Special Journal Issue

Special Journal Issue Papers From Asia Leadership Roundtable 2010 School Leadership and Management

Theme	School Leadership in the Asia Pacific: Meeting Challenges and Formulating an Agenda This collection of papers are drawn from presentations made at the Asia Leadership Roundtable 2010, held at the Hong Kong Institute of Education. The purpose of the Roundtable was to set the stage for the next generation of research on educational leadership and change in the Asia Pacific region. This is the fastest growing part of the world and has demonstrated rapid expansion of its systems of K-12 and higher education over the past 15 years. At the same time, there is a relative dearth of empirical research being published in international journal emanating from the region. Moreover, it is recognized that cultural differences impact the transfer of knowledge across cultures. This argues for the need to develop a knowledge base for the field in the region. The purpose of this special issue is to provide a foundation for future research in the region first by outlining broad challenges and strategies for developing a knowledge base in the region. Then specific challenges and research agendas are offered from examples in specific countries. The goal of the Roundtable and the special issue is to stimulate debate and hopefully develop a more coordinated agenda for research in the region.

Issue Objectives	1. To examine the geographic, cultural, and political terrain of the current knowledge base in educational leadership and management 2. To assess the relevance of the global knowledge base in the field for the Asia-Pacific Region 3. To explore the regional challenges facing school leaders and the implications for research 4. To offer strategies for accelerating the development of the field of educational leadership and management in the region

Issue Co-editors		Professor Allan Walker Joseph Lau Chair Professor of International Educational Leadership Dean of Faculty of Education and Human Development Director of The Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change The Education University of Hong Kong China : adwalker@eduhk.hk	Professor Philip Hallinger TSDF Chair Professor of Leadership College of Management, Mahidol University Thailand Senior Research Fellow Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change The Education University of Hong Kong China : hallinger@gmail.com

