An Interpretive Analysis of Educational Administrators' Perspectives of Democracy and Citizenship Education in Albertan Public Schools

• Author / Creator

  Long, Jordan C

• Little is known about the effects of public school educational administrators’ perspectives on democracy and citizenship education on the pedagogy and learning of the same topics within the school buildings that they lead. This qualitative study used semi-structured interviews to better understand how Albertan public school educational administrators experience and make sense of democracy and citizenship education. Four participants’ detailed responses were analyzed using an interpretive analysis methodology. It can be concluded that the perspectives held by educational leaders of democracy and citizenship education effect how individuals in the buildings learn about and participate in these tremendously important matters. While all participants found democracy and citizenship education important, only one participant was found to lead in a way that encouraged democratically desirable education. The other participants led democratically challenged schools because they preferred to remain obedient to a “top-down” approach to school management, were debilitated due to the demand of their administrative obligations, encouraged procedure and policy that was democratically void or challenged, and were confused about democratic leadership practice. Therefore, the findings suggest that educational leaders do not necessarily understand their role or responsibility in creation of a democratic learning environment.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Educational leadership
  • Democracy
  • Citizenship

• Graduation date

  Fall 2016

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Education

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3ZW18X7P

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.