Examining Leadership Perceptions and Practices to Deliberate on Educational Policy Implementation - an Interdisciplinary Approach

Year 2017, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 1 - 10, 01.05.2017

Stefan Rathert Yasemin Kırkgöz

Abstract

The importance of leadership preparation, development and informed practice as well as leaders’ explicit and implicit perceptions of leadership for the understanding of principle-based and effective educational innovation is uncontested. Problems reported in educational policy implementation, however, strongly suggest that leadership principles are often neglected or applied insufficiently. Starting from this observation, this study aimed to elicit the perceptions three Turkish leaders in different occupational domains hold on leadership, and to identify practices potentially conducive to implement educational policy. Perceptions and reported practices were then taken as a starting point to critically examine current problems of curricular innovation taking the case of English language teaching policy in Turkey as an example. For this reason, a standardized interview guide informed by the relevant literature was developed, and professionals in leadership positions were interviewed. The results emphasize the importance of leadership preparation and development and implicate the need to apply participative forms of leadership, so that English teachers, as copers of change, can attach meaning to educational reforms by relating them to existing beliefs about teaching and learning.

Keywords

Leadership preparation, Leadership development, Leadership practice, ELT policy

References

• Aksu, M., Cantürk, G., Akcan, F. & Sönmez, M.A. (2013). Change visions in schools: school leaders’ roles towards an unknown future. In: Aksu, M., Sabancı, A. & Aksu,T. (eds.). Educational leaders as change agents (pp. 111-130). Akdeniz University: Ani Publishing.
• Armstrong, M. (2006). A Handbook of human resource management.10th edition. London and Philadelphia: Kogan Page.
• Aslan, H. & Karip, E. (2014). Developing the leadership standards of school principals. Educational Administration: Theory and Practice 20(3), 225-279.
• Augier, M. & Vendelİ, M.T. (2003). Networks, cognition and management of tacit knowledge. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective Educational Leadership (pp. 74-88). London: Paul Chapman.
• Bakan, İ. & Büyükbeşe, T. (2010). Leadership “types” and “power supplies” on the current prospective status comparison: a case study based on perceptions of educational institution managers. KMÜ Sosyal ve Ekonomik Araştırmalar Dergisi 12(19), 73-84.
• Bennett, N. (2003). Structure, culture and power in organizations. In: Bennett, N., Crawford. M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 44-61). London: Paul Chapman.
• Briggs, A.R.J. & Sommefeldt, D. (2002). Managing effective learning and teaching. University of Leicester: Paul Chapman Publishing.
• Brighouse, T. & Wood, D. (1999). How to improve your school. London: Routledge.
• Burnes, B. (2007). Kurt Lewin and the Harwood studies. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science 43(2), 213-231.
• Bush T. (2008). Leadership and management development in education. London: Sage.
• Bush. T. (2014). Instructional leadership in centralized contexts: Rhetoric or reality? Educational Management Administration & Leadership 42(1), 3-5.
• Çakır, I. (2007). An overall analysis of teaching compulsory foreign language at Turkish state universities. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies 3(2), 250-265.
• Caldwell, B., Calnin, G. & Cahill, W. (2003). Mission impossible? An international analysis of headteacher/principal training. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective Educational Leadership (pp. 111-130). London: Paul Chapman.
• Carey, J. & Dabor, M. (1995). Management education: an approach to improved English language teaching. ELT Journal 49(1), 37-43.
• Çelik, S. & Kasapoğlu, H. (2014). Implementing the recent curricular changes to English language instruction in Turkey: opinions and concerns of elementary school administrators. South African Journal of Education 34(2), 1-14.
• Coleman, M. & Glover, D. (2010). Educational leadership and management: Developing insights and skills. Berkshire, England: Open University Press.
• Demir, Y. (2015). All or nothing: English as a foreign language (EFL) student teachers’ and teacher trainers’ reflections on a pre-service English teacher education program in Turkey. Anthropologist 19(1), 157-165.
• Dimmock, C. (2003). Leadership in learning-centred schools: Cultural Context, functions and qualities. In: Brundrett, M., Burton, N. & Smith, R. (eds.). Leadership in education (pp. 3-22). London: Sage.
• DiPaola, M.F. (2003). Conflict and change: Daily challenges for school leaders. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 143-158). London: Paul Chapman.
• Doğan, S., Demir, S.B. & Pınar, M.A. (2014). Evaluation of the 4+4+4 continuous compulsory education in line with the opinions of classroom teachers. Elementary Education Online 13(2), 503-517.
• Dogancay-Aktuna, S. (2005). Intercultural communication in English language teacher education. ELT Journal 59(2), 99-107
• Doğançay-Aktuna, S. & Kızıltepe, Z. (2005). English in Turkey. World Englishes 24(2), 253-265.
• Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change. 4th edition. New York and London: Teachers College Press.
