing with topics related to service and school law.
Selected results of the survey of the participants were compared with a survey of the lecturers of the qualification program, whereby the lecturers assessed it consistently better than the participants. Selected results of the survey of the participants were compared with a survey of the lecturers of the qualification offer, whereby the lecturers assessed it consistently better than the participants.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedThe present study was conducted using a mixed-methods design. 782 participants, which corresponds to a response rate of 51.79%, were queried about the process qualities and outcome qualities of qualification offer for school leaders using an online questionnaire with closed and open questions. The survey participants came from 11 national implementing organizations, which offer the national qualification.
The quantitative evaluation was conducted within the framework of correlations and linear regression analyses. For the evaluation of open questions qualitative methods were used in addition to quantitative methods of data collection and analysis.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe present study aimed at identifying which process characteristics are important for the quality assurance and further development of qualification offers for school leaders. Several process features were found, which are interrelated with good offer effects of the qualification offer. The better the practical implementation and the process design of the courses are, the greater are the self-assessed competence development and the increase in motivation. Better evaluations of the satisfaction with the lecturers and the organization of the seminars, the overall satisfaction and the relevance of the learning content are interrelated with greater estimations of the benefit of the offer and the development of competencies. Further, the participants of the qualification offer benefited especially from networking and exchange with other participants, from group work, practice-based project work, and specialist lectures. The results of the study make it possible to identify important process features for the quality assurance and further development of the qualification offers for school executives.
ReferencesFend, H. (1987). „Gute Schulen – schlechte Schulen“ – Die einzelne Schule als pädagogische Handlungseinheit. In U. Steffens & T. Bargel (Hrsg.), Erkundungen zur Wirksamkeit und Qualität von Schule (Beiträge aus dem Arbeitskreis Qualität von Schule, Heft 1 (S. 55–80). Hessisches Institut für Bildungsplanung und Schulentwicklung.
Fend, H. (1998). Qualität im Bildungswesen. Schulforschung zu Systembedingungen, Schulprofilen und Lehrerleistung. Weinheim: Juventa.
Helmke, A. (2003): Unterrichtsqualität erfassen, bewerten, verbessern. Seelze: Klett Kallmeyer.
Huber, S.G. (2003). Qualifizierung von Schulleiterinnen und Schulleitern im internationalen Vergleich: Eine Untersuchung in 15 Ländern zur Professionalisierung von pädagogischen Führungskräften für Schulen. In Wissen & Praxis Bildungsmanagement.
Wolters Kluwer.
Huber, S.G. (2005). Schulleitungshandeln als pädagogisch orientiertes Handeln verstehen. In A. Bartz, J. Fabian, S. G. Huber, C. Kloft, H. Rosenbusch, H. Sassenscheidt (Hrsg.). PraxisWissen Schulleitung (10.12). München: Wolters Kluwer.
Huber, S.G. (Hrsg.). (2010). School Leadership – International Perspectives. Springer.
Huber, S.G. (2011). The impact of professional development: a theoretical model for
empirical research, evaluation, planning and conducting training and development
programmes. Professional Development in Education, 37(5), 837–853.
Huber, S.G. (2012). Aufgabe von Schulleitung: Gelingensbedingungen für ein erfolgreiches Qualitätsmanagement schaffen. In S.G. Huber (Ed./Hrsg.), Jahrbuch Schulleitung 2012. Befunde und Impulse zu den Handlungsfeldern des Schulmanagements. Wolters Kluwer, S. 301–307.
Huber, S.G. (2013). Lernmodelle für Erwachsene: multiple Lernanlässe nutzen. In S.G. Huber (Hrsg.), Handbuch Führungskräfteentwicklung. Grundlagen und Handreichungen zur Qualifizierung und Personalentwicklung im Schulsystem (S. 649-657). Carl Link.
Huber, S.G. (2020). Responsible Leaders entwickeln Schule in der Balance von Bewahren, Optimieren, Innovieren. In S.G. Huber (Hrsg.), Jahrbuch Schulleitung 2020. Impulse aus Wissenschaft und Praxis (S. 3–14). Wolters Kluwer Deutschland.
