Teachers and Administrators’ Views on Teacher Leadership: A Mixed Methods Study

Abstract

Background. Although literature on leadership in education confirms that principals are key in successful school development (Beycioğlu & Aslan, 2007; Dimmock, 1999; Fullan, 2000; Hallinger, 2003; Hallinger & Leithwood, 1996; Leithwood, Steinbach, & Ryan, 1997; Vandenberghe; 1998), recent research on school leadership claim that only principal leadership in schools is not effective to cope with complex changes, and that principals are not able to undertake all the managerial and/or leadership duties of our age. It has been recommended that leadership in schools should be restructured as a team action and distributed to the staffs that have leadership potential with the aim of collaboration (Begley, 2001; Dantley, 2005; Dimmock & Walker, 2000; Hallinger, 2005; Hargreaves, 2004; Harris, 2002, 2004; Timperley & Robinson, 2001; Fullan, 2002; Robertson & Weber, 2000; Sternberg, 2005). These issues put the concept of teacher leadership at the center and in the agendas of researchers of school leadership (Beycioğlu & Aslan, 2010; Can, 2006; Harris & Muijs, 2005, 2006; Lieberman & Miller, 2004; Leithwood, 2006; Leithwood & Jantzi, 2000; Reeves, 2008; Sawyer, 2005). When it is considered to distribute leadership in schools, teachers and teacher leadership attracts attention (Arrowsmith, 2005; Camburn, Rowan, & Taylor, 2003; Crawford, 2005; Donaldson, 2006; Firestone & Martinez, 2009; Goldstein, 2003; Harris, 2005, 2008, 2009; Harris & Muijs, 2008; Muijs & Harris, 2006, 2007; MacBeath, 2009; Mascall, Leithwood, Straus, & Sacks, 2008; Spillane, Camburn, Pustejovsky, Pareja, & Lewis, 2008). Purpose. This study aimed to reveal “to what degree do teachers and administrators perceive that there teacher have leadership roles in elementary schools” and “to what degree do teachers and administrators perceive that there teacher leadership roles ought to be in elementary schools” Method. In this study both quantitative and qualitative methods were used (Greene, Krayder, & Mayer, 2005; Verma & Mallick, 2005). Surveying was the quantitative data gathering method and focus group was the qualitative one (Cohen, Manion, & Morrison, 2005; Yıldırım & Şimşek, 2005). The population of the study comprised of 2833 teachers and administrators who were working for elementary schools in Hatay province central district, Turkey. Elementary schools that have less than 20 teachers were not included in the study. There were 3 private elementary schools.800 hundred surveys were sent to schools. Total number of surveys which was returned to the researchers was 721. Six hundred and fifty six (91.0%) of the participants were from state elementary schools and 65 (9.0%) of them were working in private schools. Qualitative data was gathered by means of 5 semi-structured focus groups with 6 participants in each. In focus groups, 12 teachers were from state schools, 6 were from private schools, and there were 12 administrators. To gather quantitative data, a five-scale Lykert type inventory, The Teacher Leadership Scale – TLS, was developed by the researchers to reveal teachers and administrators' perceptions and expectations on teacher leadership roles. The scale includes 25 items in both perception and expectation part. Factor analysis revealed that there are 3 subscales both in Perception and Expectation part in the scale. In the “Institutional Improvement” subscale, there are 9 items, the “Professional Improvement” subscale has 11 items, and 5 items are in the “Collaboration among Colleagues” subscale. During semi-structured focus group interviews, participants were asked 3 questions transformed from inventory questions and some other questions to get detailed understanding.Results. To analyze the data, mean, standard deviation, frequency, t-test and one way ANOVA were used. For qualitative analysis, audio-taped sounds, and written texts were transcribed and changed into texts. Then, the transcribed texts were coded. According to arithmetic means, total points of expectation and perception were different. While the mean for expectation was 110.99 (always), it was 96.66 (frequently) for perception. The interviews revealed that the expectations of the participants for teacher leadership were quite above the perceptions. In other words, quantitative results were supported by qualitative results of the study. The results also clarified that there were teacher leadership roles to a certain extent in elementary schools, and there were some significant differences among the participants of state and private schools in both expectation and perception parts. Interviews were similar to qualitative results of the study. It may be said that participants from private schools look more eager and open to teacher leadership roles which requires a collaborative culture in the a school. The differences between female and male participants' expectations were statistically significant, and the qualitative findings were in line with this result. Although there were not any significant differences between female and male in the perception part, females expect more teacher leadership roles than males. This result can be explained in terms of gender inequalities in Turkish school context of mostly male school principals. Kadir Beycioğlu & Battal Aslan During the interviews female participants were more positive to acting leadership roles. Finally we tested if there was a correlation between expectation and perception. We, as assumed, found a positive correlation (r = .41). Also there were positive correlations among the dimensions on a mid level. When the perception increases, expectation increases, too. The interviews revealed that the expectations of the participants for teacher leadership were quite above the perceptions. The quantitative results were supported by the qualitative results.

Keywords

• leadership , distributed leadership , teacher leadership , elementary schools

Öğretmen ve Yöneticilerin Öğretmen Liderliğine İlişkin Görüşleri: Bir Karma Yöntem Çalışması

Öz

Bu çalışma, ilköğretim okullarında görev yapan öğretmenlerin sergiledikleri liderlik rollerine ilişkin yöneticilerin ve öğretmenlerin algı ve beklentilerinin ne düzeyde olduğunu ortaya çıkarabilmeyi amaçlamıştır.Araştırmada, analiz tekniği olarak hem nicel hem nitel boyutları içeren karma yöntemler kullanılmıştır. Nicel boyutta anket tekniği, nitel boyutta ise odak grup görüşmesi tekniği kullanılmıştır.Verilerin analizi 721 veri toplama aracı ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Nitel boyutta 5 odak grup oturumunu içeren yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler yapılmıştır. Okulun gelişmesi, mesleki gelişim ve meslektaşlarla işbirliği boyutlarında katılımcıların çoğunluğu okullarında belirli bir düzeyde öğretmen liderliğinin var olduğunu gösteren davranışlar sergilendiği sonucunu destekler doğrultuda görüşler ifade etmişlerdir. Katılımcılarla gerçekleştirilen görüşmelere dayalı olarak, öğretmen liderliğine ilişkin beklentilerinin, algı düzeyine göre yüksek olduğu söylenebilir. Buna göre, nicel olarak elde edilen veriler, nitel olarak elde edilen veriler tarafından da desteklenmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• liderlik , paylaşılan liderlik , öğretmen liderliği ilköğretim okulları

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