A Phenomenological Investigation of Knowing Events Among Women Headteachers of Government Schools
The main purpose of this study was to understand the nature of knowing for women headteachers in leadership and decision-making. The study was carried out through three research questions. They include: (1) what are the characteristics of knowing events for women headteachers as experienced by th...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2005
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/6421/1/FPP_2005_3.pdf |
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| Summary: | The main purpose of this study was to understand the nature of knowing for women
headteachers in leadership and decision-making. The study was carried out through
three research questions. They include: (1) what are the characteristics of knowing
events for women headteachers as experienced by them? (2) what are the influences
that shape women headteachers' knowing? (3) what are the specific ways of knowing
that women headteachers engage in? These questions aimed to determine the
characteristics, factors that influence, and structure of the knowing phenomenon
among women headteachers in leadership and decision-making.
The phenomenological approach was selected since it was deemed the most
appropriate for the study of a phenomenon of this nature. Data were gathered from
nine women headteachers in primary and secondary government schools. The
participants were selected from excellent and successful women headteachers through
purposeful sampling. The data collection methods employed were mainly in-depth
interviews with the participants. Each interview was taped recorded, transcribed verbatim and analyzed. In addition, informal observation and review of accessible
official documents were also carried out. The validity of the study was ensured
through clarifying the researcher's biases at the outset of the study, triangulation,
member checks, peer examination and rich, thick description of results. The reliability
was furthered ensured through stating the researcher's position, triangulation and
maintaining an audit trail.
The findings yielded characteristics of knowing events as experienced by the women
headteachers, influences that shape their knowing, ways of knowing women
headteachers engaged in. The knowing events represent the phases that every woman
headteacher in the study had passed through from accession or entry into headship to
refocusing of values in the securely established state. The influences that shape
knowing began in the formation years and occur throughout headship. In addition it
also represents the development of knowing from a dependency on authorities to
autonomy of self, knowledge as abstract and objective to being relative and
subjective, and the cognitive process of receiving knowledge to one of generating
knowledge. The study concludes that the knowing practiced among the women
headteachers in leadership and decision making is unique to the participants of this
study. The findings are conceptualized into a thematic portrayal of knowing. Specific
recommendations for further research are also suggested. |
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