The Impact of transformational leadership style of the school principal on school learning environments and selected teacher outcomes

  • Alan M. Barnett

Western Sydney University thesis: Doctoral thesis

Abstract

Much of the recent literature on effective schools has intuitively connected the leadership role of the school principal , and school learning environment, to the achievement of organisational outcomes such as those related to teacher performance. Transformational leadership theory has cast these relations in a new perspective, where advocates have claimed that transformational leaders are more able to manipulate environmental contexts so as to achieve their organisational objectives compared to transactional and laissez-faire leadership styles. This study examines the effects of different types of secondary principals' leadership behaviours on aspects of a school's learning environment, and selected teacher outcomes. A synergy was achieved by undertaking two studies drawing upon a multi-method approach. Results are significant for those who exercise leadership authority in schools, and are contrary to the findings suggested by transformational leadership literature. Practitioners will welcome the opportunity to tailor leadership behaviours to achieve specific school learning environment and teacher outcome objectives, while those involved in principal training will recognise the potency of the behavioural aspects of the transformational and transactional paradigms
Date of Award2005
Original languageEnglish

Keywords

  • educational leadership
  • teacher-principal relationships
  • school principals

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