Assignment HMEL5043 Seminar Paper in School Leadership May 2022 Semester
Assignment HMEL5043 Seminar Paper in School Leadership May 2022 Semester
Assignment HMEL5043 Seminar Paper in School Leadership May 2022 Semester
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HMEL5043
SEMINAR PAPER IN SCHOOL LEADERSHIP
MAY 2022 SEMESTER
According to research that has been conducted regarding school improvement, leadership is
often linked to ethic training and peer coaching (Bauch, 2001). Several bodies of research support
Bauch’s theory and is utilized for a basis for this paper to understand if school leadership can create a
positive climate. Evaluating the impact of effective leadership includes the organizational management,
school learning culture, teacher satisfaction, staff engagement, instructional strategies, professional
development, budget issues, and a host of other leadership duties (Bottoms & Davis, 2010). According
to Marzano’s (2003) research, five essential strengths were found that support a systematic approach
and best practice to enhance school improvement. Leadership, parent-community ties, professional
capacity, student-centered learning climate, and ambitious instruction, were listed as significant
measures to increase student achievement and foster a positive climate.
A survey conducted amongst four turn-around (restart) schools that achieved persistently low
scores, placed four highly qualified principals to begin the restructure of the schools (O’Brien &
Dervarics, 2013). The evidence closely examined the five essential strengths (listed in the previous
paragraph) as key indicators for improvements in academic achievement, staff retention rate, parent
involvement, and behavioral interventions. The professional learning community helps to facilitate
student learning and create higher expectations for students. Effective leadership provides opportunities
for growth, by developing relationships with stakeholders in and out of school buildings, and
influencing the school culture.
More research reviews by Waters (2003), is dedicated to balanced leadership and student
outcomes. The module for establishing a case for effective leadership measures the meditating effects
of collaborative teacher development/engagement, while assessing the influence by leadership on
student achievement. This research proposal focuses on more specific school reform research that
contributes to leadership and comprehensive design programs, to inform changes regarding the
development of high-quality schools. This proposal also contains elements of best practices strategies
to address other organizational structures that create an information rich environment.
Drawing on research from other high performing learning communities, the U.S. Department of
Education conducted a two-fold comprehensive study, to conduct an in-depth case study on leadership
and student achievement (U.S. Department of Education, 2010).
Combining with West Ed and American Institutes for Research (AIR), the United States
Department of Education (U.S.D.E) determined that certain factors play important roles in how a
school performs. Leadership is listed as one of the main supports to school achievement. This includes
administration as a whole and not just the role of the principal. Many public and charter schools are
directed by board members and management companies that make the decisions for academic,
behavioral, and assessment policies, that are mandated to teaching staff. Although school leadership is
directly related to the principal, the overall leadership of board members and the style of the
management company for a charter school acts as a catalyst for improving teaching and learning.
School leaders need collaborative skills the work with boards and the management company to come to
an agreement on decisions that impact academic, behavioral and assessment policies.
According to research that has been conducted on relationship pf principal instructional
leadership, school climate, teacher job performance and student achievement ( Vartika & Sanggeeta,
2021) School climate was examined under two broad dimensions, the social and affective and the
physical environment. Results of mediation analysis showed that the benefits of principal instructional
leadership for student achievement are operationalized as an indirect effect. This indirect effect is
realized primarily through the physical environment, and the in-role task performance of teachers. No
significant contribution to the indirect effect through the social and affective environment was found.
The latter, nonetheless, fully mediated the relationship between the instructional leadership and extra-
role or citizenship behavior of teachers. These findings underscore the different and distinct mediating
roles played by the social and affective, and physical dimensions of the school climate in our model.
Researchers have attempted to quantify the leadership process and establish relationships between
dimensions of leadership, school climate, teacher effectiveness, and student learning (Deal & Peterson,
1990; Maehr, 1990; Waters, et al. 2004). Early research by Brookover (1979), Edmonds (1979), and
Rutter, Maughn, Mortimore, and Ouston (1979) found that correlates of effective schools include
strong leadership, a climate of expectation, an orderly but not rigid atmosphere, and effective
communication. These researchers and others suggest that the presence or absence of a strong
educational leader, the climate of the school, and attitudes of the teaching staff can directly influence
student achievement.
