ELM Assignment
The Impact of Principal Leadership on Secondary School Climate and Culture
Part 1 – Personal/Professional Reflection (Approximately 500 words)
In this section, reflect on why you have chosen this particular topic, issue, challenge, or policy that is relevant to educational leadership and management. Consider your professional or personal experiences that have influenced this choice.
Key Questions to Consider:
- Based on your personal/professional experiences with leadership and management in an educational setting, what phase of education will you focus on?
- Is there a specific country you will focus on?
- What is the central focus of your writing regarding leadership and management? Why is this an issue?
- Policy
- Issue
- Challenge
- Topic
Your reflection should provide insight into your perspective and explain the relevance of your chosen focus area in educational leadership and management.
Part 2 – Organisational Culture and the Implications for Leadership and Management (Approximately 1,000 words)
Critically discuss the cultural aspects of the educational setting/phase of education you have identified and their implications for leaders and managers.
Key Focus Areas:
- Identify and critically explore the concepts that help you understand your chosen issue.
- Describe these concepts, discuss their benefits and limitations, and connect them directly to your issue.
- Reflect on the implications for leadership and management at all stages of your discussion.
Key Questions to Consider:
- What organisational culture concepts can help make sense of your issue?
- What are the implications of these cultural aspects for leaders and managers?
Ensure your discussion includes theoretical insights, practical examples, and a clear connection to leadership and management practices.
Part 3 – Theories, Processes, and Stakeholders (Approximately 1,500 words)
In this section, identify the organisational processes affected by your issue and explore the educational leadership and management theories that provide a deeper understanding of these processes. Additionally, consider the stakeholders impacted by the issue.
Key Focus Areas:
- Identify and explain the organisational processes connected to your issue.
- Explore leadership and management theories that can be applied to these processes.
- Discuss how these theories enhance understanding of the issue.
- Identify internal and external stakeholders impacted by the issue.
- Analyze how stakeholders are affected by these organisational processes.
Key Questions to Consider:
- What organisational processes are implicated in your issue?
- What leadership and management theories apply to these processes?
- Who are the key stakeholders (internal and external), and how are they impacted?
Your analysis should demonstrate depth of understanding, supported by academic references and real-world examples.
Part 4 – Research on Educational Leadership and Management (Approximately 1,500 words)
Critically evaluate and assess current research related to your topic, highlighting key findings and emerging trends in educational leadership and management.
Key Focus Areas:
- Review and synthesize relevant academic research on your topic.
- Identify the current thinking and debates around your issue.
- Discuss implications for educational leaders and managers based on the research findings.
- Use education databases and effective search strategies (as discussed in your CEEL module) to source reliable research materials.
Key Questions to Consider:
- What does current research suggest about your issue?
- How do research findings inform leadership and management practices?
- What gaps or limitations exist in the current research?
Ensure your discussion demonstrates critical analysis, synthesis of key ideas, and alignment with academic standards.
