John De Nobile

Organizational Communication and Job Satisfaction in Australian Catholic Primary Schools

Job satisfaction has been associated with a variety of behaviours relating to communication. However, very little research has been conducted in primary schools encompassing job satisfaction and a range of communication variables. This study investigated the relationships between aspects of organizational communication and facets of job satisfaction. The participants were 356 staff members from 52 primary schools of six Catholic education systems in New South Wales, Australia. The participants completed a survey consisting of the Organizational Communication in Primary Schools Questionnaire and the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire (TJSQ). Ten organizational communication factors and nine job satisfaction factors were identified. Multiple regression analyses identified several organizational communication factors that were predictors of job satisfaction. The results suggest implications for policy and practice with regard to communication in these schools.

Job satisfaction of Catholic primary school staff: a study of biographical differences

Purpose – This studys purpose is to examine the relationships between the biographical characteristics gender, age, years of experience and employment position, and job satisfaction of staff members in Catholic primary schools.Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 356 staff members from Catholic primary schools. Research hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis and comparison of means.Findings – Age, gender and position were related to a number of facets of job satisfaction as well as overall job satisfaction. No significant relationships were identified for years of experience.Practical implications – The findings hold implications for Catholic diocesan school systems and school administrators in relation to teacher retention and for further research regarding teachers aides.Originality/value – This study includes non‐teaching staff and investigates the role of employment position as a biographical variable.

Organizational communication and occupational stress in Australian Catholic primary schools

Purpose – This paper reports two related studies of relationships between organizational communication and occupational stress of staff members in Catholic primary schools. Design/methodology/approach – Data from both studies were obtained using survey questionnaires. Participants were staff members of Catholic diocesan primary schools in New South Wales, Australian Capital Territory and Queensland, Australia. Research hypotheses were tested using correlation and multiple regression analyses. Findings – Ten organizational communication factors and four occupational stress domains were identified. Several organizational communication variables were found to be predictors of occupational stress in four identified domains. Practical implications – The findings provide implications for school administrators in relation to staff member access to formal communication channels, openness and approachability of principals, and support giving between school administration and staff, as well as among staff. Original...

Occupational stress of Catholic primary school staff: a study of biographical differences

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate relationships between biographical variables of gender, age experience and employment position and occupational stress of staff members in Catholic primary schools.Design/methodology/approach – Survey data were collected from 356 staff members from Catholic primary schools in New South Wales, Australia. Research hypotheses were tested using multivariate analysis and comparison of means.Findings – Age, gender and position are found to be related to three out of the four identified domains of occupational stress as well as overall occupational stress. In addition, male staff experience higher levels of general occupational stress than their female colleague overall.Practical implications – The findings hold implications for school systems and school administrators in relation to teacher retention, schools as organizations and gender issues. Further research regarding stress of teachers aides is also recommended.Originality/value – The paper includes non...

Improving learning in schools: the overarching influence of ‘presence’ on the capacity of authoritative leaders

Authoritative leaders are skilful in nurturing relationships whilst building a learning culture that demands excellence. However, as leadership in schools becomes increasingly complex, the ability of leaders to develop relationships whilst demanding excellence is difficult. This article presents research from a mixed methods study that identified the notion of authoritative leadership as an important element in Leadership for Learning (LfL). Having examined the data to understand the extent to which authoritative leadership was evident in schools, the analysis revealed two characteristics of this leadership style where the research sites differed substantially. The findings highlight the need for authoritative leaders to develop supportive relationships and, have a positive influence upon the school’s climate and culture. Ultimately, when these two characteristics of authoritative leadership were evident in schools, the study revealed that teacher agency was enhanced. The article identifies the notion of presence as an overarching quality of authoritative leaders seeking to influence learning in their schools.

Organisational communication and its relationships with job satisfaction and organisational commitment of primary school staff in Western Australia

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between aspects of organisational communication and dimensions of job satisfaction and general organisational commitment. Participants were 358 staff members from 35 government primary schools in the state of Western Australia, who completed a survey comprising the Organisational Communication in Primary Schools Questionnaire, the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and a five item general organisational commitment scale. Factor analyses established 13 aspects of job satisfaction and 9 dimensions of job satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate interrelationships. The findings suggest several aspects of organisational communication were related to job satisfaction and organisational commitment. This article concludes with implications for future research with regard to communication and for the maintenance of optimal levels of job satisfaction and commitment in schools.AbstractThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between aspects of organisational communication and dimensions of job satisfaction and general organisational commitment. Participants were 358 staff members from 35 government primary schools in the state of Western Australia, who completed a survey comprising the Organisational Communication in Primary Schools Questionnaire, the Teacher Job Satisfaction Questionnaire and a five item general organisational commitment scale. Factor analyses established 13 aspects of job satisfaction and 9 dimensions of job satisfaction. Multiple regression analyses were used to investigate interrelationships. The findings suggest several aspects of organisational communication were related to job satisfaction and organisational commitment. This article concludes with implications for future research with regard to communication and for the maintenance of optimal levels of job satisfaction and commitment in schools.

