Thesis
The role of professional capital theory and school leadership for international school climate transformation
Southern Cross University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
2021
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.179
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Abstract
Transforming a school's dysfunctional climate is challenging for a school principal. A dysfunctional climate, as characterised by poor working relationships and weak system coherence, inhibits the school's capacity to provide an optimal environment for school staff to work effectively. Compounding the international school principals' challenge is the lack of a credible, validated and theoretically sound guide that accounts for the unique context and cultural complexities evident in international schools. This thesis examines the role of Hargreaves and Fullan's (2012) professional capital theory in relation to an intervention to transform an international school's dysfunctional climate.
Set in a small Type C international school in Europe, design experiment methodology guided an action research project over three years. As the school principal and adopting a reflective practitioner’s stance, the research project examined a school climate intervention. This was informed by an autopoietic ontological position and pragmatic epistemology. A qualitative study applying conventional, direct and summative content analysis techniques and inductive coding methods examined the relationship between Hargreaves and Fullan's professional capital theory (PCT), the intervention's efficacy, and the principal's practices.
Embracing abductive reasoning to examine further the associations between the intervention experiences, the principal's practices, and several components and elements of PCT led to several insights informing the identification of new design knowledge. New forms of design patterns and the creation of two localised relational theories materialised. School climate development (SCD) and receptive school leadership (RSL) theories emerged to supplement and support PCT as the relational theory guiding the application of a school climate intervention.
The study revealed PCT as a helpful reference for guiding school principals to transform an international school's dysfunctional climate. The research also contributes to contemporary international school literature; however, more research is required to increase our understanding of PCT effectiveness in guiding international school climate transformation. Additionally, the efficacy of aligning the three relational theories in a school setting is yet to be determined. Further testing and examination of the practical application of the theories are needed to verify its credibility and dependability to support school climate transformation.
Details
- Title
- The role of professional capital theory and school leadership for international school climate transformation
- Creators
- Kenneth Sell
- Contributors
- Nan Margaret Bahr (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityDavid Lynch (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityJenny Louise Johnston (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Theses
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- ix, 295
- Identifiers
- 991012977170702368
- Copyright
- © K Sell 2021
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Education
- Resource Type
- Thesis