Analysis on the Professional Development of Principals in the Reform of Headmaster Rank System: a Case Study Based on Structural Theory

Abstract

The professional development of principals is a hot topic of current scholars' attention, but the existing research pays little attention to the research on the path of principals' professional development. Based on A. Giddens’s structural theory perspective, this study takes a case study to analyze the principal’s professional development process in the reform of the principal’s rank system, and explores the impact of principal’s initiative on principal’s professional development. From the perspective of structural duality, principals use the educational system and educational resources to take corresponding active "actions" based on different "motives", and constantly "reflect" on rational actions, thereby promoting the professional development of principals. By improving the principal training system and principal evaluation system, perfecting the external guarantee for principals' professional development; transcending the limitations of education time and space and continuously improving oneself can promote the professional development of primary and secondary school principals.