Leadership in technology education

Abstract

Abstract The implementation of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) has posed a challenge for curriculum leaders and teachers in all learning areas. These challenges have been particularly acute for technology departments because of the need for teachers from a range of subject areas to develop coherent, school-wide technology programmes that ensure a range of opportunities for student achievement in technology education. This paper is based on research carried out in 2002 and 2003, when NCEA Level 1 was being implemented. It details the importance and impact of curriculum leadership using case studies of three technology departments, as described by teachers and the leaders themselves. The findings indicate that curriculum leadership affects teacher confidence and the way technology is taught and assessed within a school. A framework that has the potential to support student achievement in technology education is suggested for leaders to consider. Introduction Leadership within a school is a key influence on teacher response to educational change (Fullan, 2002). Leadership is about providing both the direction and the means to accomplish change, and often involves taking people outside their comfort zone (McGee, 1997). Leadership for change can be provided by the principal and others in senior management, by heads of department, and by classroom teachers (McGee,1997), although principal support for change is an important contributor to teacher commitment to implementation (Fullan, 1991). In secondary schools, heads of departments, as curriculum leaders, play a key role in leading change relating to teaching and learning (McLaughlin & Talbert, 2001). Research suggests that there is some variation between schools in teaching and assessing the curriculum, particularly between different subject areas, with some of these variations involving the differential leadership of department leaders (Busher & Harris, 2000). Subject teachers tend to recognise the department rather than the school as the central and immediate unit of organisation (Busher & Harris, 1999). Heads of department are responsible for the operational work of the teachers in their curriculum area. They have discretion over decisions regarding curriculum delivery affecting teaching and learning in the classroom, including what teaching materials are used and how students are assessed (Brundrett & Turrell, 2004). These heads of department are often the most accessible and immediate source of professional development for teachers within a curriculum area. As leaders they need to be able to: * work with department members, both as individuals and as a group, to develop a shared vision * foster knowledge creation as well as knowledge sharing * monitor and manage ongoing change (Fullan, 2002). Leadership for this purpose becomes more crucial at times of change. Teachers need knowledge, support, and time to make sense of and grapple with the practical implications of curriculum change (Fernandez & Ritchie, 2003; Spillane, 1999). Curriculum leadership within a department also involves tasks such as communicating between senior management and staff in the department (Busher & Harris, 1999). The time and resource support teachers need in times of change often have financial and organisational implications that can only be addressed through the support of senior management. Edwards (2002) sums up the diversity of leadership roles within a department in four tasks: managing the business; working with people; guiding the curriculum; and leading towards the future. Each of these is salient when considering the role of a head of department at a time of curriculum or assessment change. Leadership for student achievement in NCEA technology The NCEA, introduced from 2001, aims to focus on raising the achievement of all students by providing wider opportunities for students to accumulate credits from both achievement standards and unit standards, where both academic and vocational learning are acknowledged (Black, 2003). …