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Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership

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A special issue of Education Sciences (ISSN 2227-7102).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2018) | Viewed by 53363

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Paul Miller

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Guest Editor

School of Education & Professional Development, University of Huddersfield, Queensgate, Huddersfield HD1 3DH, UK
Interests: race and educational leadership; teacher migration and identity (overseas trained teachers); corruption in education (principal selection and teacher progression); cross-border and comparative issues and approaches in educational/school leadership

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

National culture plays an important role in socialising members of any society, and can be seen as the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. National culture influence the way we interact with each other, and can be seen in:

how we conduct/approach our work
our behaviour and habits
our use of language and our we communicate
our approach to challenges/ problems and resolving conflicts
how we negotiate and do business
how we relate to/treat others

Although there is some research on the practice of school leadership in different cultural settings (Dimmock and Walker, 2005; Lee and Hallinger, 2012; Hallinger and Truong, 2014; Miller, 2016; Miller, 2017), there is relatively little research on the relationship between or how national culture influences or can the practice of school leadership (or aspects of school leadership).

It is recognised that national culture is not only an influence and a shaper of behaviours and attitudes, but also a lens through which we see each other (gender, race, disability, children, religious communities, etc.), as well as how we relate to (communicate with), treat (e.g.: attitudes towards teacher progression, inclusion, etc,) and develop (mentor, support) each other. This Special Issue is an attempt to examine and evaluate how and in what ways national culture or aspects of national culture can or influences the practice of school leadership (or aspects of school leadership). There are no pre-determined topics or themes. However, contributions will need to show a relationship between national cultural practices on the practice of school leadership or an aspect of school leadership. This can be within or between or among different national societies.

Suggested timeline

15 October 2017: Submission of abstracts
31 March 2018: Submission of 1st complete draft

Prof. Paul Miller
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Education Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

national culture
school / educational leadership
school leaders
schools

References:

Dimmock, C. & Walker, A. (2005) Educational Leadership: Culture & Diversity, London: Sage
Hallinger, P & Truong, D.T (2014). Exploring the contours of context and leadership effectiveness in Vietnam, Leading and Managing 20(2), pp. 43-59.
House, R.J., Hanges, P.J., Javindan, M., Dorfman, P.W., & Gupta, V. (Eds) (2004). Leadership, culture and organizations: the GLOBE study of 62 societies, Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Lee, M. & Hallinger, P. (2012) ‘National contexts influencing principals’ time use and allocation: economic development, societal culture and educational system’. School effectiveness and school improvement, 23 (4), pp. 461-482.
Miller, P. (2016) Exploring School Leadership in England and the Caribbean: New Insights from a Comparative Approach, London: Bloomsbury
Miller, P. (2017) (Ed) Cultures of Educational Leadership: Global and Intercultural Perspectives, London: Palgrave Macmillan

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 225 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Educational Leadership in Post-Colonial Contexts: What Can We Learn from the Experiences of Three Female Principals in Kenyan Secondary Schools?

by Ann E. Lopez and Peter Rugano

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(3), 99; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8030099 - 07 Jul 2018

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 5212

Abstract

Leadership matters in the engagement and achievement of students. Much of the research in this area has emanated from western contexts and there is a growing demand for research and knowledge generated from emerging areas of the world. This qualitative study through the use of narratives, examines the experiences of three female secondary school principals in Kenyan secondary schools to gain deeper insights into leadership practices and theorizing within a post-colonial context such as Kenya. Utilizing a decolonizing education and social justice leadership discursive framework the tensions and complexities of their leadership practices are explored. Educational leaders in developing countries face problems that are uniquely different from their counterparts in Western countries and as such leadership practices and theorizing must be contextualized. Findings of the study support existing research on the perpetuation of colonized approaches to education, existence of a “managing” view of leadership, tensions in practice regarding the manifestation of social issues in schools, and the need for leadership development grounded in Kenyan knowledge and experiences. While these findings can inform leadership discourses and practices, further research is warranted on a larger scale with greater diversity of participants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

14 pages, 258 KiB

Open AccessArticle

To Understand the “Brazilian Way” of School Management: How National Culture Influences the Organizational Culture and School Leadership

by Ana Maria De Albuquerque Moreira and Maria Zélia Borba Rocha

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(2), 88; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020088 - 13 Jun 2018

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4599

Abstract

This study aims to identify characteristics of national culture in the culture of Brazilian school management and leadership. Considering the broad literature that deals with the peculiarities of Brazilian culture and its influence on Brazilian management, it is assumed that as an institution belonging to a particular society, the school offers internal dynamics that are organized under influences of historical and cultural determinants of this society. This work is an exploratory study that uses secondary data found in studies on the profiles of principals, leadership, climate, and organizational culture in schools and primary data from research applied in public secondary schools located in the Federal District, Brazil. The results demonstrate that the initial premise—national culture influences the organizational culture and school leadership—has been confirmed and aspects that merit further analysis are identified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

15 pages, 393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Application of Hofstede’s Cultural Dimension among Female Educational Leaders

by Charmaine Bissessar

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(2), 77; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020077 - 29 May 2018

