An Archaeological Dig into Leadership Competencies in the Twenty-First Century

Huotari, Vesa; Carroll, Brigid

doi:10.4324/9781315110196-2

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Leadership practices are not only determined by individuals in a specific school or the relationships between them but also by other schools, teachers and students from other schools, the community, parents, the state, and legislation. Even the actions and words of individuals are influenced by 'others'; therefore, leadership is socially constructed (Huotari & Carroll, 2018). Realizing the context is critical for the leaders' professional development since they can see new perspectives and solutions by understanding the limits that stem from the context (Carr & Kemmis, 2005).…”

Section: Awareness Of the Significance Of Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

Sipitanos¹,

Katsarou²,

Polyzois³

2022

theijhss

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leadership is an interesting yet sensitive field, which is crucial for school improvement (Cruz-González et al., 2021) and a key to sustaining change and improving educational outcomes (Aas et al., 2020). However, studying leadership practices in a school context can be challenging. As each school features complex networks of relations influenced by various factors (social, educational, cultural, financial, etc.), research on leadership issues requires alternative and innovative research methods, capturing simultaneous, collective, and dialogic leadership practices in schools, to examine leadership dynamics 'from within' (Raelin, 2020). Technocratic research focusing on the traits or behaviors of individuals (the leaders) cannot provide answers to complex yet crucial leadership issues (Crow et al., 2017), like in which practice leadership is exercised, how leadership emerges and develops through day-to-day experience, and how to change the trajectory of the leadership flow. However, such answers are necessary to empower school principals to face the complex challenges of the 21 st century, like managing change, introducing innovations, implementing technological advances, and enhancing the learning procedure and outcomes for all members of the school community. In addition, there is increasing global concern about school principals' professional learning and development and the improvement of leadership capacity (Crow & Whiteman, 2016;Aas et al., 2020). As a result, discussing the key skills of school principals and how to master these skills is gaining momentum.The school principal participated actively in the Action Research (AR) project. He strove to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of leadership, its various meanings, and perceptions latent in his everyday practices and improve his practices as a principal. The project draws on Huber (2011), who argues that modes of professional learning, such as the provision of constant feedback, collegial exchange, and self-study, can lead principals to a reciprocal relationship with practice, effectively integrating theory and practice. The main research method used in this project to enhance the school principal's reflection was Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). Although not so common in AR (Katsarou, 2013), this research choice was very fruitful. Field notes and journal entries were also used and analyzed.This article aims to document and reflect on the processes that facilitated a school principal's shift, changing his perceptions about leadership and, therefore, his practice. Specifically, we aim to show how a school principal became empowered, managing to consciously distance him from espoused theories focusing on leadership characteristics and behavior towards theories highlighting social and material-discursive contingencies and collective actions shaped by mutual discursive patterns that emerge and develop among participants in the educational situation under study. We

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Section: Awareness Of the Significance Of Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

Sipitanos¹,

Katsarou²,

Polyzois³

2022

theijhss

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Leadership practices are not only determined by individuals in a specific school or the relationships between them, but also by other schools, teachers and students from other schools, the community, parents, the state and legislation. Even the actions and words of individuals are influenced by "others"; therefore, leadership is socially constructed (Huotari& Carroll, 2018).Realizing the context is critical for the leaders' professional development, since by understanding the limits that stem from the context, they can see new perspectives and new solutions (Carr&Kemmis, 2005).…”

Section: Awareness Of the Significance Of Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

Sipitanos¹,

Katsarou²,

Polyzois³

2021

theijhss

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

School leadership is an interesting, yet sensitive, field, which is crucial for school improvement (Cruz-González et al., 2021) and a key to sustaining change and improving educational outcomes (Aas et al., 2020). However, the study of leadership practices in school context can be challenging. As each school features complex networks of relations, influenced by various factors (social, educational, cultural, financial, etc.), research on leadership issues requires alternative and innovative research methods, capturing simultaneous, collective, and dialogic leadership practices in schools, to examine leadership dynamics "from within" (Raelin, 2020). Technocratic research focusing on the traits or behaviors of individuals (the leaders), cannot provide answers to complex, yet crucial, leadership issues (Crow et al., 2017), like: in which practice leadership is exercised, how leadership emerges and develops through day-to-day experience and how to change the trajectory of the leadership flow. However, such answers are necessary, to empower school principals to face the complex challenges of the 21 st century, like managing change, introducing innovations, implementing technological advances, and enhancing the learning procedure and outcomes for all members of the school community. There is increasing global concern about school principals' professional learning and development, as well as the improvement of leadership capacity (Crow and Whiteman 2016; Aas et al. 2020). The discussion on the key skills of school principals and how to master these skills is gaining momentum.In the Action Research (AR) project presented here, the school principal participated actively. He strove to gain a deeper understanding of the concept of leadership, its various meanings, and perceptions latent in his everyday practices, as well as to improve his practices as a principal. The project draws on Huber (2011), who argues that modes of professional learning, such as the provision of constant feedback, collegial exchange, and self-study, can lead principals to a reciprocal relationship with practice, effectively integrating theory and practice. The main research method used in this project to enhance the school principal's reflection was Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA). This research choice, though not so common in AR (Katsarou, 2013), was proved to be very fruitful. Field-notes and journal entries were also used and analyzed.This article aims to document and reflect on the processes that facilitated a school principal's shift, changing his perceptions about leadership and therefore his practice. Specifically, we aim to show how a school principal became empowered, managing to consciously distance himself from espoused theories focusing on leadership characteristics and behavior, towards theories highlighting social and material-discursive contingencies and collective actions, shaped by mutual discursive patterns that emerge and develop among participants in the educational situation under study. We consider this shift a prerequisite f...

show abstract

An Archaeological Dig into Leadership Competencies in the Twenty-First Century

Cited by 2 publications

References 1 publication

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

Action Research and Critical Discourse Analysis: A Pathway to School Principals’ Professional Development

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