| 1. |
- Höög, Jonas, 1948-, et al.
(författare)
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Swedish Successful schools revisited
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - England : Emerald. - 0957-8234 .- 1758-7395 .- 0022-0639. ; 47:6, s. 742-752
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe the results of a follow-up study of two Swedish schools in which, five years previously, the principals had been successful leaders. Had this success been maintained? Design/methodology/approach – Two schools were revisited to enable the authors to interview principals and teachers as well as conducting observations of the schools in operation. Findings – The identification of sustained leadership success was compromised because the original principals were no longer at the schools, their replacements had also left and their (“third generation”) replacements had just arrived. Strong teacher teams had served to maintain school standards. Originality/value – The paper adds to the literature on the vital role of the principal in determining a school's success and also points to the value of strong, cohesive teacher teams.
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| 2. |
- Höög, Jonas, et al.
(författare)
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Successful principalship: the Swedish case
- 2005
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - : Emerald. - 0022-0639 .- 0957-8234. ; 43:6, s. 595-606
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Tidskriftsartikel (populärvet., debatt m.m.)abstract
- Over the past three decades, the forces of globalisation – economic, political and cultural – have significantly affected institutions and people across the world: altering in some ways the very terrain of public and private life. Public education has in no small way been challenged by new realities and new demands in an increasingly interdependent yet competitive world environment. School principals are uniquely positioned as formal leaders of diverse and complex educational systems to mediate the often times opposing forces of globalisation and localism with their communities. This article examines school leaders’ understanding of their work and their work role priorities, especially with regard to teaching and learning, within a policy environment characterised by increasingly convergent policy and leadership discourse. Two major questions are addressed, theoretically and empirically: in what ways do school principals in Sweden, which has strong democratic traditions, address the tension between localism and national interests and the press for conformity to new global imperatives and demands; and to what degree, if any, has globalisation created a new hegemony in school leadership? It is concluded that school principals in Sweden respond to questions about their schools without any reference to new global imperatives and demands. Their attention was generally related to national demands. Also, we see no clear evidence that globalisation has created a new hegemony in school leadership in Sweden.
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| 3. |
- Lindberg, Erik, 1953-, et al.
(författare)
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Management by objectives : The Swedish experience in upper secondary schools
- 2011
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - : Emerald. - 0022-0639 .- 0957-8234. ; 49:1, s. 62-74
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This paper seeks to explore how managing by objectives (MBO) has been adopted in Swedish schools and to reflect on some of the consequences in a longitudinal study. Results relate to whether introduction has increased student performance and whether it works as a tool for the principals to create more effective schools. Design/methodology/approach – A comparative cross-sectional study was made on the adoption of MBO as perceived by principals in upper secondary schools in Sweden. Initially, a mail questionnaire was distributed to every principal in Swedish upper secondary schools, which determined the extent to which mandated MBO practices were being implemented. Ten years later, the study was replicated, which made initial and subsequent practices comparable. Findings – Principals' perceptions suggest that the effects of MBO have diminished over the ten-year period. Ancillary measures of student performance correlated to MBO practices appeared statistically insignificant, or perhaps even negative. Thus, the change appears to have produced unimproved student performance, frustrated principals and perhaps somewhat less stressed teachers. Practical implications – These findings have implications on the direction the management of upper secondary schools subject to central direction may take. Although MBO may improve efficiency in staff performance, it appears to have little effect on effectiveness, if student performance is used as a criterion. Originality/value – Adoption measures of MBO have been obtained and associated with student performance for the first time.
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| 4. |
- Moos, Lejf, et al.
(författare)
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The International successful school principalship project : revisited sustained success?
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - England : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0022-0639 .- 0957-8234. ; 47:6, s. 765-780
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to synthesize the findings of the follow-up studies ofsuccessful school principals in six countries – Australia, Denmark, England, Norway, Sweden, and the USA.Design/methodology/approach– Data were categorized according to stakeholder expectations, the concept and practice of leadership, and the sustainability of leadership.Findings – The synthesis revealed that several similar factors contribute to sustained successful leadership, although there were also differences that appeared to be associated with two groupings of countries – Australia, England and the USA on the one hand, and the Nordic countries, on the other.Originality/value – The paper brings together data gathered from the same schools five years apart and facilitates a better understanding of the sustainability of successful school leadership.
