Sowing the seeds of educational leadership from the teacher training classroom

Este estudio se plantea identificar los modelos de liderazgo que los futuros docentes asocian a la función directiva. Se ha contado con la participación de 72 estudiantes de los Grados de Maestro en Educación Infantil y en Educación Primaria, de la Facultad de Educación (Universidad de Alicante). Se administró un cuestionario integrado por diez preguntas abiertas, con la intención de conocer su opinión sobre los modelos de liderazgo, la formación recibida al respecto y las motivaciones que les llevarían a ocupar este cargo en su futuro desempeño profesional. De éstas, en este estudio, se han considerado las referidas a los modelos de liderazgo. Se realizó un análisis de contenido inductivo, dentro del marco de la metodología cualitativa. Para el tratamiento de los datos se empleó el software Aquad 7. De los resultados se deduce que los participantes tienden a vincular al director/a con un modelo de liderazgo para la gestión, de carácter individual, al que otorgan una responsabilidad muy elevada. Estas opiniones podrían estar condicionadas por su experiencia educativa previa. Por tanto, se considera preciso trabajar en los centros de formación del profesorado para completar esta visión y alinearla con los modelos de liderazgo de carácter más social y distribuidoThis study aims to identify the leadership models that teachers in training associate with the principalship function. The participants were 72 students on the Degrees in Preschool Education and Primary Education at the Faculty of Education (University of Alicante), who were administered a questionnaire comprising ten open questions in order to find out their opinions on leadership models, the training given in this area and the motivations that would lead them to become principals in the course of their careers. Regarding these opinions, only those involving leadership models are considered in this study. An inductive content analysis within the framework of qualitative methodology was performed. Aquad 7 software was used to process the data. It can be deduced from the results that the participants tend to connect the principal with a managerial leadership model of an individualist character, which they associate with great responsibility. These opinions could be conditioned by their previous experience in education. It is essential, therefore, that teacher training centres should work to make this view more complete and bring it into line with more social, distributed leadership model

Motivation for seeking headship in compulsory education centres: A qualitative approach

Es un hecho constatado que el liderazgo de los directores de los centros educativos es una de las claves del cambio. Su impacto, bien sea de carácter directo o indirecto, ha sido evidenciado en la mejora de los resultados académicos del alumnado, la contribución al desarrollo profesional del equipo docente y la creación y cultivo de comunidades de aprendizaje. Este estudio pretende reconocer cuáles son los motivos que conducen a los directores a acceder al cargo, así como el carácter de su decisión. Para ello, se ha seleccionado de forma intencionada, y con la ayuda de tres inspectores de la Conselleria de Educación, Ciencia y Deporte, a 100 directores de centros de Educación Infantil y Primaria, y Educación Secundaria de la provincia de Alicante. Para la recogida de datos se diseñó una entrevista con preguntas de carácter abierto. Los datos fueron procesados con el programa de análisis cualitativo AQUAD 7. A partir del mismo, se reconoce que la decisión de acceder al cargo es principalmente de carácter individual y que está condicionada fundamentalmente por motivaciones personales. Sin embargo, tales intenciones responden más a una visión institucional y social, que individualista. En relación al perfil de los directores, se aprecia un cariz más social de la decisión de acceso al cargo en las mujeres y los veteranos docentes. Estos datos nos llevan a la conclusión de que conviene prestar atención a las razones que conducen a los directores a acceder al cargo para, desde su reconocimiento, alentar una decisión que cada día menos docentes están dispuestos a tomar.It is a proven fact that the leadership of headteachers is one of the keys to change. Its impact, whether direct or indirect, has been shown to improve the academic performance of students, to contribute to the professional development of the teaching staff and to develop and cultivate learning communities. This study aims to recognise what motivates headteachers to seek office, and the nature of their decision. In order to study this, 100 headteachers of Infant, Primary and Secondary schools in the province of Alicante were intentionally selected with the help of three inspectors from the Regional Ministry of Education, Science and Sport. An open-question interview was designed for the purpose of data collection. Data were processed using AQUAD 7 qualitative analysis programme. It was recognised that the decision to access the position of headteacher was primarily individual in nature and largely influenced by personal motives. But such intentions were found to be the reflection of an institutional and social perspective, rather than of an individualist one. As far as the headteachers’ profile is concerned, it was identified that the decision by female and veteran teachers to seek office had a more social tenor. The data led to the conclusion that the reasons that drive headteachers to take up the position need to be attended to and recognised in order to encourage a decision that fewer and fewer teachers are willing to make

School management: A tightrope job?

Este estudio se llevó a cabo con el objetivo de reconocer las dificultades que plantea el desempeño de la función directiva. Para ello, se contó con la participación de 80 directores y directoras de centros educativos de la provincia de Alicante, a quienes se administró una escala tipo Likert sobre su experiencia en torno a la dirección escolar. Concretamente, se presentan los resultados referidos a las trabas e impedimentos que los líderes escolares han de afrontar en el cargo. Los datos aportados fueron procesados con el apoyo del software SPSS .21, con el que se realizó un estudio descriptivo básico. De los resultados se deduce que las tareas que les exigen un mayor esfuerzo están relacionadas con la gestión del tiempo y el impulso de la innovación educativa. Asimismo, subrayan la complejidad que supone la colaboración del equipo docente y del entorno familiar. Frente a ello, destacan que la relación con el personal no docente y la coordinación con el resto de miembros del equipo directivo son las funciones que entrañan una menor dificultad. Atender estos aspectos resulta crucial para mejorar el rendimiento de los líderes escolares y, en última instancia, superar la desafección que suele despertar la función directivaThis study was carried out in order to recognize the difficulties which the performance of the principalship function implies. To achieve this goal, 80 principals took part in the study, all of them from schools in the province of Alicante, who were administered a Likert scale about their experience in principalship. Specifically, the results refer to the obstacles and impediments that leaders must face in their position. The data provided were processed with the support of the SPSS. 21 software, with which a basic descriptive study was performed. From the results, it is deduced that the tasks which demand a greater effort are related to the management of time and the impulse of educational innovation. They also stress the complexity involved in the collaboration of the teaching team and the family environment. According to this, they emphasize that the relationship with the non-teaching staff and the coordination with the rest of the members of the management team are the functions that entail less difficulty. Addressing these aspects is crucial to improve the performance of school leaders and, ultimately, to overcome the disaffection that usually awakens the principalshi

The access to the principalship: A challenge aimed at improving the educational community

Este estudio se planteó con el propósito de conocer los motivos que animaron a un total de 80 directores/as de centros educativos públicos, de la provincia de Alicante, a presentarse al cargo, así como de valorar otros factores relevantes de dicho procedimiento. Todos ellos cumplimentaron un cuestionario, a partir de cuya información se realizó un análisis descriptivo con el apoyo del programa SPSS .21. De los resultados se deduce que la mayoría accedió – desde alguno de los cargos del equipo directivo y habiéndose presentado únicamente su candidatura – para contribuir a la mejora de los centros y para dar alcance a un reto profesional. Asimismo, a la hora de seleccionar a los miembros de su equipo, se decantaron por sus cualidades profesionales. Se concluye que resulta de interés considerar estos aspectos, que contribuyen a dibujar el perfil profesional de los directores/as, para: (1) reconocer el compromiso que adquieren con su tarea; y, (2) orientar el diseño y desarrollo de políticas educativas que incrementen la atracción por este cargoThis study aims to identify the reasons that encouraged 80 principals, from public educational centres at the region of Alicante, to access the post and to assess other relevant factors of this process. All of them completed a questionnaire which data served for doing a descriptive analysis with the support of the software SPSS .21. From the results, it can be deduced that the majority accessed to the post – from some of one of the positions of the principal team and having submitted only their candidacy – to contribute to the improvement of the educational community and to reach a professional challenge. Additionally, at the time to select the other members of the team, they clearly considered their professional skills. It is concluded that the results are relevant because they allow to draw the principals’ professional profile that serves to: (1) recognise the commitment that they acquire with their task; and, (2), guide the design and development of educational policies with capacity to increase the attraction for the principalshi

Exploring how tutors in higher education perceive their work and what direction they think it should take in the future: A case study

