On the edge of chaos: A Delphi study of the changing role of the secondary principal.

The purpose of this study was to describe the changing role of the secondary principal. The study examined the contemporary high school principalship and described changes in the principalship, the role of the contemporary principal, and the preferred future for the principalship. Recognizing the complexity of the position, the study also used chaos and complexity theory to critically analyze the findings and to discern if the theory provided an understanding of these changes and their impact. This was a mixed-method two-stage study conducted electronically with both qualitative and quantitative instruments. The first stage used the Delphi method of research to generate a series of descriptive statements about the principalship. The second stage used a survey, the Principals\u27 Role Questionnaire (PRQ), to validate the perceptions of the expert principals who participated in the Delphi study. Forty-five descriptors of the principal\u27s changing role were identified. The findings of the study showed that principals perceived significant changes in their role in the following four areas derived from the National Policy Board for Educational Administration standards: Strategic Leadership (Professional and Ethical Leadership; and Information Management and Evaluation), Instructional Leadership (Curriculum, Instruction, Supervision, and the Learning Environment; Professional Development and Human Resources; and Student Personnel Services), Organizational Leadership (Organizational Management; Interpersonal Relationships; Financial Management and Resource Allocation; and Technology and Information Systems), and Political and Community Leadership (Community and Media Relations; and Educational Law, Public Policy and Political Systems)