Recommended Prior Knowledge

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Objectives

1. Understand the different approaches to leadership in organizational contexts, particularly in the context of educational organizations.
2. Understand the emergence of new leadership concepts and analyze their importance in the field of educational leadership
3. Discuss and critically analyze the role of the leader in team management
4. Identify and analyze the various levels and roles of leadership in the current model of school management and administration
5. Analyze the influence of leadership in promoting professional development, improvement, and innovation policies in schools
6. Develop skills for work processes involving collaborative work, negotiation, and collective decision-making in relation to the school’s mission and projects
7. Discuss and critically examine established models and methods of school management and administration

Teaching Methods

In the theoretical-practical class format, the methodologies are structured around interactive presentations by the instructor, reflection and discussion activities led by the students, and active research into the topics under discussion. The aim is to promote dynamic classes and foster interaction between faculty and students through knowledge-building processes and student initiative, with proposals for resources that contribute to the development and acquisition of the competencies outlined in the curriculum and in line with the ESE/IPS_2023 Pedagogical Model. Participation in the learning process is considered essential, as active, relevant, and assertive engagement is valued; it is equally indispensable to carry out various activities during classes that contribute to enriching the learning to be developed and the competencies to be acquired. The activities considered in face-to-face classes will stimulate meaningful learning by engaging students in “the performance of a practical task, the resolution of a problem, a social activity, or reflective thinking” (ESE Pedagogical Model, 2023, p. 18), taking into account the course unit’s themes. Participation in the learning process is considered essential, insofar as active, relevant, and assertive engagement is valued; it is equally indispensable to carry out various activities during class that contribute to enriching the learning outcomes and the skills to be acquired. The activities considered in face-to-face classes will stimulate meaningful learning by engaging students in “the performance of a practical task, the resolution of a problem, a social activity, or reflective thinking” (ESE Pedagogical Model, 2023, p.18), taking into account the course unit’s themes. Simulation tasks will be used to model situations of middle management and positive conflict resolution, team-based curriculum planning, and the management of parent/family meetings, among others. Students will also be provided with texts to read and analyze, enabling them to contextualize and expand their knowledge of these situations beyond mere individual experience or case studies, thereby fostering the reflection necessary for more informed future action. Seminar sessions will be organized according to the “learning with experts” approach, as professionals holding positions in management and/or middle management will be invited. Based on these seminars and the questions raised therein, students will develop their project proposal, which may involve an in-depth analysis of the information gathered, creating an interview or a case study through the collection of documents and/or testimonies that analyze coordination issues (for example, the creation of evaluation criteria, the analysis of an innovation plan, the development of the annual school plan, proposing field trips, etc.). Given the scope of the course unit, there will be only one project developed in pairs, continuously developed and monitored.

Internship(s)

Não

Syllabus

1. Concepts of Leadership
2. Leadership approaches and theories: classical models and emerging models
3. Leadership models and types in educational contexts
4. Leadership, collaborative culture, and team management in school settings.
5. Structures and roles within educational organizations-middle management and teachers as leaders
6. The relationships between leadership, learning communities, and professional development cultures

Content Explanation

The course aims to help students understand and critically examine different approaches to leadership and situate them within the context of school management and administration. A critical analysis is essential, grounded both in theory and in the diversity of students’ experiences (objectives 1, 2, 3, and 4 in relation to content areas 1, 2, and 3). Mapping places, spaces, and levels of leadership within the school organization will highlight the competencies that are developed and learned to positively influence the achievement of specific objectives, as well as the role of sharing and collaborative work in achieving them. Relational factors in collective construction must also be considered, as well as the constraints, tensions, and conflicts inherent in strategic decision-making and action (objectives 4, 5, 6, and 7 align with contents 4, 5, and 6). There is thus a cohesive whole designed to empower students to engage humanely, consciously, and critically in leadership processes.

Methodology Explanation

The proposed methodologies, as well as the assessment, are based on the principle of progressive learning, in which students develop their work throughout the course, receive feedback from their peers and instructors, and refine it accordingly. The work to be carried out is a proposal to link the findings of an analysis of existing teaching practices in the field-which involve leadership and cooperation in the organization of the curriculum and learning-with the reflection on these themes provided by theoretical constructs guided by analysis and research. This back-and-forth between practice and theory provides the necessary connection for understanding the proposed objectives and content and for situating future teaching practice within the collective organization that is the school and the connection between professionals and different levels of education.

Responsible Lecturer(s)

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Bibliography

Bolívar, A. (2014). Building School Capacity: Shared Leadership and Professional Learning Communities. A Research Proposal. International Journal of Educational Leadership and Management, 2 (2).

Caixeiro, C. A., Verdasca, J. & Estêvão, C. V. (2018). Liderança e cultura organizacional: O impacto da liderança do diretor na(s) cultura(s) organizacional(ais) escolar(es). In Grave-Resendes, Lídia; Bastos, Glória; Oliveira, Isolina, coord. - Lideranças e inovação em contextos educativos. Lisboa: Universidade Aberta.

Costa, E. (2017). Processos de liderança pedagógica e reconfiguração e reconfiguração organizacional - o desafio ao diretor. Alargamento da Escolaridade Obrigatória: Contextos e Desafios. CNE

Fullan, Michael (2016). “The meaning of educational change” in Michael Fullan, The new meaning of educational change, 39-53, Routledge. De Nobile, J. (2017). Towards a theoretical model of middle leadership in schools.. School Leadership & Management, 38(4), 395-416.