1he lmpacL of varled rofesslonal Learnlng

Lxperlences on rlnclpal Self-Lmcacy

LllzabeLh M. Curry
Summer Leadershlp Conference
!uly 29, 2014

A dlsserLauon submlued Lo Lhe
Cardner-Webb School of Lducauon
ln arual lulllmenL of Lhe 8equlremenLs
for Lhe uegree of uocLor of Lducauon on
!anuary 13, 2014
8ackground
School leadershlp has a sLausucally slgnlcanL
relauonshlp wlLh sLudenL achlevemenL
(Marzano eL. al., 2003).

1he consLrucL of self-emcacy ls relaLed Lo
prlnclpal eecuveness (LelLhwood & !anLzl,
2008).
urpose of Lhe SLudy
Lo conLrlbuLe Lo a llmlLed, buL growlng body of
research on Lhe causes and conLrlbuung
facLors Lo prlnclpal self-emcacy

Lo explore Lhe exlsLence of a relauonshlp
beLween prlnclpals' self-emcacy and Lhelr
professlonal learnlng experlences
8esearch Cuesuons
WhaL ls Lhe relauonshlp beLween a prlnclpal's
percepuon of Lhe quallLy of Lhelr preparauon
program and subsequenL professlonal learnlng
experlences and Lhelr self-emcacy?
WhaL Lypes of professlonal learnlng experlences do
prlnclpals percelve as valuable ln bulldlng Lhelr
emcacy?
1heoreucal lramework
Lmcacy 1heory
1ralLs of eecuve prlnclpals
rlnclpal preparauon
rofesslonal learnlng experlences of
prlnclpals ln relauonshlp Lo adulL
learnlng Lheory
Slgnlcance of Lhe SLudy

1hls sLudy wlll lnform Lhe body of llLeraLure on prlnclpal
preparauon, lnducuon and supporL for conunued learnlng.

1he researcher hopes Lhls sLudy wlll serve as a framework or
resource for unlverslues and dlsLrlcLs ln developlng learnlng
experlences LhaL supporL prlnclpal self-emcacy.

Lmcacy 1heory

8andura (1977) conceptua||zed se|f-emcacy a|ong three
d|mens|ons:
Comp|ex|ty-Lasks are ordered from slmple Lo dlmculL, people's
emcacy may be llmlLed Lo very slmple Lasks or exLend Lo Lhe
mosL dlmculL
Genera||ty-may be focused on very speclc Lasks or be more
broadly concelved.
Strength- Cne may also hold emcacy bellefs weakly or sLrongly,
weakly held bellefs belng easlly exungulshed ln Lhe face of
dlmculLy" (LelLhwood & !anLzl, 2008, p. 301).
AnLecedenLs Lo Lmcacy
Lnacuve MasLery
vlcarlous Lxperlence
verbal ersuaslon
Lmouonal Arousal
1he LecLs of rlnclpal-Lmcacy
Leadershlp emcacy ls posluvely correlaLed wlLh
sLudenL achlevemenL ln readlng and maLh.





(ulmmock & Pame, 1996, LelLhwood & McCall, 2008, SmlLh eL.
al., 2003, 1schannen-Moran & Carels, 2003, Lehman, 2007).
rlnclpal-Lmcacy
Plghly emcaclous prlnclpals are prlmarlly concerned wlLh
lmprovlng lnsLrucuon for all sLudenLs and can maneuver Lhe
mlcro-pollucal consLrucLs ln a manner where supporL ls
galned for Lhelr lnluauves (8andura, 1997).
Low-emcacy prlnclpals focus on managemenL, compllance
and dlsclpllne (8andura, 1997).
CharacLerlsucs of hlghly emcaclous prlnclpals LranslaLe lnLo
posluve eecLs for sLa and sLudenLs" (vlrga, 2009).
When faced wlLh challenge, low-emcacy prlnclpals glve up buL
hlgh-emcacy prlnclpals work harder, nd anoLher way and
perslsL ln Lhelr eorLs (8andura, 2000).
rlnclpal Learnlng Lxperlences
Leadershlp reparauon rogram 1ypes
unlverslLy based programs
dlsLrlcL lnluaLed programs
programs run by Lhlrd parues
programs run Lhrough parLnershlps of Lhe unlverslues, school dlsLrlcLs,
and Lhlrd parues
AdulL Learnlng 1heory
rofesslonal Learnlng Lxperlences
Supporung Lhe lndlvldual educaLor
ersonal and rofesslonal ulrecL Servlce Models
Collaborauve/Cooperauve models
Currlcular and lnsLrucuonal lnluauves
1he Workshop Way of Learnlng
MeLhodology
Sequenual mlxed meLhods approach

