Creating collaborative cultures : is it tinkering with educational reform or improving student learning?

The purpose of this study was to identify teachers' perceptions of the effect of collaboration within the school community upon student learning. The teachers' perceptions in relation to what actually happened within the school culture that affected student learning and their predictions for future connections to student learning were examined.

Six schools in the state of Tennessee, all participating in the Shared Leadership Project supported by the Tennessee Department of Education, served as the data source for this study. Forty-eight teachers, eight from each school, composed the sample population and participated in a semi-structured interview.

The data were analyzed by content analysis and thematic analysis procedures. The following categories guided the analysis: collaboration, relationships, change, student learning, predictions, recommendations, and miscellaneous. Tabulations were calculated and patterns identified from the data with regard to individual school cultures and the entire sample.

The shared leadership process was found to cause the school culture to become more collaborative. Seven indicators and four inhibitors of collaboration were identified. The majority of teachers reported a positive effect on relationships within the school culture. Shared leadership was found to affect the day-to-operations within the school in four ways. Contributors and inhibitors to change were also noted.

The majority of teachers recognized a connection between shared leadership and student learning, while several others failed to recognize the connections even though they identified examples. The observable connections between shared leadership and student learning were found to be: an increased usage of varying instructional strategies: collaboration among teachers with regard to sharing, planning, problem solving, and decision making: increased student decision making: improved and relevant staff development: curricular changes; and increased parental involvement in the classroom. Few teachers, however, were able to predict future connections to student learning.

It was concluded that shared leadership does affect student learning even though school cultures vary considerably. The greater effect is in cultures which have been able to make initial first order changes, have received training, practice. sharing, and are persistent about staying with the shared leadership journey. The principal is noted as a key factor in the success or failure of shared leadership within any culture.