Faculty of Education - Theses

Permanent URI for this collection

http://hdl.handle.net/11343/162

Filters

1999 1
Reset filters

Settings
Statistics
Citations
Type: Masters Coursework thesis × Subject: Melbourne × Subject: Case studies × Author: Hicks, Paul Gerald ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Item
    Thumbnail Image
    Improvement and accountability, perceptions and emotion: some tensions within an appraisal of department heads at an inner south-eastern school
    Hicks, Paul Gerald ( 1999)
    This thesis presents a naturalistic descriptive case-study approach to an appraisal of Heads of Departments in a medium sized boys school in the inner South- Eastern suburbs of Melbourne. The language of 'tension' and 'paradox' is used to explore some of the built in contradictions which seemed to characterise this appraisal cycle. Its intention is to make explicit several 'tensions' which arose during the process: tensions between the intentions of the administrative leadership in the school and the participants in the appraisal, between the intended and actual outcomes, and between the nature of the appraisal itself and how this was perceived to relate to the daily work of those appraised. The process of the appraisal is described, as is its context and history in the school. Particular attention is given to ambiguities in the perceptions of key actors in the appraisal, which it is claimed were often unperceived or unstated. The experience of certain individuals is followed in order to explore this dimension further. In this thesis I find that there were significant benefits from the process that was conducted, but that it was also flawed in focussing almost exclusively on the administrative dimension of Department leadership, and also caused pain and discomfort to several of the people involved. The emotional dimension of appraisal is thus also considered. While many of the tensions discussed are seen as inherent in the process, changes in the process are suggested to make it more relevant to this particular group when an appraisal is run at the school again.