VIRTUAL: Applying Education
Abstract
Increasingly placed under scrutiny, school leaders are experiencing extraordinary pressure in their roles. Currently there is a small but developing body of research seeking to understand the role parent stakeholders play in contributing to the pressure school leaders are facing. This study aims to develop a better understanding of the lived experience of school leaders in their attempts to engage parents as partners, in a culture of heightened consumerism. This exploratory phenomenological research, conducted interviews with school leaders in an educational context of heightened consumerism. The study identified that parent engagement has a perceived impact on school leaders, ranging from low to high impact. This presentation will discuss these findings in relation to possible changes to school leader development training and a review of parent engagement initiatives in education.
Carolyn Wade is an experienced teacher and educational leader with expertise in curriculum design, instructional coaching, school and community partnerships, project management and organisation. Her research interests include educational leadership and parent engagement.
Dr Timothy Mavin is an associate professor at Griffith University and is a member of the Griffith Institute for Educational Research (GIER) and of the School of Education and Professional Studies at Griffith University. He has extensive experience within the aviation industry with a background in the Royal Australian Air Force and civilian airline sector. Dr Mavin also has a background in teaching mathematics and science in secondary education. Not only does Dr Mavin have an impressive record as a professional pilot and educator, but also has extensive experience as a researcher who have made many significant contributions within aviation, construction, and healthcare.
Dr Anna Elizabeth Du Plessis is an experienced practitioner whose various research projects have examined educational leadership, professional development for teachers and school leaders’, preservice teachers’ professional experience, beginning teacher workforce and teachers’ lived experiences in relation to out-of-field teaching practices. Her research interests include teacher education, teachers’ wellbeing, school leadership, healthy school communities as well as micro-education policies.