School context, principal leadership, and achievement: The case of secondary schools in Singapore

1993 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ronald H. Heck
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Context

scholarly journals Spotlight on Leadership Path-Goal Theory Silos in Practice to Improve and Sustain Job-Oriented Development: Evidence from Education Sector

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12324
Author(s):  
Atif Saleem ◽  
Ling Wu ◽  
Sarfraz Aslam ◽  
Tianxue Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Secondary School Teachers ◽  
Leadership Behavior ◽  
Pearson Correlation ◽  
School Context ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Goal Theory ◽  
School Teachers

Sustainable development is a process occurring on several levels, which placed the expectations on educational institutions, especially secondary schools, change radically. Schools, therefore, are gradually likely to emphasize enhanced and sustainable teaching practices under the agenda of the United Nations 2030, sustainable future. Hence, the job-oriented development of teachers is a critical factor of the school leadership mechanism. Considering this, the present empirical research was designed to study the mechanism of path-goal theory (PGT) to sustain teachers’ job-oriented development in private secondary schools in Pakistan. The viewpoint of teachers, whose job performance is ultimately affected by the school leadership behavior and who perform the job at the front line in schools, was taken on board for the investigation. A total of 2469 secondary school teachers from 785 private secondary schools participated in the present study. Confirmatory factor analysis, t-test, Pearson correlation, and path analysis structural equation modeling analytics were mainly involved in the data analysis. Overall, the findings substantiated the constructive PGT mechanism, especially indicating that directive leadership is the most influential and effective leadership behavior in complex tasks, including when teachers are inexperienced. Moreover, the helpful role of supportive leadership and achievement-oriented leadership behaviors backs up the directive behavior. Although participative leadership behavior was problematic in the studied schools, it should be constructively adopted, as it was found to be a statistically significant predictor. Therefore, training programs for school leaders with good experience in participatory leadership functions can be productive for long-term teachers’ motivation. The literature shows that several secondary school teachers still perform poorly because of inadequate leadership, and the viewpoint of teachers on PGT was ignored in earlier studies. Hence, there was a dire need to conduct this research to address these concerns, especially in the non-Western, Asian context. In addition to pioneering academic research on leadership PGT in the secondary school context, the PGT elements were investigated, including teachers’ extrinsic and intrinsic motivation for the first time, adding new understanding about the theory.

scholarly journals EXAMINING HOW POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EMOTIONS INFLUENCE COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

2020 ◽  
pp. 255-267
Author(s):  
Sonya Yakimova ◽  
◽  
Célia Maintenant ◽  
Anne Taillandier-Schmitt ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Academic Performance ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Positive Emotions ◽  
Negative Emotions ◽  
School Context ◽  
Dropping Out ◽  
French Version ◽  
The Impact

Few studies have examined the impact of emotions on cognitive (not only academic) performance among adolescents and this is the objective of our research. After ethic committee agreement andparents’ authorization, we asked 158 adolescents in secondary schools to respond to the French version of Differential Emotion Scale adapted for school context and to nineteensyllogisms which evaluated cognitive nonacademic performances. As results, we expected that negative emotions related to academic achievement would reduce performance in reasoning and positive emotions would improve it. Our hypotheses were partially validated. The impacts of the results as well as perspectives of future researches in relation with self-esteem, psychological disengagement, dropping out of school were discussed.

scholarly journals The role of culture in student discipline of secondary schools in cross-cultural context: a systematic literature review and future research agenda

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nirma Sadamali Jayawardena
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
Systematic Literature Review ◽  
Cultural Context ◽  
School Context ◽  
Cross Cultural ◽  
Student Discipline ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe present study is a systematic review that identifies future research avenues on culture and discipline in secondary schools in a cross-cultural context.Design/methodology/approachThe literature, as published in top management, education and psychology journals, was reviewed around culture and discipline in secondary schools. This systematic literature review (SLR) used several preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and categorised the studies published during the period 2014–2020.FindingsThe author identified six major themes: (1) punishment, (2) restorative practices (RPs), (3) racial disparities, (4) competitiveness, (5) school climate and (6) secondary school student discipline in a cross-cultural context. Further, the author suggested several future research avenues under these emerging themes.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of this study is limited to culture and discipline in a secondary school context. The findings provide a solid foundation for researchers in the areas of culture and discipline in secondary schools.Originality/valueTo the best of the author's knowledge, this study can be considered as the first SLR conducted using PRISMA guidelines to identify several under-researched areas in the field of culture and discipline in secondary schools in a cross-cultural context. The study provides several future research insights.

