Sergio Galdames
Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Departamento de educación, Faculty Member
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En el ámbito de la carrera profesional de los líderes educativos, investigaciones previas han explorado sus trayectorias, identificando etapas y desafíos en el viaje directivo, reconociendo la relevancia de los directores para el... more
En el ámbito de la carrera profesional de los líderes educativos, investigaciones previas han explorado sus trayectorias, identificando etapas y desafíos en el viaje directivo, reconociendo la relevancia de los directores para el mejoramiento escolar y los procesos de enseñanza-aprendizaje. El propósito de este artículo es contribuir a esta discusión, analizando y comparando la carrera de directores de escuelas públicas pertenecientes a las tres generaciones con mayor presencia: Boomers (aquellos nacidos entre 1946 y 1965), Generación-X (1966-1978) y Millennials (1979-1999). Se les otorga especial atención a los elementos que explicarían la decisión de convertirse en director. A través de un enfoque cualitativo, bajo los principios de la investigación biográfico-narrativa, se realizaron entrevistas a 24 directores en ejercicio y 4 recientemente jubilados. Los resultados indican diferencias generacionales importantes entre cohortes, las cuales moderan la opción profesional de acceder a la dirección y proyección laboral: el rol de su familia, su experiencia formativa, sus experiencias tempranas en la escuela y sus oportunidades de trabajo como líder. Estos hallazgos sugieren recomendaciones para la política pública, en particular para las estrategias de reclutamiento, retención y desarrollo de líderes escolares
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Resumen: El nivel intermedio se ha consolidado en las últimas décadas como un espacio clave para el mejoramiento escolar y el fortalecimiento de los aprendizajes de los estudiantes. Un creciente interés investigativo se ha posicionado... more
Resumen: El nivel intermedio se ha consolidado en las últimas décadas como un espacio clave para el mejoramiento escolar y el fortalecimiento de los aprendizajes de los estudiantes. Un creciente interés investigativo se ha posicionado sobre el rol de sus líderes, sus responsabilidades y necesidades de aprendizaje. En Chile, la reciente implementación de la Ley 21.040 y la creación de los Servicios Locales de Educación Pública (SLEP), presenta un escenario de cambio estructural al tradicional sistema representado por la administración municipal de educación. Este estudio busca contribuir al debate sobre el rol del nivel intermedio, poniendo atención al desarrollo de capacidades y necesidades formativas de dos actores claves en los SLEPs: la dirección ejecutiva y la dirección de Apoyo Técnico Pedagógico. A través metodologías mixtas, que incluyeron revisión documental y entrevistas semiestructuradas a líderes intermedios en cinco SLEPs, hemos identificado una serie de desafíos y necesidades formativas claves para apoyar la implementación de la Nueva Educación Pública, incluyendo el lenguaje de la administración pública, la visión estratégica territorial, gestión financiera, apoyo a directivos escolares y liderazgo pedagógico. Palabras
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This scoping review of the international literature published over the last 50 years in educational leadership and management journals provides a thematic exploration of factors influencing pathways at the pre-entry stage of a principal’s... more
This scoping review of the international literature published over the last 50 years in educational leadership and management journals provides a thematic exploration of factors influencing pathways at the pre-entry stage of a principal’s career. Findings from a thematic analysis of 68 publications show that attention to prospective principals increased after the year 2000 and this was driven by four main concerns: underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities, principal supply and demand, the principalship as a school improvement lever, and the expansion of leadership posts in schools. Selected articles addressed three dimensions of the pathways before a person is first appointed to this post: (a) micro (individual’s agency), (b) meso (preparation of prospective principals), and (c) macro (policies shaping access to the post). Across time and countries, pathways to the principalship are resourced by individuals’ professional orientations and by contextual factors, formal pre-service preparation may be desirable but not always available or required, and policies frame a conceptualisation of the principalship that shapes the two previous dimensions. The internationalization of research on pathways to the principalship has brought to the forefront normative assumptions that should be critically challenged when considering how to recruit, develop, and support prospective school principals.
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In this article, we report on the findings of a systematic review of the literature on leadership and the Millennial generation (alternatively known as Generation Y). The purpose of this systematic...
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As the editors point out in their introduction, many countries are watching, and some are already emulating, the governance reforms in England which aim to create a ‘Self-Improving School System’, ...
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Este artículo reporta una investigación cuyo objetivo fue explorar 1) la concepción de pensamiento crítico que un grupo de profesores chilenos de lenguaje y comunicación tiene y 2) las prácticas que estos implementan para promoverlo. Con... more
Este artículo reporta una investigación cuyo objetivo fue explorar 1) la concepción de pensamiento crítico que un grupo de profesores chilenos de lenguaje y comunicación tiene y 2) las prácticas que estos implementan para promoverlo. Con una metodología cualitativa y un enfoque interpretativo, serealizaron seis entrevistas semiestructuradas a profesores de distintos contextos educativos. Todos los participantes consideraron que el pensamiento crítico es un elemento fundamental en el desarrollo de los aprendizajes de los estudiantes. En cuanto a las prácticas pedagógicas para promover el pensamiento crítico en el aula, los participantes manifestaron ciertas limitaciones en un contexto pedagógico desfavorable que está centrado en resultados académicos asociados a las pruebas estandarizadas locales.
