Relationships, instruction, understandings: one district’s implementation of rounds
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to show how instructional rounds contributes to shared understandings and facilitates the development of relationships among administrators.
Design/methodology/approach
This mixed methods study draws on three years of data in a district engaged in rounds. Administrators annually completed a social network survey, which focussed on how often they interacted around instructional issues. Additionally, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with a purposeful sample of administrators.
Findings
Administrators have increased their participation in and understanding of instructional rounds, as well as their understanding of district initiatives. However, results are mixed when looking at the quantitative data. While the theory of rounds suggests that the process would lead to increased interactions, the authors found a statistically significant decrease.
Research limitations/implications
Implications include examining rounds as part of a district’s set of formal and informal structures. Also, results suggest further examination of how turnover impacts networks. Finally, expanding the number of interviews may present a more mixed qualitative experience of rounds.
Practical implications
As districts adopt initiatives based on observations, rounds can be used to support administrators’ growth in understanding these initiatives. Simultaneously, districts need to consider the purpose for both central office and building administrators and how those purposes align with protocols, norms, and practices they use.
Originality/value
This paper advances the empirical knowledge on instructional rounds, which has been gaining popularity, though little empirical analysis exists of the process, how its theory of action is enacted, and how administrators experience rounds.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the administrators in Birchwood Regional Public Schools who participated in the surveys and interviews over the course of this study. The authors would also like to thank colleagues at the Panasonic Foundation and a group of superintendents with whom the authors work for the participation in discussions that contributed to the development of this work.
Citation
Roegman, R., Hatch, T., Hill, K. and Kniewel, V.S. (2015), "Relationships, instruction, understandings: one district’s implementation of rounds", Journal of Educational Administration, Vol. 53 No. 5, pp. 625-641. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-07-2014-0078
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited