Dijana Vican

Contemporary Educational Problems and Major Challenges as a Part of Curriculum Changes in Croatia: A Multiple Perspectives Insight

During the past 15 years, educational and curriculum changes in Croatian pre-tertiary education level took place under the influence of modern pedagogical and didactic paradigms on one hand, and on the other, under the influence of the new socio-cultural values. Since these changes reflect on all education system stakeholders, a multiple understanding and problem detection can contribute to further improving education reform steps for effective curriculum changes at all levels and with all stakeholders.

Managing the School: Principals as Managers

Vican, Alfirevic and Relja present the history and an overview of educational management/administration as a separate and applicative field addressing the specific issues of managing an educational institution. This is contextualized in terms of educational objectives to be realized, as well as boundaries set by educational policies and the ‘educational market’, either explicit or implicit. From the pragmatic point of view, the field is explicated by referring to principals’ activities and roles, as well as their influence to the ‘fit’ achieved by the school and its environment. The Anglo-American roots and the emerging ‘regional knowledge-bases’ and practices of educational management are discussed.

Principals’ Educational Leadership

The decentralisation of the educational system, as demonstrated by an increased autonomy of schools regarding the content and methods of teaching, is an ever-more present practice in developed countries. It is given significant consideration in South-East European countries following their abandonment of the socialist regime. Principals’ vocational training is often obligatory in these countries, although discrepancies are emphasised between education and modern-leadership requirements, as is the case with the importance of introducing principal licensure. Efficiency of leadership which attends to teachers’ needs is observed, and enables teachers to participate in decision-making. South-East European countries’ teachers are seen as participating less in school management compared to more developed countries, and as having less possibilities for the vocational development required for informed responses.