Edith A. Rusch and Sonya Douglass Horsford
The purpose of this paper is to seek to conceptualize a theory of self‐contribution as a framework for understanding and demonstrating the dispositions and skills academics and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to seek to conceptualize a theory of self‐contribution as a framework for understanding and demonstrating the dispositions and skills academics and educational leaders need to break the silence and engage in constructive talk about race across color lines.
Design/methodology/approach
Brian Fay's framework for critical theory provided the guideposts for the construct of self‐contribution. To address false consciousness, the authors turned to Mezirow's unlearning. The work of Tatum, and Parker and Shapiro clarified the social crisis and the educative components used the voice of color thesis (Delgado and Stefancic), Pillow's race‐based epistemologies, Horsford's research using counternarratives, and Argyris' work on defensive behaviors,. Finally, to address transformative actions the authors turned to Follett's principles of unifying, and Laible's loving epistemology.
Findings
The use of race‐based theories to center the discourse about race in mixed race settings has the potential to move the debate forward – beyond colorblindness and toward color consciousness – to place civic relationships based on the integration of desires, an openness to mutual influence and a commitment to unifying rather than equal opportunity to gain power over others (Follett).
Originality/value
At this moment in time, the potential of educational leadership students to lead socially just and equitable communities depends on educational leadership faculty's ability to participate in a way of knowing through self‐contribution.
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Keywords
A qualitative, feminist, case study methodology was used to research the feminist leadership of three women principals of coeducational secondary schools. Information was…
Abstract
A qualitative, feminist, case study methodology was used to research the feminist leadership of three women principals of coeducational secondary schools. Information was collected by interviewing and observing the three feminist principals, interviewing 24 staff, and collecting documents. Research indicated that being student focused was central to the practice of feminist educational leaders. This thesis explored how they were able to remain student focused in a New Zealand, neo‐liberal, education context with increased financial, accountability and marketing responsibilities. By resisting and appropriating the opportunities and demands created by the reforms, the feminist principals were, to some extent, able to resist the pressure to be less student focused. However, in doing so they worked very long hours. Their personal value systems and the school context were also important influences on their practice. There were both commonalities and diversity among the women’s leadership.
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Transactive memory systems (TMS) is a theory of group cognition which conceptualizes knowledge sharing and retrieval processes in groups by the use of a shared “directory”. This…
Abstract
Purpose
Transactive memory systems (TMS) is a theory of group cognition which conceptualizes knowledge sharing and retrieval processes in groups by the use of a shared “directory”. This paper aims to review and analyze the literature and outline a set of requirements for an information system to support and facilitate TMS processes.
Design/methodology/approach
The author analyzed all TMS research literature in the SCOPUS and PROQUEST databases, mapping relevant observations about TMS to a TMS process model. These findings were then translated into functional requirements for a TMS information system (TMS‐IS).
Findings
A reasonable integration of information management functions into the TMS process model is possible. However, it was also found that social software functions for social networking, self‐disclosure and conversation are a necessary component of such a TMS‐IS.
Practical implications
The specification provides a useful consolidation of the research literature and a reliable point from which to commence design of a TMS‐IS. It is expected that basing these requirements on the research into social cognition will improve the functional fit of a TMS‐IS to group behavior and performance.
Originality/value
Although TMS is a cognitive theory based on knowledge sharing, there has been no analysis until now of the research literature specifically in order to derive specifications for a supporting software system.