Relationship between Decision-Making and Professional Experiences of a Pakistani Female Head Teacher in Initial Years of Headship

Authors

Sumaira T. Khan, University of IowaFollow

Abstract

This study investigated how a head teacher’s decisions were informed by her prior professional experiences in coping with the challenges in the initial years of headship in Government Secondary School in Pakistan. It is a qualitative case study of a newly promoted female head teacher with twenty-nine years of teaching experience, posted in the same school. Multiple data collection tools (interviews, observations, document analysis and field notes) were used to collect data about the inquiry. The study found that decision-making processes and professional experiences were co-related in teaching and learning, managing the staff, efficient and effective placement of the staff, strategic planning and development of the school, and resource management and accountability. Other factors, which influenced the head teacher’s decisions were: pressure from high management and the community, accountability, personal values and priorities, and relationships with stakeholders. The study recommended that policy makers provide support and professional development opportunities for novice and aspiring head teachers and has raised questions for further exploration.

Keywords

Professional Development, Decision-Making, Influence of Professional Experiences, Pakistani Educational System, Administrative Conflicts, Qualitative Case Study

Acknowledgements

Sumaira T. Khan is a Ph.D candidate at the University of Iowa. She received her M.Ed and M.Phil from Pakistan. Her research focuses on females in educational management, particularly women in developing countries. Correspondence regarding this article can be addressed directly to: Sumaira Khan at, sumaira-khan@uiowa.edu.

Publication Date

9-14-2015

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2288

Recommended APA Citation

Khan, S. T. (2015). Relationship between Decision-Making and Professional Experiences of a Pakistani Female Head Teacher in Initial Years of Headship. The Qualitative Report, 20(9), 1417-1433. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2015.2288