rlorlLy was glven Lo Lhe quallLauve daLa gaLhered as Lhe
quanuLauve daLa was prlmarlly used Lo ldenufy Lhe
paruclpanLs for Lhe sLudy.

1he daLa from Lhe lnLervlews was sLudled lnducuvely and Lhe
researcher auended Lo emerglng Lhemes ln Lhe reporLed
eecuveness of dlerenL professlonal learnlng experlences.
aruclpanLs
1wenLy-Lwo prlnclpals from a rural nC School ulsLrlcL
School Level
llve hlgh school
lour mlddle school
1hlrLeen elemenLary school
CrlLerla for selecung prlnclpals for Lhe lnLervlews
Mlnlmum of Lwo years experlence
Self-emcacy scores ln Lhe Lop slxLy -percenL
AL leasL four secondary prlnclpals and four elemenLary school
prlnclpals
aruclpanLs
12 candldaLes meL Lhe crlLerla, eleven were lnLervlewed
llve elemenLary, Lwo mlddle, Lhree hlgh school prlnclpals
were lnLervlewed
8 WhlLe, 1 Launo, 1 Afrlcan Amerlcan and 1 Amerlcan lndlan
rlnclpal were lnLervlewed
Ma|e Iema|e Wh|te Afr|can
Amer|ca
Lanno Amer|can
Ind|an
8 14 18 2 1 1
lnsLrumenLs
rlnclpal Sense of Lmcacy Scale (SLS) developed by
1schannen-Moran and Carels (2004)

uemographlc Survey

lnLervlew Cuesuons

rocedures & uaLa Analysls
ConLacLed Lhe SuperlnLendenL Lo dlscuss proLocol for survey
dlssemlnauon and lnLervlew schedule
ermlsslon for paruclpauon was recelved and surveys were
admlnlsLered ln a group semng
Surveys were collecLed and daLa analyzed Lo choose
paruclpanLs for Lhe lnLervlew
ConLacLed Lhe paruclpanLs selecLed for Lhe quallLauve daLa
collecuons, secured verbal permlsslon for paruclpauon,
scheduled lnLervlews
lnLervlewed Lhe paruclpanLs over a perlod of ve days
lnLervlew sesslons Lranscrlbed

uaLa Analysls
1he resulLs from Lhe SLS were analyzed Lo rank order Lhe
emcacy scores of prlnclpal accordlng Lo school level.
1he resulLs from Lhe SLS and demographlc survey were used
Lo generaLe a llsL of paruclpanLs for Lhe lnLervlew phase of
Lhe research.
rlnclpals selecLed were noued by emall and lnLervlews
were scheduled and conducLed over a perlod of ve days.
1he quallLauve daLa was audlo recorded and Lranscrlbed.
uaLa Analysls Conunued
1he researcher read Lhrough Lhe Lranscrlbed daLa one ume Lo geL a
general sense of poLenual pauerns.
1he researcher read Lhrough Lhe daLa a second ume and began
make noLauons ln Lhe marglns of sLaLemenLs deemed as slgnlcanL
ln answerlng Lhe research quesuons.
1he daLa from Lhe audlo recordlng was coded by hand and analyzed
by Lhemauc analysls, a process LhaL lnvolved codlng and Lhen
segregaung Lhe daLa by codes lnLo daLa clumps for furLher analysls
and descrlpuon" (Clesne, 2006, 147).
1he researcher organlzed Lhe daLa by emerglng Lhemes and around
Lhe dlerenL Lypes of professlonal learnlng experlences prlnclpals
descrlbe as belng mosL lmpacuul ln conLrlbuung Lo Lhelr emcacy.
llndlngs-Lmerglng 1hemes
Coded 1op|cs 1hemes