Research has related effective school leadership to significant increases in student achievement. Waters,
Marzano, and McNulty (2004) conducted a meta analysis of 70 studies on education leadership and
established 21 leadership responsibilities that are significantly related to higher levels of student
achievement. Blake and Mouton (1985) indicated that leaders who fully understand leadership theory
and improve their ability to lead are able to reduce employee frustration and negative attitudes in the
work environment. As instructional leaders, principals can foster an understanding of the school vision,
facilitate implementation of the mission, and establish the school climate. Ubben and Hughes (1992)
stated that principals could create a school climate that improves the productivity of both staff and
students and that the leadership style of the principal can foster or restrict teacher effectiveness. Hersey
and Blanchard (1988) discussed leadership in relationship to several factors: preferred style of
leadership, maturity of followers, expectations of followers, and task at hand. They developed the well-
known Situational Leadership Model that identified four styles of leadership: autocratic (telling),
democratic (selling), encouraging and social (participating), and laissez-faire style (delegating). These
leadership behaviors range from very leader-directed to non-directive approaches. Situational leaders
must analyze the various skills, needs, and strengths of the faculty and respond to many divergent
situations-the appropriate response depends on the situation and circumstances. Assessment of
Leadership Style Blanchard, Hambleton, Zigarmi, and Forsyth (1991a, 1991b) developed the Leader
Behavior Analysis II (LBAII) to assess leadership styles. Respondents choose from four leadership
styles for each of 20 leadership scenarios. Using two forms of the LBAII, principals self-rated their
leadership style and teachers rated their perception of their principal's style. The LBAII provides two
primary scores: Leader Effectiveness and Flexibility. Zigarmi, Edeburn, & Blanchard (1995) reported
reliability coefficients from six research studies that ranged from .54 to .86 with a median value of .74.
The Leader Effectiveness Scale (EFF) represents the degree to which the leader uses the most
appropriate response for each situation. Zigarmi, Edeburn, and Blanchard (1995) stated that "The
effectiveness score is the most important score derived from the LBAII instrument... " (p. 7). The
Flexibility Scale (FLX) represents the degree to which a leader will select varying styles over a range
of situations. A flexible leader uses a variety of different styles to solve situations; by contrast, the less
flexible leader uses a limited number of styles to resolve most problems. The effectiveness and
flexibility scores are computed across the 20 scenarios that are provided in the LBAII. School Climate
Researchers have used various definitions of climate; Hoy and Miskel (2005, p. 185) defined school
climate as "the set of internal characteristics that distinguish one school from another and influence the
behaviors of each school's members." Kottkamp (1984) suggested that climate consists of shared
values, interpretations of social activities, and commonly held definitions of purpose. Hoy, Tarter, and
Kottkamp (1991, p. 10) stated that "school climate is the relatively enduring quality of the school
environment that is experienced by participants, affects their behavior and is based on their collective
perception of behavior in schools." A positive school climate can enhance staff performance, promote
higher morale, and improve student achievement (Freiberg, 1998). Heck (2000) and Goddard et al.
(2000) linked school climate and student achievement. "School climate may be one of the most
important ingredients of a successful instructional program. Without a climate that creates a
harmonious and well functioning school, a high degree of academic achievement is difficult, if not
downright impossible to obtain" (Hoyle, English, & Steffy, 1985, p. 15). Bulach, Malone, and
Castleman (1995) found a significant relationship between student achievement and school climate; in
addition, Bulach and Malone (1994) concluded that school climate is a significant factor in successful
school reform. Urban (1999) stated; "Unless students experience a positive and supportive climate,
some may never achieve the most minimum standards or realize their full potential" (p. 69). Hoy,
Tarter, and Bliss (1990) found that long-term improvement in academic achievement was related to
schools with strong academic emphasis within the context of healthy and open climates. Birdin (1992)
and Zigarmi, Edeburn, and Blanchard (1991) found strong positive correlations between effectiveness
scores and selected climate variables. The behaviors of building level principals are linked to the
climate of school buildings-effective leadership is critical. Researchers have related principal behaviors
to school climate (Bulach, Boothe, & Pickett, 1998; Peterson, 1990); indeed, the climate of a school
can be shaped by the actions and behaviors of the building principal (Sergiovanni & Starratt, 1998).
