INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE

Get Complete Project Material File(s) Now! »

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK/CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWOK UNDERPINNING THIS STUDY

INTRODUCTION

This thesis argues for a literature review that supports instructional leadership as a strategy to improve learning performance in secondary schools in the Free State. Metcalfe (2012), cited in The Literature Review as Expert Witnesses (2003), states that a literature review is the use of previous research to provide evidence in support of the thesis or that researchers may prefer the available evidence (literature) and map out how they wish to present it to the reader.
The researcher argues that if the literature is evidence to solve contemporary instructional problems in the Free State, then the assumption made by this thesis is that contemporary literature should be reviewed as evidence. The objective of this study is to attempt to understand the experience of performing and underperforming principals as participants in instructional leadership. In this regard, one of the significant areas of the study is the review literature on instructional leadership. Bryman (2008:98), in answering the question as to why one needs to review the existing literature, says that what is already known about this area should be identified together with the concepts and theories that are relevant. Research methods and research strategies which have been employed in studying this area should be analysed; it should also be established that no unanswered research questions remain.
Consistent with what is said by Bryman (2008:98), Wetman, Kruger and Mitchell (2010:38) state that “We usually begin the literature review section by reviewing the literature dealing with our chosen topic”. This thesis’s topic is: Designing an instructional leadership framework for underperforming secondary schools in the Free State. This thesis therefore argues that the literature review seeks to review the literature on instructional leadership designs; answer the research questions in the area of performing and underperforming schools in the Free State; design a framework to improve learners’ performance in the Free State’s secondary schools; review the research design and methodology; describe the historical perspective of secondary schools’ performance in the Free State; and describe the performance trends of schools in the Republic of South Africa.

LITERATURE REVIEW

The review of related literature

Nenty (1999) argues that during a literature review a researcher’s activities are those of quoting, paraphrasing, summarising and evaluating. Each of these should be done in such a manner as to protect the right of the author and avoid plagiarism. In this thesis acknowledgement of the sources is in line with the presentation of the sources used. Sources quoted are those that support the topic of this research.
In this thesis, as Thomas (2010:31) explains, a primary source is one which no other person has analysed or summarised. Through the analysis of print and the electronic media, evidence will be presented regarding contemporary debates on the state of instruction and learners’ performance in South African Basic Education. A secondary source is one in which many primary sources have been reworked by analyses or summaries. The most common form of secondary sources is the textbook. In this study, secondary sources are reviewed to establish what is already known about this area of instructional leadership and how it improves learners’ performance; what the concepts and theories are that are relevant to this area and the research methods and strategies employed in studying this area (instructional leadership). If there are answered researched questions in this area (instructional leadership) as a strategy to improve learners’ performance in secondary schools and if the Free State schools have already applied the instructional leadership strategy to improve learners’ performance, one should consider what the outcomes. In addition, in this section of the study, theses will be used to map findings in other people’s PhD studies in the research area. Thomas (2010:34) warns against some websites, even well-known quotations, which may carry misleading information and adds “It’s up to you to judge.’’ The researcher should always verify from another source, by comparative citation. Thomas (2010) also warns that a literature review is not a list but should be a story with a beginning, middle, and an end; a synthesis that links ideas and finds differences.
Consistent with performing and underperforming schools in a democratic dispensation, this thesis considers the following core principle: Carr and Hartnett (2002:4) contend that “Democracy is a form of social life constituted by the core values of positive freedom and political equality.” A democratic society is thus an educative society, in which the citizens enjoy equal opportunities for self-development, self-fulfilment and self-determination. This study assumes that performing and underperforming institutions cannot produce equal citizenry because of the existing unequal opportunities for self-determination. Thus, the literature review from informed sources will shed light on this research as to how, according to the literature on the topic, equal knowledge and skills can be achieved in an unequal school-going population.
Learning from the literature, Lee and Danby (2012:26) argue that in doctoral education, the concern about the literature review is focused on the thesis, a very public presentation of a student’s abilities that are closely associated with a specific institution and programme. It is a truism, in this case, that a doctoral thesis from Unisa may become a key to enhancing the literature review. This study argue that, besides Unisa, other related institution could be helpful as Figure 2.1 articulates. The Venn diagram (Figure 2.1) below indicates how the above stated may be achieved.
According to Ball (1994:85), “School leadership is not as some writers of school management would have us believe, achieved in a social vacuum”. Angus (1994: 43), further states: “The realization of leadership is always set within a framework of possibilities and constraints derived from educational policy and from the political and economic context of education.” The assumption that instructional leadership is the answer to improve learners’ performance rather than school leadership, is a question that should be examined in the literature review from instructional perspectives. Research findings, in this regard and their constructions provide a way for more research views in the field of instructional leadership as a strategy to improve learners’ performance.
The question of colleagues in leadership and management is cited by Ball (1994:93) “Head teachers and teachers are differently positioned in all this in relation to key environmental issues and potentially in relation to key values in the organisation.” The researcher as a curriculum Chief Education Specialist assumes that the leadership- instructional- colleagueship relationship in the question of performing and underperforming secondary schools in the Free State can solve underperformance. And this is open to research review to negate or confirm this.
Knox (1992:237) avers that “learning is about becoming a person in society, about transforming the experiences of living into knowledge, skills and attitudes so that human individuality might develop and teaching can assist in this endeavour”. This thesis argues that an instructional leader is an instructional colleague of teachers and that he or she is exposed to day-to-day learning and teaching (instructional problems of learners). This culture helps in the improvement of learning and the academic performance of learners, and is subject to review through the literature in probing the validity of this assumption. On the issue of methods and styles of teaching, Knox (1992:240-241) argues that “Teachers are often expected to have all the answers.” Good teachers are expected to know all the answers and merely provide them for the learners to learn. Teachers are expected to have authority and to provide answers in a didactic manner, and as a result of memorising and practising, learners can acquire that knowledge, pass an examination and gain some form of certification. This thesis will use the literature review to establish whether memorising and passing an examination are the democratic way of viewing instruction in our post-1994 contemporary society.