Support from Sta ulsLrlcL SupporL
Lnab||ng D|str|ct Structures
Support from D|str|ct

Intr|ns|c 1ra|t ersonal
Iam||y 8ackground
Lar|y Schoo| Lxper|ences

Mentors MenLors, 8ole Models, Coaches
ko|e Mode|s
Coaches

Lxper|enna| Learn|ng Lxperlenual
Cn the Iob 1ra|n|ng
Ass|stant r|nc|pa| Lxper|ences

Workshop CLher rofesslonal Learnlng
Independent Study

Iorma| reparanon lormal reparauon

Learn|ng from Co||eagues]Co||aboranon Cooperauve/collaborauve
rofess|ona| Learn|ng Commun|nes
Cvervlew of 1oplcs and 1hemes
(1) MenLors, 8ole Models and Coaches
(2) CLher rofesslonal Learnlng
(3) Cooperauve/Collaborauve models
(4) ulsLrlcL SupporL
(3) Lxperlenual learnlng or !" $%& '() *+,-"-".
(6) lormal reparauon
(7) ersonal
Cooperanve and Co||aboranve Mode|s
1yplcally focus on developlng synergy and shared purpose
and lnclude groups worklng wlLhln a communlLy Lo achleve
goals held by Lhe communlLy (!oyce & Calhoun, 2010).
Collecuve synergy lncreases posluve aecL, lncreases learnlng
of selecLed knowledge and sklll, and lncreases
lmplemenLauon of knowledge and skllls (!oyce & Calhoun,
2010).
1hls Lheme was coded 102 umes ln Lhe daLa analysls,
represenung 24.82 of Lhe LoLal responses.
Lnab||ng D|str|ct Structure.
Lnabllng ulsLrlcL SLrucLure (LuS)
Lhe sLrucLure aL Lhe dlsLrlcL level LhaL supporLs prlnclpals and lncludes
a focus on quallLy, dlsLrlcL culLure, use of daLa, [ob-embedded
professlonal developmenL for Leachers, LargeLed lmprovemenL, and an
emphasls on Leam work ls a vlable and lnuenual consLrucL relaLed Lo
prlnclpal emcacy (Land, 2013).
34 responses (13) coded as slgnlcanL
llndlngs-Collaborauve Models and LuS
Plgh quallLy professlonal learnlng ls susLalnable and bullL upon
shared knowledge and collaborauon (Speck & knlpe, 2003).
nearly one-fourLh of Lhe overall responses abouL learnlng
experlences LhaL conLrlbuLed Lo prlnclpal eecuveness were
aurlbuLed Lo Lhe LC sLrucLures LhaL were elLher organlzed,
encouraged or supporLed Lhrough Lhe ulsLrlcL.
1he LC's organlzed by Lhe dlsLrlcL are a posluve example of
LuS.
All eleven prlnclpals reporLed a hlghly collaborauve culLure,
wlLh hlgh levels of LrusL. 1here were 34 sLaLemenLs
referenclng speclc supporL from leadershlp aL Lhe dlsLrlcL
omce.

Lxper|enna| Learn|ng
All of Lhe prlnclpals lnLervlewed dlscussed Lhe lmporLance of
experlence or (" $%& /() $+,-"-". ln bulldlng Lhelr emcacy.

ln 81 of Lhe 411 (19.7)responses coded as slgnlcanL, prlnclpals
referred Lo pasL experlences or on Lhe [ob Lralnlng as belng a
powerful Leachlng Lool.

