A strategy to scaffold principals as instructional leaders: a case of underperforming secondary schools at Amajuba district.
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Date
2020
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University of Zululand
Abstract
This study aims at scaffolding secondary school principals as instructional leaders, guided by specific objectives to understand the need for a strategy to scaffold them as instructional leaders; to explore strategies to support them as instructional leaders; to investigate existing strategies supporting them as instructional leaders; to anticipate the threats to emerging strategies; and to indicate what are the best practices. Framed within critical social theory (CST), with its agenda of emancipation, empowerment, liberation and social justice, it is informed by the qualitative research method, applying participatory action research (PAR) as an approach to addresses power sharing, emancipation and working with real challenges to bring about change in the community. Participants were able to work collaboratively in finding solutions to the challenges principals encounter, with data generated through focus group discussions and subjected to critical discourse analysis (CDA). The empirical analysis, interpretation of data and discussion, and the findings resulting from interventions were conducted using CDA. In the first part reflections are made through PAR, looking at the challenges faced by principals as caused by absence of a dedicated instructional leadership team. The second part identifies the components of the solutions as strategies to be used to counteract the challenges. In conclusion, the study argues that underperformance can be undone not by an individual but rather by working as a team having a collaborative relationship, with all stakeholders engaged and able to partake in decision-making and being involved collectively. It presents a strategy that can respond to challenges faced by principals of underperforming secondary schools.
Description
A dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the academic requirements for the degree of Master of Education in the Curriculum and Instructional Studies in the Faculty of Education, University of Zululand, 2020.