Making sense of assignment: on the complexity of being a school leader

Augustinsson, SörenKristianstad university, Sweden,Governance, Regulation, Internationalization and Performance (GRIP),Governance Regulation Internationalization and Performance (GRIP),Department of Work Science,Avdelningen för arbetsliv (författare)

Making sense of assignment : on the complexity of being a school leader

LIBRIS-ID:oai:DiVA.org:lnu-79379
https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:lnu:diva-79379URI
https://doi.org/10.7577/njcie.2770DOI
oai:researchportal.hkr.se/admin:publications/1f8048df-aa9d-4150-869a-acbce064b40bURI

The primary aim of this paper is to narrow down the description of how school leaders interpret the assignment (the task) and identify the markers for how they look upon the conditions of doing a good job in Sweden. The aim is in the context of practice-based and process-oriented research. We use complexity and complexity theories to frame the emerging practice of leading and organizing. This is in contrast to technocratic homogenization—that is, law texts, steering documents, documentation, standardized methods, planning, and ceremonies. A questionnaire was conducted with three open questions (n=363 out of a possible 548 participants) and four focus groups (n=21). Complexity, dilemmas, and inconsistency emerge in the respondents’ answers the closer they are to everyday action. The results show that complexity theories put focus on a conflict between the image of schools as complicated and complex. Complicated is accompanied by generalizing and weak contextualizing of control systems, standardized methods, planning, law texts, and evidence-based education—that is, the concept of technocratic homogenization. Complexity theories emphasize the life in organizations, everyday practice as leaders, and a conflict between weak and robust contextualizing from the perspective as practice-based and process-oriented research.

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP Utbildningsvetenskap hsv//swe
SOCIAL SCIENCES Educational Sciences hsv//eng
Assignment; complexity theory; practice-based and process research; technocratic homogenization Introduction
Pedagogics and Educational Sciences
Pedagogik och Utbildningsvetenskap

Ericsson, UlfKristianstad university, Sweden,Governance Regulation Internationalization and Performance (GRIP),Department of Work Science,Avdelningen för arbetsliv(Swepub:hkr)1f4f2513-a519-4a96-88ef-70d4f6acd156 (författare)
Nilsson, Henrik,1973-Linnéuniversitetet,Institutionen för didaktik och lärares praktik (DLP),Center for cultural sociology,Linnaeus University(Swepub:lnu)hniiped (författare)
Kristianstad university, SwedenGovernance, Regulation, Internationalization and Performance (GRIP) (creator_code:org_t)

Ingår i:Nordic Journal of Comparative and International EducationOslo : OsloMet University Library2:2-3, s. 149-1642535-4051

Av författaren/redakt...: Augustinsson, Sö ...; Ericsson, Ulf; Nilsson, Henrik, ...

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