Lnacuve masLery experlences or performance accompllshmenLs
are Lhe mosL lnuenual source of emcacy, repeaLed success
ralses Lhe expecLauon of fuLure success, whlle repeaLed fallures
lncrease Lhe expecLauon of more fallure (8andura, 1997).
Cther rofess|ona| Learn|ng.
Cf Lhe 411 responses 38 sLaLemenLs (14.11) regardlng
formal professlonal developmenL Lhrough Lhe workshop
model or lndependenL sLudy were ldenued as slgnlcanL.
ulsungulshed Leadershlp ln racuce (uL) and nauonal
8oards were hlghllghLed as a valuable learnlng experlence by
Lhe candldaLes who had paruclpaLed.
uL was menuoned as belng eecuve ln regards Lo ume spenL
ln collaborauon wlLh oLher prlnclpals, yeL one prlnclpal felL
LhaL Lhere were noL enough of Lhese opporLunlues.
Iorma| reparanon
Lach of Lhe LwenLy-Lwo recelved Lhelr MSA, advanced degrees
or add-on llcensure from unlverslues ln Lhe sLaLe of norLh
Carollna.
1wo were rlnclpal lellows
Cne paruclpaLed ln an add-on program.
1he remalnlng elghL prlnclpals were enrolled ln Lradluonal unlverslLy
programs.
60 (14.6) SLaLemenLs of slgnlcance
40 (66) of Lhose sLaLemenLs were coded as belng facLors LhaL had a
posluve lmpacL on emcacy
lour (1.6) sLaLemenLs were coded as neuLral
16 (26.6) of Lhe sLaLemenLs were coded as noL beneclal Lo Lhe
growLh ln emcacy.
Mentors, Coaches and ko|e Mode|s.
Cnly Lhree prlnclpals reporLed havlng an asslgned menLor
31 (7.3) of sLaLemenLs coded as slgnlcanL Lo prlnclpal learnlng were relaLed
Lo Lhls Lheme
27 of Lhe responses from prlnclpals descrlbed Lhelr relauonshlps wlLh
menLors, role models or coaches as slgnlcanL ln bulldlng prlnclpal
emcacy.
All eleven prlnclpals had menLors, buL Lhe menLor was only formally
asslgned as parL of a dlsLrlcL sLrucLure ln Lhe experlence of Lhree
prlnclpals.
Cf Lhese Lhree, Lwo prlnclpals were neuLral regardlng Lhelr experlence and one felL
lL had no lmpacL on her performance.
1en of Lhe eleven paruclpanLs Lalked abouL havlng lnformal or self-
selecLed menLors and were very posluve abouL Lhe relauonshlps wlLh Lhelr
self-selecLed menLor.
1en of Lhe eleven prlnclpals lndlcaLed LhaL Lhelr menLor was a prlnclpal
wlLh whom Lhey served as an asslsLanL prlnclpal and LhaL Lhe relauonshlp
had endured.


