Critical Functions of the Educational Administrator

Abstract

Morsink identifies the functions that higher education administrators have in common with educational adminis trators in school districts and educa tional agencies; then she identifies those contextual variables from which differ ences in the critical functions of school, college, and departments of education (SCDE) chairpersons and deans might be inferred. Data were obtained in inter views with 70 educational adminis trators, 36 of whom were SCDE Deans or Chairpersons. Responses to the inter view questions were transcribed, syn thesized, and compared with previous findings on administrative "best prac tices" reported in the literature. The re sults suggest that educational adminis trators view two of four common "tasks" identified in earlier research as among their most important functions. These include (a) providing leadership in achievement of the organization's goals, and (b) supporting personnel to enable them to achieve these goals.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bogue, E.G. (1985). The enemies of leadership. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa Foundation.

Carlson, R. (1964). Environmental constraints and organizational consequences: The public school and its clients. In D. Griffths (Ed.), Behavioral science and educational administration, (Sixty-third yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education) (pp. 262-276). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Clark, D. , & Guba, E. (1980). Schools, colleges and departments of education: Demographic and contextual features. In D. Griffiths & D. McCarthy (Eds.), The dilemma of the deanship. Danville, IL : Interstate.

DeBevoise, W. (1984). Synthesis of research on the principal as instructional leader Educational Leadership, 41 (5), 14-20.

Denemark, G. (1982, September). The importance of achieving an appsapriate balance between research, service and instructional responsibilities in teacher education units. Paper presented at the KATE, Louisville, KY

Getzels, J. , & Guba, E. ( 1957). Social behavior and the administrative process . School Review, 65, 423-441.

Griffiths, D. (Ed.). (1964). Behavioral science and educational administration. (Sixty-third yearbook of The National Society for the Study of Education). Chicago : University of Chicago Press.

Grosnick, J. , & Reynolds, M. (1978). Teacher education: Renegotiating roles for mainstreaming . Reston, VA: The Council for Exceptional Children.

Howsam, R. , Corrigan, D. , Denemark, G. , & Nash, R. (1976). Educating a profersion: Report of the Bicentennial Commission on Education for the Profession. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education .

10.

Judge, H. (1982). American graduate schools of education. New York: The Ford Foundation.

11.

Lazarsfeld, P. (1963). The social sciences and administration: A rationale . In L. Downey and F. Enns (Eds.), The social sciences and educational administration (pp. 1-12). Edmonton, Alberta: University of Alberta.

12.

Mort, P. (1958). Educational adaptability. In D. H. Ross (Ed.), Administration for adaptability (pp. 32-33). New York: Metropolitan School Study Council .

13.

Norton, M.S. (1978). A study of the department chairperson in colleges of education (Research and Services Bulletin #37). Tempe : Arizona State University, College of Education.

14.

Norton, M. (1980). Academic department chair: Tasks and responsibilities . Tempe: Arizona State University, College of Education, Department of Administration .

15.

Peters, T. & Austin, N. (1985). A passion for excellence: The leadership difference . New York: Warner Books.

16.

Peters, T.J. , & Waterman, R.H. , Jr. (1982). In search of excellence . New York: Harper and Row.

17.

Purkey, W. (1968). The search for self: Evaluation of student self-concepts . Florida Educational Research and Development Council, 4, 2.

18.

Purkey, S. , & Smith, M. (1985). School reform: The district policy implications of the effective schools literature. Elementary School Journal , 85 (3), 353-390.

19.

Rutherford, W.L. (1985). School principals as effective leaders. Phi Delta Kappan, 67, 31-34.

20.

Sivage, C.R. , Bryson, J.M. , & Okun, K.A. (1982). Politics, power, and personality: The roles of deans in dean's grant projects. Washington, DC: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

21.

Snyder, K.J. , & Johnson, W.L. ( 1985). Retraining principals for productive school management . Educational Research Quarterly, 9 (3), 19-27.

22.

Selection Research Incorporated. (1979). Administrator Perceiver Interview. Lincoln, NE : Author.

23.

Tucker, A. (1984). Chairing the academic department: Leadership among peers (2nd ed.). New York: Collier Macmillan.

24.

Woodruff, W. (1987, March 11). On the unity of knowledge: An open letter to the Promotion & Tenure Committee, College of Business Administration . Gainesville: University of Florida .