School Leadership and Curriculum: German Perspectives

• In Event: 32.022 - Bridging Educational Leadership and Curriculum Theory/Didaktik for Achieving Educational Opportunity in an Era of Globopolitanism

Abstract

Objectives or purpose. This paper draws on empirical findings and the literature to examine the role of school leadership vis-a-vis the curriculum in Germany amidst recent societal and policy changes. The Federal Republic of Germany is comprised of 16 federal states, known in German as “Länder” (singular is Land, plural Länder). As a federal principle, matters of education and culture lie with each state.

Perspectives or theoretical framework. We use John Kerr’s classic definition of curriculum being “all the learning which is planned and guided by the school, whether it is carried on in groups or individually, inside or outside of school” (Kerr, 1968, p. 16) as a point of departure. This elegantly simple definition carries many implications; what is taught to whom and by whom are questions that concern teachers, school leaders, but also policy makers. They are likewise influenced by the political as well as the sociocultural sphere, but also by the school culture. Like many other scholars, Pinar points to the intricate relationships between society, politics and education when laying out the educational aspect of the curriculum. Our framework further draws upon recent instructional leadership literature and then presents the concept of organizational education (“Organisationspädagogik”) as a perspective for viewing school leadership in conjunction with the curriculum.

Methods and data sources. The study utilized mixed methods to examine school leaders’ perceptions of how current policies and increasing multiculturalism have affected perspectives and preferences in their work. Interviews focused on national and regionally specific (i.e. federal states or cantons) demands (i.e. curriculum and evaluation policies) on school leadership. Daily professional practices and activities of school leaders were recorded via an end-of-day-logs. Interviews and job profiles were coded and analyzed deductively and inductively. Altogether 5.394 school leaders participated in the general inquiry (representing a response rate of 49%). For the analysis of quantitative data, structure equation modeling and path analysis were used.

Results and/or substantiated conclusions. The literature and empirical findings indicate common national and regionally specific (i.e. federal states or cantons) demands (i.e. curriculum and evaluation policies) on school leadership. Looking ahead at possible developments in Germany is difficult due to the autonomy of the German Lander. However, one paradigm shift that was observed and that will likely continue is a shift towards national central standards of education. While multiculturalism has long been a part of the German curriculum, it has so far been fairly centered on Europe (Faas, 2011). The ongoing globalization process coupled with the continuing push of new media into the classrooms might entail a shift in curricula towards more global issues.

Scientific or scholarly significance. The data suggests that school leaders in Germany (as well as in other German speaking countries) are strongly rooted in the teaching profession. Findings from this study and the literature will help bridge curriculum/Didaktik and leadership studies in the future.

Authors

• Stephan Gerhard Huber, University of Teacher Education Zug

• Pierre Tulowitzki, Ludwigsburg University of Education

• Uwe Hameyer, University of Kiel