Principal theories of practice : mapping the cognitive structure and effects of instructional leadership

Theories of practice;Instructional leadership;Principals;Teacher;Reflective practice

Gary W. Houchens

University:University of Louisville

Department:Department of Leadership, Foundations, and Human Resource Education

关键词: Theories of practice;    Instructional leadership;    Principals;    Teacher;    Reflective practice;   

Others  :  https://ir.library.louisville.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1638&context=etd

美国|英语

来源: The Universite of Louisville's Institutional Repository

【 摘 要 】

This dissertation builds on the work of Argyris and Schön (1974), who explainedpatterns of organizational learning using a concept called theories of practice, cognitiveformulas for professional problem solving. Theories of practice consist of deeply heldassumptions that logically imply certain action strategies. Argyris and Schönhypothesized that by engaging in deep reflection on assumptions and action strategies,professionals could develop more effective theories of practice based on alternateassumptions and action strategies. This dissertation explores the instructional leadershiptheories of practice of four successful school principals using a naturalistic, qualitative,multi-case design. Data gathering methods included interviews, observations, and awritten reflective exercise completed by principals. The researcher used constantcomparative analysis to categorize data until the theories of practice for each principalemerged. Three research questions framed the study. The first question identified theprincipals’ instructional leadership theories of practice. Findings revealed that theseprincipals used three to six theories of practice based on strong moral and utilitarianassumptions regarding the inherent dignity and worth of both teachers and students, andthe positive academic effects of recognizing and affirming that worth. Action strategies included building positive relationships, inviting teacher input, fostering collaboration,unifying staff around a common mission, and encouraging continuous teacherprofessional growth. The second research question investigated the effect of principaltheories of practice on teachers. Teachers from the case study schools reported thatprincipal theories of practice affected them in a variety of positive ways, including higherlevels of job satisfaction and motivation, strong affiliation with the school, and a sense ofpersonal responsibility for student outcomes. The third research question explored theextent to which principals engaged reflection on their practice. Findings were limited toonly two examples: (a) principals engaged in double-loop learning by developing“special case” theories of practice for correcting underperforming teachers who failed torespond to the principals’ preferred methods of leadership, and (b) by learning fromfeedback to place more emphasis on inviting teacher input. The final chapter discussesthe study’s implications for principal preparation programs, school districts, policymakers, and principal professional development.