Sharing School Leadership: Principalship Empowerment or Relegation?

In current developments concerning school leadership, the assumption of a single individual taking responsibility for and controlling every single aspect of running a school from the most crucial concern to the most trivial has been put on trial. In the modern approach to school administration, a distributed leadership model is proposed and introduced as a source of empowering teachers towards collective responsibility, creating accountability and developing a sense of encouragement for participating in the decision-making process. However, with the application of these theories in school sectors, the question remains as to whether the implications of sharing or distributing school leadership power were considered when the model was first created. In other words, at a minimum deep deliberation is required during the application due to the potential impacts or repercussions that sharing or distributing leadership and power might have on the role and position of principalship. This paper sheds light on the effectiveness of distribution and shared leadership in a school setting, examining the level of power to be shared, and the extent of trust and professional training given to teachers prior to power distributio

Teachers’ school guidance practice toward PISA enhancement: a comparison between Malaysia and Finland

This study aimed to compare Malaysian and Finnish subject teachers’ perceptions of the practice of school guidance. In addition, it is aimed to compare Malaysian and Finnish subject teachers’ perceptions of PISA and its significance and Finnish subject teachers’ perceptions of the school guidance practice towards PISA enhancement. This study is a qualitative research, employing semi-structured interviews with four subject teachers; two participants from Finland and two participants from Malaysia. The study uses a purposive sample and the sample size consists of 4 participants. The selected interviewees are teachers in secondary schools in both countries. The data collected are analysed using three phases of thematic analysis with the help of analysis computer software, Nvivo for a more visible systematic analysis. Teachers have different interpretations of what constitutes school guidance; its meaning, definition, framework. Additionally, the personnel involved in school guidance differs in Malaysia and Finland. In terms of the teaching context, participant teachers in consensus agreed that PISA assessment plays little role in the determination of what they believe is important for their students’ needs (skills) to survive in their life after school. School guidance has the potential to contribute towards PISA enhancement if and when the school guidance programme is financially supported plus a strong support or desire from students, teachers, counsellors and the school administration as a whole

Fast forwarding higher education institutions for global challenges

This book addresses various 21st century questions and challenges, especially the role of technology in upgrading teaching and learning in today’s society, and the role of higher education institutions in improving standards of living, economics, society and sustainability. It shares with readers the challenges of globalization to higher institutions concerning the issues relating to value creation management, branding and the impact on leadership in higher institutions

Structural equation models of management and decision‐making styles with job satisfaction of academic staff in Malaysian research university

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effect of management and decision‐making styles on the job satisfaction of academic staff in a Malaysian Research University. Design/methodology/approach – The sample consisted of 218 respondents. The instruments used in the study were the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Decision Style Inventory. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) was used to determine the influence of decision‐making style and management style on the job satisfaction. Findings – The findings showed that the research university had adopted an analytical decision‐making style. The hygiene factors were the predictors of job satisfaction as perceived by the academic staff at the research university in Malaysia. Research limitations/implications – This research selected a top Malaysian research university and small samples were selected from the whole population under consideration, thus, the findings can be generalized as similar to other research universities. In addition, the university management determines the decision‐making style, and the job satisfaction of the academic staff is affected by the decision‐making style of the university. Originality/value – A contribution is made to the literature as the research reinforces the view that the management style and decision‐making style can predict or affect the job satisfaction of the academic staff

The effect of student’s emotional intelligence on self-leadership in Malaysian public university

This study aims to investigate using quantitative approach the effect of student’s emotional intelligence on self-leadership among Malaysian and international students in Malaysian public university. It also strives to examine whether student nationality plays a significant moderating role between emotional intelligence and self-leadership with 171 local and international students surveyed. Structural Equation Model through SmartPLS was used to know the effect and moderation. Findings of this study reported the direct-effect of student EQ on self-leadership and found significant moderation effect of student nationality between EQ (self-management) on self-leadership. The findings of this study were discussed and some suggestions, recommendations and implications were made for future studies’ investigations and practices. © 2018, International Islamic University Malaysia. All rights reserved

Students’ satisfaction of MARA College management services, learning environment and the effect on learning motivation

Higher education institutions in Malaysia have been facing an overwhelming demand to provide adequate facilities and resources to assist with students’ learning. The resources mentioned include ICT facilities, offices, libraries, as well as positive learning environments. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the level of students’ satisfaction with Majlis Amanah Rakyat (MARA) college management services (student service and affairs, registration service, and resources/facilities) and its learning environments. The study also examined the effects of those management services and the learning environments on students’ learning motivations. A descriptive analysis was used to determine the level of students’ satisfaction, while a t-test was used to determine whether student gender influenced students’ satisfaction levels. A total of 169 pre-university students were selected as the sample group, using a convenient sampling method. From the SPSS results, the study found that the level of satisfaction on learning environments and the learning motivations of the participants were high. It also showed that, gender had no influence on the participants’ satisfaction levels. The Smart PLS is a statistical software used for Structural Equation Model (SEM) to know the effect of exogenous variable (independent) on endogenous variable (dependent). SEM-PLS identified that learning environments and student services had an effect on student motivation levels. Moreover, it predicted student satisfaction and motivation levels. Finally, a few recommendations were made for better management service on how to increase a learner’s motivation. © Universiti Putra Malaysia Press

Towards understanding the coping strategy among student-athletes

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the coping strategies of student-athletes at different level of participation at university level.A sample of 307 (female-213; male-94) university students-athletes in one of the public university in Malaysia were randomly selected for this study. The age of the student-athletes (M=22.09, sd=1.35 Out of the number, 210 represented college dormitory, 51 represented university at National level, and 46 represented state at national level, and representing Nation at International level.. The Athletic Coping Skills Inventory – 28 was used to measure the psychological coping skills for athletes.The instrument consisted of a 28-item scale measuring seven classes of sport-specific psychological coping skills including freedom from worry, coping with adversity, goal setting, coachability, concentration, peaking under pressure, confidence, and goal setting.Result shows that all of the seven coping strategies were significantly different with the four level of participations. However, the freedom from worry and coachability among college representative seem to be very low and needed distinct attention from the coaches.Results were further discussed and recommendations for future research also suggested in this paper

The fact that the educational supervisors in the Sultanate of Oman have known the evolutionary supervision style and the extent of their application from their point of view = واقع تعرّف المشرفين التربويين بسلطنة عمان لنمط الإشراف التطوري ومدى تطبيقهم من وجهة نظرهم

This study aimed to reveal the reality of educational supervisors in the Sultanate of Oman recognizing the evolutionary supervisory pattern and the extent of their application from their point of view, as well as revealing the impact of the study variables (gender, years of experience) in it, and the researcher used the descriptive approach, where a questionnaire was built to measure the educational supervisors' recognition in the Sultanate of Oman For the evolutionary supervision pattern and the extent of their application from the point of view of the supervisors themselves, the tool consisted of (21) paragraphs, distributed in two areas: the domain of the knowledge side (9) paragraphs, and the field of the applied side (12) paragraphs. The members of the study sample were randomly chosen. The study sample consisted of (285) supervisors and supervisors, who represent educational supervisors and educational supervisors in all educational directorates in the Sultanate of Oman. The results of the study showed that the reality of the educational supervisors' awareness (as a whole) in the Sultanate of Oman of the evolutionary supervision style from the point of view of the educational supervisors was (average). And the reality of the application of educational supervisors (as a whole) in the Sultanate of Oman to the evolutionary supervision style from the point of view of educational supervisors was (high). The results also showed that there were no statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α = 0.05) between the averages (as a whole) and their fields from the point of view of the educational supervisors due to the variable (gender). And the presence of statistically significant differences at the level of significance (α = 0.05) between the averages (as a whole) and their fields from the point of view of educational supervisors due to the variable (experience) and in favor of a group more than 15 years . ****************************************************************************** هدفت هذه الدراسة الكشف عن واقع تعرّف المشرفين التربوين بسلطنة عمان لنمط الإشرافي التطوري ومدى تطبيقهم من وجهة نظرهم، وكذلك الكشف عن أثر متغيرات الدراسة (الجنس، سنوات الخبرة) فيها، وقد استخدم الباحث المنهج الوصفي، حيث تم بناء إستبانة لقياس تعرّف المشرفين التربويين بسلطنة عمان لنمط الإشراف التطوري ومدى تطبيقهم من وجهة نظر المشرفين أنفسهم، وتكونت الأداة من ( 21 ) فقرة، موزعة على مجالين؛ هما: مجال الجانب المعرفي (9) فقرات، ومجال الجانب التطبيقي (12) فقرة. وقد تم اختيار أفراد عينة الدراسة بالطريقة العشوائية؛ بحيث تألفت عينة الدراسة من ( 285 ) مشرفاً ومشرفة وهم يمثلون المشرفين التربويين والمشرفات التربويات في جميع المديريات التعليمية بسلطنة عمان. وقد أظهرت نتائج الدراسة أن واقع تعرف المشرفين التربويين (ككل) بسلطنة عمان لنمط الإشراف التطوري من وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين كان (متوسطاً). وواقع تطبيق المشرفين التربويين (ككل) بسلطنة عمان لنمط الإشراف التطوري من وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين كان (مرتفعاً). كما أظهرت النتائج عدم وجود فروق دالة إحصائياً عند مستوى الدلالة (α = 0.05) بين المتوسطات (ككل) ومجاليها من وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين تعزى لمتغير (الجنس). ووجود فروق دالة إحصائياً عند مستوى الدلالة (α = 0.05) بين المتوسطات (ككل) ومجاليها من وجهة نظر المشرفين التربويين تعزى لمتغير (الخبرة) ولصالح فئة أكثر من 15 سنة

