A study of principals' leadership for teachers' action learning in Hong Kong primary schools

Due to rapid changes in the social, economical, political, technological and cultural contexts, the educational environments in Hong Kong and many other countries are changing very fast. There is no wonder that educational reforms were evolved in different parts of the world. School reform like site-based management or strategic management tends to set a framework in school for enhancing its performance. However, these reforms yielded mixed results. Many researchers believe that enhancing the professional knowledge and skills of teachers and school leaders can maximize the potential benefits from the reform process.;Based on the literature review, the framework is conceptualized to be composed of three dimensions and eight components. The inspiring dimension comprises of three components: building and institutionalizing shared vision, providing individualized job design, and modeling. The social supporting dimension encompasses another three components: reducing defensive routines, fostering learning culture, and mobilizing social support. And the enabling dimension is composed of two components: enhancing theoretical knowledge and repertoires of skills, and providing intellectual stimulation. This study aims to provide a preliminary validation to the proposed framework.;The present study adopts a hybrid method that embodies both quantitative and qualitative investigations. Data collected from cross-sectional survey was analyzed by using statistical methods to examine the framework's construct validity and its predictive nature with reference to teachers' symbolic adaptability, behavioral adaptability, flexibility, productivity, esprit, and disengagement, as well as perceived school organizational effectiveness in a sample of Hong Kong primary schools. Follow-up case study was performed to investigate case school's teacher action learning and its relationships with the proposed framework under a specific context of educational change towards Target Oriented Curriculum.;The findings obtained from the study provide some empirical evidence to support the construct validity and predictive validity of the proposed framework. As a preliminary exploration of a new leadership framework, it can provide a base for further study, particularly to break through the potential limitations in conception and methodology. Implications of the proposed framework for theory development and school leadership practices are advanced at the end of this study. It is hoped that this study could make a significant contribution to ongoing efforts and research on school leadership for facilitating teacher action learning and improving school performance.;Action learning can help teachers gain the necessary professional knowledge and skills for making better judgement and taking more effective actions in ambiguous situation. These knowledge and skills are vital for enhancing school performance in such a changing educational environment. However, at present, there is a lack of any leadership framework that can be used by school leaders to facilitate teacher action learning and hence to enhance school performance in school. Responding to this theoretical gap, the present study aims to explore a leadership framework for research and practice. This framework may contribute to the knowledge base in the field of school leadership.