ersona| Lxper|ences or Intr|ns|c Character
1ra|ts

23 of Lhe 411 responses coded as slgnlcanL
all eleven of Lhe candldaLes lnLervlewed expressed famlllal upbrlnglng,
an early school experlence, an lnLrlnslc characLer LralL, or anoLher
personal background experlence as havlng a slgnlcanL lmpacL on
Lhelr capaclLy Lo lead eecuvely.
Lxamples
Cne prlnclpal Lalked abouL hls famlly's experlence ln Lhe servlce
lndusLry and how Lhls posluvely lmpacLed hls emcacy ln lnLeracung ln
Lhe publlc arena and bulldlng relauonshlps.
AnoLher prlnclpal Lalked abouL her personal sLruggles as a sLudenL and
her deslre Lo posluvely lmpacL Lhe educauonal experlence for all
sLudenLs.
A Lhlrd prlnclpal shared hls prlor experlences ln Lhe armed forces as a
conLrlbuung facLor ln hls capaclLy Lo lead.
Summary and Supporung 1heory
School leadershlp ls a key Lo hlgh numbers of sLudenLs meeung
rlgorous academlc achlevemenL goals (1schannen-Moran, & Carels,
2003, neules and PerrlngLon, 2007, Marzano, 2003, LelLhwood, eL
al, 2008).
LvldenLly, Lhe percelved quallLy of Lhe preparauon and Lralnlng
makes a dlerence ln Lhe prlnclpals' sense of emcacy, suggesung
LhaL Lhe deslgn, conLenL and conunuous lmprovemenL of
educauonal leadershlp programs ls lmporLanL Lo Lhe
professlon" (1schannen-Moran & Carels, 2003, p. 24).
rlnclpal self-emcacy bellefs can be developed Lhrough a varleLy of
professlonal learnlng experlences lncludlng preparauon programs,
Lradluonal professlonal developmenL experlences, and menLorlng
and coachlng experlences.
lnLerpreLauons of ndlngs
Lxperlenual Learnlng
Collaborauve Learnlng
8eal-world Appllcauon
Supporuve SLrucLure
Concluslons
Seven overall Lhemes were ldenued as havlng a slgnlcanL lmpacL on
Lhe professlonal learnlng experlences of prlnclpals.
1wo of Lhe Lhemes ldenued represenLed nearly half of Lhe
responses coded as slgnlcanL.
professlonal learnlng experlences LhaL lncluded collaborauon or
cooperauon wlLh colleagues
experlenual on Lhe [ob learnlng.
lour of Lhe ve remalnlng Lhemes were coded as posluve when
Lhey lnvolved collaborauon and lnLeracuon wlLh oLhers Lo some
degree or were relevanL Lo Lhe lmmedlaLe needs of Lhe [ob.
erhaps Lhe only excepuon Lo Lhe slgnlcance of collaborauon
would be Lhe lasL and remalnlng Lheme coded as 0&+1(",2,
lnvolvlng pasL school or llfe experlences and famlly background.
lmpllcauons for racuce
ln order for prlnclpals Lo bulld Lhelr sense of emcacy, Lhey need Lo engage
ln experlences LhaL lnLenuonally supporL Lhe anLecedenLs Lo emcacy.
Plgh quallLy professlonal learnlng ls susLalnable and bullL upon shared
knowledge and collaborauon (Speck & knlpe, 2003).
ulsLrlcLs can deslgn professlonal learnlng experlences LhaL are relevanL Lo
Lhe learner by provldlng prlnclpals lnpuL lnLo Lhe conLenL of Lhe learnlng
experlence.
ulsLrlcLs should lnLenuonally deslgn Lhese experlences wlLh opporLunlues for
collaborauon and when posslble draw upon Lhe exlsung problems of prlnclpals ln a
case sLudy analysls.
erhaps prlnclpals could brlng relevanL lssues Lo Lhe Lable and have opporLunlues
Lo collaborauvely problem solve and deep dlve Lhe consequences of posslble
responses Lo Lhe lssues aL hand.
1he lmporLance of a culLure of LrusL.

