Research Methods in

Educational
Administration/Management
Dr. H. Badrudin
 Features of the 21st Century

• Diverse, complex and globalized

• Staggering social, technological and demographic changes
• Era of information revolution
• Quality of human resources the strength of a nation
• Borderless world and huge international networks of mass
communications
 Twenty first Century Skills
• Ways of thinking: Creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving,
decision-making and learning
• Ways of working: Communication and collaboration
• Tools for working: ICT and information literacy
• Skills for living in the world
 Role of Education in the 21st Century
• Role of Education in the 21st Century
• Education the engine room for modern economies, backbone of a
nation’s strength
• High quality and responsive education vital to boost labour force skills
• Education is the best tool to reduce poverty
• Knowing how we learn, how to turn information into knowledge and
how to document life-long learning
 Paradigm Shift in Education

• Digital natives/digital learner; educators as digital immigrants

• Students take the world via the filter of computing devices and internet
transforming pedagogical practices
• Holistic transformation covering curriculum/assessment reform, new
teacher recruitment, teacher training strategies, leadership development,
integration of collaborative ICT, and project-based curriculum
• Effective School Movement
• Global Educational Reforms Movement (GERM)
 Quality Teachers
• School Matters
• No Child Left Behind
• Teacher Effectiveness: reflective, themselves learners, passionate,
professionals, high status in society, highest expectations from all students,
academic focus, overriding commitment to student learning, educative
assessment/feedback
• Enthusiasm for teaching and promoting student learning and innovative
delivery of course material
• Command of contents, pedagogy and assessment procedures
• Focus on deep learning, critical thinking and collaboratively problem-solving
 Quality Teacher Training
• Teacher recruitment from 1/3rd cohort
• Focus on rigorous teacher training
• Recruitment based on academic excellence, general ability and
aptitude towards teaching
• American experience: review of teacher training
• Australia: rigorous training
• Singapore: teachers heart of school, nexus of NUS/NIE/Principals
• Finland: status equal to doctors/lawyers
• Canada:
 Quality School Leadership
• Vision and high expectations
• Relationship building
• Understanding and managing change
• Ensuring coherence and alignment
• Flexible and extremely person-centred
• Mentoring followers and nurturing optimism
• Knowledge creation and sharing
• Bias towards innovation and action
• Emphasis on student support
 Research Methods in Educational
Administration/Management
• Role of leadership research to bring change and improvement
• Leader’s responsibility to motivate teaching staff
• Personal and professional development; practice, theory and policy;
effectiveness in school administration
 Leadership Skills
• Initiating curriculum innovation
• Encouraging innovation in challenging circumstances (e.g. remote
schools)
• Identifying the link between curriculum innovation and school
effectiveness
• Measuring the extent of effectiveness of curriculum change
• Assessing the characteristics of leaders in introducing the best
practices of teaching and learning.
 Problem-based Methodology
• Suited to administrators, managers and school leaders
• Helps to examine leaders’ own implicit theories
• Evaluates teacher practices, thinking and action
 Action Research for School Leaders
• Designed for teachers and administrators to solve problems and improve
professional practices
• Involves systematic observation and data collection
• A tool for change and improvement for teachers in classroom, principal at school
level and supervisor at district level
• Helps administrators to understand themselves and how they relate to their
context
• Provides new information to practitioners with new knowledge and about how
to improve educational practices
• Allows the participation of teachers and community members in a process of
change
 Process of Conducting Action Research
• It is a cyclical, not linear process
• Refine the focus of investigation
• Conduct reconnaissance to understand what is already happening in this
focus
• Reflect on the progress to consolidate what has been learnt so far
• Identify appropriate action
• Address questions like what action should be taken? How can the outcomes
of these actions be observed? How should the action steps proceed?
• Evaluate and reflect
 The Process of Conducting Action
Research
• It starts with a solitary dialogue
• Solitary dialogue (of teacher, principal or administrator becomes
public dialogue
• Initiator develops collaboration
Action Research
Action Research is a Cyclical Process
 Australian Example
Leadership requirements:
• vision and values
• Knowledge and understanding
• Social and inter-personal skills
Professional Practices
• Leading teaching and learning; developing self and others; leading
improvement, innovation and change; leading the management of
school; engaging and working with the community
 Some Challenges for School Leaders in
Indonesia
• Improving pedagogical skills of in-service teachers
• Engaging students in deep learning
• Reflective teaching
• Ensuring equity of resources
• Involving parents and community in school activities
• Developing professional standards for teachers
• Adopting researchstace