Educational Administration

Educational Administration1

IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATIONFor the purpose of becoming an effective leader or manager who is in charge of an educational institution needs to be familiar with the theoretical concepts and best practices relating to educational administration. In trying to gain a good understanding of Educational Administration we have to make certain assumptions that: Organizations are essential and it is impossible to avoid the influence of different types of organizations on human life Administrators can perform useful functions within organizations;Knowledge and understanding of organizational behavior, both internal and external could enable an administrator to act more effectively; and Educational organizations and their administrations have some unique characteristics that deserve distinctive treatment.

ADMINISTRATION & MANAGEMENTIn the present literature, these two terms are being used to convey more or less the same meaning.

In USA, Canada and Australia, where the educational administrative systems are based mainly on the American models, the term administration is more commonly used.

In Britain and systems mainly influenced by the British system, the term management is preferred.In the context of business and industry, the term management is commonly used.

Educational AdministrationIt is the administration and/or management of institutions designed to foster teaching and learningThese institutions include public and private schools technical education colleges Special education institutions public and private universities educational resource-centers school district offices, regional directorates Federal /Provincial/ Divisional Government Departments of Education, and all other institutions fostering teaching and learning

The management or administration of this broad range of institutions supports the notion that Educational Administration is a field of practiceSimilarly, it has certain aspects common to other fields of management, such as, public administration, hospital administration and business management

Educational Administration-HistoryEducational Administration is not only a field of practice but is also a field of study in the early part of the twentieth century that Educational Administration emerged as a separate field of studyFirst, the courses in educational administration were offered at the teachers College of the University of Columbia, Educational Administration is not only a field of practice but is also a field of studyin the early part of the twentieth century that Educational Administration emerged as a separate field of study First, the courses in educational administration were offered at the teachers College of the University of Columbia,

Stanford, Chicago and Harvard Universities and other institutions (1950)In Australia the first institution to ommence teaching Educational Administration was the University of New EnglandSo we can conclude that there are certain unique aspects specific to Educational Administration, as the aims and objectives as well as the goals that are to be achieved are quite different from those of business and industrial organizations

Educational Administration-DisciplineEducational Administration is an applied field and not a discipline like chemistry or historyAs an applied field it has much in common with other applied fields, such as, engineering and medicineWe know that engineering had to build on the disciplines such as mathematics and physics medicine upon anatomy and biologySimilarly, Educational Administration had to build upon basic disciplines such as psychology, sociology, political science and economics we must be under stood that the concepts of those disciplines cannot be borrowed indiscriminately but have to be adapted and tested in educational settings Educational Administration is a field of study, mainly, for those who are aspiring to be administrators or currently engaged as teachers and lecturers in schools and colleges or universities as well as for prospective teachers It is true that the teachers are aware of such problems and issues as decision-making, leadership and communication from the perspective of the classroom teacher and not as an administratorThe task of administration is to view these problems and issues from a new perspective, that of an administrator who must see the organization as a whole, and not just as a teacher/lecturer in a classroom situation. The task of administration is to view these problems and issues from a new perspective, that of an administrator who must see the organization as a whole, and not just as a teacher/lecturer in a classroom situation

What is the Job of an Educational Administrator?The basic purpose of educational administration is to enhance teaching and learning administration serves an instrumental or supportive role and not a primary role many administrative activities do not deal directly with students, the relationships of these activities to teaching and learning are not always apparentThe basic purpose of educational administration is to enhance teaching and learning administration serves an instrumental or supportive role and not a primary role many administrative activities do not deal directly with students, the relationships of these activities to teaching and learning are not always apparent

What is the Job of an Educational Administrator?one considers the range of activities that a school principal is involved in, she or he can be viewed as a generalist needing and relying on the expertise of othersIndeed the expertise that principals need to acquire is to know how to fit the pieces together

What is the Job of an Educational Administrator?Because the total program of teaching and learning, whether in the more formal arena of a classroom or in the school as a whole, could be performed better when it is co-ordinated effectively by the principalIn short, principals must help shape a safe and positive environment by providing adequate facilities and resources, so that teaching and learning is fostered more effectively

Functions of an Educational AdministratorThere are a number of distinctive functions that an administrator should perform to enhance teaching and learningThese are:s/he should discern and influence the development of a shared vision for the educational institution or organization that she or he leadsS/he should articulate a shared vision and involve others in setting the goals and developing the strategies, for the realization of the shared vision

The goals may reside in the culture of the community and of the school or the particular organization and, if so, they should be identified and perhaps made explicit

The administrator should stimulate and direct the development of programs to achieve the goals and purposesThe administrator should establish the structures and processes to co-ordinateand organize the implementation of the programsS/he should procure and allocate the resources needed to support the organization and its programsS/he should represent the organization to groups in the local and larger community and whenever a necessity arises mediate between the groups

This is perhaps one of the most forthright and tough functions that an administrator is called upon to performS/he should evaluate and monitor the efficiency and effectiveness of institutional operations

Starratt (1996) argues that the work of an educational administrator is different from other fields of administration and management, as it is shaped and directed by the core business of teaching and learningHe been pointed out that educational administration has three fundamental functionsadministering meaningadministering communityadministering excellence

Administering meaningAdministrators are expected to ensure that the schools are able to provide opportunities for the students to discover meaning in their world the meaning of nature, of human affairs, and human relationships enabling them to learn beyond memorizing superficial knowledge for success at examinations

Administering meaning demands that learning in the schools is grounded upon human concerns, is connected to the major cultural activities of the society, and is attuned to the realities of everyday life

Administering CommunityAdministering community demands that the administrators endeavor to transform the traditional separation of the individual from the community into their essential union

Creating more opportunities for cooperative learning and teamwork towards the creation of learning organizations could encourage thisIn addition, the administrator introduces the concept of organic management in administering community to mean management by commitment rather than control

Administering ExcellenceAdministering excellence demands that the administrator promotes and encourages high quality performance in schools not only in terms of productivity, innovations or technical virtuosity but more so in terms of the students character and moulding him or her to be a useful citizen and a member of the society

Administrator Role-other conceptAnother way to view the functions of an organizational leader/manager, whether it is in a department, school, college, university, and an education authority or in an education system as a whole, is through the following categories:Integrating the organizational resources in the most efficient and effective pursuit of its goalsActing as the agent of introducing and institutionalizing desirable changesMaintaining, supplementing and developing its resourcesThe school represents perhaps the most important institution in the child's lifeThe Importance of the School Administration to Student AchievementErich D. Garcia, Ed.DPage 1