María J. Hernández-Amorós

Principals' Metaphors as a Lens to Understand How They Perceive Leadership.

A prolific number of researchers have chosen to study metaphorical narratives, confirming their usefulness in educational research. The aim of this paper is to analyse the metaphorical expressions used by 68 principals from infant, primary and secondary schools in Alicante (Spain), concerning the way they see the figure of the principal and how it makes them feel. The data were processed using AQUAD 7. Results indicated a weak presence of characteristics related to social and contextual leader learning, as principals’ views tended more towards traditional models with duty predominating as a motivating force. Such views are usually associated with the experience of negative emotions. Findings highlighted the need to introduce an important cognitive and dispositional change in leadership education to ensure the development of professional skills aligned with current shared leadership models.

Motivación de acceso a la función directiva en centros de educación obligatoria: una aproximación cualitativa

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 caracter directo o indirecto, ha sido evidenciado en la mejora de los resultados academicos del alumnado, la contribucion al desarrollo profesional del equipo docente y la creacion y cultivo de comunidades de aprendizaje. Este estudio pretende reconocer cuales son los motivos que conducen a los directores a acceder al cargo, asi como el caracter de su decision. Para ello, se ha seleccionado de forma intencionada, y con la ayuda de tres inspectores de la Conselleria de Educacion, Ciencia y Deporte, a 100 directores de centros de Educacion Infantil y Primaria, y Educacion Secundaria de la provincia de Alicante. Para la recogida de datos se diseno una entrevista con preguntas de caracter abierto. Los datos fueron procesados con el programa de analisis cualitativo AQUAD 7. A partir del mismo, se reconoce que la decision de acceder al cargo es principalmente de caracter individual y que esta condicionada fundamentalmente por motivaciones personales. Sin embargo, tales intenciones responden mas a una vision institucional y social, que individualista. En relacion al perfil de los directores, se aprecia un cariz mas social de la decision de acceso al cargo en las mujeres y los veteranos docentes. Estos datos nos llevan a la conclusion de que conviene prestar atencion a las razones que conducen a los directores a acceder al cargo para, desde su reconocimiento, alentar una decision que cada dia menos docentes estan dispuestos a tomar.

Aspiring to break away from the same old Spanish educational leadership model

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to seek insights into the demands and challenges faced by school principals in Spain, especially in their dealings with local education authorities. Design/methodology/approach In all, 100 principals from public infant, primary and secondary schools in Alicante (Spain) participated in the study, which was carried out from a qualitative research perspective using deductive content analysis. Findings Most participants noted the need to improve channels of communication with, and support from, the local education authority. They also stressed the desirability of increasing their autonomy, reducing bureaucratic tasks and improving working conditions, which is in line with the international framework. Their narratives make it clear that they remain tied to a management leadership model but actually aspire to an instructive leadership. Research limitations/implications An absence of triangulation and the use of a single data collection technique are the limitations of this paper. Practical implications These participants are practising professionals who are proposing ways to improve aspects of their working lives based on actual experience. Acknowledging their voices could inspire the design of policies aimed at improving the principal’s role in Spain. Originality/value Knowledge is contributed to the area of study into proposals for improving the role of the principal, but with new and contextualised insights.