Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Management, Policy, and Comparative Education)

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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (School of Education Management, Policy, and Comparative Education) by Advisor "Plaatjies, B. O."

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    Approaches to enhance the emotional intelligence skills of School Management Team members for improved leadership practices
    (University of the Free State, 2024) Pretorius, Anton; Gcelu, N.; Plaatjies, B. O.
    School Management Team (SMT) members, the leaders of schools, face enduring and daunting educational challenges that may hinder the successful and effective teaching and learning of a school, and the school’s goals. Additionally, their duties and responsibilities have drastically increased over the last few years which leads to more pressure and demands placed on these SMT members individually and as a team. It seems that leadership practices may be hindered by the increase of challenges and duties. However, with the introduction of emotional intelligence skills, SMT members’ leadership practices may be improved. Therefore, this research was aimed at investigating how approaches to enhance the emotional intelligence skills of SMT members can improve leadership practices in secondary schools. This qualitative investigation, guided by a phenomenology research design, was executed at five secondary schools in the Motheo District, Bloemfontein, Free State. The SMT members as well as teachers from the respective schools participated in the study regarding the emotional intelligence skills and leadership practices of SMT members. A total of 14 individual interviews were conducted with school leaders (4 principals, 3 deputy principals, 5 HODs and 2 teacher part of the SMT), and three focus group interviews with a combined total of 15 teachers. Additionally, open-ended questionnaires were handed out for completion to 4 retired school principals and 4 teachers who were unable to participate in the focus group interview. After data collection, the data were analysed using thematical analysis. The theoretical perspectives and different emotional intelligence models of Mayer and Salovey, Goleman, Bar-On and Petrides and Furnham were reviewed. Additionally, the different leadership practices from literature from various researchers over the years were also studied. These emotional intelligence models and leadership practices from literature served as foundation to establish a conceptual framework for this research. The research findings revealed that with the enhancement of appropriate emotional intelligence skills, SMT members’ leadership practices can be improved. Moreover, educational leadership challenges can be managed effectively. Additionally, improved leadership practices from SMT members may result in successful school management and leadership which leads to effective teaching and learning in secondary schools. It is recommended that SMT members as well as teachers consider enhancing specific and appropriate emotional intelligence skills through workshops, seminars, courses, and training necessary for specific leadership practices.
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    The roles of school management teams in the implementation and monitoring of school-based pandemic policies
    (University of the Free State, 2023) Senoge, Venus Wani; Plaatjies, B. O.
    The recent global health crises, particularly HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, have significantly affected educational systems worldwide, compelling the evaluation of policy implementation and monitoring by School Management Teams (SMTs). This study was undertaken to examine the dynamic challenges SMTs face. It aimed to analyse the obstacles and difficulties SMTs encounter, comprehend their roles and duties, and evaluate the effectiveness of their strategies in managing pandemic situations, with the ultimate goal of developing a results-based framework or model to harness and navigate these challenges effectively. The study used qualitative research methodology to focus on SMTs' challenges during pandemics. This approach was instrumental in gaining rich insights into the multifaceted roles and responsibilities of SMTs in crisis scenarios. The key findings from this research revealed that SMTs grappled with significant challenges such as stigma and discrimination, notably around health conditions like HIV/AIDS. There was a marked inadequacy in training for policy implementation, which led to inconsistencies in handling pandemic-related educational disruptions. Moreover, SMTs faced considerable resource constraints, which hindered their ability to implement effective strategies, particularly in adapting to new norms like remote learning. One fundamental discovery of this study was the crucial role of distributed leadership in enhancing policy execution. This approach proved vital in creating a more inclusive, participatory environment within schools, significantly impacting policy effectiveness. The study concluded that managing pandemic policies in the educational system needs a holistic approach. This approach must consider the health implications of a pandemic and its broader social and educational impacts. It showed the necessity of ongoing training for SMT members, proper allocation of resources, and infrastructural improvements to effectively meet the challenges of pandemic management. From these findings, the study recommends developing targeted training programs for SMTs, embracing distributed leadership models, crafting context-specific policies, and strategically investing in digital technologies to bolster educational resilience. Looking ahead, it advocates for extensive longitudinal research to gauge the long-term impacts of these policies and strategies. Such research should also explore the potential and effectiveness of technological integration in managing educational institutions during pandemics, ensuring a more robust and responsive educational system for future challenges.