University tutoring is a complex area of study involving various factors and agents whose actions are context-dependent. This qualitative study aims to analyse and interpret the experiences of tutors in the course of their work. The participants were 68 tutors, each from one of the seven centres belonging to the University of Alicante (Spain). We carried out conventional and summative content analyses using AQUAD 7 software. The results show that tutors’ feelings are generally positive, though they become disillusioned if students decide to drop tutoring. Nevertheless, the few students that persevere are enough to encourage tutors to reflect on possible improvements to the tutoring programme. Their suggestions reveal their own tutoring style and the need to promote whichever tutoring model best suits the context and the students that construct the tutorial relationship.This research was supported by the Project Networks-I3CE of the Deputy Vice-Chancellors Office of Quality and Educational Innovation of the University of Alicante, under Grant 4538 – An opportunity for the design and development of a TAP (Tutorial Action Plan) with a humanistic character

SPITZER observations of the λ Orionis cluster. II. Disks around solar-type and low-mass stars

We present IRAC/MIPS Spitzer Space Telescope observations of the solar-type and the low-mass stellar population of the young (~5Myr) λ Orionis cluster. Combining optical and Two Micron All Sky Survey photometry, we identify 436 stars as probable members of the cluster. Given the distance (450 pc) and the age of the cluster, our sample ranges in mass from 2 M_⊙ to objects below the substellar limit. With the addition of the Spitzer mid-infrared data, we have identified 49 stars bearing disks in the stellar cluster. Using spectral energy distribution slopes, we place objects in several classes: non-excess stars (diskless), stars with optically thick disks, stars with “evolved disks” (with smaller excesses than optically thick disk systems), and “transitional disk” candidates (in which the inner disk is partially or fully cleared). The disk fraction depends on the stellar mass, ranging from ~6% for K-type stars (R_C − J 4). We confirm the dependence of disk fraction on stellar mass in this age range found in other studies. Regarding clustering levels, the overall fraction of disks in the λ Orionis cluster is similar to those reported in other stellar groups with ages normally quoted as ~5Myr

Perceptions des étudiants de la maîtrise en Professeur de l’Enseignement Secondaire: points forts et faiblesses du nouveau modèle de formation

Este artículo incluye los resultados de una investigación desarrollada para conocer y valorar las percepciones que tiene el alumnado del Máster en Profesorado de Educación Secundaria de la Universidad de Alicante (UA), sobre el funcionamiento del plan de estudios en su tercera edición, correspondiente al curso académico 2011/12. Para ello se ha recogido información de 227 alumnos/as, que han cumplimentado de forma anónima un cuestionario con preguntas abiertas. El propósito de la investigación ha inducido a que adoptásemos una metodología de carácter evaluativo, con un enfoque cualitativo. La información recogida ha sido analizada con el soporte informático AQUAD 6 (Huber, 2006), que ha permitido clasificarla en nueve categorías o dimensiones que sustentan las principales conclusiones. Las evidencias asociadas a las principales dimensiones emergentes (valoración del tiempo empleado en el aprendizaje, desarrollo de la capacitación docente, dificultades encontradas, fortalezas de la formación recibida, expectativas de desarrollo profesional, principios básicos de la tarea educativa y propuestas de mejora) aconsejan introducir algunas modificaciones en el plan de estudios, así como potenciar las fortalezas que los estudiantes destacan de su proceso de formación.This paper is the result of a research process developed to know which the students’ perceptions about the program of Secondary Teachers Training are, during the academic course 2011/2012, when it has already been developed for three years. For that, we have reached some information from 227 students who have completed an anonymous open questionnaire. It has been used an evaluative methodology which is typical of qualitative paradigm. The information has been analyzed by AQUAD 6 software program (Huber, 2006), which has allowed the classification of the different codes in nine categories that help us to organize the information and reach some conclusions. These dimensions are: assessment time and teachers, teachers’ development through training, training difficulties, benefits of training, concept of education, interest in teaching, expectations of professional development, basic principles of educational work and suggestions for improvement. Results, therefore, are useful for doing several reformulations in curriculum and for enhance strengths of curriculum, identified by the students