Leadership in Singapore secondary schools : A multi-case study of school principals’ influence on the process of improving student learning outcomes

This thesis investigates the contribution and influence of Singapore secondary school principals to the process of improving student learning outcomes by examining the phenomena at three levels: • perspectives of school principals on how they think they have influenced student learning outcomes in their respective schools ; • what they actually have done, according to their own accounts, set up or implement measures in their schools in regard to improving student learning outcomes; and • how the stakeholders in their respective schools perceive what they have done or not done in regard to improving student learning outcomes. Using the interpretivist paradigm, multi-case study approach and modified analytic inductive analysis, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 66 participants comprising principals, vice-principals, HODs, teachers and students. The major outcome of the study is the model ‘Leadership Influence to Improving Student Outcomes’ (LIISO). LIISO provides insights on the complex practices involved when secondary school principals influence the process of improving student outcomes. There is no single influence that impacts the way case principals exercise their leadership practices; rather it is the cumulative effects of all the relevant influences that matter. Leadership practices both influence and are influenced by context (knowledge of context of the leaders and context of organization), perception of leaders on their influence, social relations between leaders and the stakeholders, personal dispositions of leaders and stakeholders ‘view. The model shows that leadership does not directly impact student learning outcomes; rather, it is mediated by the ways in which leadership is practiced in each context. Crucially, the degree of success of principals’ leadership practices is dependent on five dimensions - clarity, consistency, commitment, flexibility and scalability of the practices. In addition, the findings suggest that leadership practice is also influenced by the personal dispositions of the principals, and their perception of their leadership influence.