The relationship between competencies of elementary school principals and teaching and learning process

The purpose of this research is to determine the relationship between school principals' competency levels and materialization level of teaching and learning activities according to the views of teachers.The research is a descriptive study aimed at explaining the current situation and it follows the survey model. Population of the research is all teachers appointed at elementary schools in the 2011-2012 academic year in 12 regions of Turkey with respect to the TurkStat's Level-1 Statistical Regional Units Classification. The sample of the research consists of 1,064 teachers working in 328 schools in 34 cities located in 12 regions.Two scales were developed to collect data in the research. 1) School Principals' Competency Scale (SPCS), 2) Teaching and Learning Activities Scale (TLAS). In the data analysis, Mann Whitney U test was used for two samples comparisons whereas Kruskal Wallis test (non-parametric method for testing three or more groups) was used for multiple groups. Mann Whitney U test was used for determining the origin of the difference in groups. Regression analysis was used to explain the variance in teaching and learning activities of the school with elementary school principals' competencies (conceptual, technical, and human-relations) and the level of the relationship between competencies and teaching and learning activities was determined by Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient.Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test whether the relationship between the indicator variables used in the scales and their underlying factors and how good the underlying factors were in explaining the original structure. The result of confirmatory factor analysis revealed that each factor represents the statements that construct the factor correctly both in School Principals' Competency Scale (SPCS) and Teaching and Learning Activities Scale (TLAS).With respect to views of teachers, it is observed that elementary school principals' technical competencies are higher than other competencies. There is no significant difference between teachers' views in terms of gender; however, female teachers have more positive views than male teachers in terms of conceptual and technical competencies whereas male teachers have more positive views than female teachers in terms of human-relations competencies.Teachers with 11-20 years of experience consider teaching and learning activities performed at school to be higher than considered by teachers with 21 years or more teaching experience. Teachers from Mediterranean Region and Central Anatolia Region perceive elementary school principals' competencies to be higher than as perceived by teachers in other regions. Teachers in Western Blacksea Region and Southeastern Anatolia Region regard teaching and learning activities performed at school to be lower than what teachers in other regions perceive.When the findings on teaching and learning activities in terms of teachers' views are analyzed, it is observed that teachers' views concentrate on "strongly agree" level regarding the teaching and learning activities. When teaching and learning activities are examined in general, male teachers think more positively than female teachers.Regression analysis results suggest significant relationship between school principals' competencies and teaching and learning activities at school. According to the standardized regression coefficient (ß), relative importance of regressor variable for teaching and learning process is ordered as technical competency, conceptual competency, and human-relations competency. The higher the teachers consider school principals to be qualified in terms of the competencies assessed in the research, the more efficient they perceive the teaching and learning process at their schools.Drawing upon the result that school principals' competencies complement each other, the contents of in-service training programs to be conducted in the future can be organized by considering school principals' conceptual, technical and human-relations competencies. School Principals' Competency Scale (SPCS) and Teaching and Learning Activities Scale (TLAS) developed by the researcher can be used in other research studies.