The instructional leadership proficiencies of elementary principals: A study of preparation and continuing professional development needs.

다국어 초록 (Multilingual Abstract)

With the onset of the accountability movement, today's principals are expected to serve as instructional leaders for their schools. In this role, principals are tasked to improve teaching and student achievement. However, researchers have found that principals are not adequately prepared for this role. This study was undertaken to determine the professional needs of elementary principals in the area of instructional leadership. Furthermore, sources of professional development and factors that influence principal participation in professional development activities were investigated.
A questionnaire, modified from a study by Palladino (1998), was mailed to 330 elementary principals in the Commonwealth of Virginia. A total of 142 surveys were analyzed to answer the research questions proposed. The survey was used to determine elementary principals' perceptions of the importance of identified instructional leadership proficiencies and their need for professional development in each proficiency area. The most valuable source of professional development and factors important in determining participation in professional development activities were also investigated.
According to findings, principals perceived all instructional leadership proficiency areas to be important to their role as an instructional leader. These key proficiency areas included: setting a vision, mission, and goals, supervising teachers and teaching, managing curriculum and instruction, monitoring student progress, and promoting professional development. Principals did not, however, indicate a high need for professional development in the identified task areas. This contradicted the findings of earlier studies related to principal development. More principals than expected identified the workshop conference professional development model as the most valuable source of professional development in all areas of instructional leadership. Considerably fewer principals than expected identified college/university course as their most valuable source of professional development in each area. In addition, principals identified the importance of professional development activities that are consistent with school goals, increase their personal knowledge base and skills, align with their personal goals, and apply immediately to their work.