Huber, S.G., & Muijs, D. (2010). School Leadership Effectiveness. The Growing Insight in the Importance of School Leadership for the Quality and Development of Schools and their Pupils. In S.G. Huber (Ed./Hrsg.), School Leadership – International Perspectives (S. 57–78).
Huber, S.G., Schneider, N. & Radisch, F. (2008). Wirksamkeit von Fort- und Weiterbildung: Zum Stand der Forschung und Evaluation von Qualifizierungsmaßnahmen. Interner Projektbericht. Zug: IBB.
Huber, S.G., & Schneider, N. (2013). Merkmale guter Fort- und Weiterbildung.
SchulVerwaltung spezial 3, 8–10.
Kirkpatrick, D. L. (1994). Evaluating Training Programs: The Four Levels. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Sammons, P., Hillman, J., A., & Mortimore, P. (1995). Key Characteristics of Effective
Schools: A Review of School Effectiveness Research. Institute of Education, University of London, and Office for Standards in Education.
01.Professional Learning and Development
Paper
Using Autoethnography for Transformative Learning: Developing District Leaders for Equity-Centered Practices
Juan Manuel Niño1, Encarnacion Garza1, Angelica Romero2, Patti Salzman2, Jaime Aquino2, Betty Merchant1
1The University of Texas at San Antonio, United States of America; 2San Antonio Independent School District, United States of America
Presenting Author: Niño, Juan Manuel;
Romero, Angelica
We know that educational equity, at its core, is about addressing the impact of historical and structural practices that have contributed, and continue to contribute, to unfair outcomes for children from the most marginalized parts of our society. As such, the San Antonio Independent School District has currently engaged in work with the Wallace Foundation focused on the development of an equity-centered principal pipeline. The question the initiative seeks to answer is:
How can large, high-needs districts, in partnership with their stakeholders, create comprehensive, aligned principal pipelines and other supports that are capable of producing and supporting equity-centered leaders within the district ecosystem?
In order to develop an ‘ecosystem’ that is equity-focused, we must ensure that staff in the central office, those who are charged with creating and maintaining systems across the district, have a common understanding of equity. One way to start this work is to engage in the reflective work of developing autoethnographies of current school leaders. The Urban School Leaders Collaborative (USLC) at the University of Texas at San Antonio has engaged each of their aspiring urban school leaders in this work for well over two decades. Therefore, faculty from this nationally recognized program have facilitated the autoethnography work for the leadership cabinet of SAISD the Spring 2023.
Through a pedagogy of collective critical consciousness (Freire, 2000), deep critical reflection (Garza, 2015), and other self-directed learning activities, district leaders will develop a deeper understanding of self that will help them see themselves in the students they serve, and write an autoethnography towards leadership for social justice. The model is grounded in theoretical and empirical models of instructional reform, specifically as these apply to the education of Latinos and the socioeconomically disadvantaged. These include subtractive/deficit schooling framework (Delpit, 1996; Valenzuela, 1999; Valencia, 1997), culturally relevant teaching framework (Gay, 2010; Ladson-Billings, 2009), race (Anzaldúa, 1987; hooks, 2000), gender (Grogan & Shakeshaft, 2011; Blount 2003) and social justice framework (Theoharis, 2009).
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedAutoethnography is a qualitative approach to research and writing that seeks to describe and systematically analyze (graphy) personal experience (auto) in order to understand cultural experience (ethno) (Ellis, 2004; Holman Jones, 2005). This method challenges traditional ways of doing research and representing others, and considers research as a political, socially-just and conscious act (Adams & Holman Jones, 2008). Autoethnography invites the researcher to look inward, revealing a vulnerable self that displays multiple layers of consciousness, connecting the personal to the cultural in a reflexive and emotional process.
The commitment of autoethnography is to give a highly personalized account of the power of reflection in constructing one’s identity as a person and equity-centered leader through self-examination. According to Camangian (2010), the purpose of an autoethnography is, “learning about and understanding lived experience in order to benefit self, society, community, and culture.” The autoethnography tells the story from an inside perspective. One’s experiences, challenges, and triumphs are given voice so that others in similar situations may gain better insight concerning their experiences, and witness other ways of knowing.
