The rationale for this study is underpinned and driven by considerations related to my personal, academic, professional and theoretical issues. First as indicated earlier on, my
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background is on working with schools on school development from a systems thinking perspective. This study was premised on the notion that there is not much known about systems thinking as a perspective to school development in South Africa. Furthermore, than are many stereotypes that exist about principals working on school development in located in rural areas. It is important to learn from them - what they understand about the systems thinking approach to school development, their how they implement it, the benefits and challenges that such an approach poses to school development. Second, as indicated earlier on, my immediate experience is in the field of strategic planning from a district to improve schools. Given this new role, I am able to reflect from an outside and morally responsible perspective the principal in their context working towards school development. The literature that is currently available on new ways and ideas emanates from foreign countries where we borrow policies that normally result in education system fixation with implementation of new policies. The study will fulfil the utilitarian value of providing feedback on current policy implementation which may result in the formulation of localised new frameworks for school development. Thirdly, there is limited literature available for policy makers regarding the implementation of school development from a systems theoretical framework. South Africa is lacking on literature that provides an understanding of systems thinking approaches to implementation of policy changes. There is not much focus on managing the implementation of school development. This is founded on the basis that its findings and recommendations may contribute to the addition on new knowledge in current research approaches to school development.
The purpose of this study is to examine the use of the systems thinking approach to school development. Professionals, academics, and research community need to understand not only how principals use systems thinking approach to school development, but also the benefits, challenges that it poses. The principals will also gain an understanding of how they are working towards implementing systems thinking in school development. By examining systems thinking even in the context of schools located in rural areas, this case study could make a unique contribution to the knowledge on school development. While there is literature on school effectiveness, improvement in the traditional ways of thinking, not much has been done to explore the systems approach to school development. Apparently, there does not seem to be much work that has been done that targets principals in rural school contexts and especially on school development from a systems thinking perspective. This
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suggests that there is limited theory in this area. This is a vital and fairly unexplored area that I believe may shed some light on a sorely neglected component of the education system. The study provides some insights into the use of systems tools for purposes of school development.
The latest experience I have working as the Umgungundlovu District in Strategic Planning has given me an opportunity to propose to the management of the district changes in our District Improvement Plan and the way we conduct school functionality monitoring. On the 15 November 2013 I presented to the Management Committee (MANCO) a framework for our District Strategic Plan in order to get their inputs and introduced a few concepts on systems thinking. Senge (2000) stresses the importance of systems thinking in education. In my experience as circuit manager I introduced systems thinking in the implementation of IQMS whilst working with principals of schools. The experience ended up being an academic study reflecting on those experiences (Mchunu, 2006). Senge (1990) proposes that people put aside their old ways of thinking (mental models), learn to be open with others (personal mastery), understand how their organisations really work (systems thinking), form a plan everyone can agree on (shared vision), and the work together to achieve that vision (team learning) ( Desta, 2009). Thornton, Shepperson & Canavero (2002) argue that systems thinking offers a broad view by exploring program interactions and relationships. The focus of the study is to examine the use of systems thinking approach on school development to school principals who were trained and exposed to this approach in order for them to reflect on their experiences, feelings, challenges they encounter in the schools due to contextual problems in implemented the systems approach.
The study provides benefits for the sampled schools in terms of providing training and further exposure to systems thinking as an approach to school development. It provides a refresher course on what the principals were exposed to whilst working with the researcher and strengthens the research experience. The study recognises the value of ongoing personal development in the context of the recent training that principals were exposed to in October 2013 on Continuing Professional Teacher Development (CPTD) in the school context. This workshop was presented by the Teacher Development sub-directorate in the Umgungundlovu District by means of a cascade model.
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In this study the researcher adopted a systemic view assuming that it seeks to enhance the ability of participants to use non-linear methods when faced with problematic issues. The argument is that this will strengthen the capacity of principals who are engaged in continuous school development.
1.8 Objectives of the study
The goal of this study is to examine utilisation of the systems thinking approach by the principals in the context of school development. When departmental initiatives aimed at school improvement are implemented at the school level using the cascade model, this leads to a short circuiting of the information that is supposed to be translated into programmes at the school level due to a number of factors. Amongst others these could be due to the lack of capacity by the principals to lead professional development and training to prepare teachers for new initiatives. The principals as leaders of change and development are expected to create a conducive environment for the implementation of departmental policies and initiatives aimed at school improvement. The assumption that quick fix workshops are assisting the principals to play such key roles is a one of the prevailing fallacies in the education department. This is a cause for serious concern which is a hindrance to school development, when such expectations are placed on principals of schools who fall short of meeting these skills.
A systemic approach to school development offers the needed drive to engage deeply with a number of issues at the school level that may have a negative effect towards learner achievement. The prevailing piecemeal narrow approach towards school improvement renders the school system to be a cause of a lot of wastage in monetary terms considering the number of learners who eventually drop out, leave the school system without any skills to manage and cope in the market world. The deficit cascade model does not answer to some of the prevailing complex issues and challenges that face school leaders on daily basis. The reductionist school improvement planning seems to place so much value on learner achievement that it becomes an end goal with little regard for the process of dealing with other factors contributing towards success. For this reason, this study emphasizes the value of leadership in school taking responsibility for continual learning in order to be able to cope
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with the challenging demands of strategic leadership, providing vision and setting goals leading towards sustained school development that goes beyond the surface issues.
The broad goal of examining the utilisation of systems thinking tools by principals in school development needs to be further divided into subsidiary objectives. The other subsidiary objectives for the study that support the main goals are stated as follows, viz.:
Subsidiary objectives:
• To solicit school principals‘ understandings of the systems thinking approach to school development.
• To explore how the school principals implement systems thinking approach in the schools.
• To examine the benefits of the systems thinking approach to school development.
• To examine the challenges of the systems thinking approach to school development.
• To formulate a theoretical framework for systemic school development.