School Success as a Process of Structuration
Dorit Tubin1
1Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
Dorit Tubin, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box. 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel. Email: dorittu@bgu.ac.il
Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to explore the process, routines, and structuration at successful schools leading their students to high achievements. Method: The approach of building a theory from case study research together with process perspective and an organizational routines model were applied to analyzing seven successful Israeli high schools that bring their students to high academic outcomes. Findings: Five processes were found to operate cyclically during the school year: building a vision-oriented senior leadership team, enhancing students’ choice, developing a student-oriented class schedule, organizing an exam system, and mapping each student. Each process comprises several routines that present structuration by the alignment of their ostensive, performative, and artifact aspects. Research Limitations/Implications: The fact that the selected schools demonstrated extreme cases of high achievement limit the generalizability of the findings, but nonetheless it offers a significant contribution to the development of a substantive theory of school success as structuration. Practical Implications: The theoretical model can serve as diagnostic tool for a school wishing to improve academically, as an intervention tool indicating the area needing reinforcement, as an evaluation tool for assessing new resources and their adaptation to the school’s goals, and to infuse a principal training program. Originality/Value: This study bears a substantive theory regarding high achievement as a structuration process supported by processes and routines, and fosters new insights and propositions for further research.
structuration process approach organizational routines successful school principal senior leadership team (SLT)