Middle Management: Role, Practices and Challenges on Educational Leadership Practices

Abstract

Recent studies highlight the significant impact of middle management leadership on educational success. In Catalonia, school leadership is managed by a team composed of the Principal, Head of Studies, and Secretary. This research, using a sequential mixed-method design divided in three phases, analyzes the functions of the Head of Studies in primary schools and the needs that arise from their role. The study provides a focused analysis of this often-overlooked role, including a gender perspective. Data was collected through a questionnaire with a reliability of 0.904 in Cronbach's Alpha and semi-structured interviews. The Phase 1 sample included 362 participants, 20.4% of whom were held the role of Head of Studies, with the majority being women (89.2%). Phase 2 focused on eight participants in leadership positions. The study evaluated 62 management functions across four dimensions (D1: leadership; D2: management, D3: pedagogical; D4: professional development), attributing seven key functions to the Head of Studies, including leadership, implementation of educational practices, teacher coordination, and academic scheduling. Results from the Confirmation and Chi-Square tests emphasize the importance of the Head of Studies in the pedagogical dimension (D3) and, to a lesser extent, in promoting professional development (D4). However, training gaps and a lack of specific support for the role were identified, underlining the need for further research to enhance middle management in Catalan schools. This study offers an integrated understanding of the Head of Studies' role, emphasizing their significant involvement in educational leadership while revealing deficiencies in training and support. These insights could inform the development of targeted educational policies and training programs specifically designed to enhance the effectiveness and impact of this crucial role.



Author Information
Lorena Varo Pérez, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain

Paper Information
Conference: BCE2024
Stream: Educational policy

This paper is part of the BCE2024 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Pérez L. (2025) Middle Management: Role, Practices and Challenges on Educational Leadership Practices ISSN: 2435-9467 – The Barcelona Conference on Education 2024: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 303-314) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2024.29
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2435-9467.2024.29


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Posted by James Alexander Gordon