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In a context characterised by triple sources of accountability demands, principals in Chile are required to mobilise change to raise performance indicators. School improvement is a complex endeavour—a complexity that is intensified for... more
In a context characterised by triple sources of accountability demands, principals in Chile are required to mobilise change to raise performance indicators. School improvement is a complex endeavour—a complexity that is intensified for newly appointed principals, particularly when placed in a high-poverty, ineffective school. This article explores changes introduced by newly appointed principals placed in elementary public schools that were struggling ( n = 4) and in schools that were sinking ( n = 5). Findings show that all participants converged on actions to promote changes in: staffing, redesigning the organisation, and managing instruction. The quality of the actions, however, differed by type of school, highlighting the importance of defining policies for strengthening school leadership that take into account differences among schools. Induction will provide needed support at the individual level, but it might be insufficient support if other measures at the district level fai...
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ABSTRACT Using the qualitative case study approach, the following research focuses on the connection between coaching and resilience. Using an interpretative approach, based on the principles of grounded theory, semi-structured interviews... more
ABSTRACT Using the qualitative case study approach, the following research focuses on the connection between coaching and resilience. Using an interpretative approach, based on the principles of grounded theory, semi-structured interviews were conducted to explore this relationship in depth. The findings of the study suggest that when headteachers felt supported by coaching, they perceive an improvement in their performance and higher levels of resilience. The support in the form of coaching or having any senior mentor were identified as the critical sources of support, as headteachers were able to build self-evaluation practices, share ideas and reconsider goals and visions.
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ABSTRACT There is a vast body of knowledge supporting the critical role of principal for school improvement and improved students’ learning outcomes. While, there is increasing evidence addressing the lack of interest in the... more
ABSTRACT There is a vast body of knowledge supporting the critical role of principal for school improvement and improved students’ learning outcomes. While, there is increasing evidence addressing the lack of interest in the principalship, training and preparation has been identified as a potential enhancer for principalship interest. The purpose of this paper is to identify and analyse the relation between teacher’s interest in assuming a principalship and leadership preparation using a quantitative approach. A sample of 220 school teachers with no formal leadership responsibilities responded an online survey and their answers were analysed with descriptive, Pearson correlation and analysis of variance statistics. The findings indicated that age, professional training and opportunities to exercise leadership were relevant variables in understanding the level of interest of teachers. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
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Public education in Chile has been steadily losing students as a result of the implementation, for the last 35 years, of a market model. In this paper we exemplify how a structural problem (public schools’ declining enrollment) created by... more
Public education in Chile has been steadily losing students as a result of the implementation, for the last 35 years, of a market model. In this paper we exemplify how a structural problem (public schools’ declining enrollment) created by neoliberal educational policies is transformed into an individual problem to be managed by the public school principal. Principals must sign a performance-based contract that specifies sanctions and incentives for meeting enrollment targets. The current paper examines, through data produced by in-depth interviews and shadowing, how 19 principals worked toward that target. Findings show that to manage enrollment principals spent, on average, 24% of their time performing marketing tasks. Principals, thus, have developed an entrepreneurial self, which is promoted by quasi-market school governance models. Through this entrepreneurship they manage various threats that represent barriers to the possibilities for meeting enrollment targets.
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International research on educational reform and change has stressed the relevance of the intermediate level of the educational system as a source of support for the improvement of teaching and learning in schools. However, this emphasis... more
International research on educational reform and change has stressed the relevance of the intermediate level of the educational system as a source of support for the improvement of teaching and learning in schools. However, this emphasis has not been replicated in the context of the Chilean school system, although current legislation require that sostenedores, or local administrators, must play an important role in school improvement policy. Considering the above, this article reports a study that aimed to learn about the practices of a team of professionals, called technical coordinators, working for a Municipal Corporation of an urban district in central Chile. Through field observations and a questionnaire, six dimensions of practice developed by technical coordinators were identified. From these results, the key elements of technical coordinators’ work, which is frequent, focused and personalized, are discussed. Finally, it is proposed that future research be considered to assess the impact of the six dimensions of practice identified in the improvement of teaching and learning, and other lines of research are suggested for further study of the intermediate level in the Chilean school system.
