How Heads of Departments Understand Their Roles as Instructional Leaders: A South African Study

Ogina, Teresa Auma

doi:10.1080/09751122.2017.1352573

Cited by 18 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Some principals indicated that HODs of Science capacity to monitor and control teaching and learning activities in science was fairly good in their schools while others decried that their HODs of Science lacked adequate capacity for monitoring and control activities. Different from the study results, Ogina (2017) research in South Africa established that HODs of Science talked their role in controlling and checking what the teachers do in class in the light of teaching and learning. They achieved this through monitoring and controlling the teachers' work concerning curriculum implementation through regular classroom visits, sampling learners' work and providing prompt assistance where teachers have problems emerged as components of the role of the heads of department in this study.…”

Section: Influence Of Monitoring and Control Skills By Hods Of Science And Academic Performance Of Students In Science Subjectscontrasting

confidence: 77%

Monitoring and control skills of heads of science department and academic performance in sciences in public secondary schools in Nandi county Kenya

Cheruiyot¹,

Kibett²,

Ngeno³

2020

Gl Jnl Educ Res

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This paper looks at the monitoring and control skills of Heads of Department (HODs) of science and its influence on academic performance by students in Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education Subjects. The HODs have been mandated to provide instructional guidance through regular monitoring, assessment and evaluation of science teaching subjects in their secondary schools. However, recent performances in science subjects (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) in KCSE in public secondary schools in Nandi County have been below average. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to determine the influence of science HODs monitoring and control skills towards academic performance of students in science subject. The study used mixed method research methodology which combined qualitative and quantitative data. The area of study was all public secondary schools in Nandi County. Target population consisted of 231 HODs of science, 231 principals and 693 science subject teachers. The study adopted a mixed method research design. A sample size of 23 principals, 128 HODS of science and 247 science teachers were selected through stratified random sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaires (for HODs and teachers) and interview guide (for principals). The reliability values for HODs was 0.795 and science teachers 0.775 which were above the threshold of R=0.7. Analysis of data was performed using quantitative and qualitative methods. Results of the analysis revealed that HODs organising regular departmental meetings to review performance and take corrective action where possible was the main monitoring and control used. On the average, the study discovered that HODs of science planed with science teachers evaluation and assessment activities in their schools (M=3.38 and SD=1.25). The paper concludes that there existed a significant positive influence (p<0.05) between HODs of Science monitoring and control skills and academic performance of students in science subjects in selected public secondary schools in Nandi County, Kenya. It was recommended that Teachers Service Commission needs to improve staffing levels in public secondary schools especially in science subjects to in order provide ample time for HODs to do their regular monitoring and control activities of science subjects’ curriculum implementation in classrooms and among their departmental teachers. Keywords: Science, Monitoring, Control, Performance and Assessment

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Section: Influence Of Monitoring and Control Skills By Hods Of Science And Academic Performance Of Students In Science Subjectscontrasting

confidence: 77%

Monitoring and control skills of heads of science department and academic performance in sciences in public secondary schools in Nandi county Kenya

Cheruiyot¹,

Kibett²,

Ngeno³

2020

Gl Jnl Educ Res

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“…This means that rarely do HODs of Science plan with teachers on how to prepare lesson plans, schemes of work, assessment methods and examination criteria in their departments. The result is in contrast to Ogina (2017) who established that most HODs of Science in South Africa planed together with teachers and agreed on how to draw up lesson plans, conduct assessments and examinations. They accomplished this by meeting every Thursday to discuss the challenges and success experienced by teachers in their various subjects.…”

Section: Figure 1 Performance In Sciences Across Category Of Schoolsmentioning

confidence: 60%

Planning skills by heads of science departmentand academic performance in science subjects in public secondary schools in Nandi county, Kenya

Cheruiyot¹,

Ngeno²,

Kibett³

2020

Gl Jnl Educ Res

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Curriculum and instructional planning is important to ensure that academic activities run without interruption in an academic year or term. Heads of departments (HODs of Science) play a pivotal role in implementation of curriculum in secondary schools. Planning is one of the functions vested on HODs to ensure proper implementation of curriculum in their departments. This paper therefore looks at HODs planning skills towards academic performance improvement in three science subjects in public secondary schools in Nandi County, Kenya. The decision to choose HODs of science was due to the importance that is placed on science subject but which has recorded below average performance compared to other subjects in Kenya Certificate of Secondary School. The three science subjects under investigation are; Physics, Biology and Chemistry for secondary schools. The study used mixed method research design. The study had three target populations that comprised of 231 heads of departments, 231 principals and 693 teachers. The sample size of the study was determined using Krejcie and Morgan formulae of determining sample size and comprised of 23 principals, 128 HODS of science and 247 teachers who were selected through stratified random sampling. Data collection was through questionnaires and interview schedule. Analysis of data was performed through quantitative and qualitative methods. The correlation analysis was computed from HODs and science teachers’ data. The study discovered that most of them only planned for science practicals to be conducted on occasional basis by teachers in the department. Moreover, the HODs of Science ensured that the planned activities were conducted as planned. However, the HODs of Science were found not to have proper planning skills on ICT usage, acquisition of instructional material and conducting training needs assessment for teachers. The computed correlation statistics showed that there existed significant influence (p<0.05) between planning skills by HODs of Science and academic performance of students in sciences in public secondary schools in Nandi County. The study recommends that HODs of Science need to be informed by Quality Assurance and Standards Officers (QASOs) that they need to be proactive and not reactive to the responsibilities under their docket. Participatory planning practices needs also to be embraced by HODs of Science for improved implementation and execution of set objectives and targets. Keywords: Planning, Skills, Quality, Performance, Sciences HODs

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“…Heads of departments are not only required to oversee curriculum implementation and to ensure that learner performance is at the required standard, but they are also supposed to be teaching a subject as per school requirements and sharing workload (Ogina 2016;Seobi & Wood 2016). Furthermore, they are supposed to be class teachers, if so required, and to assess and record learner attainment (Tapala 2019).…”

Section: Teachingmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition, they are requested to distribute and monitor subject work schemes (Seobi 2016). Their administrative duties are extended to being the secretary at staff meetings and to engage in fire drills and first-aid procedures (Ogina 2016). One major administrative work HoDs do is to assist in the drafting of the general school timetable.…”

Section: Administrativementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Heads of department are part of the SMT and school leadership tasked with curriculum leadership. They are responsible for effective teaching and learning (Ogina 2016). The position of HoD is also said to have hybrid responsibilities, as they are neither fulltime leaders nor full-time classroom teachers but perform both tasks (Gurr & Drysdale 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Wolhuter¹

2021

Leadership Approaches to Negotiate Challenges in a Changing Education Landscape

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Introduction 2 Critical factors in South African education that have an impact on learner performance 5 Debilitating context 5 Moral vacuum 6 Organisational climate of schools 7 Turning around poorly performing schools 8 Testing the relationship between leadership, organisational climate and learner performance statistically8 Changing times 9 Induction of deputy principals 10 Training for curriculum leadership 10 Leadership in an age of technology: The information and communication technology revolution11 School governing bodies and leadership 12 Contents viii

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How Heads of Departments Understand Their Roles as Instructional Leaders: A South African Study

Cited by 18 publications

References 3 publications

Monitoring and control skills of heads of science department and academic performance in sciences in public secondary schools in Nandi county Kenya

Monitoring and control skills of heads of science department and academic performance in sciences in public secondary schools in Nandi county Kenya

Planning skills by heads of science departmentand academic performance in science subjects in public secondary schools in Nandi county, Kenya

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

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