Perceptions About the Leadership of Learning Leaders: A Qualitative Case Study

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dc.contributor.advisorSpencer, Brenda L.
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Rhonda
dc.contributor.committeememberLock, Jennifer
dc.contributor.committeememberBrandon, Jim
dc.contributor.committeememberCrippen, Carolyn
dc.contributor.committeememberBurns, Amy A.
dc.date2018-11
dc.date.accessioned2018-09-17T20:36:22Z
dc.date.available2018-09-17T20:36:22Z
dc.date.issued2018-09-11
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this qualitative case study was to gain a deeper understanding of the effectiveness of instructional leadership practices of learning leaders that support teacher instruction and potentially student learning in middle school settings. I conducted a case study that included four urban public middle schools (Grades 4 to 9) and explored the perspectives of four principals, four teachers, and four learning leaders. This study was guided by three main research questions: (a) What learning leader practices are perceived by principals, learning leaders, and teachers to be effective in supporting student learning? (b) What learning leader practices are perceived by principals, learning leaders, and teachers to be effective at improving teacher practice? (c) How are principals’, teachers’, and learning leaders’ perspectives similar or different? A critical review of the literature has demonstrated that learning leaders can play a vital role in school leadership by supporting teaching practices and student learning in schools. I conducted 20 semistructured interviews with the participants. The data was coded and organized into themes. Based on the data analysis, the findings from research questions one and two revealed that the participants perceived that school leaders need to implement certain physical and organizational structures to effectively support teacher practice and student learning. However, the findings did indicate that structures alone will not adequately support teacher practice and student learning. The findings show that learning leaders established trusting relationships with teachers allowing them to promote a collaborative school culture and develop teacher’s instructional capacity. The results of this research suggest that effective learning leaders were those who possessed the skills, knowledge, and characteristics that encouraged effective teaching and learning. The findings from research question three revealed that principals, teachers, and learning leaders held similar perceptions about leadership practices that support teacher practice and student learning. A conclusion drawn was that creating a school culture focused on collaborative instructional leadership has a positive impact on student learning and teacher practice.en_US
dc.identifier.citationWilliams, R. (2018). Perceptions About the Leadership of Learning Leaders: A Qualitative Case Study (Doctoral thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/32922en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/32922
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/107746
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisher.facultyGraduate Studies
dc.publisher.facultyWerklund School of Education
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.publisher.placeCalgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subjectLeadership
dc.subjectCollaborative Leadership
dc.subjectMiddle level leadership
dc.subjectLearning Leaders
dc.subjectInstructional Leadership
dc.subject.classificationEducationen_US
dc.subject.classificationEducation--Administrationen_US
dc.titlePerceptions About the Leadership of Learning Leaders: A Qualitative Case Study
dc.typedoctoral thesis
thesis.degree.disciplineEducational Research
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgary
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Education (EdD)
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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