Visionary Leadership as an Visionary Leadership as an Approach to Social Studies Approach to Social Studies

Teacher Preparation Teacher Preparation Programmers’ Reform: Programmers’ Reform:

Participants' PerspectivesParticipants' Perspectives

Ali Mohammad Jubran (Ph.D)Ali Mohammad Jubran (Ph.D) Samih Mahmoud Al-karasneh (Ph.D)Samih Mahmoud Al-karasneh (Ph.D)

Yarmouk University, JordanYarmouk University, Jordan

(WCES-2009)(WCES-2009)

BackgroundBackground

There is growing There is growing dissatisfaction in most dissatisfaction in most countries of the world countries of the world

with their current with their current education system, and education system, and teacher education in teacher education in

particular.particular.

Social scientists and Social scientists and governments around the governments around the

world have argued for world have argued for change, development or change, development or

reform of the educational reform of the educational system, and of teacher system, and of teacher education in particulareducation in particular..

����Aim of the StudyAim of the Study

The aim is to investigate the The aim is to investigate the views of the participants, in views of the participants, in

particular, professors, particular, professors, supervisors, student teachers supervisors, student teachers and co-operating teachers of and co-operating teachers of the managerial problems and the managerial problems and challenges of social studies challenges of social studies

teacher preparation teacher preparation programme in Jordanprogramme in Jordan

MethodsMethods

Data were collected using Data were collected using interviews. interviews.

The semi-structured The semi-structured interview was used in the interview was used in the present studypresent study

The interviews covered The interviews covered different components of the different components of the preparation programme preparation programme including programme including programme requirements, teaching requirements, teaching practices, student teachers practices, student teachers supervisors, co-operating supervisors, co-operating teachers, institutional teachers, institutional environment, and the role of environment, and the role of university professorsuniversity professors

ProceduresProcedures

The sample for this study The sample for this study included:included:

student teachers, student teachers,

professors, professors,

university supervisors, university supervisors,

and co-operating teachers and co-operating teachers associated with social studies associated with social studies teacher education programme teacher education programme in three universities in Jordanin three universities in Jordan

ElementsElements Sample sizeSample sizePopulationPopulation

Student Student teachersteachers

1818( ( 66 each each univuniv))

107107 in all in all UnisUnis

ProfessorsProfessors66( ( 22 each each univuniv))

1010 in all Unisin all Unis

SupervisorsSupervisors 3 (1 each 3 (1 each univ)univ)

33 in all Unisin all Unis

Cooperating Cooperating teachersteachers

3 (1 each 3 (1 each univ)univ)

From 20 From 20 schoolsschools

TotalTotal 3030 140140

The interview data were The interview data were subject to analysis using a subject to analysis using a grounded theory approach grounded theory approach by identifying the most by identifying the most important categories important categories perceived in the data by perceived in the data by coding and grouping coding and grouping conceptsconcepts

ResultsResults

The analysis revealed a The analysis revealed a great deal of evidence great deal of evidence concerning managerial concerning managerial problems in the social problems in the social studies education and studies education and training programme in training programme in JordanJordan

A. Managerial A. Managerial Problems in Problems in the University:the University:

11 - -Management and Management and ResponsibilitiesResponsibilities

It concerns the relationship It concerns the relationship between the university between the university administration and administration and professors and students. professors and students. There seems to be a There seems to be a ‘conflict’ between ‘conflict’ between professors and professors and administrators particularlyadministrators particularly

22 - -Selection of StudentsSelection of Students

The university management accepts The university management accepts students to the programme without students to the programme without assessing their prior knowledge, assessing their prior knowledge, background or experience, background or experience,

and even without knowing the desires and even without knowing the desires and expectations they have of the and expectations they have of the teacher training and education teacher training and education programme ahead of themprogramme ahead of them

33 - -Programme of CoursesProgramme of Courses

Staff and students perceive a Staff and students perceive a lack of a structured syllabus lack of a structured syllabus based on real evidence of based on real evidence of students’ professional and students’ professional and theoretical needs. theoretical needs.

