LEADERSHIP CAPACITY

Table of Contents

Introduction. 3

Discussion. 3

Conclusion. 7

Reference list 8

Introduction

The leaders play a key role in early childhood education and care as transformative agent because they communicate with the stakeholders about the need of new chapters, new syllabus modification and integrate these as new changes in the existing education system of the ECEC. The study will highlight the theoretical framework that drive leadership in ECEC sector. The study will shed light on the examples of leaders who have served as change agents in the ECEC sector. The study will discuss the solutions and challenges that are faced by the leaders in ECEC sector.

Discussion

One of the major leadership framework that persists within the Early Childhood Education Care is the whole leadership. It is essential for influencing the leadership to act as driver of change. It is because the changes in the policy through the Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership (ECPP) focuses on the engagement of government and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives for improving early child outcomes, which requires the building of effective team such requirement is met by the whole leadership framework as it is characterized by the feature of pedagogical leadership which maximizes team capacity to promote interrelations between the early childhood organisations (Gov, 2023). In the findings of Abel et al. (2017), it is supported that the whole leadership framework has been known to share a positive association with the maximization of team capacity and has emerged as one of the major strengths when it comes to driving change. Therefore, it is analysed that the whole leadership framework has a positive effect on influencing leaders as a change agent in Early Childhood Education and Care due to its pedagogical leadership competency.

In opposition to the above findings, Stamopoulos (2020) has opposed that Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory is more effective as a major leadership theory. This theory focuses on the leaders ability to transfer vision into action before delving as a change agent within the Early Child Education and Care sector. The implications of this theory is extremely crucial for driving the policy changes of "New Directions for Early Childhood Education," as the policy emphasises on improving the brain research which requires the presence of change agent who can communicate their vision of what they trying to achieve with the policy to gain consent about the students participation in the research since it is a sensitive issue and such requirement is met by the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory by transforming the leaders as an effective change agent who is vested with ability to transfer and communicate vision effectively. It is because this element of the theory helps the leaders to integrate empathetic behaviour while communicating the vision to the stakeholders in ECEC sector and assist the leaders to assert on transformational role as change agents. In the findings of Fabry et al. (2022), it is supported that the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership is characterised by the presence of effective leadership capacity in terms of transforming and communicating vision in the ECEC and considered as one of the major strengths of the model. Therefore, it is analysed that the implications of the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory has a positive influence in evolving leaders as a change agent and taking transformative role to drive implementation of policy changes in ECEC.

On the contrary, Mu'in (2018) has argued that major leadership theory in the ECEC is the educational leadership model as compared to other leadership frameworks. This theory emphasizes on the gaining of knowledge that drives them to improve the quality practices and incur benefits to the learning of the students in the Early Child Education and Care sector. This attribute of the theory is crucial when it comes to developing the leader as an effective change agent. This is because the emergence of a successful change agent requires the knowledge and communication of the benefits to the stakeholder and both of these requirement are effectively addressed by the deployment of educational leadership model as it is known for its efficacy in amassing information and conveying the benefits of the quality improvement in the learning plans of the students. Similar evidence can be observed in the works of Osman (2020) as the author suggest that the educational leadership model share a positive association with the increased knowledge of the benefits that is related to improvement in quality practices of learning plan. Furthermore Mu'in (2018) has supported that the educational leadership model has posed as a crucial element for transcending the leaders to the role of change agent. Hence, it is analysed that the educational leadership model imparts a positive influence on the transforming leaders as successful change agents in ECEC sector.

One of the major examples of leaders who has acted as successful change agents is Lara Bowler (Lucas et al., 2023). It is because the introduction of new mathematical chapters in the ECEC sector as a change would have required the communication of the benefits of the change to the parents of the students and staff and such requirement is addressed by Lara Bowlers leadership as she aligned with the pedagogical (pedagogical) leadership to collaborate with students families and organise discussion forum, conference session to impart the knowledge about the advantages of the new mathematics syllabus to the parents and other fellow students. Similar account can be drawn from the works of Fonsn et al. (2023) as the researchers suggest that the pedagogical leadership has been responsible in explaining the emergence of successful change agents in the ECEC sector. Furthermore, Lesaux et al. (2014) have supported that the implications of a successful change agent is characterised by the individuals capacity in disseminating information amongst the stakeholders effectively. On the contrary, Westover (2016) has argued that the prominence of developing as a prospect for change agent is dependent on the contribution of several external factors. The previous statement is limited in the context of reliability as the research has considered a restricted sample size which subjugates the relevance of the opinion significantly. Therefore, it is analysed that Lara Bowler has emerged as a successful change agent in ECEC sector due to her competency in pedagogical leadership.