Bulach et al. (1998) found that teachers' views of teacher-principal interactions were related to school
climate. The principal's instructional leadership behaviors affect the climate and instructional
organization, both of which are linked to student achievement (Bossert, Dwyer, Rowan, & Lee, 1982).
Several studies have established links between instructional leadership and the climate of the school
(Lane, 1992; Hallinger & Murphy, 1987; Hoy et al., 1991; Sergiovanni, 1995). Principal's behaviors are
related to school climate, e.g. effective communication, teacher advocacy, participatory
decisionmaking, and equitable evaluation procedures
3.0 Problem Statement
To establish and track school improvement is a helpful tool to both researchers and school
policy makers. Proper research aims to help those invested in education better understand the
relationship of school improvement, student progress, and the effect of leadership on the school
climate. Although there is a lot of research on school improvement and raising test scores, insufficient
research still remains on specific school interventions by leadership and how school climate and
student achievement are affected. Some causes could be lack of understanding critical components of
leadership, school processes, and critical parts of school improvement interventions.
The research proposes to identify and understand how effective leadership behaviors move the school
forward toward achievements based on major positive leadership characteristics in port Dickson
district. As stated previously, the school climate focuses on more than just school climate, but
specifically how principal’s leadership plays in the overall goal of increasing student achievement. The
school leader’s leadership style is one of the many key components of the school climate. In order for
the school to maximize student achievement the principal needs to have or develop through training
many of the characteristics of positive school leadership
4.0 Research Questions
This proposal addresses how effective leadership plays a role in positive school climate, and what other
factors can affect student’s achievements.
1. What types of leadership influence positive school climate?
These questions require setting goals and strategies that focus on the perspectives and needs of the
schools itself which includes positive school leadership characteristics one of the determining factors of
school success.
5. Leaders communication
6. Leaders empower their staff and protect them from unwarranted outside interference
7. Ability to operate
6.0 Theoretical Framework
The qualitative review of the theories of leadership by Dinha et al. (2014) categorized two main
groups: established theories and emerging ones. In the case of emerging theories, those conceptualized
as theories of ethical or positive orientation have been the most analysed. These include theories of
authentic, servant, spiritual and moral leadership. All of them, along with transformational leadership,
are included within the conceptual framework that we are analysing here, that of positive leadership.
TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP
The concept of transformational leadership was introduced by Burns (1978), based on the qualitative
analysis of the biographies of political leaders and the precursor of the current forms of positive
leadership. The most notable development of the construct is that of Bass (1985), who proposed the
multifactorial leadership theory. This conceptualizes leadership based on defined behaviours that are
articulated on the basis of three factors: transformational leadership, transactional leadership and
laissez-faire leadership. Transformational leadership has been characterized as one that establishes a
vision for the future among the members of the organization; it considers the individual differences
between the members of the organization and acts as a stimulus to the achievement of organizational
goals and objectives (Yammarino & Bass, 1990). Transformational leaders are described as capable of
motivating their followers to transcend their own individual interests, in order to guide their behaviour
to achieve collective goals (Bass, 1985). The transformational leader is postulated as contrary to the
transactional leader, whose main characteristic is to formulate the exchange of rewards contingent to
the followers producing a number of desired behaviours (Burns, 1978). Transformational leadership
represents, in this sense, a replacement of the transactional leadership approach, which is the model that
had dominated the theoretical landscape until then. According to Bass (1999), the transformational
