Date of Award

Spring 5-16-2023

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Monica Browne, EdD

Committee Member

David Reid, PhD

Committee Member

Judith Bartley, PhD

Committee Member

Gina Tucker Smith, EdD

Keywords

principal efficacy, resilience, Bermuda school principals

Abstract

Discussions surrounding the importance of the role of strong school leaders in effecting positive change in schools is an international discussion. It is believed that strong focused leadership in schools is key to school improvement (Yin, 1994, NAESP, 2013) This desire for improved education outcomes is also a focus in Bermuda. Internationally, research has focused on the skills and competencies of leaders that lead successful schools. There is also emerging research that examines the underlying constructs that may be related to successful leaders - namely principal efficacy and resilience. In fact, Versland and Erickson (2017) have commented that “Principal self-efficacy beliefs are important because they guide the leader’s actions and behaviors that affect expectations for students as well as teachers’ motivation and school improvement processes’ and several writers have commented that ‘resilience is not an all or nothing, fixed characteristic. Resilience is a relative concept” (Patterson, Goens & Reed, 2009, p. 4)

This mixed methods study was conducted based on a review of the literature on strengthening school leadership, the history of and published works on education in Bermuda, principal efficacy, and the construct of resiliency. Fifteen Bermuda school principals engaged in this study. Participants completed the Principal Self-Efficacy Survey (PSES) by Tschannen-Moran and Gareis (2004), demographic data was compiled, and a semi-structured interview was conducted to collect qualitative data on how Bermuda school principals go about their work.

Analysis of the data revealed that Bermuda school principals self-reported relatively high levels of efficacy in carrying out their work and are driven and influenced by two main feeders – the children and the developing of staff. Additionally, several common themes emerged in the characteristics or strategies principals identified as helping them to carry out the management, instructional leadership, and moral leadership aspects of their work. These elements indicate that further investigation and subsequent development of efficacy markers and resiliency competencies would be beneficial in the development of strong school leaders.

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