Contributors	Professor Philip Hallinger TSDF Chair Professor of Leadership College of Management, Mahidol University Thailand Senior Research Fellow Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change The Education University of Hong Kong China : hallinger@gmail.com Professor Allan Walker Joseph Lau Chair Professor of International Educational Leadership Dean of Faculty of Education and Human Development Director of The Asia Pacific Centre for Leadership and Change The Education University of Hong Kong China : adwalker@eduhk.hk School leadership in Asia Pacific: identifying challenges and formulating a research agenda DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606988 Abstract The genesis of this special issue of School Leadership & Management dates back to a set of independently conceived papers published 15 years ago by Professors Ibrahim Ahmad Bajunid (1996) at the Institut Ahminuddin Bagi in Malaysia, Cheng Kai Ming (1995) at the University of Hong Kong, and Philip Hallinger (1995) at Chiang Mai University in Thailand. Disseminated during a period when the forces of globalisation were beginning to gain prominence, these papers raised questions about the portability of the formal knowledge base in educational leadership and management across national borders and cultural contexts. Drawing upon wellestablished theoretical frameworks underlying studies of leadership and management (see Getzels, Lipham, and Campbell 1968), the authors articulated a challenge to the notion that the extant knowledge base in this field was universally applicable. In formulating this special issue, it was our hope to provide rationale, direction and examples for other scholars in this and other regions of the world where the cultural context differs from the 'norm' that predominates in the published literature in educational leadership and management.We note that this norm does not describe the state of affairs in the broader management literature, in which international and cross-cultural research is more firmly established and widely reported (see House et al. 2004). Indeed, it is our hope that 15 years hence, when other scholars will review progress in this field, they will conclude that substantial progress can be discerned in both the scope and impact of research generated from the Asia Pacific and other regions of the world that are currently under-represented in the global knowledge base in educational leadership and management.
	Professor Philip Hallinger Mahidol University & The Education University of Hong Kong Thailand & China Developing a Knowledge Base for Educational Leadership and Management in East Asia DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606267 Abstract The role of school leadership in educational reform has reached the status of a truism, and led to major changes in school leader recruitment, selection, training and appraisal. While similar policy trends are evident in East Asia, the empirical knowledge base underlying these measures is distorted and lacking in validation. This paper begins by offering evidence in support of this assertion. Then it examines the process of knowledge production as it has unfolded in Western academic contexts. Finally, it assesses the context in East Asia and offers recommendations for accelerating the development of a regionally valid knowledge base.
	Professor Clive Dimmock National Institute of Education Singapore Formulating a research agenda in school leadership and organisational change for school improvement in Singapore DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606271 Abstract This paper argues that it is timely for educational researchers in Asia, and Singapore in particular, to generate cultural- and empirical-knowledge bases in school leadership that will speak to the specific interests of Asian students, educators and practitioners. As economic and social development across Asia gathers momentum, the more advanced Asian systems of education, such as Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan, will increasingly have the resources and expertise to launch significant research programmes in school leadership and organisational change, thereby challenging the persistent and present dominance of Anglo-American perspectives. The paper reports a planned large scale research programme for school leadership and organisational change in Singapore. Support for such a programme from all three major stakeholders – the Ministry of Education (MOE), the National Institute of Education (NIE) and school leaders and teachers – is conditional on the research programme leading to school improvement and better student outcomes. The paper sketches the politico–cultural–economic conditions of Singapore in which such an agenda has been formed; describes the main features of the research programme; and then relates its features to a possible broader Asian and international research agenda in school leadership. The planned Singapore programme has congruence with a future international research agenda advocated by scholars for the field of educational leadership.
	Professor Hui-Ling Wendy Pan Dr. Peiying Chen National Taiwan Normal University Taiwan Challenges and research agenda of school leadership in Taiwan DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606270 Abstract Throughout the world, rapid political and economic change has applied enormous pressure on educators addressing leadership and accountability measures to improve instructional practices and student performance. Decentralisation of central authority regarding school site-based decision-making has drastically changed the educational environment in which the duties of school administration have become much more demanding. This paper, in reviewing reform initiatives and school leadership research in Taiwan, introduces first the background of Taiwanese educational reform, then discusses the challenges and dilemmas that school leaders typically face. New leadership practices, such as instructional leadership and teacher leadership, are developed to respond to the needs of educational reform. Finally, this paper analyses the literature of school leadership research in Taiwan, having discovered that quantitative methods have predominated; in addition, a gap exists between leadership practices and academic studies. This paper, therefore, suggests future themes and multiple uses of methodologies in the education field to contribute to academic practices worldwide.
	Dr. Lawrie Drysdale Dr. David Gurr The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Australia Theory and practice of successful school leadership in Australia DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606273 Abstract As part of the International Successful School Leadership Project, an updated model of successful school leadership based on Australian case studies is described. This model attempts to capture the relationship between the characteristics of the school leader (who they are), the interventions they initiate (what they do), and the way they respond to the context in which they operate. The model is interrogated by exploring three areas of our continuing research: the role of instructional leadership, sustainability of success, and the preparation of future school leaders.
	Professor Allan Walker Dr. James Ko The Education University of Hong Kong China Principal leadership in an era of accountability: a perspective from the Hong Kong context DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606269 Abstract This article presents the findings of a study into the leadership practices of Hong Kong principals working within an environment of increasing accountability. The study set out to investigate the relationships between sets of principal leadership practices and the levels of alignment, coherence and structure and support for students in the school. Results indicated that principals tend to emphasise the professional development of teachers and key staff as a way to strengthen alignment within the school and between school and government policies. However, findings also suggest that working in an accountability environment can have a negative impact on the support provided for students
	Professor Edmond Law The Education University of Hong Kong China Exploring the role of leadership in facilitating teacher learning in Hong Kong DOI:10.1080/13632434.2011.606268 Abstract In recent years international trends towards teacher empowerment and leadership have gained increased attraction in East Asia's education policy and practice. Yet, as scholars have noted, the values underlying these practices often conflict with traditional cultural norms of East Asian societies which stress hierarchical and status differences. This study explored the efficacy of an approach to developing distributed curriculum leadership among school teachers. The research employs discourse analysis of video-taped meetings of teachers in a mathematics curriculum development team in order to explore the leadership and teacher learning. The results provide initial support for strengthening school-level capacity for teacher leadership as a means of fostering teacher learning in East Asian schools. Implications include the need for incorporating programmes that build leadership and team development into more general staff development for teachers.