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School-based on-the-job professional development of middle managers (MMs) : a case study of a junior college in Singapore
Author
Chan, William Chee Leong
Supervisor
Tan, Jason
Abstract
This research seeks to understand as to how on-the-job training has contributed to the professional development of middle managers (MMs) in Singapore’s public schools and shaped their work experiences. The changing nature of MMs’ role, given the increasing diversity of their roles and rising workload, demands a study on how they have acquired and developed new knowledge and skills in order to ensure their efficacy as MMs. The subject of inquiry is cross-disciplinary in nature as it draws from the theoretical understanding of leadership at the middle management level, concepts of professional development, workplace learning and expertise development, and insights from models of knowledge creation.
There is paucity of research on the professional development of MMs in schools in Singapore. This research has explored this area by examining perceptions of MMs in one Singapore’s public school. This research adopts a qualitative methodology and studies how four MMs in one Junior College (JC) in Singapore, Singapore Junior College (SJC), have acquired and developed professional knowledge and skills through leading, planning, developing, implementing and sustaining a college-wide niche programme – the China Immersion Programme (CIP). Three key research questions underpin the study: (i) What professional knowledge and skills are required by the MMs to run the China Immersion Programme? (ii) How do the MMs acquire the professional knowledge and skills in the course of participating in the China Immersion Programme? and (iii) How have MMs grown professionally since participating in the China Immersion Programme?
The findings from MMs’ perceptions have revealed that participation in CIP work and engagement in quality interaction with their peers and external stakeholders are critical in assisting them in the acquisition and development of necessary knowledge and skills to lead, implement and sustain the CIP. Cognitively, MMs at times are also required to ‘stretch’ themselves by falling back on their existing knowledge and skills in related work in order to complete the tasks in CIP effectively. By working and learning at their workplace, the MMs have acquired a broader view of education and developed their leadership practice and beliefs.
Aligning to the research questions, three themes related to on-the-job professional development have emerged from the findings of the study. Firstly, the SJC CIP on-the-job professional development model validates the importance of learning on-the-job as responding to workplace challenges entails both working and learning. One cannot be separated from the other. Secondly, MMs’ engagement in quality interaction and participation in learning activities presented at the workplace are instrumental in helping MMs acquire and develop new knowledge and articulate their learning explicitly. Thirdly, a learning curriculum for the workplace that includes defining a learning pathway; organising the guidance by expert others; and structuring access to authentic activities is necessary to develop expertise on-the-job, in this case, MMs’ leadership competencies.
To promoted the efficacy of on-the-job professional development for the MMs, school leaders through strategic considerations in policymaking and resource deployment, could support the implementation of a learning pathway that integrates both formal and informal learning process and leverages on the learners’ tacit knowledge and predispositions.
There is paucity of research on the professional development of MMs in schools in Singapore. This research has explored this area by examining perceptions of MMs in one Singapore’s public school. This research adopts a qualitative methodology and studies how four MMs in one Junior College (JC) in Singapore, Singapore Junior College (SJC), have acquired and developed professional knowledge and skills through leading, planning, developing, implementing and sustaining a college-wide niche programme – the China Immersion Programme (CIP). Three key research questions underpin the study: (i) What professional knowledge and skills are required by the MMs to run the China Immersion Programme? (ii) How do the MMs acquire the professional knowledge and skills in the course of participating in the China Immersion Programme? and (iii) How have MMs grown professionally since participating in the China Immersion Programme?
The findings from MMs’ perceptions have revealed that participation in CIP work and engagement in quality interaction with their peers and external stakeholders are critical in assisting them in the acquisition and development of necessary knowledge and skills to lead, implement and sustain the CIP. Cognitively, MMs at times are also required to ‘stretch’ themselves by falling back on their existing knowledge and skills in related work in order to complete the tasks in CIP effectively. By working and learning at their workplace, the MMs have acquired a broader view of education and developed their leadership practice and beliefs.
Aligning to the research questions, three themes related to on-the-job professional development have emerged from the findings of the study. Firstly, the SJC CIP on-the-job professional development model validates the importance of learning on-the-job as responding to workplace challenges entails both working and learning. One cannot be separated from the other. Secondly, MMs’ engagement in quality interaction and participation in learning activities presented at the workplace are instrumental in helping MMs acquire and develop new knowledge and articulate their learning explicitly. Thirdly, a learning curriculum for the workplace that includes defining a learning pathway; organising the guidance by expert others; and structuring access to authentic activities is necessary to develop expertise on-the-job, in this case, MMs’ leadership competencies.
To promoted the efficacy of on-the-job professional development for the MMs, school leaders through strategic considerations in policymaking and resource deployment, could support the implementation of a learning pathway that integrates both formal and informal learning process and leverages on the learners’ tacit knowledge and predispositions.
Date Issued
2017
Call Number
LB1738.5 Cha
Date Submitted
2017