What Aspects of Principal Leadership Are Most Highly Correlated With School Outcomes in China?

2017 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 409-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qiao Zheng ◽  
Lingyan Li ◽  
Huijuan Chen ◽  
Susanna Loeb
Keyword(s):  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Context ◽  
Hierarchical Linear Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
School Outcomes ◽  
Rating Data ◽  
Direct Participation ◽  
Measurement Framework ◽  
Instruction And Curriculum ◽  
Highly Correlated

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to build a broader framework for Chinese principal leadership and to determine what aspects of principal leadership correlate most highly with school outcomes from the perspectives of both principals and teachers. Method: The data come from a 2013 national student achievement assessment in China comprising 37,749 students in Grade 8 and 9,165 teachers in 613 secondary schools. Adopting Grissom and Loeb’s measurement framework, we use both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to examine the structure of principal leadership. Then, a hierarchical linear model is employed to analyze the relationship between principal leadership and five school outcomes, controlling for basic student and teacher demographics and certain school context variables. Findings: We identify many differences and some similarities between China and the United States. We obtain five leadership factors from the principals’ self-rating data (Visibility and Direct Participation, Instruction Organization, Internal Environment Organization, Planning and Personnel, and External Relations) and three leadership factors from the teachers’ rating data (Organization and Management, Instruction and Curriculum, and Visibility and Direct Participation). Regarding student reading achievement and learning efficacy, from both the principals’ and teachers’ perspectives, the most highly correlated aspect is Instruction Organization. For teachers’ occupational stress, job burnout, and teaching efficacy, teachers’ ratings of principal leadership exhibit more significant relationships than does principals’ self-rated leadership. Implications: We explore a broader framework of principal leadership in China. We identify the benefits and analyze alternative views of the indirect effects of principal leadership on students.

“School banding”

2017 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 686-701 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daphnee Hui Lin Lee ◽  
Chi Shing Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Teacher Professional Development ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Context ◽  
Effective School ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Leadership Attributes ◽  
School Based ◽  
Teacher Professional ◽  
School Based Management

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how principals’ leadership approaches to teacher professional development arise from school banding and may impact upon teacher professional capital and student achievement. Design/methodology/approach The case study is situated within the context of school-based management, comprising reflective accounts of nine school principals selected by stratified sampling from a sample of 56 Hong Kong schools to represent Bands One, Two, and Three schools. The reflective accounts were triangulated with observations of teachers and analysis of school websites. Findings First, under school-based management, principals remain obliged to recognize the power of state-defined examinations in determining the schools’ future priorities. Second, the exercise of school autonomy in response to this obligation varies, depending upon the competitive advantage schools have in the school banding system. Ideally, effective school-based management is dependent upon the principal’s capacity to facilitate good instructional practices. However, principals need to adjust their leadership practices to school contextual demands. Third, adaptations to contexts result in the varied developments of teacher capacities in schools, corresponding with the types of principal leadership adopted. Originality/value While statistical studies have identified attributes of exemplary principal leadership, few studies have examined the qualitative reasons for the exemplification of these attributes, and the influence of the school context in shaping these attributes. Departing from assumptions that leadership attributes are intrinsic to individuals, this paper considers how principals contextualize leadership in teacher professional development to the schools’ student academic achievement.

School Context, Principal Leadership, and Student Reading Achievement

1996 ◽  
Vol 96 (5) ◽  
pp. 527-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip Hallinger ◽  
Leonard Bickman ◽  
Ken Davis
Keyword(s):  
Reading Achievement ◽  
Principal Leadership ◽  
School Context ◽  
Student Reading

scholarly journals Tama Samoa Stories: Experiences and Perceptions of Identity, Belonging and Future Aspirations at Secondary School

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Fuapepe Rimoni
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
School Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Future Aspirations ◽  
Zealand Secondary School ◽  
And Gender ◽  
Key Aspects ◽  
Critical Discourses