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This study used portable technology based on Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM log) to register workday practices of school principals and heads from Chilean schools who were implementing school improvement plans aimed at developing a... more
This study used portable technology based on Experience Sampling Methodology (ESM log) to register workday practices of school principals and heads from Chilean schools who were implementing school improvement plans aimed at developing a culture of organizational learning. For a week, Smartphone devices which beeped seven times a day were given to School Principals and Heads of Technical-Pedagogical Units, who then answered closed questions about their current agenda. Six municipal schools in a district of the V Region of Chile participated in the study. The main results support the notion that, at the time of data collection, most school Principals and Heads of Technical-Pedagogical Units were working alone, and if they were interacting with other people, they were always in command. Following underlying assumed roles, most school principals reported performing administrative tasks, while Heads of Technical-Pedagogical Units mainly addressed instructional issues, fostering a rigid framework for the assignment of tasks. Follow-up semi-structured interviews confirmed that participants were not working as a team but rather alone on important issues and urgent matters. Participants regarded the use of the device as a very practical and useful tool to analyze their daily practices. Results are discussed focusing on the use of portable technology to address methodological issues faced when approaching research on educational leadership from a distributed leadership perspective.
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Presentation about the SPIRE experience at UCL Education Conference, with the great Sophia Lam
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Generation theory (Mannheim, 1952) argues that members of the same cohort or generational location, share a similar set of beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. These ideas have underpinned a series of studies in diverse areas, including... more
Generation theory (Mannheim, 1952) argues that members of the same cohort or generational location, share a similar set of beliefs, attitudes and behaviours. These ideas have underpinned a series of studies in diverse areas, including sociology of work, aiming to understand individual and organisational practices (Smola and Sutton, 2002). In recent years, popularise by the work of Howe and Strauss (2000), the labels of Silent (90 and 71 years old), Boomers (70-55), GenXs (54-40), and Millennials (20-39) have populated both research and popular media. There is a growing interest in the education sector for generational studies (Stone-Johnson, 2011; Edge et al., 2016). Previous studies have concentrated in the English speaker northern hemisphere, less is known about the influence of generation in Latin-American. Chilean public-schools are led by three different cohorts: Boomers (65%), GenX (25%) and Millennials (10%) (Galdames, 2019). Shaped by a turbulent socio-political background, ...
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La investigación tuvo como objetivo describir el funcionamiento de los equipos directivos que realizan una autoevaluación institucional en el marco del Sistema de Aseguramiento de la Calidad de la Gestión Escolar en Chile. Mediante una... more
La investigación tuvo como objetivo describir el funcionamiento de los equipos directivos que realizan una autoevaluación institucional en el marco del Sistema de Aseguramiento de la Calidad de la Gestión Escolar en Chile. Mediante una metodología cualitativa de estudio de casos múltiples se realizó un seguimiento de 10 establecimientos educacionales. Los resultados indican que el mayor cambio en las prácticas de los equipos directivos es aprender a trabajar en equipo con el resto de la comunidad educativa, sin embargo, esto no se traduce en el desarrollo de una cultura de evaluación y mejoramiento. En el análisis, se presenta un modelo que da cuenta de las fases por las que atraviesa el equipo directivo así como de los factores que facilitan o entorpecen el proceso de autoevaluación
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La relevancia del liderazgo para el mejoramiento del aprendizaje de los estudiantes es innegable, pero los estudios advierten de una crisis global en el reclutamiento y retención de directores debido a las complejidades asociadas al... more
La relevancia del liderazgo para el mejoramiento del aprendizaje de los estudiantes es innegable, pero los estudios advierten de una crisis global en el reclutamiento y retención de directores debido a las complejidades asociadas al cargo. En Chile, la selección directiva favorece el reclutamiento de candidatos externos por sobre la promoción interna, lo que conlleva dificultades derivadas de la inserción en una cultura escolar nueva, en un contexto de alta rotación directiva. Este artículo presenta una mirada alternativa y, a través de un estudio de casos cualitativo, analiza la trayectoria de 10 directores de establecimientos municipales elegidos por Alta Dirección Pública (ADP), luego de un proceso de promoción interna. Los resultados se organizan utilizando el marco propuesto por Moorosi (2010): Anticipación, los futuros directores son identificados tempranamente, ejercen liderazgo de manera informal y acceden a oportunidades de aprendizaje profesional; Adquisición, los futuros ...
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La relevancia del liderazgo para el mejoramiento del aprendizaje de los estudiantes es innegable, pero los estudios advierten de una crisis global en el reclutamiento y retención de directores debido a las complejidades asociadas al... more
La relevancia del liderazgo para el mejoramiento del aprendizaje de los estudiantes es innegable, pero los estudios advierten de una crisis global en el reclutamiento y retención de directores debido a las complejidades asociadas al cargo. En Chile, la selección directiva favorece el reclutamiento de candidatos externos por sobre la promoción interna, lo que conlleva dificultades derivadas de la inserción en una cultura escolar nueva, en un contexto de alta rotación directiva. Este artículo presenta una mirada alternativa y, a través de un estudio de casos cualitativo, analiza la trayectoria de 10 directores de establecimientos municipales elegidos por Alta Dirección Pública (ADP), luego de un proceso de promoción interna. Los resultados se organizan utilizando el marco propuesto por Moorosi (2010): Anticipación, los futuros directores son identificados tempranamente, ejercen liderazgo de manera informal y acceden a oportunidades de aprendizaje profesional; Adquisición, los futuros ...