This document summarizes the research agenda and literature review for a project examining leadership in further education. It outlines that there is little published research on effective leadership development in further education. The project aims to address this gap through a series of ethnographic case studies of educational leaders to provide a more sophisticated understanding of everyday leadership practices. The literature review covers various definitions and theories of leadership and examines the need to understand leadership in the context of further education.
This document summarizes the research agenda and literature review for a project examining leadership in further education. It outlines that there is little published research on effective leadership development in further education. The project aims to address this gap through a series of ethnographic case studies of educational leaders to provide a more sophisticated understanding of everyday leadership practices. The literature review covers various definitions and theories of leadership and examines the need to understand leadership in the context of further education.
This document summarizes the research agenda and literature review for a project examining leadership in further education. It outlines that there is little published research on effective leadership development in further education. The project aims to address this gap through a series of ethnographic case studies of educational leaders to provide a more sophisticated understanding of everyday leadership practices. The literature review covers various definitions and theories of leadership and examines the need to understand leadership in the context of further education.
This document summarizes the research agenda and literature review for a project examining leadership in further education. It outlines that there is little published research on effective leadership development in further education. The project aims to address this gap through a series of ethnographic case studies of educational leaders to provide a more sophisticated understanding of everyday leadership practices. The literature review covers various definitions and theories of leadership and examines the need to understand leadership in the context of further education.
Dr Mark Rouncefield Dr Simon Kelly Marian Iszatt White Research Agenda A recent LSDA report states that: There is little in the way of published research or evaluated practice to support effective leadership development in further education. Our understanding of what works in educational leadership is drawn largely from research in the schools sector We need to conduct a research programme that focuses equally on the characteristics and nature of leadership, and on the processes of leadership in colleges. (Sawbridge, 2000: 12) Defining Leadership There is no accepted definition of leadership. As Yukl (1994: 3) states: Most definitions of leadership reflect the assumption that it involves a social influence process whereby intentional influence is exerted by one person [or group] over other people [or groups] to structure the activities and relationships in a group or organization. Defining Leadership A slightly different definition provided by Smircich and Morgan (1982: 258) highlights the active involvement of followers in allowing leaders to take on this influencing role. As they state: Leadership is an obligation or perceived right on the part of certain individuals to define the reality of others. Leadership Theory Trait theory and leadership styles Contingency theories Charisma Leadership, headship, and management Distributed leadership (i.e. participative and transformational) Critical approaches: is leadership an alienating social myth? What do Principals do? According to a recent LSDA report, leadership skills in FE include: Developing organizational vision, values and purpose. Developing strong organizational cultures Developing structures for shared decision-making and collaboration. Giving feedback and advice on teaching and learning practice. Motivating and developing supportive working relationships within teams. Educational Leadership Heads have to learn to think like chief executives while retaining the inspiration and humanity that made them great teachers in the first place. This means learning the language of organisation theorists. Anne Lee, Governor of Queenswood School, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, a former head and businesswoman. 28 February 1997, The Times, p.35 A shift from instructional to transformational leadership The introduction of business models for education Concerns with quality, excellence and cultural change Schools and colleges as learning organizations Cultures of goal setting, pacing and internal auditing Leadership in FE FE as the Cinderella sector Entrepreneurial culture of post-incorporation FE colleges present different leadership needs from schools sector, but that doesnt mean business hand-me-down models of leadership are a good fit either. Hence the need for meaningful research in this area. Explicating Leadership: Project Overview Project examines the nature of leadership through a series of detailed ethnographic case studies in organisationally and geographically diverse settings across the sector. Aims to provide a more sophisticated, empirically based understanding of everyday leadership work, addressing the complex conditions, processes and outcomes of leadership practices Will provide a central resource for the development of bespoke teaching materials for use by the programme teams Fieldwork Data gathering methods: Shadowing of educational leaders, senior and middle managers. War story interviews Document analysis, incl. newsletters and other written forms of communication Primary emphasis on understanding the everyday, practical accomplishment of leadership Secondary interest in the technologies of leadership, in its widest interpretation Useful References Bass, B.M. & Avolio, B.J. (eds.) (1994) Improving Organizational Effectiveness Through Transformational Leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Boden, D. (1994). The Business of Talk. Cambridge: Polity Press. Bryman, A. (1992) Charisma and Leadership in Organizations. London: Sage. Gemmill, G. & Oakley, J. (1992) Leadership: An alienating social myth? Human Relations, vol.45, no.2, p.113 Grint, K. (1997) Leadership: Classical, Contemporary, and Critical Approaches. New York: Oxford University Press. Gronn, P. (1996) From Transactions to Transformations: A New World Order in the Study of Leadership? Educational Management & Administration, vol. 24, no.1, pp.7- 30. Gronn, P. & Ribbins, P. (1996) Leaders in Context: Postpositivist approaches to understanding educational leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, vol. 32, no.3, pp.452-473. Sawbridge, S.J. (2000) Leadership in Further Education: A Review of the Literature. Report for the Learning and Skills Development Agency. Smircich, L. and Morgan, G. (1982) Leadership: The Management of Meaning. Journal of Applied Behavioural Science, vol. 18, no.2, pp.257-73 Yukl, G.A. (2002) Leadership in organizations (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall
Copy of Book Review_ Organizational Behavior in Education_ Leadership and School Reform - Prepared by_ Mubasher Ahmad Bhatti, Senior HM, Govt. High School Jhelum
Copy of Book Review_ Organizational Behavior in Education_ Leadership and School Reform - Prepared by_ Mubasher Ahmad Bhatti, Senior HM, Govt. High School Jhelum
