scholarly journals Collaboration practices between the two tiers of school leadership in eradicating underperformance

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Itumeleng Innocentia Setlhodi
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
South African ◽  
Underperforming Schools ◽  
Developmental Needs ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Institutional Goals ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
South African Schools Act ◽  
Courageous Conversations

Collaboration between the school governing body (SGB) and the school management team (SMT) in underperforming schools remains the crest for successful action taken to turn around performance as envisaged in the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (Republic of South Africa, 1996). Their interaction is crucial in advancing the course of performance improvement. In the study reported on here a qualitative method and an interpretivist approach was used to explore how shared leadership collaboration practices between the SGB and SMT can improve performance. A case of 3 purposefully sampled underperforming schools in the Gauteng West district was undertaken. Interviews with 3 principals (individually) and 3 focus group interviews with parent SGB members, SMT members and teachers were conducted. Findings show that when developmental needs of SGBs are considered significant and stakeholders are mobilised towards collective effort (letsema), collaboration and interaction enable school performance. It is recommended that SGB development be contextualised to enable swift interaction with stakeholders; the essence of the SGB and SMT collaboration in providing leadership and dealing with issues impacting on performance should be highlighted, so that they can plan activities that bring about improved performance. Employing courageous conversations to achieve institutional goals should be through collaborative endeavours that are inspired by ubuntu leadership practice.

scholarly journals Servant School Leadership and Organisational Climate in South African Private Schools

2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Christo Swart ◽  
Lidia Pottas ◽  
David Maree
Keyword(s):  
Focus Group ◽  
Servant Leadership ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Private Schools ◽  
School Environment ◽  
Underperforming Schools ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Organisational Climate ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The Impact

The leadership of companies influences the organisational climate of companies by creating a cycle of continuous improvement or failing to do so. The same applies to educational leadership in their search for favourable teaching and learning conditions for all learners, especially those of underperforming schools whose academic results are not up to standard. Critical dialogue and new thinking regarding school leadership are mandatory to improve the status quo. It is proposed that the servant leadership paradigm, when practiced by school leadership, may have a significant influence on the school environment. A qualitative approach was utilised to measure the impact of servant school leadership on the organisational climate of private schools in South Africa, with the aim of learning valuable lessons to implement in the public school domain and especially the underperforming school sector. A purposive convenience sampling approach was applied to select participants for three focus group interviews. A theoretical thematic, semantic, and essentialist analytical approach served as the foundation for this study. The focus group interviews confirmed that the participants perceived their school leaderships to implement specific characteristics of servant leadership and organisational climate to enhance a positive school environment for teachers and learners to succeed. The participants also perceived definite links between servant leadership and organisational climate. It is recommended that the servant leadership paradigm and its impact on the organisational climate of underperforming schools be researched and considered for implementation nationally and internationally.

scholarly journals Leierskapontwikkeling in ‘n verplegingskollege

Curationis ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Harms ◽  
M. Muller
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Conceptual Framework ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Nursing College ◽  
Educational Staff

This study is conducted within the context of nursing colleges and focuses on the empowerment of educational staff in a nursing college to facilitate excellence in leadership practice. A qualitative exploratory and descriptive study was conducted in different phases: the views and expectations of educational staff as leaders, as well as the views and expectations of the fourth year students as followers and potential professional leaders were explored and described by means of focus group interviews. A provisional conceptual framework for leadership development in a nursing college was compiled, exposed to a literature control and a final conceptual framework was refined, together with guidelines for leadership development in a nursing college. This article focuses on the final conceptual framework as well as the programme for leadership development in a nursing college. It is recommended that this programme be implemented and exposed to purposeful evaluation.

scholarly journals Digital storytelling as a tool for teaching: Perceptions of pre-service teachers

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chantyclaire A. Tiba Publishing ◽  
Janet Condy ◽  
Agnes Chigona ◽  
Nyarai Tunjera
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Digital Storytelling ◽  
Education Institution ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Focus Group Interviews ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
Group Interviews

It has been shown that teachers are reluctant to use technology despite the South African (SA) government’s huge expenditure on technological equipment. This might  be the result of teachers being unable to select appropriate technology that will yield positive learning outcomes  as well as being ill-equipped to integrate  technology  into their pedagogy. To this end, pre-service teachers at a University were trained on how to integrate digital storytelling (DST) effectively into their teaching. The aim of this study is to  gain insight  into the  potential benefits of DST  for teaching and learning  and to determine factors that may prevent pre-service teachers’ uptake of DST during in-service practice. This is a qualitative study in which fifty pre-service teachers were divided into five groups for focus group interviews. Data were analysed, and the results show that pre-service teachers perceived DST to be beneficial in the classroom as it has the potential to (i) motivate and engage learners, (ii) promote  voice/self-expression, and  (iii) promote collaborative learning and  acquisition of multiple skills. Pre-service teachers are of the opinion that a lack of resources, self-confidence and time owing to restrictive curricula may prevent uptake of DST during in-service teaching. It was recommended that school stakeholders create a balance between intrinsic and extrinsic factors that will promote the adoption and integration of DST into teaching. Also,  the education institution concerned strives to balance all three strands of knowledge: technology, pedagogy and content.

scholarly journals THE RIGHT TO MOTHER-TONGUE EDUCATION: PRACTICABLE OR NOT?

