The Collaborative School principals views on collaboration forms as a readiness for capacity building

1. The Collaborative Schoolprincipals views on collaboration forms as a readiness for capacity building Conny Björkman Mid Sweden University

2. Readiness for capacity building in schools Capacity building: acollective, and context bound, process in a school to enhance improvement Readiness for capacity building: schools collective, structural, cultural, and leadership readiness needed, in a certain context, to enhance capacity building

3. Aim • To present descriptions and analysis of qualitative empirical data, on principals´ views on the structure and culture of their schools´ internal and external collaboration forms, as a collective readiness for capacity building.

4. Data collection • Team of three researchers • Individual interviews

5. The qualitative process of analysing • From empirical conceptions to theoretical concepts • Structure and culture • Leadership, Work team, Teacher

6. Two categories of principals´views • A: The structure and culture of collaboration forms are based on a leadership that distributes responsibility to teams • B: The structure and culture of collaboration forms are based on a leadership that delegates tasks to individuals

7. Internal collaboration forms • Category A (distributed responsibility) - 21 principals out of 27 - a common vision for the school - difficult to run the school alone - too strong teams - teams are weak on problem solving - teams autonomy

8. Internal collaboration forms • Category B: (delegating tasks) - 6 principals out of 27 - teachers obstruct team work - an individualistic team culture - too small schools

9. External collaboration forms • Category B: (delegating tasks) - 25 principals out of 25 - leadership administrate and individual fiery spirites do the practice - engaged principals that do not do - close connection to compulsory every day work - 40 % have international collaboration

10. Final conclusions1 * a clear, common, and communicated vision * a distributed leadership * a clear internal communication structure * a clear internal collaboration structure * an open and common collaboration culture * a school connected to the outside world

11. Final conclusions2 * Internal collaboration forms: - 78% of the principals develop a collective readiness for capacity building in their schools * External collaboration forms: - None of the principals develop a collective readiness for capacity building in their schools

12. Thank you so much for your attention. I appreciate your critical support! conny.bjorkman@miun.se This paper is part of the research project "Structure, culture, leadership:prerequisites for successful schools?" at the Centre for Principal Development, Umeå university led by professor Olof Johansson with co-directors associated professor Jonas Höög, Umeå university, professor Leif Lindberg, Växjö university and associated professor Anders Olofsson, Mid Sweden university, Campus Härnösand. The project is financed by the Swedish Research Council.