Principals Australia Research Foundation
Research Reports
Evaluating the Impact of a School Network Instructional Coaching Program on the Development of Instructional Leader Attributes.
Project leaders: Western Australian Secondary Schools Executive Association (WASSEA)
This research looks to measure the impact of an instructional coaching network program on the acquisition of instructional leadership skills. Each success factor is measured using a Standard and its associated Quality Indicators. Embedded within each standard are communication skills and pedagogical knowledge necessary for effective coaching and coaching programs.
Effective Preparation, Support and Growth - critical factors in contemporary school leader well-being in Australia
Project Leaders: Australian Primary Principals Association (APPA) and Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA)
This project will focus on principals thriving in Hard to Staff (HTS) schools and therefore reduce the noted impact of turnover caused through stress and burnout. The project will aim to strengthen the knowledge of what do thriving principals in HTS schools demonstrate and have in common, what are the effective strategies they employ, and what will improve synchronicity among schools and systems.
Re-defining the Primary School Principal: Applying a Service Lens to Education Leadership
Project leaders: Australian Government Primary Principals Association (AGPPA)
This project will look at applying a service delivery lens to educational leadership and the development of a Principal Service Leadership Model. The project will take the initial findings and management artefacts developed at a primary school and apply them with a range of aspiring, new and experienced principals in a range of locations to examine whether service design concepts can lead to a new leadership model for empowered self-aware principals.
Attraction and Retention of Australian Secondary School Principals.
Project leaders: Australian Secondary Principals’ Association (ASPA)
The research project will create detailed accounts of the factors that influence people's decisions to become principals, and to remain within the role, so that targeted and contextualised strategies can be developed to encourage people into the Principalship, and support them to remain in the role for longer.
Research Report: Heffernan, A., & Pierpoint, A. (2022). Attracting and Retaining Australia’s Principals.
Building Leaders’ Capacity to manage the Paradox of the Principalship.
Project leaders: South Australian Secondary Principals Association (SASPA)
This has a strong principal focus and looks at the role of the principal in a culture of performativity. It will contribute to the development and trial of professional learning as an action research project. The project leaders will work with an experienced researcher in developing the project that aims to build leader capacity. This research will build on work already done by the project leaders.
Empowered leaders Creating the Future.
Project leaders: New South Wales Primary Principals Association (NSWPPA)
The project will assess the impact and relevance of current professional learning for principals. The research will examine the impact for principals of collecting a portfolio of evidence aligned to the Australian Principal Standard and how this leads to better practice or effectiveness of their leadership. The research also will look at the impact of using high performing principals as facilitators for professional learning. The project will develop a survey instrument that has transferability for other principal associations.
Leading Primary Schools: The social economic and educational benefits.
Project leaders: Queensland Association of State School Principals (QASSP)
This project will contribute to the knowledge base on contemporary school leadership. It has a future orientation for principal development and practice through the development of a new narrative on the role of principalship. The structure and methodology of the research has detail and includes a cross sectorial involvement.