Leading school for learning: principal practices in Taiwan

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui-Ling Wendy Pan ◽  
Fong-Yee Nyeu ◽  
Shu-Huei Cheng
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Paradigm Shifts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Principal Practices ◽  
Whole Person ◽  
Curriculum Guideline

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to discuss how principals in Taiwan lead student and teacher learning at a time of leadership and learning paradigm shifts and the imminent implementation of the curriculum guideline for 12-year basic education. Design/methodology/approach This study interviewed 32 elementary and junior high school principals purposively sampled based on reputation and recommendation from senior principals and government officials. Findings As a society which values credentialism, principals in Taiwan face challenges in executing the vision of educating student as a whole person. The authors discuss how principals are solidifying whole person education as the espoused value, how they are enforcing school-based curriculum and effective instruction, and encouraging teacher professional learning. Principals are sharing power by recruiting stakeholders’ participation in guiding school development and enacting distributed leadership, while also building relationship as social capital and soliciting support from the community to establish the conditions to improve teaching and learning. Research limitations/implications This paper highlights how principal practices are evolving in a time of changing conception of learning from academic achievement to multiple competencies and the shifting paradigm of power from participatory decision making to distributed leadership. This paper ends with a discussion on how leadership for learning (LfL) as a community engagement has emerged. Practical implications With the shifting of the concept and paradigm of learning, principals in a high power distance society like Taiwan are now facing opportunities as well as challenges to lead teachers to engaging students in inquiry and collaboration. Originality/value This paper highlights the indigenous practices of principal LfL in a high-performing East Asian education system in a time of changing notions of learning and leadership.

scholarly journals Professional learning and development initiatives for postdoctoral scholars

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 35-55 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorelli Nowell ◽  
Glory Ovie ◽  
Natasha Kenny ◽  
K. Alix Hayden ◽  
Michele Jacobsen
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Academic Writing ◽  
Time Management ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Career Planning ◽  
Learning And Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Skill Sets ◽  
Planning Project ◽  
Development Initiatives

Purpose Postdoctoral scholars are increasingly pursuing diverse career paths requiring broad skill sets. This study aims to create a more comprehensive understanding of current approaches and strategies for postdoctoral scholars professional learning and development. Design/methodology/approach This literature review is a systematic examination and synthesis of the current literature describing professional learning and development pertaining to postdoctoral scholars. The objectives and components of initiatives were extracted and narratively synthesized to identity important patterns and themes across the literature. Findings Commonalities amongst professional learning and development initiatives for postdoctoral scholars included skills development in the following areas: teaching and learning, mentorship, academic careers, academic writing, industry careers, networking, career planning, project management, time management, communication, leadership and balancing work-life demands. Originality/value In synthesizing the literature that describes professional learning and development opportunities for postdoctoral scholars, it is apparent that opportunities look different in every setting with no empirical evidence that one strategy is more effective than another. Given the significant resources often required to support professional learning and development initiatives, a deeper understanding of the benefits and deficiencies of various components is needed to ensure scarce resources are invested in the most effective strategies.

Using critical discourse analysis to reflect on collaborative professional learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 153-167
Author(s):  
Carolyn S. Hunt ◽  
Deborah MacPhee
Keyword(s):  
Discourse Analysis ◽  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Literacy Coaching ◽  
Reading Program ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Data Sources ◽  
Literacy Coaches ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThis article presents a case study of Kelly, a third-grade teacher enrolled in a literacy leadership course within a Master of Reading program. In this course, practicing teachers completed an assignment in which they implemented a literacy coaching cycle with a colleague, video-recorded their interaction, and conducted critical discourse analysis (CDA) of the interaction. The authors explore how engaging in CDA influenced Kelly's enactment of professional identities as she prepared to be a literacy leader.Design/methodology/approachData presented in this article are taken from a larger study of four white, middle-class teachers enrolled in the course. Data sources included the students' final paper and semistructured interviews. The researchers used qualitative coding methods to analyze all data sources, identify prominent themes, and select Kelly as a focal participant for further analysis.FindingsFindings indicate that Kelly's confidence as a literacy leader grew after participating in the coaching cycle and conducting CDA. Through CDA, Kelly explored how prominent discourses of teaching and learning, particularly those relating to novice and expert status, influenced Kelly in-the-moment coaching interactions.Originality/valuePrevious literacy coaching research suggests that literacy coaches need professional learning opportunities that support a deep understanding of coaching stances and discursive moves to effectively support teachers. The current study suggests that CDA may be one promising method for engaging literacy coaches in such work because it allows coaches to gain understandings about how discourses of teaching and learning function within coaching interactions.