One of the major change agents in ECEC has been the leaders of the long day care service in regional Australia (ACEQCA, 2023a). This is because the service of undertaking a complete change in education philosophy by focusing on the promotion of sustainably in the ECEC learning significantly required change agents who could incur on extensive collaboration with the Aboriginal community and such requirement is met by these leaders as they have resided in the bushland to engage with the learning activities that are endorsed by the Aboriginal elders before integrating the philosophy change within the ECECE. This initiative of leader is in coherence with the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory as the theory emphasises the importance of interacting with the stakeholder before transforming vision into action and such aspects were reflected by the leaders as they collaborated with the Aboriginal community extensively before driving the change in education philosophy. Similar evidence can be observed in the works of Stamopoulos (2020) as the author suggest that the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory is resembled by the extensive collaboration between the leaders as change agent and the stakeholder for driving successful transformation in the quality of early childhood education. Therefore, it is observed that the leaders of the long day care service in regional Australia has aligned Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory to act as change agents.

However, the leaders at the outside school hours care program surfaced as an exemplary evidence of a proficient change agent (ACEQCA, 2023d). This is because the program aimed at modifying the quality improvement plan by integrating platform where the students can put forward their opinions about the teaching practices and lesson plan, which requires a change agent who could hold simple consultation process that is more relatable to the stakeholder since the stakeholder were small children and such requirement is met by the coordinator, who is also the educational leader. It is because the educational leader researched the effective method to consult with the children and proposed that the self-assessment process is the proficient approach to capture the childrens view about the education approaches. This is in alignment with the Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory as it implies the importance of consultation platform for driving changes within ECEC. Therefore, it is observed that the leaders at the outside school hours care program has derived their leadership principles from Stamopoulos and Barblett leadership theory to propel as an effective change agent.

Another major example of change agent has been the leaders at council run family day care centre (ACEQCA, 2023c). This is because the council aims to implement the Child Friendly Cities Initiative within the early child education learning programs which necessitates a change agent who is able to share the information about these initiatives to stakeholder to drive greater engagement and low resistance to the change and such requirement is met by these leaders successfully. It is because they were able to inform the students families by using informative newsletter about the Child Friendly Cities Initiative and ask them about their perception during the public forum, which, in turn, drove the families participation in public forums significantly. This leadership undertaking is in coherence with the Educational leadership model as this model emphasises the use of collaborative thinking as a tool to drive changes as a leader within ECEC sector and these leaders have used public forums as the tool for deploying collaborative thinking to gain knowledge of how to deploy potential projects in Child Friendly Cities Initiative. In the findings of Mu'in (2018), it is supported that the characteristic of implementing collaborative thinking in Educational leadership model is associated with positive outcomes in the quality of early child education by driving increased stakeholder involvement. Therefore, it is analysed that the leaders at council run family day care centre has based their decision on Educational leadership model to collaborate with families and act as effective change agents for integrating Child Friendly Cities Initiative in the early education setting of family day care centre.

Another major example where leaders has emerged as successful change agent is marked by the contribution of the nominated supervisor in OSHC service (ACEQCA, 2023b). This is because the OSHC service aimed at changing the current practices of allocating homework to the students which required a change agent who would actively listen to the complaints of the parents regarding the homework and such role was met by the nominated supervisor. It is because the nominated supervisor led the situation by meeting the parents individually and understand their needs and perspectives on the type of homework they expected to see.

One of the major challenges that was faced by the leaders while acting as the change agent and integrating the ECPP policy has been the low tolerance to cultural diversity. This is because the ECPP policy involves the participation of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community who holds different perception about what needs to be taught in literature due to cultural inclinations than the members from education council in cities. However, the challenge was addressed with relative ease as the leaders resorted to the use of brainstorming session for coming to an agreement and developing a shared goal about the educational outcomes that are being expected from the ECEC context amongst the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. In the findings of Wang et al. (2014), it is supported that the brainstorming session share a positive association with the growth in the tolerance to culturally diverse opinion and act as a major strength. Hence, it is analysed that the solution of brainstorming session has emerged as the advantage for the leaders to act as change and incur on successful policy implementation in ECEC context.