One of the problems with the One of the problems with the syllabus concerns the syllabus concerns the content of the coursescontent of the courses

44 - -Teaching Process- Who Teaching Process- Who Should Teach, What and Should Teach, What and HowHow

The preparation for teaching is not The preparation for teaching is not effective, and do not equip effective, and do not equip students to teach properly in the students to teach properly in the field. field.

The university professors and The university professors and student teachers thought that student teachers thought that there is no coherent rationale there is no coherent rationale underpinning which courses are underpinning which courses are taught and by whomtaught and by whom

55 - -Credit Hour SystemCredit Hour System

The credit hour structure is a barrier The credit hour structure is a barrier to the development of relationships to the development of relationships among the students, and affects among the students, and affects their education and training badly. their education and training badly.

The university administration does The university administration does not realize how this system not realize how this system undermines the education and undermines the education and training processtraining process

66 - -FacilitiesFacilities

For the student teachers, and For the student teachers, and professors to a large extent, professors to a large extent, facilities in Jordanian facilities in Jordanian institutions are extremely institutions are extremely limited limited

There is a lack of books, There is a lack of books, journals, and suitable journals, and suitable referencesreferences

77 - -Examination SystemExamination System

There was a feeling that the There was a feeling that the university administration does university administration does not realize that the examination not realize that the examination system is not functioning system is not functioning effectivelyeffectively. .

Some university professors and Some university professors and supervisors use the examination supervisors use the examination system to threaten studentssystem to threaten students

BB- - Managerial Managerial Problems in Problems in the Schoolsthe Schools::

11 - -Communication of Communication of InformationInformationThere is minimal flow of There is minimal flow of

information between the schools information between the schools and the university. and the university.

The university professors are not The university professors are not involved in any of the school involved in any of the school activities, and have no activities, and have no knowledge of what is going on in knowledge of what is going on in the schools at allthe schools at all

22 - -Supervisors’ VisitsSupervisors’ Visits

University supervisors visit the University supervisors visit the school two or three times in school two or three times in order to make sure that the order to make sure that the student teachers are attending student teachers are attending school regularly, and to evaluate school regularly, and to evaluate them, giving them their marks. them, giving them their marks.

Some supervisors visit the school Some supervisors visit the school only once or not at allonly once or not at all

33 - -Student-Supervisor and Student-Supervisor and Teacher ConferencesTeacher ConferencesThere are no regular meetings There are no regular meetings

(conferences) with both (conferences) with both university supervisors and co-university supervisors and co-operating teachers, so they have operating teachers, so they have no time to help student teachers. no time to help student teachers.

Students are on their own in Students are on their own in school, and are not given school, and are not given appropriate supportappropriate support

44 - -ManagementManagement

In the university, there is no separation In the university, there is no separation between teaching practice and the between teaching practice and the other courses taking place in the other courses taking place in the university. Consequently, after university. Consequently, after finishing teaching in school every finishing teaching in school every day, students must go back to the day, students must go back to the university to attend other courses. university to attend other courses.

This is exceptionally demanding for This is exceptionally demanding for students and prevents them from students and prevents them from participating in school activitiesparticipating in school activities

55 - -MonitoringMonitoring

Some students were sent to the Some students were sent to the classroom to teach as soon as they classroom to teach as soon as they arrived at school on the first day.arrived at school on the first day.

Some of them were treated as Some of them were treated as substitute teachers to cover what substitute teachers to cover what were called free time classes. So were called free time classes. So that their opportunities to that their opportunities to participate in school activities were participate in school activities were reducedreduced

55 - -Leadership RoleLeadership RoleThere is a lack of managerial support There is a lack of managerial support

and commitment on the part of the and commitment on the part of the schools, and an inability to meet schools, and an inability to meet students’ needs. No one takes the students’ needs. No one takes the role of leadership in school. role of leadership in school.

Some head teachers have excluded Some head teachers have excluded student teachers from parent-teacher student teachers from parent-teacher meetings. They do not provide meetings. They do not provide students with important materials. students with important materials. They are not always co-operativeThey are not always co-operative

66 - -AssessmentAssessment

The mechanism for assessment The mechanism for assessment of student teachers’ of student teachers’ performance in school is not performance in school is not working effectively.working effectively.

