A Study of the Career Professional Development Planning for Elementary School Principals

• Main Authors: Chen-Hao Tai, 戴振浩
• Other Authors: 陳木金
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/29698199112077443749

博士 === 國立臺北教育大學 === 教育政策與管理研究所 === 94 === Abstract This research aims to explore the career professional development status quo, needs, and regulations of our country’s elementary school principals and present concrete suggestions as references for principals, education authorities, and future studies. The methodology includes interviews and questionnaires. The interviews target retired and in-service principals. The self-designed “planning of career professional development for elementary school principals” questionnaire focuses on the public elementary school principals in the north, central, south, and east regions of Taiwan. These questionnaires are delivered to 852 principals among a total of 2587 nationwide. 76.7% were returned and analyzed using statistical techniques including frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, and variation. According to the results, the following eight conclusions are formulated: 1. Principals generally identify and acknowledge the challenges at various stages of their career and the necessity of constant participation in professional development activities and enrichment of their educational expertise. 2. Principals agree that the Ministry of Education should set up specialized institutes to facilitate the integration of a principal’s career development. 3. Principals believe that different expertise and needs occur at different career stages, and hence various series of professional development courses for principals should be implemented. 4. Principals think their professional standards can be elevated and their social image improved with clearly specified mechanism and regulations set by the educational authorities. 5. Principals believe that through integration among administration, principal centers, specialized institutions, and social organizations, their needs at various stages of their career can be satisfied and they are able to develop their own formula. 6. Through specialized institutions, principals with different backgrounds can participate in professional development projects, provided by various administration units, principal centers, and social organizations, that meet their individual needs. 7. The government should set up budgets to subsidize hierarchical professional development activities for principals. 8. The results of this study indicate that principals currently take part in activities held mainly by the bureaus of education and teacher training institutes. They expect a greater variety of choices with more convenience. Hopefully, the findings and conclusions of this study can provide suggestions and references for elementary school principals, education authorities, and future research on the career professional development. Keywords: elementary school principals, career development of principals, planning of career professional development for principals.