The kinds of knowledge principals use: Implications for training
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2009v4n10a187Keywords:
school principal, training, preparation, cognitive skill, problem solving, tacit knowledge, leadership, expertise, think-aloudAbstract
Information about how school principals operate pertains mainly to the actions of principals. However, the kinds of knowledge that the principalship demands have not been isolated as clearly, more often than not being conflated with actions. As principals’ duties become more complex, it becomes more important to ground specific practices in robust knowledge of relevant theoretical principles. One aspect of the principal’s job where this is particularly germane is the resolution of unfamiliar, complex, unstructured challenges. This paper presents findings from research into how principals think when dealing with problematic situations, in particular the types of knowledge they use. Four broad categories of knowledge were identified and, within those, twelve specific types. The research lends credence to the oral report or think-aloud method for making thinking processes available for analysis, and the findings indicate how the content of preparation programs may be adjusted to better qualify principals for the contemporary demands of their work. A prime recommendation is the inclusion of opportunities for the development of tacit knowledge.Downloads
Published
2009-10-18
How to Cite
Lazaridou, A. (2009). The kinds of knowledge principals use: Implications for training. International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership, 4(10). https://doi.org/10.22230/ijepl.2009v4n10a187
Issue
Section
Policy
License
Copyright (c) 2015 Angeliki Lazaridou
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Copyright for articles published in this journal is retained by the authors, with first publication rights granted to the journal. By virtue of their appearance in this open access journal, articles are free to use after initial publication under the Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 Unported License.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.