Cited by 25 | Viewed by 20257

Abstract

With the exponential advancement of technology, global sharing, industrialization and economic development, national and global cultures are becoming more collective. More importantly, this fundamental paradigm shift is affecting national and global educational leadership cultures. Therefore, the power/distance index (PDI); individualism versus collectivism (IDV); uncertainty avoidance index (UAI); masculinity/femininity (MAS); and long-term orientation versus short-term orientation (LTO); are of interest when considering national and global cultures. These cultural dimensions can be exemplified in the responses of eight female educational leaders: three Canadians and one from Jamaica and Trinidad; two Grenadians and one Lebanese. This qualitative methodology in the form of a phenomenological study found that all respondents displayed varying degrees of each aspect of Hofstede’s five cultural dimensions which can be charted along a continuum from high to low index factors. Each dimension is linked to different leadership styles. PDI is linked to servant leadership, IDV is linked to shared/participatory leadership, UAI is linked to transformational leadership and emergent leadership, and MAS is linked to people versus task-oriented leadership. In each case, the slight variances in responses reflect the microcosm of the macrocosm where each country’s particular culture is mirrored. Recommendations are made for a more androgynous leadership style as well as more androgynous socialization processes if national and global educational leadership cultures are to become less gendered and more instrumental and functional based on the demands of the particular environment. It is expected that a focus could be placed on transcultural rather than intercultural studies in leadership and education. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

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14 pages, 226 KiB

Open AccessArticle

‘Culture’, ‘Context’, School Leadership and Entrepreneurialism: Evidence from Sixteen Countries

by Paul Miller

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(2), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020076 - 29 May 2018

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 6965

Abstract

In the face of ongoing school budget cuts, increasing student numbers and national educational policy environments that demand more from schools, like it or not, school leaders are being forced to be much more market-oriented in their thinking and ways of being than at any other time before. A school is an important site for social development, and in some communities in some countries, there may be only one school in an entire community. Nevertheless, as countries continue to grapple with reduced government funding on education, many schools risk the threat of closure. And, as education consumers (parents) and users (students) demand more and better value and results from schools, competition between schools have simultaneously increased. Thus, the environment in which school leaders’ work is requiring and fostering entrepreneurial leadership. The findings reported in this paper, derive from a larger sixteen country, five continent study of 61 school leaders on the “Nature of School Leadership”. The main conclusions presented in this paper are that, male and female school leaders approach entrepreneurial in very different ways; “national culture” and “national context” significantly influences and shape the work, and thus the attitudes and behaviours of school leaders, who must embrace entrepreneurialism as an essential skill, and a response to changes in school funding arrangements, and the changing role of education in national educational policy agendas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

13 pages, 220 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Exploration of Cultural Factors and Their Influence on Saudi Arabian University Deans’ Leadership Perceptions and Practices

by Yousef Abu Alsuood and Andrew Youde

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(2), 57; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020057 - 20 Apr 2018

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5958

Abstract

This article reports an investigation into societal and organizational cultural influences on academic leadership in Saudi Arabian higher education, a previously underexplored area. In Saudi Arabia, it is currently unclear how university deans are negotiating the balance between organizational cultural values and contemporary influences, and how the values they embrace may influence their leadership practices and effectiveness. The study has been conducted in eight main governmental universities under the Ministry of Education. Qualitative data has been collected, involving interviews with fifteen university deans, with data scrutinized by an interpretive thematic analysis. The deans’ responses indicated dissatisfaction with the broad societal culture around them and the negative influence this had on leadership practices. Tensions were apparent between traditional values and change, and the influence of family and tribal backgrounds. Five organizational cultural themes were identified as influences on deans’ leadership—a centralized environment, strict regulations, the authority of top management, selection and promotion issues, and reputational factors. The study’s outcomes contribute to the understanding of leadership perceptions and practices within a particular cultural context. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

17 pages, 1019 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Rhetoric and Reality of Leading the Inclusive School: Socio-Cultural Reflections on Lived Experiences

by Lindy-Anne Abawi, Cheryl Bauman-Buffone, Clelia Pineda-Báez and Susan Carter

Educ. Sci. 2018, 8(2), 55; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci8020055 - 20 Apr 2018

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 9635

Abstract

This paper details a cross-cultural study of inclusive leadership practices within a basic education context in each of the following countries: Australia, Canada, and Colombia. Each school was selected after district educational leaders identified the school as being inclusive of students with diverse learning needs over an extended period of time. The researchers were particularly interested in the norms and assumptions that were evident within conversations because these were viewed as indicators of the nature of the embedded school culture within each context. School leaders and teachers were interviewed to determine the link between rhetoric and reality, and what inclusion ‘looked like’, ‘felt like’, and ‘sounded like’ at each site, and whether any discernible differences could be attributed to societal culture. A refractive phenomenological case study approach was used to capture the messages within each context and the lived experiences of the participants as they sought to cater for the needs of students. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with school leaders and teaching staff. Each researcher conducted environmental observations, documenting the impressions and insights gained from the more implicit messages communicated verbally, non-verbally, and experientially from school structures, visuals, and school ground interactions. Themes were collated from the various narratives that were recounted. Both similarities and distinct socio-cultural differences emerged. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Societal Culture and Educational/School Leadership)

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