Educational Leadership: A Case Study Of Zimbabwean High School Principals
Open Access
- Author:
- Tsemunhu, Rudo
- Graduate Program:
- Educational Administration
- Degree:
- Doctor of Philosophy
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- March 25, 2005
- Committee Members:
- Roger C Shouse, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Iris M Striedieck, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
John W Tippeconnic, Committee Member
Priya Sharma, Committee Member - Keywords:
- educational leadership
female principals - Abstract:
- ABSTRACT This study investigated four Zimbabwean female school principals’ comprehension of their roles, functions and responsibilities as educational leaders. It explored how the social status of women influences and shapes their leadership roles as practicing female principals. This study contributes to the sparse academic literature on female leadership with a focus on the critical tension between conventional practices in which women on the one hand, are treated as minors while at the same time are expected to conduct serious professional responsibilities as senior administrators. On the basis of the literature review, I outlined some of the main trends which are characteristic of female educational leadership. The analytical framework used to frame the data emerged organically from the data. The analytical framework had five conceptual strands: 1) the notion of education as a process; 2) the distinction between two forms of leadership consensual as opposed to autonomous leadership; 3) three features closely related to leadership: authority, gender, and age; 4) attempts to create a new environment; and 5) leadership as social welfare. The findings suggest that female school principals are likely to be more successful because of the diverse roles which they play. Through the study I demonstrated that although female school principals are in a minority they bring with them special types of expertise which all educational leaders might benefit from. The data from the informants show the strategies to address the social, political and economic challenges which they are faced with in their day-to-day practices as principals. On the basis of the study I describe the nature and type of research which can form the basis of further studies. My study was based on data collected from female school principals, future studies need to extend the data base by eliciting data from other communities which are also involved in education: students, parents, teachers, and male headmasters so that the views of the female school principals can be situated in a broader context.