| Summary: | 博士 === 國立屏東教育大學 === 教育行政研究所 === 96 === Abstract
This research aims to analyze the differences of kindergartens attached to public elementary schools in northern Taiwan. Specifically, kindergarten instructors with different backgrounds and the differences in their perception of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the method with which the principal leads the curriculum, the instructors’ level of preparedness and the efficiency of the school; the life cycle of kindergarten based curriculum of different kindergartens, the method with which the principals lead the curriculum and the variances in the level of preparedness of instructors; the correlation between different curriculum leadership methods used by the principal of the kindergarten and the level of preparedness of the instructors; the influence that the cooperation of the method with which the principal lead the curriculum and the level of preparedness of the instructors have on the efficiency of the school. This is to examine and verify the suitability of applying the Situational Leadership Theory on leading the curriculum of kindergartens and it is provided as a reference to the principals of kindergartens for them to lead the curriculum.
This research proceeds after being divided into two phases. In the first phase, pilot interviews were conducted to construct a concept regarding the development of the life cycle of the kindergarten based curriculum. In the second phase, by using the concept regarding the stages of the development of the life cycle of the kindergarten based curriculum gathered from the exploration and discussion of relevant literatures and pilot interviews, the design of the research structure is performed. Thereafter, a quantified questionnaire research and an interview research are conducted.
This research employs the questionnaire survey method, using instructors of kindergartens attached to city or county public elementary schools in northern Taiwan, such as Keelung City, Taipei County, Taipei City, and Taoyuan County as the research matrix. By using the Stratified Random Sampling method, a total of 502 official questionnaires were issued with 381 of them retrieved. The retrieval rate of the questionnaires was 76%. Amongst those, after deducting the invalid questionnaires, 353 valid questionnaires remained. The retrieval rate for valid questionnaires was 70%. Once the questionnaires were retrieved, the self drafted “Questionnaire on the Life Cycle of Development of Kindergarten Based Curriculum, Method With Which the Principal Lead the Curriculum, Instructor’s Level of Preparedness and the Efficiency of School” was used as a tool to collect data. After the questionnaires have been collected, the chi square test, One Way ANOVA and Two Way ANOVA were used to analyze the data. As for the interview research, in-depth interviews were conducted with four instructors in order to understand the life cycle of development of kindergarten based curriculum, instructor’s level of preparedness, method with which the principals lead the curriculum and the efficiency of school. By summarizing the questionnaire and the interview results, the following conclusions were obtained:
1. The background variable:
(1) In kindergartens with a small number of classes, the majority of the principals lead the curriculum with a participation method, whereas in those with a large number of classes, the participation and the assignment methods are employed.
(2) Senior instructors have a relatively higher level of preparedness while junior instructors have a relatively lower level of preparedness.
(3) The perception of higher school efficiency is common among more senior instructors.
2. The life cycle of development of kindergarten based curriculum:
(1) The “March – execution growth period” is longer than the other phases of the life cycle.
(2) The length of the school history will affect the number of years of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum.
(3) The number of years of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum will be extended for instructors in the kindergartens with a larger number of classes.
(4) Junior instructors will experience a shorter life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum; senior instructors will undergo a longer life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum.
(5) The principals usually have different job tasks towards the curriculum guidance for different life cycles of the development of kindergarten based curriculum.
(6) The instructors and the principals can usually overcome the bottleneck condition in the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum via communication, resource seeking and attitude adjustment.
(7) The background variable of the instructor will affect the number of years of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum experienced.
(8) The background variable of the instructor will affect the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum of the kindergarten currently under employment.
3. The method of leading:
(1) During the “Overture-plan formulation period” of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the majority of the principals lead the curriculum with the participation and persuasive methods.
(2) During the “execution growth period” of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the majority of the principals lead the curriculum with the participation and assignment methods.
(3) During the “Waltz-operation maturation period” of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the majority of the principals lead the curriculum with the assignment method.
(4) During the “Variations- rethinking and rebirth period” of the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the majority of the principals lead the curriculum with the participation method.
(5) Among the different life cycles of the development of kindergarten based curriculum, the participation method is the most frequently employed method by principals.
4. The instructor’s level of preparedness:
(1) Instructors from kindergartens with a longer school history have a high level of preparedness.
(2) Instructors from kindergartens with a larger number of classes have a high or middle level of preparedness.
(3) Instructors with a longer teaching experience have a high or middle level of preparedness.
(4) The majority of the instructors have a high or middle level of preparedness.
(5) The level of preparedness of the instructors tends to mature with the life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum.
(6) The principals can learn the level of preparedness of the instructors and implement complementary instructions via teaching audition, observation interaction and communication.
(7) The principals can adjust the method of curriculum leading depend on instructors with different level of preparedness.
5. School efficiency:
(1) Instructors with a high level of preparedness have a superior overall school efficiency compared with instructors with a middle or low level of preparedness.
(2) The school efficiency is higher for kindergartens where the principal utilizes the persuasive, participation, and order methods to lead the curriculum during the “Overture-plan formation period”.
(3) The school efficiency is higher for kindergartens where the principal utilizes the participation, persuasive, and order method to lead the curriculum during the “March-execution growth period”.
(4) The school efficiency is higher for kindergartens where the principal utilizes the assignment, order, and participation method to lead the curriculum during the “Waltz-operation maturation period”.
(5) The school efficiency is higher for kindergartens where the principal utilizes the participation, assignment, and persuasive method to lead the curriculum during the “Variations-rethinking and rebirth period”.
6. The life cycle of the organization:
(1) The life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum differs for kindergartens with different school histories, class numbers and instructor teaching experiences.
(2) The life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum will be affected by the environmental and human factors.
(3) Instructors in the kindergartens with a longer school history will experience a more complete life cycle of the development of kindergarten based curriculum and will have a better chance of “rebirth”.
7. The suitability of the theory:
(1) It is appropriate for the kindergarten principals to lead the curriculum using the situational leadership theory when the instructors are with a high or middle level of preparedness.
(2) In regard to the school efficiency, the job satisfaction and morale of the instructors are of the highest suitability for instructors with a high level of preparedness under the condition of participation and assignment method for curriculum leading.
(3) In regard to the school efficiency, the job satisfaction and morale of the instructors are of the highest suitability for instructors with a high level of preparedness under the condition of order and persuasive method for curriculum leading.
Recommendations have been made based on the aforementioned conclusions of the research. This is provided as a reference to kindergarten administration and education administration. Lastly, suggestions are made for future researches.
Keywords: kindergarten principal, organizational life cycle, Situational Leadership Theory, curriculum leadership, school efficiency.
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