lmpllcauons-rofesslonal Learnlng Lxperlences
CLher professlonal learnlng experlences of prlnclpals,
Lxperlences should be carefully examlned prlor Lo engagemenL and
paruclpauon should be pursued lf Lhe professlonal learnlng experlence
provldes opporLunlues for experlenual learnlng, eecuve pracuce and
collaborauon wlLh oLher colleagues.
ulsLrlcLs mlghL evaluaLe Lhelr process for prlnclpals when engaglng ln
professlonal developmenL. An appllcauon process for professlonal
developmenL may provlde for assurance LhaL Lhe professlonal learnlng
meeLs Lhe crlLerla of eecuve professlonal learnlng experlences. 1hls wlll
also esLabllsh relevancy.
rlnclpal menLors, coaches or supervlsors could also deslgn and
oer or presenL professlonal learnlng experlences Lo prlnclpals ln
Lhelr lndlvldual or collecuve areas of need. 1hls scenarlo would
also provlde for more dlerenuauon based upon need and
lndlvldual learnlng sLyles of prlnclpals.
lmpllcauons-lormal reparauon
rogram conLenL should be dellvered Lhrough a varleLy of
meLhods Lo besL meeL Lhe needs of adulL learners and allow
prlnclpals and asplrlng prlnclpals Lo apply Lhe currlcular conLenL
ln auLhenuc semngs and Loward Lhe resoluuon of real-world
problems and dllemmas."
Lvldence lndlcaLes LhaL eecuve programs are research based,
have currlcular coherence, provlde experlence ln ln auLhenuc
conLexLs, use cohorL grouplngs and menLors, and are sLrucLured
Lo enable collaborauve acuvlLy beLween Lhe program and area
schools"
(uavls, eL.al., 2003, p. 9).
lmpllcauons-lormal reparauon
1he quallLauve daLa ls conslsLenL wlLh Lhls research, calllng for more
experlenual and auLhenuc experlences and Lhe prlnclpals' reporLed
posluve lmpacL of collaborauon and experlence.
Auenuon Lo a balance of Lheory and pracucal experlence.
More ume spenL ln lnLernshlp, case sLudles and scenarlos
More engagemenL ln auLhenuc work and more ume spenL ln problem
solvlng wlLh pracuuoners.
lnLernshlps, longer, varled, prlor Lo enrollmenL, ln Lhe conLexL of a
workday
arLnershlps and lncreased cooperauon and collaborauon beLween
ulsLrlcLs and unlverslLy rogram AdmlnlsLraLors
Lngage ln a rlgorous analysls and evaluauon of Lhe preparauon programs
and professlonal developmenL of prlnclpals Lo dellneaLe whaL works and
dlmlnlsh Lhose experlences deemed as lnadequaLe or lmpracucal ln Lhelr
conLrlbuuon Lo emcacy.
LlmlLauons
A llmlLauon of Lhls sLudy would be Lhe degree Lo whlch Lhe needs
of prlnclpals ln small rural communlLy ln norLh Carollna are
conslsLenL wlLh Lhe needs of prlnclpals worklng ln dlerenL
envlronmenLs.
AnoLher llmlLauon of Lhls sLudy ls LhaL lL ls llkely LhaL Lhe prlnclpals
ln Lhls dlsLrlcL have engaged ln slmllar professlonal learnlng
experlences, Lhereby llmlung Lhelr ablllLy Lo reporL on some
varlauons of professlonal learnlng experlences.
Some models of professlonal learnlng, such as coachlng, were noL
experlenced by Lhe group aL large and were noL able Lo be Lhoroughly
examlned.
1he resulLs are llmlLed Lo Lhe self-reporLed lndlcauons of emcacy.
uue Lo Lhe small number of paruclpanLs, Lhe lnLervlewees may feel
Lhey were easlly ldenuable desplLe every eorL Lo proLecL Lhelr
ldenuLy. 1here was no way Lo guaranLee anonymlLy.
Suggesuons for lurLher 8esearch
1here ls a need Lo examlne prlnclpal emcacy prlor Lo enrollmenL ln
a program such and compare Lo Lhe emcacy of prlnclpals aer
paruclpauon ln a professlonal learnlng experlence.
1hls sLudy was noL deslgned Lo lnvesugaLe Lhe lmpacL of famlly
background, pasL experlences of prlnclpals or Lhe lmpacL of lnLrlnslc
characLer LralLs on prlnclpal emcacy. 1hls was a Lheme LhaL
emerged and Lhls ls a Lheme LhaL warranLs furLher lnvesugauon.
Lmcacy was self-reporLed Lhrough Lhe SLS. lL would be
lnLeresung Lo see lf prlnclpal reporLs of self-emcacy are conslsLenL
wlLh dlsLrlcL leadershlp or Leacher percepuons of prlnclpal emcacy.
llnally, Lhere ls a need Lo repllcaLe Lhls sLudy wlLh prlnclpals ln a
larger urban Lype semng Lo see lf Lhe ndlngs are conslsLenL across
envlronmenL.