Co-operating teachers, head Co-operating teachers, head teachers, and supervisors are teachers, and supervisors are only involved at the end of only involved at the end of teaching practiceteaching practice

77 - -Length of Teaching Length of Teaching PracticePractice

Finally, in the view of the Finally, in the view of the student teachers and student teachers and professors, teaching professors, teaching practice is not long practice is not long enough, and its position in enough, and its position in the programme is not the programme is not beneficialbeneficial

DiscussionDiscussion

The present study demonstrates The present study demonstrates that the majority of that the majority of educational institutions in educational institutions in Jordan are experiencing a Jordan are experiencing a crisis of leadershipcrisis of leadership

The crisis rests with the wide The crisis rests with the wide gap between management and gap between management and education leaderseducation leaders

However, Jordan is not the only However, Jordan is not the only country to experience these country to experience these problems. These are worldwide:problems. These are worldwide:

(Manasse, 1986; Bensimon, 1989; (Manasse, 1986; Bensimon, 1989; Mcdade,1988; Atiyyah, 1993; Ali Mcdade,1988; Atiyyah, 1993; Ali & Camp, 1995; Lashway, 1997; & Camp, 1995; Lashway, 1997; Abolghasemi, McCormick, and Abolghasemi, McCormick, and Conners, 1999; Daresh and Male, Conners, 1999; Daresh and Male, 2000, and Hunt, Tourish, and 2000, and Hunt, Tourish, and Hargie, 2000). Hargie, 2000).

ConclusionConclusion

Visionary Leadership as an Visionary Leadership as an Approach to Reform:Approach to Reform:

There may be many factors which There may be many factors which affect managerial leadership and affect managerial leadership and

its vision. These factors hinder its vision. These factors hinder progress and obstruct the progress and obstruct the

achievements of participants in achievements of participants in the teacher education programmethe teacher education programme

According to the results of the According to the results of the current study, leadership has current study, leadership has to be better, stronger, bolder to be better, stronger, bolder and more visionary. and more visionary.

Leaders will need not only the Leaders will need not only the vision but also the skills to vision but also the skills to communicate that vision to communicate that vision to others, and to sustain it over others, and to sustain it over timetime

leaders and management leaders and management teams must have this teams must have this vision for Jordanian vision for Jordanian universities and so universities and so bring about change and bring about change and the reform processthe reform process

Thus, they can do this by Thus, they can do this by establishing collaborative establishing collaborative learning environments learning environments both in universities and both in universities and schools, schools,

and by guiding and and by guiding and supporting all supporting all participantsparticipants

They must put into practice the They must put into practice the objectives, images, policies and objectives, images, policies and procedures for meeting the procedures for meeting the needs and requirements of the needs and requirements of the reform process. reform process.

These leaders should be able to These leaders should be able to articulate their vision, and plan articulate their vision, and plan their academic policies based their academic policies based on the central concepts of on the central concepts of learning, and teaching for learning, and teaching for understandingunderstanding

The leadership should The leadership should understand change and understand change and the change process, the change process, encourage creativity and encourage creativity and manage operations in manage operations in relation to student relation to student learninglearning

There is a stronger There is a stronger likelihood of success if the likelihood of success if the leadership and leadership and management in the management in the universities develop a universities develop a collaborative and shared collaborative and shared vision, grounded in trust vision, grounded in trust and mutual understanding and mutual understanding and respectand respect

This kind of co-This kind of co-operation motivates operation motivates the participants to the participants to work together in work together in order to address their order to address their common goalcommon goal

The leadership creates The leadership creates and sustains learning and sustains learning communities by sharing communities by sharing decisions, sustaining a decisions, sustaining a common vision, and common vision, and providing support for providing support for staff learningstaff learning

Clear vision will affect the Clear vision will affect the role of the university to role of the university to maintain collaborative maintain collaborative relationships with schools, relationships with schools, in order to develop in order to develop productive partnerships productive partnerships and to fulfil their role in the and to fulfil their role in the training of teachers of training of teachers of social studiessocial studies

Thank YouThank You

عليكم عليكم والسالم والسالم