Leadership of Professional Learning Communities in Singapore Schools: The Tight-Loose Balance

Autor/inn/en	Ho, Jeanne; Ong, Monica; Tan, Liang See
Titel	Leadership of Professional Learning Communities in Singapore Schools: The Tight-Loose Balance
Quelle	In: Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 48 (2020) 4, S.635-650 (16 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Ho, Jeanne)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	1741-1432
DOI	10.1177/1741143219833698
Schlagwörter	Communities of Practice; Asians; Cultural Context; Sustainability; Leadership Styles; Centralization; Participative Decision Making; Teacher Leadership; Foreign Countries; School Administration; Program Implementation; Professional Autonomy; Elementary Schools; Secondary Schools; Singapore + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Community; Asian; Asiat; Asiatin; Asiaten; Asiate; Nachhaltigkeit; Führungsstil; Centralisation; Zentralisierung; Lehrerfunktionsstelle; Ausland; Berufsfreiheit; Elementary school; Grundschule; Volksschule; Sekundarschule; Singapur
Abstract	Purpose: This paper presents a study on how professional learning communities (PLC) are developed in an Asian setting, and the nature of leadership that helped to cultivate and sustain PLC in this setting. Research Method: The study adopted a sequential mixed method, starting with a survey followed by qualitative case studies, involving focused group discussions (FGDs) and interviews. This paper focuses on findings derived from the qualitative data, triangulated with the survey data. Findings: The study raises questions about common assumptions regarding PLC, and shares how Singapore's unique cultural context mediates and filters Western notion of PLC and of leadership for PLC. The study suggests that leadership for PLC requires a centralised decentralisation approach, which provides clarity and alignment through strategic direction and supporting structures, while simultaneously enabling the distribution of leadership to teachers. The paper also explicates the tensions that arise due to the need to balance a tight-loose approach, and suggests how organisational and inquiry structures can both enable and constrain the distribution of leadership in a PLC. Implications: Findings from the study has implications for policy makers and school leaders who are steering PLC initiatives. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01