Benchlearning – an action research program for transforming leadership and school practices

Aas, Marit; Vennebo, Kirsten Foshaug; Halvorsen, Kjell Atle

doi:10.1080/09650792.2019.1566084

Cited by 21 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Thus, our findings indicate the importance of a long-time perspective in school leadership training programmes. Our results also reinforce previous recommendations to include action research in school leaders' education to promote learning and better prepare school leaders for their assignments (Sappington et al 2010, Wood and Govender 2013, Aas et al 2019). However, the results also show that organising this kind of learning activity can be challenging and even provoke resistance.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

“…Bush (2012) as well as Korach and Cosner (2017) have also noted that ways to improve school leaders' development, particularly learning activities during their education, require substantially more research attention. Nevertheless, several studies have shown that learning activities grounded in problem-based learning and action research can promote school leaders' double-loop learning and actions based on new knowledge in their leading practice (Sappington et al 2010, Wood and Govender 2013, Aas et al 2019. Other recommended learning activities that may contribute to school leaders' learning and actions include group coaching, case study analysis and mentoring (Aas and Vavik 2015, Daresh 2004, Bush 2012, Ärlestig 2012.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Leadership for school improvement – linking learning to leading over time

Liljenberg

Wrethander

2020

Professional Development in Education

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Furnishing novice school leaders with the knowledge and skills they require to be successful in practice has proved difficult. This paper describes and analyses an attempt to link learning and school leading practices in their education: a three-year learning activity within the Swedish National School Leadership Training Programme intended to develop novice school leaders' ability to analyse, critically examine, formulate and implement school improvement strategies. The theoretical point of departure is a social constructionist and situated perspective on learning. Drawing on data from 120 reports submitted by school leaders at the end of years two (n = 60) and three (n = 60) of the programme, and nine audio-recorded conversations between groups of the leaders, we identify critical aspects of the learning process. The findings indicate that the novice school leaders initially perceived the learning activity to be challenging, but it gradually became a mediational mean and boundary object in and between their practices. Critical elements for this were the activity's design and length, systematic approach, supportive tools and 'forcing moments'. We argue that linking training practice to school leading practice may have positive effects on novice school leaders' professional development. ARTICLE HISTORY

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Leadership for school improvement – linking learning to leading over time

Liljenberg

Wrethander

2020

Professional Development in Education

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“…Leaders do not see reflections as something that is part of their daily leadership practice, but something that comes in addition. Critical friendship represents a possibility for reflections that can improve leaders' metacognitive skills, which gives them opportunities for learning to develop their capacities in the process (Aas, Vennebo, and Halvorsen 2019), confirmed by the participants in this study.…”

Section: The Critical Friend As a Catalyst For Systematic Reflectionssupporting

confidence: 67%

Enhancing system thinking - a superintendent and three principals reflecting with a critical friend

Henriksen

Aas

2020

Educational Action Research

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There is a growing body of action research on school improvement and development. Many of these studies have found the use of critical friendship valuable in relation to teachers' or principals' practice. Yet, little attention has been paid to critical friendship at the school district level. This study explores how a superintendent and three principals changed their understandings through interaction with a critical friend. It draws on reflective conversations, written reflections and observations of meetings between the participants, and is framed within practical action research aimed at changing the participants' understandings. We found that through a trust-building process the critical friend acted as a catalyst for systematic reflections, helping leaders to set aside time and space to reflect. This has contributed to new ways of talking and thinking and has enhanced the leaders' system thinking. ARTICLE HISTORY

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“…By building learning centred around leaders' experiences and practices, theory and practice can be linked together through collaborative reflexive activities (Aas 2017a;Dempster, Lovett, and Fluckiger 2011;Huber 2011;Robertson 2013). In other words, school leaders being active and involved in development processes in their own schools is crucial to their personal and their schools' learning as well as for remaking practices (Aas, Vennebo, and Halvorsen 2019;Vennebo 2016). This corresponds to practical action research (Kemmis 2009), building on collaborative and self-reflective principles through which practitioners remake their practices for themselves.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building leadership capacity in school leadership groups: an action research project

Aas

Vennebo

2021

Educational Action Research

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This research study focuses on school leadership groups taking part in an action research project (AR project) within schools in a Norwegian municipality. The study aims to show and discuss how action research (AR) adopted in school change can help build collective leadership capacity in school leadership groups. Combined with the theory of expansive learning, the theories of critical participatory action research and practice architectures frame the study. The study identified two essential actions for building leadership capacity in school leadership groups: performing an empirical and historical analysis of the problem space worked on and conducting collective reflections regarding their experiences in the development work process. Furthermore, the study shows how external leadership supervisors can contribute as critical friends in ways that may be significant for capacity building in school leadership groups. The study concludes with two implications related to collective capacity building for school leadership groups and one methodological implication for performing action research.

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Benchlearning – an action research program for transforming leadership and school practices

Abstract: Development, Coaching. She has a background as a practitioner in school (teacher, principal, etc).

Cited by 21 publications

References 27 publications

Leadership for school improvement – linking learning to leading over time

Leadership for school improvement – linking learning to leading over time

Enhancing system thinking - a superintendent and three principals reflecting with a critical friend

Building leadership capacity in school leadership groups: an action research project

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