Curtis, Todd A.; DiFabio, Mark L.; Fortuna, Jodi L.; Lauze, Kathleen M.; McCoy, Tina H.; Nikas, Kathryn M

Abstract: Schools seeking to increase student achievement often employ professional development strategies to institute instructional reforms, yet research offers little guidance on how leadership behaviors might support professional development aimed at district reform and instructional change. This qualitative case study examined the following research questions in a suburban Massachusetts district: (1) What is the role of leadership in an initiative to change literacy instruction in a small, suburban district? (a) How is leadership distributed, if at all, in this initiative? (b) What leadership behaviors, if any, do teachers and administrators view as contributing to or limiting to positive instructional change in the literacy initiative? Who is exercising these leadership behaviors? (c) What leadership behaviors support or limit engagement in the initiative? (2) How, if at all, do the professional development strategies utilized in this literacy initiative build capacity for teacher and administrator growth and further change? Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with six district leaders, including four elementary principals, the superintendent, and literacy coach; observations of Literacy Leadership Team meetings and study groups; a written teacher questionnaire; and a reflexive journal. Findings revealed that participants favorably viewed the reform-oriented professional development activities and reported that instructional changes had occurred in their schools. Discrepant perspectives on leadership affected its successful distribution. Time and communication concerns surfaced deeper, adaptive challenges related to the collective understanding of the initiative's vision and priorities, the enactment of instructional leadership by principals and teachers, and trust between stakeholders. Recommendations that arose from the findings provide guidance to the district about how to build professional capacity, shared meaning, distributed leadership, sustainability, and trust.

总结：学校寻求增加学生的成绩通常采用专业化发展战略，实行教学改革，但研究提供了关于如何领导行为可能支持专业发展，但针对地区改革和教学变革的指导很少。调查结果显示，参与者被看好的改革为导向的专业发展活动，并报道说，教学的变化发生在学校。领导力有差异的观点影响了其成功发行。时间和通信的担忧浮出水面有关该计划的愿景和优先事项，制定教学领导由校长和教师，以及利益相关者之间的信任的集体理解较深，适应性挑战。从调查结果产生的建议，关于如何建立专业能力，共享的意义，分布式领导，可持续性和信任区提供指导。

来源：ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, Boston College. 202 pp