Communities of Practice and Ethical Leadership Study Notes

Communities of Practice and Ethical Leadership

Abstract

  • Study on ethical leadership in professional communities of practice within school settings.
  • Based on principles from Hord & Sommers (2008) and Kalshoven, Den Hartog & De Hoogh (2011).
  • Conducted in Québec and New Brunswick, Canada, with 21 participants (school leaders and teachers).
  • Ethical leadership analyzed in four roles: communication, collaboration and support, conflict management, and change and innovation management.

Introduction

  • Key issues in education: academic achievement, teacher evaluation, and learning relevance (cited Gervais, 2011; Bélair-Cirino, 2012).
  • Communities of practice (CoPs) are viewed as effective for improving student learning (cited Lomos, Hofman & Bosker, 2011).
  • Questions on participation, effectiveness, and perseverance within CoPs arise in school settings.
  • Objective: Review literature on ethics within CoPs and examine the ethical leadership role of school leaders.

Literature Review

Communities of Practice
  • Definition: Groups involved in regular collaboration, learning, and knowledge sharing on common issues.
  • Characteristics:
    • Member commitment.
    • Complementary knowledge and expertise.
    • Quality of relationships central to success.
    • Members must ask: “What can we do to improve our practice?”
  • Shared resources (codes, processes, common language) are crucial for learning through meetings.
  • Key Actions by Leaders (Hord & Sommers, 2008):
    • Clear communication.
    • Support collaboration.
    • Provide coaching.
    • Conflict mediation.
    • Facilitate change and innovation.
  • Copland (2003): In shared leadership, leaders are facilitators rather than initiators, focusing on individual member needs.
  • Importance of acknowledging institutional control and authority in the workings of CoPs (Wenger, 1998).
  • Tensions may arise from power struggles and individual versus collective interests, requiring ethical negotiation.
Inherent Issues of Ethics
  • Etymology of Ethics: Relates to customs and life habits, contrasting moral obligations which may seem prescriptive.
  • Desaulniers & Jutras (2006): Ethics relates to freedom, providing a complex understanding of moral and social issues without dictating solutions.
  • Ethical leadership compared to other forms (transformational, authentic leadership):
    • Transformational Leadership (Bass, 1985)
    • Authentic Leadership (May et al., 2003)
    • Ethical leadership distinguished as a unique style (Brown et al., 2005; De Hoogh & Den Hartog, 2008/2009).
  • Definition of Ethical Leadership:
    • Demonstrating normatively appropriate conduct via personal actions and relations, promoting appropriate conduct through communication (Brown et al., 2005).
  • Factors predictive of ethical leadership:
    • Personal judgment.
    • Moral/legal responsibilities.
    • Concern for subordinates and behavior consequences (De Hoogh & Den Hartog, 2008).
  • Positive effects of ethical leadership include:
    • Favorable evaluations and satisfaction (Brown et al., 2005).
    • Ethical climate and low deviance rates (Mayer et al., 2009; Stouten et al., 2011).
    • Increased performance and relevance of work tasks (Piccolo et al., 2010).
  • Perspectives on leadership ethics:
    • Ethics as norms (Davidson & Griffith, 2000).
    • Ambiguity of moral reasoning (Minnis, 2011).
    • Ethical dilemmas in school leadership (Starratt, 2003; Shapiro & Stefkovich, 2011).
Conceptual Framework
  • Based on Kalshoven et al. (2011) dimensions of ethical leadership and Hord & Sommers (2008) management roles.
School Leader: Roles and Responsibilities (Hord & Sommers, 2011)
  1. Communication:
    • Use effective communication to enhance CoP and school values.
  2. Collaboration:
    • Encourage sharing and feedback among members.
  3. Coaching:
    • Exemplify participation in CoP activities.
  4. Conflict Resolution:
    • Mediate disputes within the CoP.
  5. Change Management:
    • Support and manage change initiatives.
  6. Support for Innovation:
    • Foster creativity among members.

Ethical Leadership Dimensions (Kalshoven et al., 2011)

  1. Justice:
    • Fair treatment, honesty, and responsibility (Treviño et al., 2003).
    • Ensures fair punishment and reward practices (Langlois, 1997).
  2. Shared Leadership:
    • Involvement of members in decision-making (De Hoogh & Den Hartog, 2009).
    • Enhances empowerment and capability development (Yukl, 2006).
  3. Role Clarification:
    • Clear identification of objectives, responsibilities, and expectations (De Hoogh & Den Hartog, 2008).
  4. Solicitude:
    • Care and support for others, demonstrating empathy (Treviño et al., 2003).
  5. Perspective:
    • Considering societal impact of actions (Treviño et al., 2003).
  6. Promoting Ethical Behavior:
    • Enlist ethical conduct through focused communication about values (DuFour & Eaker, 1998).
  7. Integrity:
    • Building trust through consistent actions (Kalshoven et al., 2011).
Ethical Leadership in CoPs: Table 1
  • Dimensions and Actions: Defined roles in the community setting.

Methodology

  • Participants: 21 (11 men, 10 women); 11 were leaders, 10 were teachers from Quebec and New Brunswick.
  • Data collection via semi-structured interviews, recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using coding methods (Atlas.ti).
  • Focus areas: Ethical leadership dimensions and school leader roles within CoP.
  • Reliability of coding was 90% (intercoder) and 88% (intracoder).

Findings

  • Identified four primary roles of leaders:
    1. Communicator.
    2. Collaborator and coach.
    3. Conflict mediator.
    4. Agent for change and supporter of innovation.
  • Table 2: Roles associated with ethical leadership actions.
The Ethics of the Communicator
  • Utilizes clear communication to define mission and vision.
  • Must model behaviors consistent with expectations.
  • Importance of defining goals and utilizing transparent practices in attributing progress.
The Ethics of the Collaborator and Coach
  • Encourages shared leadership and collaboration within CoP.
  • Organizes tasks and roles, maintaining a collaborative culture.
  • Promotes voluntary recruitment of eager members, fostering commitment.
The Ethics of the Conflict Mediator
  • Addresses tensions and conflicts through attentive care for community dynamics.
  • Structures environments to encourage equitable participation using tools like ‘the talking stick’.
The Ethics of the Agent for Change and Supporter of Innovation
  • Leaders must supply necessary resources and time for CoP activities.
  • Encourage cultural shifts that benefit the learning environment.

Discussion and Conclusion

  • Findings indicate that ethically active leaders improve the CoP approach significantly.
  • Leaders function in multiple ethical roles to promote a collaborative, innovative, and caring school environment.
  • The study suggests that ethical leadership models can greatly influence the effectiveness of CoPs, enhancing the educational experience for both teachers and students by fostering professional learning.

References

  • Comprehensive list of academic references providing support for discussions on ethical leadership and communities of practice.