Six-category categorization of the ethic of care in female principals' leadership¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · no claims cited

Description¶

Through constant comparative analysis of interview, observation, and document data, the study conceptualized the ethic of care and female principals as six categories shown in Figure 1: teaching and learning, making a difference, creating child-centered schools, developing and empowering others, listening then deciding, and doing what's right. The categories were constructed during within-case and cross-case analysis, with "Category names were derived from common themes that emerged as data were coded." This taxonomy organizes how care manifests in principals' decisions and practices.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Derived from inductive qualitative analysis of multiple data sources (interviews, observations, documents, field notes) rather than a priori categories

Constraints¶

• Categories emerged from three white middle class female principals in a conservative, rural/suburban northeastern Pennsylvania region

Target Learners¶

• school principals and educational administrators

Target Learning Objectives¶

• understanding how the ethic of care manifests in school leadership practices and decision making

Claims¶

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Include female principals' care-based perspectives in the study and preparation of educational administrators

Key Sources¶

• Kropiewnicki, M. I., & Shapiro, J. P. (2001). Female Leadership and the Ethic of Care: Three Case Studies. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED453599