The Impact of Interventions Used by Principals on Teachers' Intellectual Engagement

The purpose of this study was to understand the influence of interventions used by principals on teachers’ intellectual engagement. By supporting teachers’ intellectual engagement, principals helped teachers improve their practice. The study used design-based research to answer the research questions. The study focused on understanding and developing actions principals can take to support teachers’ intellectual engagement. Principals participating in the study designed innovative interventions that supported teachers. Participants in this study included six principals from a single school division. Data was collected through meeting transcriptions, interview transcriptions, structured interviews, questionnaires and participant reflections. Analysis of the data produced five themes including understanding the characteristics of the principal, understanding the culture of the school, evidence of the influence of planned interventions, evidence of the impact of responding at critical times and facilitating design-based research. The research indicated that principals could have an influence on teachers’ intellectual engagement. Principals impacted teachers’ intellectual engagement by considering and developing identified personal characteristics of a principal, considering and supporting a particular school culture and planning and implementing a number of interventions in the school. The implications of the research are presented. Emerging from the findings is a framework for intellectually engaging leadership.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Educational Research

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Graduate Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2013

Author dc:creator

• Hildebrand, Davin

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Friesen, Sharon

• Administration

Statement dc:rights

• University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

eng

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/28183

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:11023/943