The role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Joorst, J. P. | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.author | Ambrose, Edmund Daries | en_ZA |
| dc.contributor.other | Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Policy Education Studies. | en_ZA |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-11-28T14:37:06Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2021-12-22T14:24:48Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-11-28T14:37:06Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2021-12-22T14:24:48Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021-11-11 | |
| dc.description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2021 | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The study investigated the role of four principals in creating a positive school culture in their respective schools. The study adopted a qualitative case study approach, with data from document analysis, observations and semi-structured interviews. The study is situated in a primary school context of the Department of Education of the Western Cape. The participants were purposely selected based on a set of criteria to ensure actively participating principals who could contribute to providing a rich description of the research question. The study was premised on the assumption that principals played a crucial role in the creation of a positive culture at schools. The participants’ creation of a positive school culture was investigated through four policy expectations on school principals namely, time management, resource management, financial management, and curriculum management. This study used Schein's notion of three levels of culture, namely observable artifacts, espoused values, and basic underlying assumptions to address the study's main research question, which is: What is the role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture? The study was approached from an interpretive phenomenological perspective. This approach is distinguished by its emphasis on the research of participants' lived experiences. As a result, it was selected as most appropriate to understanding the nuanced educational roles of the participants in establishing a positive school culture. The data was finally processed using Schein’s model of institutional culture as a lens, which brought an interesting dynamic to the study in framing the analysis and findings. The most important findings of this study are that the participant principals were resilient despite the restrictive cultural influences around them and made time available to engage with colleagues on non-academic issues. They also managed resources effectively and created skills development opportunities This grounded their ability to use their roles to recognise and utilise the opportunities for creating a positive school environment inside the school. Although the study was limited to four principals, the insights generated can inform and motivate the next generation of principals who will serve in our schools and communities. | en_ZA |
| dc.description.abstract | AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die rol van vier skoolhoofde in die skep van ʼn positiewe skoolkultuur in hul onderskeie skole ondersoek. ʼn Kwalitatiewe gevallestudiebenadering is benut met data vanuit dokumentanalise, observasies en semi-gestruktureerde persoonlike onderhoude. Die studie is uitgevoer binne primere skole onder die beheer van die Wes-Kaapse Onderwysdepartement. Deelnemende skoolhoofde is doelbewus gekies op grond van bepaalde kriteria, insluitend aktiewe deelname en ʼn bydrae ter verryking van die navorsingsvraag. Die aanname was dat die deelnemende skoolhoofde ʼn sleutelrol speel in die skepping van ʼn positiewe skoolkultuur. Vier beleidsverwagtinge rakende skoolhoofde het die ondersoek onderle, naamlik tydsbestuur, hulpbronbestuur, finansiele bestuur en kurrikulumbestuur. Voorts is Schein se idee van drie vlakke van kultuur vir die ondersoek benut, naamlik waarneembare artefakte, aanvaarde waardes en onderliggende aannames. Die hoof- navorsingsvraag was derhalwe: Wat is die rol van skoolhoofde in die skep van ʼn positiewe skoolkultuur? ʼn Interpretatiewe fenomenologiese navorsingsperspektief is in die ondersoek benut. Hierdie benadering fokus veral op deelnemers se deurleefde ervaringe en het gedien as die mees toepaslike vir die verstaan van die genuanseerde rolle van skoolhoofde in die skep van ʼn positiewe skoolkultuur. Data is finaal ontleed en geïnterpreteer deur die benutting van Schein se model van institusionele kultuur, wat ʼn interessante en dinamiese blik op die studiebevindinge na vore gebring het. Die belangrikste bevindinge vanuit die studie was soos volg: Die deelnemende skoolhoofde het aangehou presteer te midde van die beperkende kulturele invloede in hul onmiddellike omgewing; hulle het ook tyd gemaak om te kommunikeer. Hierbenewens was hulle in staat om hulpbronne effektief te bestuur en geleenthede tot vaardigheidsontwikkeling vir hul personeel te skep. Hierdie aksies het hulle bemagtig tot rolbenutting sodat hulle die geleenthede tot die skep van ʼn positiewe skoolkultuur te kon waarneem en te benut. Hoewel die studie beperk was tot slegs vier deelnemende skoolhoofde, sal die insigte wat uit die ondersoek voortvloei ʼn volgende geslag skoolhoofde inlig en motiveer tot beter diens in skole en aan gemeenskappe. | af_ZA |
| dc.description.version | Masters | en_ZA |
| dc.format.extent | xi, 86 pages | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/123846 | |
| dc.language.iso | en_ZA | en_ZA |
| dc.publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University | en_ZA |
| dc.rights.holder | Stellenbosch University | |
| dc.subject | The role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture. | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | School environment -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Education -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Educational leadership -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Elementary school principals -- South Africa -- Western Cape | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | Education in popular culture | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | School management and organization | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | School supervision | en_ZA |
| dc.subject | UCTD | |
| dc.title | The role of principals in cultivating a positive school culture. | en_ZA |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_ZA |