Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Thesis Format

Monograph

Degree

Master of Education

Program

Education

Supervisor

Tarc, Paul

2nd Supervisor

Riveros, Gus

Joint Supervisor

Abstract

Further research is necessary in the emerging field of international school leadership. To illuminate how is effective international school leadership conceived in the emergent academic literature, a synthetic mapping was conducted. Six key elements were identified and were used to select and analyze a set of twenty-two key articles from the current literature. Elements were extracted from each article and then compared to produce the synthetic mapping. Despite the wide range of types of international schools and geographical contexts, there are several key challenges and features of leadership effectiveness found in the literature, including the following: the effects of turn-over; perception, power and influences; cultural intelligence; how leadership effectiveness is presented; use of frameworks; a common language around learning; the principal’s role; and profit vs. education. These findings provide school leaders and researchers with a current synopsis of leadership effectiveness in international schools.

Summary for Lay Audience

Leadership in international schools is an undersubscribed field of research but is increasing in importance with the rapid growth and proliferation of these schools around the world. The purpose of this study was to answer the over-arching question, “How is effective international school leadership conceived in the emergent academic literature?” In order to find a way to answer this question, a synthetic analysis was designed. Six elements were developed that focus on answering the overarching question, and the key information was then extrapolated from the twenty-two texts selected. These six elements are: what is an international school; unique features; how effective leadership is framed; theoretical lenses; challenges; and capacity. The synthetic analysis demonstrated that international school leadership is an area of great complexity with no two schools being similar, yet all are called international. Despite the wide range of types of international schools and geographical contexts, there are several key features of leadership effectiveness found in the literature, including the effects of turn-over; perception, power and influences; cultural intelligence; how leadership effectiveness is presented; use of frameworks; a common language around learning; the principal’s role; and profit vs. education. These findings provide school leaders and researchers with a current synopsis of leadership effectiveness in international schools, and it is hoped that this synthetic analysis will provide researchers a starting block to their study of leadership effectiveness in international schools.

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