Identifying Job Challenges of Rural School Principals: A Phenomenological Study

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, Kerman, Iran

2 Master of Educational Administration, Islamic Azad University, Kerman Branch, Kerman, Iran

3 PhD in Educational Administration, Faculty of Management, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the job challenges of rural school. This study came from the qualitative approach of the interpretive phenomenon (hermeneutics). The research area included all Reagan County school principals. The research area included all Reagan County rural school principals. Purposeful sampling method was used to select participants. The selection of participants continued until the theoretical saturation was reached. Theoretical saturation was obtained in the present study until the participant interview # 16. Data analysis was followed by Dickelmann and Iran (1989). The research findings showed that the challenges of rural school principals include three categories of individual challenges of the principal (principals' nativeness, scientific conditions and managerial experience, interpersonal relationship of the principal and the principal's educational evaluation of the school situation), organizational challenges ( Economic conditions, preparation and allocation of school budgets, circulars, school space and amenities, sufficient and appropriate manpower, principal authority, in-service classes, criteria and how to implement assessments in school), extra-organizational challenges (problems The special education of rural school students is the provision of tuition fees, moral problems and violence, inability and non-cooperation of effective institutions, communication and influence of parents on the school and students). The aim of this study was to identify the job challenges of rural school principals. This study came from the qualitative approach of the interpretive phenomenon (hermeneutics). The research area included all Reagan County school principals. Rural schools and, in turn, the duties of the principals of these schools have special conditions.

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