<p>This thesis investigates the experiences of twelve strong, articulate and thoughtful tama Samoa (Samoan boys) through their participation in secondary schools and lives outside the classroom and through the stories of others. The study looked at how the students enacted their identities as Samoans, as learners and as young men who are anticipating the future. The study is premised on the view that Pacific identities are fluid, diverse, multi-dimensional and include a range of different perspectives relating to social class, ethnicity, culture and gender. Such a view of identity as complex is not generally taken into consideration in the literature on educational success and achievement of Pacific students in New Zealand.  The study employed a phenomenological qualitative design, using focus groups and semi-structured interviews by talanoa (conversations). As the study involved a group of indigenous tama Samoa, the Samoan fa’afaletui method was used. Participants were a group of twelve tama Samoa in three Wellington secondary schools and their twelve nominated persons.  The study found that there are key aspects to making the experiences of tama Samoa positive and successful within the secondary school. These include acknowledging tama Samoa and their multiple identities while attending secondary school; supporting the development of a sense of belonging through everyday interactions with peers and teachers, and affirming the belief by tama Samoa that secondary school socialisation serves to help them make future decisions.  This study argues that the experiences of tama Samoa are deeply embedded within wider social, economic and political trends. Indeed, their “voices” are shaped in part by these broader forces that construct and represent them as being historically “disadvantaged” and socio-economically “underserved.” Further, this study advocates for the diverse voices of tama Samoa, along with their experiences, stories, hopes, aspirations and dreams to be brought to light and placed alongside the official accounts of Pacific “disadvantage” to enable more balanced critical discourses taking place.  It is hoped that this study will offer further insights into the experiences of tama Samoa in the New Zealand secondary school context, from which valuable knowledge is derived to inform and support schools in improving the New Zealand secondary school experiences of Samoan adolescent boys.</p>

scholarly journals Implementing the MY FRIENDS Youth programme in a New Zealand secondary school: The experiences of staff and Year 9 students

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Laurence Fay
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Young People ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Secondary Schools ◽  
School Context ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Teachers And Students ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Youth Resilience

<p>Increasing rates of young people’s anxiety and depression is a concern for New Zealand secondary schools and this results in issues for students such as decreased wellbeing and school attendance, health difficulties and social isolation. In 2013 the Ministry of Education introduced a pilot of the MY FRIENDS Youth Resilience programme into secondary schools for students in Year 9. This thesis reports on the experiences of teachers and students of the MY FRIENDS Youth programme in one secondary school context. This programme is based on cognitive behavioural therapy principles and has been developed to support young people build their understanding and skills in resilience to enhance their wellbeing. The programme has been implemented and evaluated with young people in a number of countries. Research has shown it to have beneficial effects in promoting emotional resilience and in reducing anxiety and depression in students. The findings of this school case study are explored, and the impact of the programme for the students and their school community is presented. A case study methodological approach was used that enabled the collection of rich data to explore the deep meaning from teachers and students. This involved an in-depth instrumental case study within one secondary school involving teachers, students, the counsellor, the principal and students’ parents. Observations, document analysis and interviews took place to build a comprehensive understanding of how teachers and students learned through the programme. Findings suggest the students see the MY FRIENDS Youth Resilience programme as a positive, useful programme that has enabled them to learn various strategies to deal with challenging scenarios in their life. The findings also address barriers to implementation and possible implications for the future. Several suggestions for the programme are discussed along with certain adaptations of the programme to make it more relevant to the New Zealand context.</p>

scholarly journals Challenges Confronting the Administration of English Language Program: Secondary School Context in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 59-69
Author(s):  
Niyi Jacob Ogunode
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Schools ◽  
English Language ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
School Context ◽  
Language Teachers ◽  
Instructional Materials ◽  
Survey Method ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Language Program ◽  
Research Survey

This objective of this study was to investigate the challenges facing the administration of English Language program in Senior Secondary schools in Abaji Area Council of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. The study used questionnaire as instrument for data collection. 80 respondents were selected from the entire population of English teachers and school administrators in Abaji. Purposive research techniques were employed to select the respondents.  Research survey method was adopted for the study. To determine the reliability of the instrument, test and retest methods. The data collected were analysed using simple percentage, mean statistical and chi-square was employed to test the hypotheses. The result collected from the study led to the following conclusion that scant fund, shortage of professional English teacher, inadequate English language instructional materials, deficient English laboratory, poor capacity development of English language teachers and paltry motivation of English language teacher are the challenges affecting the effective administration of English language program in Abaji secondary Schools.

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