Modeling cultural context for aspiring women educational leaders

Abstract

Purpose -The purpose of the paper is to discuss and examine the development of frameworks and models to guide future research into studies of women's paths to educational leadership worldwide. Design/methodology/approach -A grounded theory approach to the development of a model of the factors and their interaction that determine the path to educational leadership for women is adopted, drawing on existing research for world-wide studies. Findings -Past studies in this field have focused on identifying barriers and opportunities that are gender sensitive. With an increasing interest in developing educational preparation programs that are context and gender specific, there is a need to provide research frameworks to allow for meaningful comparisons between contexts to identify commonalities and differences, and for models to predict the likely outcomes of interventions in current procedures for drawing women into educational leadership. The model presented in the paper allows for the identification of those factors in any given context that influence the success of women aspiring to leadership. Social implications -Understanding the culturally determined interaction of social and institutional factors that create unique contexts for career building is a prerequisite of developing leadership preparation for women designed to increase their successful entry into, and practice of, school leadership and to rectify their under-representation in this field worldwide. Originality/value -Conceptualizing educational leadership for women at an international level is a newly emerging theme that this paper hopes to advance.

Predictive Validity of Gender and Experience of Teachers Into Malaysian Women Principal’s Instructional Leadership Practices

“…Hence rapid reconstruction and modernization movements in society seem to have been much influenced by opportunities for women and might overcome the barriers and enhance the number of studies of women leadership practices in educational settings across the world (Sperandio, 2010). Besides, women principals have expressed as supportive leaders because they were able to solve the problems of their employees.…”

Contextualising the career pathways of women principals in Hong Kong: a critical examination

“…Thankfully, the actual performance of family responsibilities can be rather flexible in this Chinese society, as it is not unusual for women to share their caring duties with kin or contract them out to non-family members. Echoing the findings from some Asian countries (Luke 1998;Sperandio 2010), our women principals were also able to relieve their family duties by soliciting support and help from female family members and even waged household labour. Hannah Obviously, this extra help explains how these Hong Kong women principals were able to juggle their teaching career and family duties.…”

“…For instance, in developed countries such as England, Norway and Sweden (Coleman 2007;Davis and Johansson 2005;Moller 2005), the rise is partly the result of equal-opportunity legislation and family-friendly policies. In developing countries, the growth can be attributed to the provision of schooling for girls and the active recruitment of female teachers in response to international calls for the promotion of gender equity (Sperandio 2010).…”

“…Close examination of the promotion practices in some Asian countries by Sperandio (2010) is illuminating too, as it successfully underscores the complex interplay of the culture-and gender-mediated factors in shaping women's access to educational leadership. Patriarchal practices in schools and at home that appear to disadvantage women could be mitigated, as in the case of India, by the strong cultural values placed on education, child-care support from family members and the availability of low-waged household labour.…”

Policy formation of intercultural and globally minded educational leadership preparation

“…Due to the complexity of leadership development and professional growth, it is common for neophytes to seek the assistance of more than one person depending on the diverse nature of needs. Furthermore, research has shown that the mentorship of members from underrepresented cultural, linguistic, racial, and gender groups who seek to work within majority communities may require unique sensitivities (see also Kring, 1992; Young and Brooks, 2008; Malone et al , 2010; Sperandio, 2010; McNae, 2010). While formal mentorship and coaching may be helpful, members of these groups may need to seek supports beyond traditional approaches that both affirm and offer tools for mediating difference(s).…”