This study focuses on twenty-one district leaders from a large urban school district in South Texas. Through their autoethnographies, they share how their lived experiences translated and influenced to the strategies necessary to meet the needs of highly diverse inner-city communities. These autoenthongraphies served as the leadership development to better understand how lived experiences influence and shape leadership identity. As such, the paper aims to highlight how a “different” model of leadership development advances interactive transformation for students to practice in urban schools where the student population is predominantly Latino.
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsThe ULSC preparation program adds depth and richness about how leaders learn best and apply their learning to their school settings. For instance, using their own voices and means for expressing their learning, this paper acknowledges one of the often-overlooked “faces” in our field—learners who have themselves experienced racial and human rights injustices. Furthermore, their concerns with equity and social justice, especially for underserved groups of children, are an absolute commitment and concern of the school leaders. Suppose our leadership preparation programs are to truly make a difference in the lives of all school children. In that case, exploring the issues that will emerge in this study is another step toward preparing leaders with a social conscience and a passion for justice.
ReferencesUniversity Press.
Anzaldúa, Gloria (1987). Borderlands/La Frontera: The new mestiza. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books.
Blount, J. (2003). Homosexuality and School Superintendents: A Brief History, Journal of School Leadership 13, 1: 7-26.
Camangian, P. (2010). Starting with self: Teaching autoethnography to foster critically caring literacies. Research in the Teaching of English, 179-204.
Delpit, L. (1996). Other people’s children. New York: New Press.
Ellis, C. (1999). Heartful autoethnography. Qualitative Health Research, 9, 669-83. Altamira Press.
Ellis, C. Adams, T. E. & Bochner Jones, S. (2011) Autoethnography: An overview. Historical Social Research, 36(4), 273-290.
Freire, P. (2000). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: NY. Continuum International Publishing Group.
Garza, E. (2015, in progress). The Pedagogy of Collective Critical Consciousness: The Praxis of Preparing Leaders for Social Justice. Paper presented at UCEA Conference, 2015. Denver, CO.
Gay, G. (2010). Culturally Responsive Teaching. New York, NY: Teachers College Press.
Grogan, M. & Shakeshaft, C. (2011). Women and educational leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
hooks, bell (2000). Where we stand: Class matters. New York: Routledge.
Ladson-Billings, G. (1997). The dreamkeepers. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Valencia, R. (Ed.). (1997). The evolution of deficit thinking. Washington, DC: Falmer.
Valenzuela, A. (1999). Subtractive schooling: U.S. Mexican youth and the politics of caring. Albany: State University of New York Press.
01.Professional Learning and Development
Paper
International Teachers’ Experiences of the Leadership of Organizational Change within an IB school environment.
Mary Kelly
University of Galway, Ireland
Presenting Author: Kelly, Mary
Change in any school system is inevitable, and although change has the potential to improve learning contexts, one of the biggest challenges with change is the realistic assessment of the constraints and obstacles that come with it (Levin, 2008).
When evaluating the impact of change Byrk et al (2015) maintain that it is necessary to “see the whole system” and to consider multiple possible solutions to the issues that result from change. One way to do this, is to use a design-based approach to inquiry that identifies the core issues brought about by change, followed by the generation of a theory of action and strategies that respond directly to these issues (Childress & Marietta, 2017).This research study uses such an approach to explore teachers’ experiences of systemic change following the expansion of an international school environment.
The school involved is an International Baccalaureate school, situated in the Netherlands. In recent years, the school experienced expansion, across all areas of the school, from the Primary Years Programme all the way through to the Diploma Programme level.This expansion brought with it additional buildings, an increase in student numbers, additional classes and course offerings, the restructuring of teaching schedules, and a reduction in outdoor play areas for students.
The objective of this study is to explore teachers' perceptions of any issues that may have arise from the expansion, to consider their perceptions of the root causes of any issues that may have arisen, to consider how the context would be different if issues were addressed, and to identify preliminary courses of acton that could address these issues.
Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources UsedA design-based approach was used to uncover teachers’ perceptions of the impact of change brought about by the expansion. The study involved following the steps of the design cycle which typically begins with the identification of the problem, an analysis of the problem and the diagnosis of its causes, the development of a theory of action, the design of a strategy to address the issues, the implementation of the strategy, assessment of progress, and the adaption and modification of the design as needed (Childress & Marietta, 2017).
This research study focusses on the first three steps of the cycle, with the aim being to identify any issues resulting from the expansion, the consideration of potential causes, an imagination of the context without these issues, and the generation of possible solutions. The solutions and theory of action steps are not addressed in this paper.
Eight respondents (T1-T8) participated in semi-structured interviews. The respondents were all experienced international school teachers, four females and four males, who came from different countries, and who taught a range of disciplines across multiple year levels within the Upper School.
Purposive sampling was used in order to solicit a range of perspectives, yet perspectives that were informed. In an international school environment teacher turnover is dynamic, so it was important to solicit the perspectives of those who had been in this school context before, during, and after the expansion.
The respondents were invited to respond to the following questions: 1) What are the main issues (if any) in the school following the expansion? 2) What are the root causes of these issues? 3) How would the context be different if the issues were resolved?
Following the data gathering stage, the interview transcripts were coded, categories were generated, and these were then assembled into themes and sub-themes (Braun & Clarke, 2006).
Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or FindingsIn summary, some of the main issues identified by the teachers, following the expansion, were fatigue and stress due to a perceived increase in workloads, a sense of collective disempowerment, concerns about student learning, and the perceived emergence of a negative school climate. The issues identified have been associated, elsewhere, with a decrease in teacher motivation (Skaalvik & Skaalvik, 2018).
The root causes of the issues, identified by the teachers, were top-down approaches to the leadership of change, perceived inadequacies in strategic planning on the part of the leadership team, and a perceived lack of systems-thinking on the part of school leaders before, during, and after the expansion. The impact of distinct leadership approaches on the outcomes of system-wide change is an evolving area of research (Burns, 2017).
Addressing the root cause (a perceived lack of informed leadership) would, in the teachers’ opinion, lead to increased teacher and student wellbeing, better quality teaching and learning, and a more positive school environment. Specifics identified by the teachers as necessary, in the mitigation of the ongoing effects of organizational change, included leadership training for middle and senior leaders, the introduction of transparent communication pathways, avenues to address workloads and wellbeing, relationship-building practices, the fostering of trust, and the reestablishment of community.
Overall, the themes resulting from the teachers' perceptions of change, indicated that the expansion had brought with it an array of unexpected outcomes. From the teachers' perspectives, the careful selection of leaders, and the advance preparation of school leaders to manage and respond to the complexity of change, may have mitigated several of the unintended outcomes that were identified as issues.
Further study, in this context, could involve the interviewing of a broader collective of teachers, students, members of the leadership team, and additional members of the school community.
ReferencesBraun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology. 3(2), pp. 77-101.
Bryk, A., Gomez, M., LeMahieu, P. (2015) See the System That Produces the Current Outcomes. In Learning to Improve: How America's Schools Can Get Better at Getting Better. Harvard Education Press. Cambridge.
Burns, W. (2017). A descriptive literature review of harmful leadership styles: Definitions, commonalities, measurements, negative impacts, and ways to improve these harmful leadership styles. Creighton Journal of Interdisciplinary Leadership. 3(1), pp. 33–52.
Childress, S. & Marietta, G. (2017) A Problem-Solving Approach to Designing and Implementing a Strategy to Improve Performance. Harvard Education Press. Cambridge.
Levin, B. (2008) Why Improving Schools is So Hard to Do. In How to Change 5000 Schools: A Practical and Positive Approach for Leading Change at Every Level. Harvard Education Press. Cambridge.
Skaalvik, E., & Skaalvik, S. (2018) Job demands and job resources as predictors of teacher motivation and well-being. Social Psychology of Education. 21, pp. 1251–1275
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