Assessment Of Relation Between Distributed Leadershippractice And The Role Of Principals In Preparatory And Secondary Schools' Effectiveness, Of Gondarcity Administration, Ethiopia

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess the role principals play in distributed leadership and its relationship with schools effectiveness as measured by the 2016, Grade-10,National Examination results. For this purpose, the following 4 basic questions were raised. The descriptive co-relational survey design and qualitative approach were employed to gather and analyze quantitative and qualitative data about distributed leadership practices and its relationship to the school effectiveness. Based on the analysis of the collected data, the following findings were obtained. With regard to the roles principals have been playing to make their schools more effective, principals during the interviews indicated as they did not play their roles of making their school more effective. Therefore, they revealed that they need improve their schools leadership and can help school leadership practice to improve school effectiveness. Participants of the interviews also indicated that school principals should identify and redefine school leadership responsibilities and roles, focusing on roles that can improve school results; distribute school leadership for staff members, engaging them and recognizing broader participation in leadership teams; develop skills for effective school leadership during the leadership process; make school leadership a more attractive profession by ensuring appropriate incentives and motivations. The analysis of one-sample t-test indicated that there was statistically insignificant mean difference between the obtained mean of Institutional Practice (3.0214 p=0.765) and the expected mean (3.00). Its t-value (0.300) was also less than the t- critical value (1.960). Thus, the calculated mean (3.0214) was more or less the same as the expected mean (3.00). This implies that, principals were partially practicing institutional practice forms of distributed leadership in the secondary schools of the city administration. The result of One- sample t-test revealed that there was statistically significant mean difference between the obtained mean of Intuitive Work Relation (1.5857 and p<0.05) and the expected mean (3.00). Its t-value (-70.205) was also greater than the t- critical value (1.960). Thus, the calculated mean (1.5857) was significantly lower than the expected mean (3.00).This implies that, principals were not practicing Intuitive Work Relation forms of distributed leadership in the secondary school of the city. The same is true for Spontaneous Collaboration form of distributed leadership. Meaning, principals were not practicing Spontaneous Collaboration forms of distributed leadership in the secondary schools in the city administration. Finding of second third and research question was the correlation coefficient values (r) between all the three forms and of distributed leadership and the Schools Effectiveness (SE) were below 0.2 and above 0.0; this indicates that each of the three forms and of distributed leadership and the Schools Effectiveness (SE) were not significantly related to each other. Lastly, the correlation between distributedleadership and the school effectiveness was .063 and p value was 0.463. Since the p value 0.463 was larger than 0.05; thus the obtained correlation was statistically non significant. The analysis of correlation indicated the existence of a weak correlation (0.063) between distributed leadership and school effectiveness. The direction of the correlation between themwas, however, in a positive direction. This implies that the increment or decrement of one of the variable can cause a weak change to the other. The correlation between distributed leadership and Schools Effectiveness (SE) as measured by the 2016 standardized Grade 10 national Examination result were not correlated in a way that is large or important enough to have an effect on each other. However, the direction of the correlation is positive. The questions raised in this study were about distributed leadership practice and its relation to school effectiveness. The findings and conclusions revealed a positive even though weak correlation between distributed www.theinternationaljournal.org> RJSSM : Volume: 08, Number: 11, March 2019 Page 73 leadership and school effectiveness with in positive direction. To this effect, school principals need to distribute leadership roles across the staff members and organizations, for example vice- principals, department head and principals in other schools. The principal should provide time for teachers to collaborate on instructional issues, to participate in school level Instructional decision making and leadership in improving academic achievement subject departments should aim to improve teaching and learning.