Enhancing system thinking - a superintendent and three principals reflecting with a critical friend

Abstract

There is a growing body of action research on school improvement and development. Many of these studies have found the use of critical friendship valuable in relation to teachers' or principals' practice. Yet, little attention has been paid to critical friendship at the school district level. This study explores how a superintendent and three principals changed their understandings through interaction with a critical friend. It draws on reflective conversations, written reflections and observations of meetings between the participants, and is framed within practical action research aimed at changing the participants' understandings. We found that through a trust-building process the critical friend acted as a catalyst for systematic reflections, helping leaders to set aside time and space to reflect. This has contributed to new ways of talking and thinking and has enhanced the leaders' system thinking. ARTICLE HISTORY

Principals' Attitudes, Knowledge, and Beliefs Regarding Active Learning Methodologies in Spain

“…The fact that a strong correlation between attitudes and knowledge was reported is consistent with prior research conducted on educational management. Although not specifically regarding active learning methodologies, previous studies by Berger, Reupert, and Hasking [74], Swanson and Gettinger [75], Kuyini, Desai, and Sharma [76], Henriksen and Aas [77], and Touloupis and Athanasiades [78] also indicated that principals' attitudes and knowledge are strongly related, according to these studies, in aspects such as educational inclusion or attention to diversity. As Barnett and Monda-Amaya [79], Watkins, Anthony and Beard [80], and Nadav, Benoliel, Shaked and Schechter [81] pointed out, this phenomenon may be because in the field of education, increased knowledge in a field of study usually leads to an increase in a positive attitude towards that subject.…”

Building leadership capacity in school leadership groups: an action research project

“…To capture the longitudinal aspects of the study, the group meetings were repeated four times between September 2018 and June 2019. The researchers/leadership supervisors acted as critical friends, assisting throughout the questioning and providing reflection and other viewpoints (Henriksen and Aas 2020;Swaffield 2004). A critical friend can be seen as a shoulder to lean on and is like the role of a leadership coach, who can contribute to principals' learning through contributing critical questions and reflections that can lead to new leadership practices (Fluckiger, Lovett, and Dempster 2014).…”

Change Management Indicators and Their Applications in Strengthening the Process and Learning Organization Levels

“…In addition, the relevance of several factors that affect organizational change management success can be explored in a different context of organizations and sectors. This is indirectly able to contribute to innovative ways of thinking, to enhance the leaders' system thinking [50].…”