Women’s empowerment and its effect on community development in Oman: predictive model and indicators for best practices

ABSTRACT This study investigates the level of women’s empowerment in Omani society from the point of view of female university students from three public universities with respect to educational opportunity, equality in employment and their social status in the community. The study proposes a model for how to empower women based on the perceptions of university females and the factors that must be considered for improving the status of women in Oman. The model also provides indicators for social and community practices using confirmatory factor analysis and Path Analysis to determine pertinent factors and their effects on women’s development. The results showed a strong direct effect of women’s empowerment in Oman on community development. Despite the latest developments in Oman, as long as cultural rigidity remains, tradition upholds a conservative viewpoint of women, and families adhere to their uncompromised principles, women will remain subordinated by these factors according to the viewpoint of participants. This study concludes with recommendations for further research, including enrolment of females in all areas of specialisation creating more job opportunities for women, encouraging women’s leadership, and additional education of women’s rights and needs

An effective teaching model for public school teachers in the Sultanate of Oman: students' stance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate what is the most important characteristic that leads to effective teaching in the general education schools in Oman, as perceived by the students. Design/methodology/approach – Methodologically, this research is a survey in nature, using questionnaires for data collection. The sample size consists of 2,628 students from the General Education Schools in most of the regions in Oman. To ensure the reliability and construct validity, this research has applied the principal component analysis (PCA) to determine whether the relevant items have been accordingly loaded on their respective construct. For data analysis, the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) or the measurement model was employed to determine the indictors and factors as well as the predictor that can positively lead to effective teaching and teachers. Findings – In terms of the findings, this research discovered that, the “community relationships” factor is the most important factor that leads to effective teaching and that it predicts an effective teacher in Oman. This indicates that to have effective teaching in Oman from the students' perspectives, the school must involve the society to participate and support the educational process, while an effective teacher should align his/her teaching service with society needs. Teaching strategies were found to be the second factor and predictor for teaching effectiveness. Originality/value – This research is timely, as the Omani Ministry of Education is striving to achieve quality education. The study described in the paper is aligned with the Ministry's aims and objectives and will be of benefit to the Omani Ministry of education, educational policy‐makers and planners in terms of setting a standard for effective teaching and has provided a model to follow in becoming an effective teacher, according to General Education students in Oman. This paper has bridged gaps in the existing literature on providing characteristics for effective teaching and teachers in Oman. No other paper or research, based on researchers' best knowledge, has dealt with the issue of teaching effectiveness in Oman and presented criteria to follow in determining an effective teacher. Therefore, this research is unique and has taken a bold step to design a model which the Omani government can use as a standard for effective teaching and teachers in Oman