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Lesson 2b_Perspectives on Education

The document discusses collegial models of management in educational institutions, emphasizing shared power and decision-making among members. It highlights the importance of consensus, common goals, and the role of leadership in fostering a participative environment. The collegial approach is presented as particularly suitable for schools and colleges, where professional expertise and collaboration are essential for effective decision-making.

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7 views

Lesson 2b_Perspectives on Education

The document discusses collegial models of management in educational institutions, emphasizing shared power and decision-making among members. It highlights the importance of consensus, common goals, and the role of leadership in fostering a participative environment. The collegial approach is presented as particularly suitable for schools and colleges, where professional expertise and collaboration are essential for effective decision-making.

Uploaded by

danwecknsapatomeria
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PERSPECTIVES ON

EDUCATION S.CHISANGA

MANAGEMENT
Collegial Models
Includes all those theories which emphasize that
power and decision-making should be shared among
some or all members of the organization who are
thought to have a shared understanding about the
aims of the institution.
Collegial models assume:
That organizations determine policy and decisions
through the process of discussion leading to
consensus.
Power is shared among some/all members of
organization who are thought to have a shared
understanding about the aims of the institution.
These approaches range from a ‘restricted collegiality
where the leader shares power with a limited number of
senior colleagues to a ‘pure’ collegiality where all members
have an equal voice determining policy.
Major features of Collegial Model
They are strongly normative in orientation.
Collegial approaches reflect the prescriptive view that
management ought be based on agreement.
Their advocates believe that decision-making should be
based on democratic principles.
Collegial model are seen as particularly appropriate for
organizations such as schools and colleges that have
significant numbers of professional staff.
Teachers possess authority arising directly from their
knowledge and skills.
They have an authority of expertise that contrasts with the
positional authority associated with formal models.
Collegial models assume that professionals also have a right
to share in the wider decision-making process.
Shared decisions are likely to be better informed and are
likely to be implemented effectively.
Assume a common set of values held by the members of
the organization.
These may arise from socialization which occurs during
training and early years of professional practice.
The size of decision-making group is an important element in
collegial management.
Groups have to be sufficiently small to enable everyone to be
heard.
Collegial models assume that decisions are reached by
consensus rather than division or conflict.
 The belief that there are common values and shared objectives lead to
the view that is both desirable and possible to resolve problems by
agreement.
 There may be differences of opinion but they can be overcome by force
of argument.
 It is regarded as wholly appropriate to involve people in the decisions
which affect their professional lives.
 Imposing decisions on staff is considered morally repugnant and
inconsistent with the notion of consent.
Collegial Models : Goals, Structure, Environment And
Leadership
Goals
Assume that members of an organization agree on its
goals.
There is a belief that staff have a shared view of the
purpose of the institution.
Agreement on aims is a perhaps the central element in all
participative approaches to school.
Goals have three main functions:
They provide a general guide to activity, enabling
teachers to link their work to school objectives.
Goals serve as source of legitimacy, enabling activities
to be justified if they contribute to achievement of goals.
They are means of measuring success, a school is
effective if it achieve its objectives.
Organizational Structure
Its structure is an objective fact which has a clear meaning
for all members of the institution.
It assume structure to be lateral or horizontal, with
participants having an equal right to determine policy and
influences decisions.
 This is contrary to formal model that present structures as vertical/ hierarchical, with
decision being made by leaders and then passed down the structure. Subordinate are
accountable to superiors for the satisfactory performance of their duties.
External environment
It is characterized by a decision-making as a participative
process with all members of the institutions having an equal
opportunity to influence policy and action.
However, where decisions emerge from often a complex
committee system, it is not an easy task to establish who
is responsible for organization policy.
The ambiguity of the decision-making process within
collegial organizations creates a particular problems in
terms of accountability to external bodies.
Leadership
In collegial models the style of leadership both influences
and is influenced by, the nature of decision making process.
Collegial theorists ascribe the following qualities of leaders
in schools & colleges:
They are responsive to the needs and wishes of their
professional colleagues.
Heads/Principals acknowledge the expertise and skill of
the teachers and seek to harness these assert for the
benefit of the students.
Collegial heads seek to create formal and informal
opportunities for testing and elaboration of policy initiatives.
This is done to encourage innovation and to maximize the
acceptability of school decisions.
Collegial model emphasize the authority of expertise rather
than official authority.
 Authority in professional organizations such as schools resides as
much with the staff as with the head.
 Instead of exerting authority over subordinates, the leaders seeks to
influence the decisions and actions of professional colleagues.
 The head allows and encourages other members of staff to become
co-leaders.
Collegial model are linked with three leadership styles
which are transformational leadership, participative
leadership and distributed leadership.
Transformational leadership
It assume that:
Central focus of leadership ought to be the commitments
and capacities of organizational members.
Higher level of personal commitment to organisational
goals and greater capacities for accomplishing those goals
are assumed to result in extra effort and greater
productivity.
Leithwood (1994) conceptualizes transformational
leadership along eight dimensions:
Building school vision
Establishing school goals
Providing intellectual stimulation
Offering individualized support
Modeling best practices and important organizational
values
Demonstrating high performance expectations
Creating a productive school culture
Developing structures to foster participation in school
decisions

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