scholarly journals Problematising practice, learning and change: practice-theory perspectives on professional learning

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6/7) ◽  
pp. 418-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ann Reich ◽  
Paul Hager
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Workplace Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Teaching Practice ◽  
Practice Theory ◽  
Conceptions Of Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Practice Teaching ◽  
Learning And Change

Purpose – This paper aims to problematise practice and contribute to new understandings of professional and workplace learning. Practice is a concept which has been largely taken for granted and under-theorised in workplace learning and education research. Practice has usually been co-located with classifiers, such as legal practice, vocational practice, teaching practice and yoga practice, with the theoretical emphasis on the domain – legal, teaching and learning. Design/methodology/approach – This is a theory-driven paper which posits a framework of six prominent threads for theorizing practice. It uses examples of empirical research to illustrate each thread. Findings – A framework of six prominent threads for theorising practice in professional learning is suggested. It understands practices as patterned, embodied, networked and emergent and learning entwined with working, knowing, organizing and innovating. By conceptualising learning as occurring via and in practices, prominent understanding of learning are challenged. The paper discusses each thread with reference to empirical research that illuminates it and indicates the contributions of practice theory perspectives in richer understandings of professional learning and change. Originality/value – This paper engages with the practice turn in social sciences to reconceptualise professional and workplace learning. It contributes to research on learning at work by supplementing current thinking about learning, particularly the socio-cultural conceptions of learning, with the resources of practice theories that attend to the regularities of practice.

scholarly journals Failure of Research-Based Learning Implementation in Basic Education

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 19
Author(s):  
Wattana Rattanaprom
Keyword(s):  
Learning Community ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Research Program ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
System Thinking ◽  
Teaching Methodology ◽  
Researcher Development ◽  
Teacher Mindset

This study focuses on identifying the barriers and obstruction factors of Research-Based Learning (RBL) which was implemented in the schools under “Pohpanpanya” Youth Researcher Development Research Program. RBL consists of three domains: Contemplative Education (CE), System Thinking (ST) and Professional Learning Community (PLC). Those are processes of coaching and mentoring master teachers (MTs) to coach and facilitate their students for RBL. This research program was implemented in ten volunteering schools which were substantially improving the learning outcomes of their students. However, being a relatively new mode of teaching the management of the teaching and learning processes remains a challenge especially with the four main barriers; 1) teacher mindset 2) teaching methodology 3) curriculum design, and 4) academic leadership.

Drama in higher education for sustainability: work-based learning through fiction?

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 337-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eva Österlind
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Education For Sustainability ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Traditional Teaching ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Meaningful Context ◽  
The University

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to highlight the use of drama in the context of professional learning for sustainability, and specifically, a drama workshop on sustainability for in-service teachers. The workshop was designed to explore environmental problems from several perspectives, by using drama techniques like bodily expressions, visualisations and role-play.Design/methodology/approachData are drawn from questionnaires evaluating the effects of a drama workshop delivered in Helsinki in 2017. In total, 15 in-service teachers answered open-ended questions. Responses from experienced teachers were chosen as particularly interesting in relation to work-based learning.FindingsThe findings demonstrate that drama work contributes to education for sustainability in terms of increased self-awareness, critical reflections and signs of transformation; experienced professional learners bring their workplace context into the university, which enriches teaching and learning; and sustainability is a non-traditional subject in need of non-traditional teaching approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this small-scale study are only valid for this particular group.Practical implicationsThe study gives an example of how applied drama can contribute to learning for sustainability in higher education.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to a growing literature concerning how drama allows participants to work on real problems, from a safe position in a fictive situation, providing both closeness and distance. When students become involved in anas-ifsituation, it leads to increased motivation and practice-oriented learning. As the content of sustainability can be challenging, drama work offers a meaningful context in which concepts and issues can be explored. Fictive situations may contribute to more realistic learning experiences.

scholarly journals Karakteristik Pendidikan Dasar (SD dan SMP) di Kota Kupang Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Budi Koestoro
Keyword(s):  
School Climate ◽  
Junior High School ◽  
Learning Process ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Teaching Method ◽  
Good Condition ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Learning Condition ◽  
Ex Post

