Research: Education Management in SA (6)

Constructing a research agenda

Bush et al. (2006) say that their thematic review of the literature provides a starting point for the construction of a research agenda on school leadership and management in South Africa. The papers examined include many commentaries and literature reviews that help in constructing research questions but do not make a direct contribution to the body of research in this emerging field. The main research needs identified in the review are:

• Decision-making processes in schools, including the extent and nature of teacher participation and ‘distributed leadership’
• The extent and nature of ‘instructional’ leadership in schools
• The management of budgeting, fee-setting, and real resources
• Human resource management, especially redeployment, and teacher morale and reliability
• School choice, ‘transformation’ and the management of learner admissions
• Managing relationships with parents
• The impact of leadership and management training and development on the performance of principals
• The management of learner discipline.

Bush et al. (2006:47) assert that most of the literature reviewed does not connect empirical research with theory to produce insights into school policy and practice. In particular, there are few references to the changing culture of schools following the partial transformation and partial desegregation of schools. Culture may be regarded as the most useful concept for interpreting school management in the new South Africa.

( Conclusion )