CHAPTER 1 ORIENTATION OF THE STUDY
1.1 INTRODUCTION
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.4 THE SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
1.5 LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
1.6 DEFINATION OF TERMS
1.7 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH
1.8 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
1.9 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1.10 PHILOSIPHICAL ASSUMPTIONS
1.11 PERSPECTIVES OF INSTRUCTIONALL LEADERSHIP
1.12 LITERATURE REVIEW
1.13. METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS
1.14 VALUE OF THE RESEARCH
1.15 STRUCTURE OF STUDY
1.16 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK / CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK UNDERPINNING THIS STUDY
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.3 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 3 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP PERSPECTIVE
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
3.3 CRITICAL CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP
3.4 CRITICAL CURRICULUM LEADERSHIP
3.5 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP THERAPY
3.6 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 4 PERFORMANCE TREND OF SOUTH AFRICAN SCHOOLS FROM 1994 to 2013
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 POST-APARTHEID CHANGE OF CURRICULUM IN SOUTH AFRICA
4.3 SOCIO- ECONOMIC CONTENT AND LOW ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE
4.4 NARRATIVE VOICES ON EDUCATION IN POST-APARTHEID SOUTH AFRICA
4.5 ANALYSIS
4.6 METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE: SOCIALIST, DEMOCRATIC, CAPITALIST
4.7 CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP FRAMEWORK
4.8 PEOPLE’S EDUCATION INSTRUCTIONAL LEADER
4.10 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 5 EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
5.1 INTRODUCTION
5.2 RESEARCH DESIGN
5.3 RESEARCH DESIGN
5.4 METHODOLOGY
5.5 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 6 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA
6.1 INTRODUCTION
6.2 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
6.3 METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION
6.4 DATA PRESENTATIONS
6.5 DATA ANALYSIS
6.6 LIMITATION AND CONSIDERATIONS
6.7 IMPLICATIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
6.8 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 7 SUMMARY OF RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
7.1 INTRODUCTION
7.2 SUMMARY OF RESULTS
7.3 SINGAPORE EXPERIENCE (Principals’ voices)
7.4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
7.5 CONCLUSION
CHAPTER 8 INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP DESIGN FOR UNDERPERFORMING SCHOOLS
8.1 INTRODUCTION
8.2 ADVOCACY/PARTICIPATORY WORLDVIEW
8.3 SOME REFLECTIONS ON INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP DESIGNS
8.4 CHARACTERISTICS OF A PERFORMING SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
8.5 WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A HEADMASTER
8.6 CHARACTERISTICS OF A NON-PERFORMING PRINCIPAL
8.7 RESEARCH FINDINGS
8.8 RESEARCH GUIDELINES ON PRINCIPALS
8.9 THE POSTMODERN HEADMASTER
8.10 RECOMMENDATIONS
8.11 CONCLUSION
REFERENCES
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT