Abstract
This study researched three major areas of the school Principalship within the Australian Capital Territory government school system. The three major areas of research concern related to school Principalship were:1. Changes in the role and responsibilities of the Principal
2. Skills Principals require to perform effectively within the role and responsibility.
3. How the education department may best facilitate and support effective performance of its Principals.
An outline of the history of administrative and organisational restructuring within the A.C.T. government education system during the past two decades has been presented to provide the context of the study. A review of the literature also contributed to the contextual understanding of the study by examining specific issues and understandings within the literature. The specific issues and understandings related to:
• context and the role of the Principal
• concept of the role of the Principal
• instructional leadership and the role of the Principal
• administrative and organisational devolution and the role of the Principal
The research methodology used to examine the issues central to this study is qualitative or descriptive in nature, reflecting a phenomenological perspective. The data was collected through personal interviews conducted with senior administrators of the A.C.T. government school system and written questionnaires completed by Principals of the A.C.T. government school system. The data comprises the perceptions, ideas and beliefs of the two defined groups targeted in the study.
The analysis of responses presented the major findings regarding the perceptions, ideas and beliefs of the Principals and senior administrators of the A C T. government school system relating to the key research areas of this study. The major findings show that the role of the school Principal has changed, with Principals requiring a broader array of skills to effectively meet the challenges of the new role. The major findings discuss how the education department may best facilitate and support effective performance in the Principalship.
The conclusions of the study discuss how changes to the role of the Principal have increased the Principal's workload, with Principals now required to utilise a broader scope of often new skills to effectively perform their changed role and responsibilities. The Principal respondents and senior administrator respondents suggest best ways that the education department may facilitate and support effective performance of the Principalship. It was also suggested that the amount of professional development and training was inadequate to facilitate the performance of effective Principalship. Respondents indicated that incentives such as sabbatical leave for Principals be facilitated by the education department to ensure Principals' professional renewal.
Finally, the implications of the conclusions of the study address the ways in which the education department may best assist Principals to acquire the necessary new skills to effectively perform their changed role. The implications of the conclusions of the study also address the ways in which the education department may best facilitate and support Principals' professional renewal. The implications of the conclusions of the study state that the responsibility for Principals' professional development and renewal should be a shared responsibility between the school Principal and the education department.
| Date of Award | 1993 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
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