A study of influential and effective supervisory roles as perceived by the primary teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador

Bullen, Frederick Samuel (1972) A study of influential and effective supervisory roles as perceived by the primary teachers in Newfoundland and Labrador. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

[English] PDF (Migrated (PDF/A Conversion) from original format: (application/pdf)) - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Download (6MB) [English] PDF - Accepted Version Available under License - The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. (Original Version)

Abstract

One of the basic underlying assumptions of this study was that supervision is a function of various roles in any educational system. Taking this as a frame of thought, this study was designed to identify and analyze the supervisory roles which primary teachers perceive as being influential and effective in helping teachers improve the content, processes and outcomes of their work in the school or classroom. The major problem of this study was: Which supervisory roles are perceived as influencing or affecting teachers' behavior and to what extent are the various influential roles perceived as being effective in improving teachers' behavior? It was hypothesized that the primary teachers of Newfoundland and Labrador would perceive those supervisory roles that are close to them in physical distance to be more influential and more effective than those roles that are far removed from the classroom teacher. -- The 300 primary teachers who were randomly selected to participate in the study were requested to complete a nine page questionnaire. Firstly, the sample teachers identified the supervisory roles (from a list of 15 possible supervisory roles which exist in the schools, school districts, Department of Education, Newfoundland Teachers' Association and Memorial University) that they perceived as influencing or affecting their behavior. Secondly, the teachers indicated (on a four point scale ranging from 4 - very effective to 1 - ineffective) the extent to which they perceived the influential roles as being effective, that is, the extent to which the influential roles served to improve the teaching-learning process. -- The roles perceived to be most influential were: principal, board supervisor, district superintendent, 'other teacher', board specialist, and vice-principal. The same roles were included among those roles perceived as being the most effective. Of all roles considered, the principal's role was perceived as being the most influential and the most effective in serving to improve the content, processes and outcomes of the teacher's work in the school or classroom. Certain school and teacher variables were related to teachers' perceptions of the most influential and the most effective roles. These related variables were: size of town in which school is located, population of area served by the school, grade or grades taught, type of school board, size of school, teaching experience, and academic and professional training. -- The implications of this study are very clear. According to teachers' perceptions, many supervisory roles influence teachers' behavior and also help teachers improve their work in the school or classroom. However, teachers' perceived influence and effectiveness of supervisory roles decreases as the physical distance between the incumbent of the role and the teacher increases. There is little doubt that the incumbent in supervisory roles, to be effective in helping teachers improve the teacher-learning process, must work directly with teachers and must be close to the teacher he/she is trying to help.

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