| Promoting the development of kindergarten principals’ competency to promote their career success is an issue that should be paid attention to in the current research on the competency of kindergarten principals.Previous studies mainly focused on the question of what kindergarten principals’ competency is.However,there is little knowledge about the development characteristics of competency,the role and value of competency on the career success of the kindergarten principals,and the influencing factors that promote the development of the principals’ competency.Exploring the development characteristics of the principal’s competency can clarify the development potential of the competency dimension.Understanding the law of the functions of the principal’s competency can explain the development value of the competency dimension.Finding the factors that promote the development of the principal’s competency can provide a feasible path for the development of the competency for subsequent practice.Based on the above thinking,this research carried out the following four sub-studies:The first sub-study constructed a competency model for kindergarten principals.Based on the theory and method of competency modeling,this study adopts the integrated modeling paradigm to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the principal’s job responsibilities and content.Combined with the classic "General Competency Dictionary",the “Competency Coding Dictionary of Kindergarten Principal” was formed.Behavioral event interview technology was applied to interview outstanding principals in different career development stages.Then,the interview data was coded and analyzed according to the "coding dictionary",the development characteristics of kindergarten principals’ competency in different career stages were analyzed,and the competency model of kindergarten principals was finally constructed.In the second sub-study,a competency assessment tool for kindergarten principals was developed and applied to investigate principals’ competency status.The development of assessment tools can further validate the competency model structure of Study 1,and can provide tools for the status investigation and related research on competency.Research 2A was based on the content and structure of the principal’s competency model constructed in Study 1,the initial competency assessment questionnaire was formed.Supported by surveying evidence,a scientific and effective formal questionnaire for the assessment of the principal’s competency has been formed.In research 2B,this tool was used to analyze the overall status quo of kindergarten principals’ competency in China and the differences in various demographic variables through a questionnaire survey.The third sub-study examined the effect of kindergarten principals’ competency on subjective perception of career success.The research adopted a questionnaire survey to collect data.Through the correlation and regression analysis,this study explored which competency dimensions are of great value to subjective perception of career success.First,through correlation analysis,determine the correlation between each dimension of the principal’s competency and the total score(and all dimensions)of subjective perception of career success.Then,through multiple regression analysis,the unique effects and differential effects of the principals’ competency on the subjective perception of career success are clarified.The fourth sub-study explored the factors that promote the development of kindergarten principals’ competency.The research selected the principals who have significantly developed their competencies at work as subjects.First,relevant information about the improvement of the competency of kindergarten principals was obtained through semi-structured interviews.Then,the acquired content was coded and classified using the method of grounded theory.Finally,according to the coding results,the composition characteristics are further analyzed.Through the above research process,the following research findings were obtained:(1)The competency model of kindergarten principals includes 20 competency dimensions.Work orientation,flexibility,self-control,enterprising spirit,innovation ability,analytical ability,children orientation,learning motive,learning ability,and democratic spirit showed the characteristics of stability across professional stages.Self-confidence,planning ability,monitoring capability,foreseeing ability,reflection ability,training teachers,professional knowledge,caring teachers,relationship building ability,and team leadership showed significant differences in the professional stages.They increased with the rise of the professional stages generally.(2)The kindergarten principals’ competency can be further divided into four categories: the personal qualities(work orientation,flexibility,self-control,and self-confidence),the leaders’ quality(enterprising spirit,innovation ability,planning ability,monitoring capability,and foreseeing ability),the professional quality(reflection ability,analytical ability,children orientation,training teachers,learning motive,learning ability,and professional knowledge),the managers’ quality(caring teachers,relationship building ability,democratic spirit,and team leadership).(3)The kindergarten principals’ competency assessment questionnaire contains four sub-questionnaires,including the personal quality,the leaders’ quality,the professional quality,and the managers’ quality.It has good reliability and validity,which can be used separately or in combination to assess kindergarten principals’ competency.(4)In general,kindergarten principals in China have a high self-evaluation on their competency levels.The managers’ quality scores are the highest,and the leaders’ quality scores are the lowest.(5)The competency of kindergarten principals is correlated with personal experience.All the competency dimensions are significantly associated with age.In the principals’ work experience,the influence of the total working years,the principal working years,the total management years,and the deputy principal working years are range from large to small.(6)There is a certain difference in kindergarten principals’ competency in terms of educational background and the nature of kindergartens.The personal quality,the leaders’ quality,and the professional quality show significant educational differences,and principals with the high educational background are significantly better than principals with low educational background.The managers’ quality is influenced by the interaction between educational background and the nature of the kindergarten.In the public kindergarten,the principals with the higher educational background are significantly better than those with a lower educational background.Still,there is no significant difference between them in the private kindergarten.(7)Most of the dimensions in the kindergarten principals’ competency model show significant effects on the total score or sub-dimensions of subjective perception of career success.All competency dimensions have unique effects on the prediction of the same subjective perception of career success(or dimension),and the same competency dimension has differential effects on the prediction of different dimensions of the subjective perception of career success.The four dimensions of work orientation,children orientation,self-control,and caring teachers show "double-edged sword" effects.There is a positive effect on one dimension of subjective perception of career success and a negative effect on the other dimension.(8)The promoting factors for the development of kindergarten principals’ competency include the individual effort factor and the environmental factor.The individual effort factor includes independent learning,active practice,reflection,and summary,while the environmental promotion factor includes policy support,social incentive,and other people’s influence.The coding results of these factors show some characteristics.Specifically,the individual effort is the dominant factor,reflection and improvement are the most common,and organizational requirements highlight effectiveness,and so on. |
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