leader integrates four essential factors: (a) idealized influence, (b) inspirational motivation, (c)
intellectual stimulation and (d) the individualized consideration of the followers. Bass (1985) also
defined the laissez-faire leadership style as one that is paradoxically characterized by the absence of
transactional or transformational qualities in the leader. Some authors consider it a destructive kind of
leadership which has a systematic relationship with organizational stressors (Rodríguez-Muñoz et al.,
2012; Skogstad et al., 2007). The studies by Bass led to the development of the Multifactor Leadership
Questionnaire (Bass, 1985). This questionnaire has been used in construct validation and research; in
the case of the Spanish population, its factor structure has been established by Molero, Recio and
Cuadrado (2010). The model of transformational leadership has become one of the most relevant for
understanding the effectiveness of leaders in organizations (Lowey Gardner, 2001). There is extensive
empirical evidence that behaviours related to transformational leadership have a positive effect on
individual and group variables, such as employee engagement, motivation and the efficient execution
of tasks (Cruz-Ortiz, Salanova & Martínez 2013a), as well as variables related to the overall
organizational effectiveness and performance of a company (Bono & Judge, 2004; Cruz-Ortiz,
Salanova & Martínez 2013b). SERVANT LEADERSHIP The concept of servant leadership was
conceived and introduced in the organizational context by Greenleaf (1977). The author formulated this
type of leadership based on his own professional corporate experience as well as his own intellectual
reflection (Spears, 1996). The philosophical foundations of servant leadership are also rooted in the
Christian tradition (Sendjaya & Sarros, 2002). The theory of servant leadership emphasizes the concept
of service to others and the recognition that the role of the organization is to enable the formation of
individuals who can help create a positive organizational environment. The servant leader is one who
places the needs, aspirations and interests of his followers over his own; the deliberate choice is to
serve others in order to achieve their development and the success of the organization (Greenleaf,
1977). This idea is of vital importance in the current context, in which both researchers and
professionals, in various sectors of the economy, aim to respond to the dominant perception that
corporate leaders have developed a pattern of behaviour that is rather inconsistent with basic ethical
principles (Parris & Peachey, 2013). The concept of servant leadership has attracted much attention
recently, and although there is not yet a large body of supporting data, systematic research has begun to
develop on the subject. Much of this is linked to the foundational texts by Greenleaf and the activity of
the Greenleaf Center (Parris & Peachey, 2013). This research has focused on two areas of interest so
far. First, the development of theoretical frameworks for understanding the construct (Russell & Stone,
2002; Van Dierendonck, 2011; Van Dierendonck, 2014; Chiniara & Bentein, 2016); and secondly, on
the development of measurement tools that enable the expansion of the research and the construction of
a valid theory (Reid et al, 2014; Liden et al, 2015). This empirical gap currently poses a limitation on
the foundation of the model, which requires the research to be developed focused on the essential
elements of the theory (Bass, 2000). Currently, the most notable theoretical contributions (Page &
Wong, 2000; Russell & Stone 2002), as recognized by the authors themselves, are basically
hypothetical constructs that generate debate and lay the structural foundations for further analysis and
research. JAVIER BLANCH, FRANCISCO GIL, MIRKO ANTINO, AND ALFREDO RODRÍGUEZ-
MUÑOZ 171 Special Section SPIRITUAL LEADERSHIP The concept of spirituality reflects the state
of the intimate relationship with the inner self, the bearer of moral values (Fairholm, 1997). Along with
the physical, rational and emotional dimensions, the spiritual dimension facilitates the internal and
external balance of individuals in organizations (Moxley, 2000). It is important to note that spirituality
is a broader concept than that represented by the organized religions, with their principles, dogmas and
doctrines (Zellers & Perrewe, 2003). The theory of spiritual leadership arises in a context in which
conventional leadership does not seem sufficient to meet the needs of individuals in the organizational
environment. The initial studies attempted to determine the spiritual characteristics of effective leaders.