The directive communication of Australian primary school principals

Directive communication is a key leadership practise in schools. However, very little direct attention has been given to this important feature of the school communication system. The purpose of the research reported here was to produce a richer description of directive communication in the context of Australian primary schools, and in so doing, explain why it should be considered important leadership practise in schools. Participants were 52 staff members from cross-sectorial schools (government, catholic systemic and independent) across five states and territories of Australia. Data were obtained from interviews conducted face to face and via email. The study found that directive communication by principals: (1) concerned a limited range of topics including policy and procedures, teaching and learning and information about school organization and events, (2) ranged in intensity from guidance to command/control, (3) occurred mainly through face to face and staff meetings and (4) provided staff with information to do their jobs, reduced ambiguity and encouraged a team culture. While these provisions are useful and help schools to run well, excessive directive communication poses potential problems for school climate and staff morale.Directive communication is a key leadership practise in schools. However, very little direct attention has been given to this important feature of the school communication system. The purpose of the research reported here was to produce a richer description of directive communication in the context of Australian primary schools, and in so doing, explain why it should be considered important leadership practise in schools. Participants were 52 staff members from cross-sectorial schools (government, catholic systemic and independent) across five states and territories of Australia. Data were obtained from interviews conducted face to face and via email. The study found that directive communication by principals: (1) concerned a limited range of topics including policy and procedures, teaching and learning and information about school organization and events, (2) ranged in intensity from guidance to command/control, (3) occurred mainly through face to face and staff meetings and (4) provided staff with infor...

Leadership for Learning as an intentional, community-wide activity: the importance of developing a shared language in schools

A schoolwide language assists the mapping of subject content, supports teachers to discuss teaching and learning issues and enables a shared understanding of school leadership to emerge, so that student learning is improved. This article presents findings from a mixed methods study investigating Leadership for Learning (LfL) in independent schools in the state of New South Wales, Australia. By being intentional about the language used for learning and leadership, schools are more likely to establish LfL as a community-wide activity that is inclusive, collaborative and distributed. These findings also reinforce the critical role played by school principals in leading learning.

Towards a theoretical model of middle leadership in schools

ABSTRACT While there has been considerable research activity in the area of middle management / middle leadership since the late 1990s, the concept remains under-theorised and ambiguities persist in relation to who middle managers or middle leaders are and what they do. The recent shift in terminology in the literature from ‘middle management’ to ‘middle leadership’ alludes to evolution in the roles these leaders play in schools. However, without a theoretical model to use as a point of reference it is difficult to describe the nature of such evolution and even more difficult to identify implications for teacher productivity, student outcomes and school effectiveness. This article proposes a model of middle leadership in schools based on an extensive review of the literature. The Middle Leadership in Schools (MLiS) model describes factors that influence middle leadership, possible influences of middle leadership on schools, a typology of roles middle leaders perform and how they might perform them. The article concludes with implications for research and theory building in a still-emergent area within the broader field of educational leadership.While there has been considerable research activity in the area of middle management / middle leadership since the late 1990s, the concept remains under-theorised and ambiguities persist in relatio...

Whole school behaviour management and perceptions of behaviour problems in Australian primary schools

Over the past decade and a half, whole school behaviour management systems have been implemented in many Australian schools in efforts to reduce undesirable behaviours and improve outcomes for students with behaviour problems. There is evidence in the literature suggesting that whole school approaches are more effective at managing student behaviour problems than the individual practices of teachers. However, much of the research is concentrated on individual schools or small clusters of schools. This exploratory, mixed methods study, employed qualitative data to develop a schema for assessing the level of implementation of whole school behaviour management approaches, and subsequent quantitative data to examine the association between their level of implementation and perceptions of behaviour problems. Higher levels of implementation were found to be associated with lower levels of perceived behaviour problems. Potential links with job satisfaction and stress were also identified. The article concludes with implications for school leadership and policy.