Does Audience Make a Difference? An International Study on Teacher Accountability Toward Parents and Management

• In Event: Learning and Leadership in International Contexts

Abstract

The present study investigated accountability from teachers’ personal perspective toward two school audiences: parents and school management. The purpose was to compare accountability toward the two audiences and to predict the accountability level based on cultural values and school support. The study sample included 2,554 teachers from eight countries and data was collected using a multi-scale questionnaire. Results showed that teachers in every single country tended to be more accountable to school management than to parents. Yet, accountability to both audiences was predicted similarly by two major factors: collectivism and school support. These results point out the inferior status of parents in schools and the potential of collectivism and school support to explain differing accountability approach to school audiences.

Authors

• Zehava Rosenblatt, University of Haifa

• Theo Wubbels, Utrecht University