Thus, authors such as Fairholm (1996) identified a number of qualities, defined as the presence of
defined life goals, deeply rooted moral convictions, high intellectual ability, social skills and a special
orientation to the development of values in others. Moreover, Reave (2005) in her review of the
scientific literature on spiritual leadership, found a clear correlation between spiritual values and
practices, and effective leadership. Fairholm (1996), inspired by the ideas of Greenleaf (1977) on
servant leadership, is the author who developed the first model of spiritual leadership. This model
incorporates elements associated with the capabilities, needs and interests of both the leader and their
followers, as well as the objectives and goals of the organization. Spiritual leaders lend their support to
the rest so they can articulate their decisions on the important areas of their life. They develop an
inspiring vision and mission that encourages the development of a spirit of cooperation, mutual support
and commitment to the effective functioning of the organization. The author himself, however,
acknowledges that these parameters and the underlying processes require more precise
operationalization to give consistency to the model (Fry, 2003). Later, Fry (2003), taking the above
formulation as a reference, developed a causal theory of spiritual leadership based on a motivational
model that incorporates concepts such as vision, hope, faith, altruistic love and spiritual survival. This
theory sees leadership as a vector that facilitates organizational transformation as an intrinsically
motivated entity, focused on continuous learning. There are, however, two key areas that these models
have not fully clarified. The first is the growing epistemological critique of the existing empirical
studies on organizational spirituality; the second is the need to create a more detailed and systematic
understanding of the variable we call spirituality that characterizes this form of leadership (Benefiel,
2005). AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP Authentic leadership emerges linked to the attempt to overcome
the many examples of unethical behaviour that have recently occurred in the political and business
environment (Luthans & Avolio, 2003). The concept of authenticity is rooted in Greek philosophy,
although it was later used by humanistic psychology (Maslow, 1968), and it has recently been linked to
certain areas of positive psychology (Harter, 2002). Authentic leaders can be described as those
endowed with deep moral convictions, whose behaviour is strongly inspired by these ethical principles
for the benefit of the group (Gardner et al., 2005). These leaders are well aware of the actual content of
their thoughts, emotions, skills, value system and how they are perceived by others. They also possess
qualities such as confidence, optimism, hope, resilience and moral strength (Avolio et al., 2004). In
addition, they avoid behaving inconsistently and hiding their ideas and emotions, even when these
might be uncomfortable for their followers (Luthans & Avolio, 2003). Avolio and Gardner (2005), the
most prominent authors of this field, define, in their model, the components of authentic leadership
linked to (1) the leader: positive psychological capital, moral perspective, self-knowledge and self-
regulation of behaviour, (2) the processes of influence: personal and social identification, modelling
positive behaviour, emotional contagion and social exchange based on reciprocity and consistency, (3)
the followers: self-awareness, self-regulation, personal development and (4) the organizational context.
The interaction of these components creates a sustainable organizational competitive advantage which
produces positive psychological results (Luthans & Youssef, 2004). To facilitate the research, the
construct was operationalized through the development of a scale, the Authentic Leadership
Questionnaire. Four dimensions were identified in its validation process: (1) self-knowledge, (2)
transparency in interpersonal relationships, (3) internalized moral perspective and (4) balanced
processing of information (Walumbwa et al., 2008). This questionnaire was validated for the Spanish
population by Moriano et al. (2011). The conceptual and empirical connections between authentic
leadership and the attitudes and behaviours of followers is an area of research that has attracted great
interest. There is a promising set of preliminary investigations which requires, however, greater
empirical support (Avolio et al., 2004). These authors suggest that authentic leaders increase the social
identification of followers with the organizational principles. Authentic leaders are also perceived as
more credible sources of information by the followers and they are considered to be generators of clear
goals as well as clear plans for reaching them (Luthans & Jensen, 2002). Finally, authentic leaders
build the trust of followers by encouraging open communication, sharing critical information and trying
to increase their involvement with work (Avolio et al., 2004). ETHICAL LEADERSHIP The ethical
dimensions are present in the transformational, servant and especially the authentic model of
leadership. Some authors have tried to develop the concept of ethical leadership as an independent
construct. Brown and Treviño (2006) provide the most developed and robust model of ethical
leadership. According to their definition, ethical leadership seeks to promote normatively appropriate
behaviours, in the followers, through personal actions and interpersonal relationships between them and
the leader, using a reward system and transparent communication. A fundamental conceptual issue is
the fact that POSITIVE LEADERSHIP MODELS 172 Special Section there is a lack of a precise and
universally accepted definition regarding what is defined as appropriate normative behaviour,
characteristic of this type of leadership (Frisch & Huppenbauer, 2014). Empirical research has not yet
made it possible to determine conclusively the processes that underlie the ethical dimensions of moral
leadership. Brown et al. (2005) have suggested a set of psychological processes that explain the
relationship between this kind of leadership and behaviours of ethical nature, such as prosocial and
antisocial behaviours. These theoretical processes would are related to learning and social exchange
(Bandura, 1986). Thus, ethical leaders can be considered as models of behaviour who stand out in an
ethically neutral environment. Finally, there have been few attempts to develop tools for measuring
moral leadership. The psychometric properties of the questionnaires developed hinder the validation of
the construct and the theoretical progress of this model (Brown et al., 2005; Riggio et al., 2010)
POSITIVE LEADERSHIP Positive leadership contains obvious areas of overlap with a number of the
types of leadership analysed. The existing literature states that it is linked conceptually to
transformational leadership (Bass, 1985) and authentic leadership (Avolio & Gardner, 2005). Both
models have solid empirical support, as we have seen, however, this is not the case of positive
leadership whose theoretical consolidation is still in the process of being confirmed. The most notable
approach is that developed by Cameron (2013). According to this author, this leadership style is based
on the application of positive behavioural principles emerging from disciplines such as positive
psychology (Seligman et al., 2005) and positive organizational psychology (Cameron et al., 2003).