This research intended to appreciate the facts of (1) School climate for basic education, (2) society participation on the basic education, (3) Leadership of the school on basic education, ( 4) Input of the school for basic education, ( 5) teaching and learning process which school carried out for basic education, and ( 6) Image of the school that execute basic education.  The ex post facto method was conducted in this research.  Research population are education stakeholder at set of education of SD and SMP.  The sample was determined with cluster random sampling technique.  Questionnaire, guidance of interview, and documentation was conducted to get data and quantitative analysis with descriptive statistic and enriched with qualitative analysis.  Result of the research indicate that (1) School climate that execute basic education in Kota Kupang of Nusa Tenggara Timur Province have goodness or conducive condition.  Generally, the schools have serious efforts to create and improve school climate which progressively. (2) Degree of student parent participation or society participation is not yet optimal that is residing at good condition (the ground of good position) so that admit to be improved.  (3) Generally, The school have very good leadership pattern that is good sociability of teachers to school citizen, teachers have democratic model in teaching and learning process, and the teachers have the best set an example for his/her students or school citizen.  (4) Condition of facilities and basic facilities that found in the schools as basic education organizer generally have a goodness condition, treatment of facilities and basic facilities was happened as weakness that relate to those facilities, so the facilities and basic facilities not optimally function yet.  (5) Input for the Elementary School and Junior High School generally reside in good category.  (6) Teaching and learning condition at the schools that organized of basic education have a good category.  This means, that the teacher have ability to listen the student complaint, teaching method that applied the teacher can improve students being active in the teaching and learning process, good class atmosphere in the teaching and learning process, and very conducive for using optimally teaching aid in the teaching and learning process.  (7) interscholastic as an organizer of basic education to improve quality and development of school program have a tight or high competitive category.

Principal leadership and school capacity effects on teacher learning in Hong Kong

2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-100 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lijuan Li ◽  
Philip Hallinger ◽  
James Ko
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
System Level ◽  
Teacher Professionalism ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
School Capacity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Teacher Professional

Purpose – Over the past decade, studies of school leadership effects have increasingly aimed at identifying and validating the paths through which principal leadership impacts key teaching and learning processes in schools. A recent meta-analysis by Robinson and colleagues identified principal practices that shape teacher professional development experiences in schools as the highest impact path used by instructional leaders. The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between principal leadership, dimensions of school capacity, and teacher professional learning in 32 Hong Kong primary schools. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a cross-sectional research design and quantitative methods to analyze teacher perceptions of principal leadership and key school conditions. The research employed hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore survey data collected from a sample of 970 teachers. The surveys covered a range of principal leadership and school capacity dimensions, as well as a measure of teacher professional learning. Findings – Results indicated that multiple dimensions of principal leadership made significant contributions to both school capacity and teacher professional learning. The presence of cooperation, trust, communication, support for students, and alignment, coherence, and structure in schools also affected teacher professional learning. Research limitations/implications – These findings contribute to the global discourse on leadership for learning. The study addresses the need established by multiple scholars (e.g. Leithwood, Hallinger, Heck, Robinson, Witziers) for research that further illuminates “paths” and “intermediate targets” through which leadership impacts teaching and learning. The findings elaborate on the means by which leadership can enhance school capacities that directly impact teacher classroom practice and student learning. Consistent with other scholarly research (e.g. Bryk and Schneider, Louis and colleagues, Sahphier and King) the findings also point toward the importance of establishing selected workplace conditions (e.g. trust, cooperation, communication) as a foundation for fostering teacher professional learning. Practical implications – The study reinforces the finding from other studies that it is productive for principals to foster an environment aimed at enhancing teacher professionalism. The study also highlights the potentially dysfunctional consequences that can arise from competing system-level initiatives aimed at increasing monitoring and teacher accountability and fostering teacher professionalism. Originality/value – The study contributes to a small but growing body of leadership effects research conducted in non-Western societies. As such the study offers insights with relevance for understanding leadership processes in other Asian and non-Western cultures.