Obiter ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chrizell Chürr
Keyword(s):  
South African ◽  
Basic Education ◽  
Mother Tongue ◽  
Cumulative Effect ◽  
The South ◽  
National Education ◽  
Mother Tongue Education ◽  
South African Constitution ◽  
The Right ◽  
South African Schools Act

Mother-tongue and mother-tongue education are recognized worldwide as one of the most efficient ways to function cognitively and socially. This article addresses the role of proper mother-tongue education with an emphasis on the importance of “language” since language is vital to a child’s right to a basic education in all its dimensions. Without mother-tongue education, every child’s right to learn and to become a skilful adult, able to participate independently in society, is at risk. The cumulative effect of the South African Constitution, the National Education Policy Act, the South African Schools Act, several international instruments and a number of ground-breaking cases, as well as the interaction between them on mother-tongue education will be examined. The implementation of certain education models will also be proposed.

scholarly journals The knowledge and perceptions of history students of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC)

2014 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M Oelofse ◽  
A Oosthuysen
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Research Method ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Mixed Method Research ◽  
Reconciliation Commission ◽  
Truth And Reconciliation ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
The University

Using the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa (TRC) and the concept of reconciliation as a case study, the article attempts to assess the knowledge and understanding of the registered undergraduate history students at the University of the Free State’s main campus about the TRC and the concept and process of reconciliation in the country at large. The research will firstly assess whether the younger generation of students, specifically students taking history as a subject, have any knowledge of such a significant and contemporary event in South African historiography as the TRC process. Secondly, in relation to the aims and recommendations of the TRC and against the background of reconciliation efforts in the country, to perceive the views and thoughts of undergraduate history students on the progress in reconciliation endeavours in South Africa. As a result, a sample of 128 undergraduate history students was randomly selected to complete a quantitative questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of both closed and open-ended questions. Group interviews, as a qualitative research method, were added and used to conduct interviews with 16 undergraduate history students selected randomly and answers were recorded. Accordingly, an explanatory mixed- method research method approach was employed by implementing both the qualitative and quantitative method.

scholarly journals Successful Leadership Practice in School

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 ◽  
pp. 119-131
Author(s):  
Kamal Prasad Koirala
Keyword(s):  
Secondary School ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practices ◽  
School Principal ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Depth Interview ◽  
Successful Leadership ◽  
Positive Work Environment ◽  
Successful School ◽  
Positive Work

This paper mainly focuses on successful leadership practices in secondary school. It aims to identify the recent models and theories of successful leadership practice in schools, and explore the experience of school principal regarding successful school leadership in the Nepalese context. A qualitative study was carried out in Gorkha district for the collection of data. A successful head teacher was selected for in-depth interview to explore the perception and experience about successful practice of school leadership. The findings of the study reveal that strong interpersonal skills, people-centered leadership, clear communication of vision and goal, focus on academic achievement, co-curricular activities, transparency, creating a positive work environment, knowledge of pedagogical contents, and cooperation and collaboration with various stakeholders are the vital constituents of successful leadership practices.

School leadership practice and preparation

2013 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rose Ylimaki ◽  
Stephen Jacobson
Keyword(s):  
School Leadership ◽  
Leadership Practice

Exploring Distributive Leadership in South African Public Primary Schools in the Soweto Region

2015 ◽  
pp. 283-304
Author(s):  
Raj Mestry ◽  
Suraiya R Naicker
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Primary Schools ◽  
Distributive Leadership ◽  
Leadership Positions ◽  
Gauteng Province ◽  
Leadership Framework ◽  
Group Interviews ◽  
Formal Leadership

The increasing expectations of the principalship and the intensification of the challenges facing schools today have resulted in the emergence of distributive forms of leadership in schools worldwide. These developments prompted research in schools in South Africa, more specifically in the Soweto region, to inquire if distributed leadership had manifested. Soweto is a township in the Gauteng province of South Africa that is associated with the historic struggle against the apartheid government (pre-1994). A qualitative approach executed by means of focus group interviews was employed at three schools to explore the views of teachers who did not hold formal leadership positions. It was found that distributive leadership had not transpired in the schools that are largely rooted in classical leadership practices. This chapter provides an account of the study while elucidating the concept of distributive leadership and examines the role of formal leaders within a distributive leadership framework.

Using Narrative Inquiry to Explore “Wicked Problems” in Educational Leadership in the Anthropocene

2019 ◽  
pp. 144-167
Author(s):  
Nandakumar Mayakestan ◽  
Gopinathan Sarvanathan
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Narrative Inquiry ◽  
School Leadership ◽  
Wicked Problems ◽  
Human Condition ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
Leadership Practice ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Viable Approach ◽  
Leadership Research

A highly contested issue in educational leadership research is the place of narrative inquiry to study school leadership practice. While the study of narratives has had long epistemological roots in the works of Dewey, Bruner, Clandinin, and Connelly, its potential for revealing the human condition and providing deeper insights into critical issues like power, inequity, social justice, and oppression is often underestimated. Moreover, the method has also drawn much debate for its limitations ranging from its highly reflexive nature to issues of validity and reliability of “storied” experiences. This chapter outlines some arguments for the use of narrative inquiry and suggests a nuanced and expanded understanding of the method as a viable approach to study “wicked” problems in the age of Anthropocene. The chapter also aims to inspire further discussions of how narrative inquiry could be further re-conceptualized to study educational leadership in the anthropogenic era.

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