The nominated supervisors action on listening complaints from the parents improved the quality of the homework that was being served to the student as they become relevant to the cognitive abilities of the small children. This increase in quality is explained by the leader adherence to the element 7.1.1 of the standard 7.1, Governance in Quality area 7 as the nominated supervisor clearly understood the roles of being an active listener while listening to complaints to reflect on the improvement in the quality of homework and the element (7.1.1) states that if the roles and responsibilities are clearly defined, and understood, then the quality of the education service can be improved by the leader. The leaders at outside school hours care program conceived self-assessment as the information collection process to improve the quality the lesson plan for the children. This bears resemblance with the element 7.2.2 of Standard 7.2, Leadership in Quality area 7 since the element signifies the importance of implement self-assessment program to drive the changes in quality of education service.

The leaders action of introducing new chapters in the syllabus has resulted in increasing the quality of ECEC. It is because this change in the education policy has played a key role in increasing the cognitive ability and the reasoning skills of the student at a very early age. Bacchus et al. (2015) have supported that the introduction of the new chapters and modification of the syllabus share a significant association with the rise in quality of academic outcomes for the students in the ECEC context. Therefore, it is evaluated that the leaders initiative of introducing new chapters in the syllabus has a positive influence on the quality of the ECEC.

Conclusion

The findings of the study indicate that the whole leadership, pedagogical leadership Kagan and Bowmans theoretical framework and instructional leadership have been the effective leadership theories that are instantiated within the ECEC sector. The results of the study imply that the Lara Bowler and Joce Nuttall are prominent leaders who have served as successful change agents in ECEC sector.

Reference list

Abel, M., Talan, T. & Masterson, M., (2017). Whole leadership: A framework for early childhood programs. Exchange, 39(233), pp.22-25.

ACEQCA (2023a). Standard 7.1 Governance Case study 1. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/assessment/exceeding-nqs/qa7/standard-71-governance-case-study-1

ACEQCA (2023b). (N.d.). Standard 7.1 Governance Case study 2 Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/assessment/exceeding-nqs/qa7/standard-71-governance-case-study-2

ACEQCA (2023c). Standard 7.2 Leadership Case study 2. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/assessment/exceeding-nqs/qa7/standard-72-leadership-case-study-2

ACEQCA (2023d). Standard 7.2 Leadership Case study 1. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/assessment/exceeding-nqs/qa7/standard-72-leadership-case-study-1

Bacchus, M. K. (2015). Improving the quality of basic education through curriculum development and reform. Excellence and Quality in Education. Albert Park: James Nicholas Publishers, 7-21.

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Fonsn, E., Szecsi, T., Kupila, P., Liinamaa, T., Halpern, C., & Repo, M. (2023). Teachers pedagogical leadership in early childhood education. Educational Research, 65(1), 1-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00131881.2022.2147855

Gov. (2023). Leaders as agents of change. Retrieved from https://www.acecqa.gov.au/latest-news/blog/leaders-agents-change

Lesaux, N. K., Marietta, S. H., & Galloway, E. P. (2014). Learning to be a change agent. The Learning Professional, 35(5), 40.

Lucas, F. (2023). Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Lara Bowler celebrated. Retrieved from https://thesector.com.au/2023/03/28/atlantis-group-celebrates-success-with-outstanding-early-childhood-teacher-win/

Mu'in, A. (2018). Educational leadership model towards a better education. FIKROTUNA: Jurnal Pendidikan dan Manajemen Islam, 7(1), 777-788. http://dx.doi.org/10.32806/jf.v7i1.3177

Osman, I. (2020). Critical analysis and reflection of 3 major models of educational leadership, The University of Manchester, 1(1), 234-245. http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31538.22723

Stamopoulos, E. (2020). Early childhood leadership in action: Evidence-based approaches for effective practice. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003115434

Wang, H. C., Fussell, S. R., & Cosley, D. (2014, March). From diversity to creativity: Stimulating group brainstorming with cultural differences and conversationally-retrieved pictures. In Proceedings of the ACM 2011 conference on Computer supported cooperative work (pp. 265-274). https://doi.org/10.1145/1958824.1958864

Westover, J. H. (2016). Managing organizational change: Change agent strategies and techniques to successfully managing the dynamics of stability and change in organizations. International Journal of Management and Innovation, 2(1), 45-51. link.gale.com/apps/doc/A270375479/AONE?u=anon~9ed13157&sid=googleScholar&xid=c9548f34.