Contextual leadership practices

Abstract

The study of context-based leadership practices has gained currency during the last decade. This study aims to complement the recent efforts of researchers in identifying the context-based leadership practices of successful school leaders, and deliberating how these practices are enacted within their own unique contexts. An in-depth case study was conducted in a successful school in northern Malaysia using a combination of case study methods and grounded theory. Case study methods were used for data collection from multiple sources, employing a semi-structured interview protocol derived from the one used in several studies conducted under the International Successful School Principalship Project. The findings of the case study reveal that strong interpersonal skills, people-centered leadership, clear communication of vision and goal, focus on academic achievement, co-curricular activities, developing people and creating a positive work environment are all vital constituents of successful leadership. The findings will attempt to add to the scant literature on context-based leadership practices from Malaysia. Implications for practice can be drawn for policymakers, who must resist overreliance on borrowed leadership models, while practitioners need to prioritize their practices based upon the contextual requirements to succeed.

Pedagogical Practices: Design and Validation of SOCME-10 Rubric in Teachers who have Recently Entered Basic Education

“…Practices are comprised of knowledge, abilities, and values (Gómez-Hurtado, 2013) but include other elements, such as goals aspiration, decision making, teachers' professional identity, and emotional management (Bolívar & Ritacco, 2016;Burbules, 2020). Specific practices are not only more visible than competencies, but might also patently show how performance is innovative, sustainable, replicable, and suitable for specific needs depending on the context (Noman et al, 2018;Reyes, 2017). Furthermore, practices are without negative connotations (as is the case with competencies), especially within certain social sectors which link this term to neoliberalism (Angulo & Redon, 2011;Pérez et al, 2019).…”

Leadership and the challenges faced by South African schools in a changing world

“…The study of Noman et al (2017) reveals leadership practices that contribute to successful schools. In the same line as Lynch et al (2016), they refer to the importance of providing vision and specific goals for the school.…”

“…This is an enormous task resting on the shoulders of the principal, as the school is part of the greater community and should serve the community. According to Noman et al (2017), discipline is key to being a successful school. Order and behavioural expectations set the discipline in a school under the guidance of a capable principal.…”

“…The principal of the school is often placed under the magnifying glass, especially when a school is performing poorly. It is well known that the principal is regarded as the key figure in the school (Brownlee et al 2019;Day, Gu & Sammons 2016;Liu & Bellibas 2016;Noman, Hashim & Abdullah 2017). For this reason, the actions of principals are closely scrutinised, and opinions are raised as to how a principal is supposed to act and what he or she should keep in mind when dealing with the learners, the staff and the community.…”

The Strategic Support to Thrive Beyond Survival Model: An Administrative Support Framework for Improving Student Outcomes and Addressing Educator Staffing in Rural and Urban High-Needs Schools

“…In response, we account for individual characteristics by incorporating the self-efficacy component of Bandura's (1997) social cognitive theory, which would suggest that educators-teachers and principals alike-are less likely to resign and more likely to improve performance when they feel they have the requisite skills and training to successfully meet the demands of their position (a positive internal sense of efficacy) due to receiving the necessary support (a workplace condition). Neither theory considers the context in which the principal would implement said support, which is why the model incorporates the principle of contextual leadership (Noman, Awang Hashim, & Shaik Abdullah, 2018), a theory that recognizes the myriad of needs across differing school contexts. Further, the framework advances the literature by strategically linking school leadership development to educator retention (direct influence) and student performance (indirect influence).…”