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| 5. |
- Norberg, Katarina, 1957-, et al.
(författare)
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The ethical dimensions of curriculum leadership in Scandinavian countries
- 2010
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0022-0639 .- 0957-8234. ; 48:3, s. 327-336
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – Schooling is a significant tool for fostering future generations, which, in turn, implies that the curriculum is an ethical document. It mirrors the society's notion of what is valuable, useful and necessary from a societal and individual perspective. The purpose of this paper is to address the Scandinavian curricula's ethical framework, which is negotiated by school leaders and educators. Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides an overview of the political intentions for desirable socialisation and civic identity represented in Scandinavian curricula, and discusses the implications for ethical school leadership. Findings – There is a disparity between rhetoric and reality when it comes to a “school for everyone”, since the curricula's promoted content and end are interpreted differently. The paper indicates that an awareness of individual and less conscious internal values and how they steer conduct is significant. Originality/value – The paper is among the first to address Scandinavian curricula's promoted values and their consequences for ethical school leadership
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| 6. |
- Nordholm, Daniel, 1978
(författare)
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State policy directives and middle-tier translation in a Swedish example
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - : Emerald. - 0957-8234 .- 0022-0639. ; 54:4, s. 393-408
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse the Swedish National Agency for Education's launch of the nationwide Lgr11 curriculum reform and how local education authorities (LEAs) in one municipality translated and responded to the National Agency's directives. Design/methodology/approach - This paper presents empirical data from a qualitative study of documents and interviews using the analytical perspective from Scott (2001, 2008) to explore regulative, normative and cultural-cognitive aspects of the National Agency's communications. To analyse the local translations made by LEAs at the central municipal level, analytical categories of assimilation, loose coupling and transformation were used. Findings - The overall results show that the National Agency primarily communicated its policy instructions to LEAs using normative and cultural-cognitive arguments and directives. The lack of sharper regulative directives, such as for division of labour, decision making, mandates and developmental roles, reduced the potential for LEAs to become influential actors in organising local implementation. An analysis using the assistance of assimilation categories, loose coupling and transformation of the paper also shows that LEAs need system support to accomplish more innovative middle-tier translations through elements of loose coupling and transformation - to become catalysts for school system improvement. Research limitations/implications - The research is designed to understand actions and interpretations within specific institutional, organisational and social settings. Originality/value - This paper contributes to former findings by offering a novel perspective for understanding policy translation and the role of middle-tier intermediaries in decentralised education systems.
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| 7. |
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Johansson, Olof, 1950-, et al.
(författare)
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Democratic governing ideals and the power of intervening spaces as prerequisite for student learning
- 2022
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Ingår i: Journal of Educational Administration. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0957-8234 .- 1758-7395. ; 60:3, s. 340-353
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: In the rational model of the democratic governing chain, intervening spaces at all levels are neglected in relation to the policy process. An intervening space is a group of persons with the power and responsibility to interpret policy at their level in an organization. The research question is as follows: How are democratic policy ideas visible in the intervening spaces of a governing chain in public schools.Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on two municipalities representing the 25 most populated cities in Sweden. The data are based on interviews with 66 informants with leadership roles on the district level and two schools in each municipality.Findings: Leadership is obviously more than making decisions. It is also about facilitating and creating trust, engagement, motivation and willingness to take responsibility. In this process, intervening spaces are central. They exist at all levels from the national ministry to the classroom. The empirical examples show the importance and challenges in how different leadership roles, relationships and interaction transform policy intentions to practice on the local level.Originality/value: The authors contribute by highlighting the parallel interpretation processes that take place at various leadership levels locally. There are possibilities and challenges in aligning the intervening spaces into a rational governing chain. The findings indicate that intervening spaces and policy drift is vital to support, control and use professional competence in the process to transfer political ideas to classroom practice.
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| 10. |
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