Specifically, positive leadership has three basic components: (1) it places the focus on people’s
strengths and abilities that reaffirm their human potential, (2) it emphasizes results and facilitates above
average individual and organizational performance, and (3) its field of action is concentrated on the
components that can be seen as essential virtues of the human condition. Expressed another way, the
concept of positive leadership is based on the existence of a continuum, on which any leader can be
situated. Positive leaders are those whose behaviours show an orientation towards the positive extreme
(Wooten & Cameron, 2010). The empirical evidence that supports this theoretical framework is not
abundant; despite the growing interest in the theory, there are few studies that consolidate it (Kelloway
et al., 2013). The relevant contributions with regards to its measurement are equally scarce and the
psychometric properties of the existing instruments need further development (Antino et al., 2014).
However, there are a number of studies related to the practical aspects linked to the development of
healthy organizations that appear to show the validity of the construct. Thus, it has been observed that,
in the teams led by a positive leader, the members show higher levels of well-being at work and the
presence of positive emotions (Kelloway et al., 2013). It has also been found that positive leadership
increases the performance of the members of the organization and their commitment, improves
communication and interpersonal relationships, enables the creation of a positive working environment
and stimulates innovation (Cameron, 2013). Finally, the presence of a positive leadership style seems to
have facilitated the merger of organizations as well as having increased the levels of customer
satisfaction (Cameron & Plews, 2012). Due to the recent appearance of this model, it is hoped that
supporting empirical evidence will be constructed in the future.
7.0 Conceptual Famework
But the heads who adopts a leadership style that creates fear and suspicion among the teachers
and students or uses punishment and command influences of negative school climate. The teachers and
the students will view the school as unsafe and unwanted and they are likely not to be committed to the
attainment of school aims and targets. Therefore for this study, democratic and transformational
leadership styles were associated with open school climates which creates positive school climate while
laissez-faire, autocratic and transactional leadership styles were associated with closed and controlled
climates which also creates negative school climate.
Independent Variable Use Of leadership Styles Dependent
Variable
{ { }
Democratic Open
Leadership
Style
Heads’ Transformatio Shared vision
Leadership nal Leadership and goals
Style Style Positive
Directive Allow School
Leadership contribution Climate
Style
Autocratic Offer
leadership Guidance
Style
}
Transactional Command and
Leadership punishment Negative
Style School
Use of threats Climate
8.0 Research Methodology
The proposed research is a qualitative research design to explore leadership influence on school
climate and improvement. In this proposed research, I will use the ethnographic research design by
collecting school achievement data and teacher, student, board member and parent surveys.
Ethnographic designs are described as qualitative research procedures where the researcher spends a
long time for describing, analyzing, and interpreting a culture-sharing group’s patterns of behavior, and
beliefs that develop over time (Savin & Howell, 2013).
This research will be conducted in state of Michigan. The participants of this study will include
principals, teachers, and students from 10 different schools. I will also conducting interviews with
school principals who achieve improvement during the academic year of 2012/2013 in state of
Michigan. This is a purposive sampling method because it is best used with small numbers of
individuals or groups.
This ethnographic design is identified as sufficient for understanding human perceptions, problems,
needs, behaviors, and contexts, which are the main justification for a qualitative audience research. The
sampling process will be conducted through using interview questions, surveys with protection their
identity and analysis of student data.
Effective school leadership offers both great opportunities and challenges for all schools. This
research project proposes to explore how school leadership preparation can have an influence on a positive
school climate. It is important to note up front the complexity and dynamics of what school climate entails.
Schools nationwide have been immersed in the structural components of school climate through the School
Improvement Plan. This component seems to be well entrenched in school systems and this in itself is a
challenge to implement. And, with this component in place, our nation still has many schools that are not
meeting national expectations.
There is evidence that shows how, outside of the influences in classroom instruction, school leadership
can affect student learning (Dufour & Mattos, 2013). According to Balyer (2012), successful school
leaders can set the tone to influence achievement amongst students, staff, and other school related
organizations. Research that I have reviewed and that are mentioned in the literature review of this
paper indicates that successful school leaders demonstrate qualitative character traits that creates a
school climate that facilities learning. Can these traits be learned? Studies suggest that leadership is a
skill that requires a specific preparation to promote school reform and new performance outcomes
(Hartly & Kecskemethy, 2008).
This study will collect specific qualitative data about school principals to determine to what extent the
principals manifest the character traits for a successful school leader, then the data will be correlated
with school improvement data to determine if quality characteristics or lack of quality characteristics
have an impact on student achievement.
Rational for a Qualitative Design
According to Savin and Howell (2013), a qualitative research is aimed at gaining a deeper
understanding of a specific organization or event, rather than surface descriptions of a large sample of a
population. It aims to provide an explicit rendering of the structure, order, and broad patterns found
among a group of participants. It generates data about human groups in social settings. This is the
appropriate approach for this research because this study is looking at a broad selection of perceptual
characteristics of principal behavior. For example, one of the examples of a character trait of a
successful school leader is a strong communicator. It is unlikely that a researcher could count the
number of times that a leader displays strong communication.
However, the researcher can interview and ask specific questions to find out how the communication of
the school leader is perceived by a sufficient number of people. Then that number can be used to
correlate with student achievement. This why qualitative research must be used for this study.
Type of Design and Approach
This research study will use the ethnographic research design for collecting data. This design is an in-
depth qualitative procedure, as Savin and Howell (2013) claim, “where the researcher spends a long
period of time describing, analyzing, and interpreting a culture-sharing group’s patterns of behavior,
and beliefs that have developed over time.”
The use of the survey, interview and achievement data from ten different schools will allow the
researcher to analyze the data which will indicate the effect of successful leadership on school
improvement and student achievement. The sample of this study will be 10 principals and
approximately 150 teachers, 1000 parents’ and 4 office staff members. The correlation of this data will
allow the researcher to show the effect of leadership on school climate and students achievement.
According to Cherry (2000), “A sample between 90 and 150 participants who are representative of the
larger population is an adequate sample size for most studies where parametric statistical procedures
are included” (p. 89, p. 163).
Once the researcher select the ten schools, a letter were sent to each principal describing the
research aim and plan. The letter will ask permission to conduct interviews and collect data. Once the
researcher has the approval, an electronic form will be sent to the school principal (See Appendix A).
The main premise of this proposal is to determine how effective a school principal is in producing a
positive school climate which in turn will affect student achievement. The following questions will
support the premise of the study:
1. What types of principal’s leadership influence positive school climate?
9.0 Conclusion
This research proposal has sought to mark an initial effort to closely examine characteristics of
school leaders that help promote school improvement interventions for at-risk students. There are
unique characteristics required of the leaders that must be exerted in hopes to change school climates.
The following questions are implications for further research.
1. Does specific leadership characteristics help to promote of demote positive change?
2. Is there a unique formula to the change characteristics that schools or districts should seek to
implement that will guarantee the change needed?
3. What is the direct influence of leaders' values and beliefs in relation to their leadership skills?
This paper seeks to provoke an attempt to identify and provide suggestions to enhance the
characteristics of leaders who can enforce change, some major characteristics were found in the school
staff of those who have experienced the adventure of school transformation. Further research will
attempt to answer the questions that began at the start of this literature review, and will further the
understanding of what types of individuals can benefit from effective school.
10. References
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Achieving Dramatic School Improvement: An Exploratory Study.
Ash, R.C., & Persall, J.M. (1999). The principal as chief learning officer: Developing teacher Leaders
National Association of Secondary School Principals, 84 (616), 15-22.
Baden, M., & Major, C. (2013). Qualitative Research, The essential guide to theory and practice.
ISBN: 978-0-415-67478-2
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