DIGITAL LIBRARY
LEADERSHIP BY THE CURRICULAR DEPARTMENT COORDINATOR: TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS
1 Escola Secundária Dr. Serafim Leite e INPP, Universidade Portucalense (PORTUGAL)
2 INPP, Universidade Portucalense e CEIS20, Universidade de Coimbra (PORTUGAL)
3 INPP, Universidade Portucalense (PORTUGAL)
4 LE@D, Universidade Aberta e CIEd, Universidade do Minho (PORTUGAL)
About this paper:
Appears in: EDULEARN17 Proceedings
Publication year: 2017
Pages: 8098-8106
ISBN: 978-84-697-3777-4
ISSN: 2340-1117
doi: 10.21125/edulearn.2017.0491
Conference name: 9th International Conference on Education and New Learning Technologies
Dates: 3-5 July, 2017
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Abstract:
The aim of this paper is to present a case study carried out in two clusters of schools in the metropolitan area of Oporto, Portugal.
The study reflects upon the teachers’ perceptions about the coordinator as the "leader" of the curricular department and based on the problem: “What are the contributions of the coordinator’s leadership on the dynamics of teaching, developed in the curricular department? The following aims were defined: to analyze the role and functions of the coordinator of the curricular department from the perspective of the legal diplomas; to understand the coordinator’s perception concerning job accomplishment; to understand which practices are adopted by the coordinator concerning their curricular department in its daily action; to understand teachers’ perceptions with regard to the exercise of the coordinator’s tasks; to understand the coordinator’s influence upon teacher’s teaching practices; to identify features that teachers consider important to acknowledge the department coordinator as a leader.
To accomplish this, a qualitative approach has been used, similar to a case study, using techniques such as surveys and interviews.
The framework initially focused on an analysis of the legal framework at the level of legislative regulations, essentially, as they regard the position of curricular department coordinator and / or similar; later approaching the concepts of leadership, through a brief history about the theories of leadership.
Based on the analysis of teachers’ opinions about the functions and influence of the coordinator, namely representation, communication, interaction, collaboration, promotion of personal initiative, problem solving and common objectives, we conclude that teachers' perceptions point to a coordinator with a predominantly transformational leadership.
Keywords:
Coordinator, Curricular Department, Leadership.