Supporting Schools to Be Leadership Teams: Three Australian "Me to We" Research-Practice Partnerships

• In Event: Developing Authentic Research Practice Partnerships (RPPs) for Educational Change: Perspectives on Principles, and Practices From Four Diverse Contexts

Abstract

1.Objectives/purposes
This research explores a research practice partnership between two researchers and three diverse Australian schools that form our cases, as school university partnerships over a one-year period, and longer. The overarching goal was for leaders to work well together to support the development of people, pedagogy and wellbeing in their school. These goals were specifically aligned with the strategic plans of each school. The challenge of cultural change to support a more egalitarian culture and self-improving system through shared middle-level leadership.

2. Perspective/theoretical framework
The aim was for middle leaders to develop a collective framework for long term change, as they made decisions about their interactions, cultural norms, and improvement practices and the individual and collective habits about people and pedagogy that underlie practices and develop knowledge and skills that could enable them to lead learning together in a sustainable way.

Middle leaders in schools have the capacity to directly influence pedagogical practices that enhance student outcomes whilst supporting the wellbeing of students and colleagues. At the same time, the role of middle leaders in schools is not always certain or consistent. Middle leaders bridge the academic and pastoral spheres of learners. Learners are both teachers and students. Middle leaders do not lead effectively in isolation, even if they are excellent. When middle leaders develop their full capacity to work together with leaders, teachers and students, increasing their sphere of influence, they lead beyond the middle, as they advocate for the most appropriate learning needs of students and teachers. This form of collective efficacy contrasts with middle managers, who administrate in silos, confined to their teaching team, and remain ill-equipped to share in a whole school strategic plan.

3. Methods/techniques/modes of inquiry
Our work is centred around a continuous research and evaluation framework, based on the premise that Middle leaders who lead beyond the middle (Day and Grice, 2019), inspire teachers and students to further develop their learning strengths through professional relationships that are supported by carefully planned school structures, communicative learning spaces (Sjolie, Francisco & Langalotz, 2019), and architectures over time.

4. Data sources, evidence, objects, or materials
Interviews and surveys with participants have given us insights into the role and impact of quality professional education in the context of school effectiveness and improvement, and the strengths and limitations of a partnership approach from a researcher perspective.

5. Results and/or substantiated conclusions or warrants for arguments/point of view
Research and professional learning opportunities supported the middle leadership team to grow in their collective efficacy, and was dependent upon the leadership conditions, interactions, and beliefs within each of the schools.

6. Scientific or scholarly significance of the study or work
Findings support the growing body of international evidence demonstrating the impact of research/policy/practice collaboration and partnerships on improving the effectiveness of education in schools, particularly in diagnosing school readiness for professional learning partnerships.

Authors

• Christine Grice, University of Sydney

• Fiona Davies, University of Sydney