• Gravetter, F.J., & Forzano, L.-A. B. (2012). Research methods for the behavioral sciences. 4th edition. Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.
• Gümüş, S. & Akçaoğlu, M. (2013). Instructional leadership in Turkish primary schools: an analysis of teachers’ perceptions and current policy. Educational Management & Leadership 41(3): 289-302.
• Gürsoy E., Korkmaz, S.Ç. & Damar, A.E. (2013). Foreign language teaching within 4+4+4 education system in Turkey: Language teachers’ voices. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research 53(A), 59-74.
• Harris, A., Busher, H. & Wise, C. (2003). Effective training for subject leaders. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 131-142). London: Paul Chapman.
• Horner, M. (2003). Leadership theory reviewed. In Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 27-43). London: Paul Chapman.
• House, R., Javidan M., Hanges P. & Dorfman, P. (2002). Understanding cultures and implicit leadership theories across the globe: an introduction to project GLOBE. Journal of World Business 37, 3-10.
• Kelloway, E.K., Weigand, H., McKee, M.C. & Das, H. (2013). Positive leadership and employee well-being. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies 20(1), 107-117.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2007). Innovation as a curriculum renewal process in a Turkish University. In: Rice, A. (ed.). Revitalizing an established program for adult learners (pp.135-158). Alexandria: TESOL Publications.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2008). A case study of teachers’ implementation of curriculum innovation in English language teaching in Turkish primary education. Teacher and Teacher Education 24, 1859-1875.
• Kırkgöz, Y. (2009). Globalization and English language policy in Turkey. Educational Policy 23(5), 663-684.
• Köksal, O. (2011). A cultural leadership paradox: paternalism. Mustafa Kemal University Journal of Social Sciences Institute 8(15), 101-122.
• Markee, N. (1997). Managing curricular innovation. Cambridge: CUP.
• Maya, İ. (2014). Primary and secondary school administrators’ tendency to change. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116, 2462-2468.
• Mayo, E. (1949). Hawthorne and the Western Electric Company: The social problems of an industrial civilisation. London: Routledge.
• Uzun, M.E. & Alat, K. (2014). First grade teachers’ opinions about the implementation of 4+4+4 education system and school readiness of students. Abant İzzet Baysal Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi 14(2), 15-44.
• Ministry of National Education [T.C. Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı] (2013). İlköğretim kurumları (ilkokullar ve ortaokullar).İngilizce dersi (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 ve 8. sınıflar) öğretim programı. Ankara [pdf document]. Available at: http://ttkb.meb.gov.tr/dosyalar/programlar/ilkogretim/ingilizce_2-8.rar
• Mulford, B. (2003). Leadership in education: losing sight of our interests. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 3-13). London: Paul Chapman.
• Nahavandi A. (2008). The art and science of leadership. New Jersey: Pearson Education. OECD (2013). Education Policy http://www.oecd.org/edu/EDUCATION%20POLICY%20OUTLOOK%20TURKEY_EN.pdf. Outlook: Turkey. Available at:
• Riley, K. & MacBeath, J.(2003). Effective leaders and effective schools. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright, M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 173-185). London: Paul Chapman.
• Saldana, J. (2009). The coding manual for qualitative researchers. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
• Sergiovani, T.J. (2003). The lifeworld at the center: Values and action in educational leadership. In: Bennett, N., Crawford, M. & Cartwright M. (eds.). Effective educational leadership (pp. 14-24). London: Paul Chapman.
• Tripathy, P.C. & Reddy, P.N. (2008). Principles of management.4th edition. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill.
• Turan, S. & Elbiçlioğlu, N. (2002). Okul Müdürlerinin liderlik özelliklerinin cinsiyet acısından değerlendirilmesi. Kuram ve Uygulamada Eğtim Yönetimi 31, 444-458.
• Uztosun, M.S. & Troudi, S. (2015). Lecturers’ views of curriculum change at English language teaching departments in Turkey. Novitas-Royal 9(1), 15-29.
• Waters A. (2014). Managing innovation in English language education: A research agenda. Language Teaching 47, 92-110.
• Yiğit, A.M. (2012). Evaluating the problems encountered in the DynEd implementation and implications for ELT. Journal of Education and Instructional Studies in the World 2(4), 143-153.
• Yukl, G. (1998). Leadership in Organizations. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. (word count: 5748)
• Appendix: Interview questions Background
• • How did you achieve your leadership position? (Application, nomination, promotion, etc.?)
• • Which qualifications helped you to reach your leadership position?
• • Did you have any experience as leader before reaching this position?
• Leadership practice • What responsibilities and duties do you have in your position? • How do you deal with conflict in your workplace? What strategies do you use? Which ones do you find most effective? • Do you use different strategies for cognitive and affective conflicts? • Has there been resistance of staff members against your leadership? If so, how did/do you deal with it? • How do you motivate your staff? 10