Learning-centred leadership or pedagogical leadership? An alternative approach to leadership in education contexts

Male, Trevor; Palaiologou, Ioanna

Abstract

This paper critically reviews models of learning-centred leadership for self-determining educational organisations (i.e. those with a large degree of control over their own destiny and in vogue during the closing decades of the previous century) and argues for a more holistic approach to educational leadership based on pedagogical knowledge and understanding. In developing the case for pedagogical leadership in education we focus on key elements of education administration, such as the centrality of relationships, teaching and learning, and building communities of learning. On the basis of this discussion, it will be argued that, in education contexts, knowledge is the most important element. Knowledge is grounded in experience or in reason and as such Pedagogy is the key epistemological base addressing this (referred to in this article as the ‘episteme’). Thus, leaders in education contexts should be concerned with the development of their episteme – Pedagogy – and to be more concerned with pedagogical leadership in education than with models of learning-centred leadership promulgated through the current body of literature, as well as through the actions of central government agencies. It will therefore be proposed that, for effective leadership to be evident in education contexts, pedagogical leadership is a more accurate approach, given that it is concerned with the context, people, and development /construction of knowledge.

Citation

Male, T., & Palaiologou, I. (2012). Learning-centred leadership or pedagogical leadership? An alternative approach to leadership in education contexts. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 15(1), 107-118. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2011.617839

• Publication Date: 2012-01
• Deposit Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 13, 2014
• Journal: International journal of leadership in education
• Print ISSN: 1360-3124
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 15
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 107-118
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2011.617839
• Keywords: Pedagogy, Leadership, Knowledge, Learning-centred leadership, Education administration, Pedagogical leadership
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/468622
• Publisher URL: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/13603124.2011.617839
• Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International journal of leadership in education on 02/12/2011, available online: http://wwww.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13603124.2011.617839
• Contract Date: Nov 13, 2014