Education researchers have won a government tender to deliver a first-of-its-kind professional learning program for school leaders.
The University of Newcastle, in partnership with the University of Wollongong (UOW), has been selected by the NSW Department of Education to deliver a first-of-its-kind professional learning program for middle leaders in NSW public schools.
Researchers from UOW and University of Newcastle will work with the NSW School Leadership Institute to co-design and deliver a world class program that is evidence based, accessible across different geographical locations and will cater to the different needs of diverse schools and middle leaders.
UOW's Dr Kylie Lipscombe, Academic Co-Lead of the program, said the tender was highly competitive.
"We are both thrilled and privileged to work with the NSW Department of Education and University of Newcastle to codesign leadership development for up to 500 NSW public school middle leaders each year," Dr Lipscombe said.
"Partnerships between school systems and teacher educators at universities is such a powerful approach to working together on the moral purpose agenda of teacher and leadership support and development and ultimately improved student learning in schools.
"Such partnerships serve to build capacity at both university and school levels as researchers and practitioners learn from each other."
Middle leaders are usually teachers in positions of Assistant Principals and Heads of Curriculum. Dr Lipscombe said middle leadership is a complex and increasingly important position in schools.
"Our own research highlights how middle leaders are usually excellent teachers who lead school improvement by focussing on the most important part of the school – the classroom," Dr Lipscombe said.
"They face many challenges including increased workloads and managing areas such as the performance of staff, because they are literally leading from the middle, positioned between the principal and their teacher colleagues.
"This dual relationship can prove very challenging."
Researchers say the program will be designed to value the teaching profession and will seek to understand the current and future needs of middles leaders, while simultaneously using evidence-based cutting-edge research. The first program will commence in 2021.
The UOW researchers will work in partnership with researchers from the Teachers and Teaching Research Centre at the University of Newcastle.
L-R: Dr Drew Miller, Laureate Professor Jenny Gore, Associate Professor Jess Harris and Nathan Towney.