Different strokes for different folks: scaling a blended model of teacher professional learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 230-245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deirdre Butler ◽  
Margaret Leahy ◽  
Michael Hallissy ◽  
Mark Brown
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Teacher Professional Learning ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Massive Open Online Course ◽  
The Social ◽  
Recent Phase ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
Two Phases

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe an innovative model of teacher professional learning that has evolved over a decade (2006 to 2016). Design/methodology/approach Working in a range of different school contexts, in conjunction with an ongoing engagement with the research literature, has enabled the development over three phases of a robust yet flexible framework that meets teachers’ expressed needs. At the same time, the framework helps to shift teachers’ pedagogical orientations, as the learning design supports school-focused, job-embedded teacher professional learning, which challenges more traditional instructional environments by infusing digital technologies and other elements of twenty-first century skills into teaching and learning. Findings Building on the experiences of the first two phases, the paper reports the most recent phase which expands on the emergence of a fourth wave of online learning to design and develop a massive open online course (MOOC) that potentially enables the massive scaling up of access to this already validated model of teacher professional development. The importance of maintaining key elements, threshold concepts and signature pedagogies in the design of MOOCs for teacher professional learning are discussed, and the paper concludes with early lessons from this latest work in progress. Originality/value Challenges are identified relating to the design of the social supports within the MOOC structure to sustain the collaboration, dialogue and ongoing reflection observed across Phases 1 and 2 that are necessary for the changes in pedagogical orientation and classroom practices.

scholarly journals Is distributed leadership an effective approach for mobilising professional capital across professional learning networks? Exploring a case from England

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Brown ◽  
Jane Flood ◽  
Paul Armstrong ◽  
Stephen MacGregor ◽  
Christina Chinas
Keyword(s):  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
Learning Activity ◽  
Valuable Insight ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Professional Capital ◽  
Learning Network ◽  
System Improvement

PurposeThere is currently a focus on using networks to drive school and school system improvement. To achieve such benefits, however, requires school leaders actively support the mobilisation of networked-driven innovations. One promising yet under-researched approach to mobilisation is enabling distributed leadership to flourish. To provide further insight in this area, this paper explores how the leaders involved in one professional learning network (the Hampshire Research Learning Network) employed a distributed approach to mobilise networked learning activity in order to build professional capital.Design/methodology/approachA mixed methods approach was used to develop a case study of the Hampshire RLN . Fieldwork commenced with in-depth semi-structured interviews with all school leaders of schools participating in the network and other key participating teachers (12 interviews in total). A bespoke social network survey was then administered to schools (41 responses). The purpose of the survey was to explore types of RLN-related interaction undertaken by teachers and how teachers were using the innovations emerging from the RLN within their practice.FindingsData indicate that models of distributed leadership that actively involves staff in decisions about what innovations to adopt and how to adopt them are more successful in ensuring teachers across networks: (1) engage with innovations; (2) explore how new practices can be used to improve teaching and learning and (3) continue to use/refine practices in an ongoing way.Originality/valueCorrespondingly we argue these findings point to a promising approach to system improvement and add valuable insight to a relatively understudied area.

Socially distributed leadership in elementary schools: teacher and staff leadership practice in Denmark and the USA

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marsha E. Modeste ◽  
Chi Nguyen ◽  
Rhoda Nanre Nafziger ◽  
Jonathan Hermansen
Keyword(s):  
Factor Analysis ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Distributed Leadership ◽  
Policy Development ◽  
Local Level ◽  
International Study ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Usa

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the nature of socially distributed leadership in Denmark and the USA, specifically teacher and staff leadership practices distributed in schools.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a confirmatory factor analysis and a second-order factor analysis to examine elementary USA and 0–9 Danish school educators’ responses to the Comprehensive Assessment of Leadership for Learning.FindingsFindings from this analysis of leadership practice demonstrate (1) different approaches to teacher and staff leadership in Denmark and the USA; (2) the importance of a collaborative approach to developing and maintaining professional learning communities in schools in both contexts; and (3) different patterns of leadership practice that broadly reflect the local structure and approach to school leadership while responding to external policy demands.Originality/valueDrawing on the globalization scholarship, which acknowledges the connection between global policy development and local spaces of implementation, this comparative international study allowed us to examine how policy ideas are parlayed into practice through the use of a shared assessment of leadership practice. The results of this study suggest that while the work of teacher and staff leadership is important and something that educators in Denmark and the USA are engaging in to advance the overall instructional mission of their schools, the approaches taken in each context are different and reflect a local-level negotiation between contextual cultural norms and policy expectations.

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