Middle leaders translating knowledge about improvement: Making change in the school and preschool organisation

The study investigates how mid-level managers in Swedish schools and kindergartens translate improvement strategies from a municipal course in school and kindergarten management into practice in their own organisations. The study focuses on how these mid-level managers adapt and translate improvement ideas to meet local needs, as well as the impact of these translation processes on the local schools and kindergartens. The research questions are: 1) How can mid-level managers translate improvement strategies for use in their own organisations? 2) What impact can mid-level managers’ translation processes have on a local organisation?

The mid-level managers translated improvement strategies for four main purposes: (1) clarification and reduction of roles and areas of improvement, (2) structuring of improvement work, (3) engaging and involving colleagues in improvement processes, and (4) developing a professional learning culture. The translation process helped establish organisations with clear roles, focused areas for improvement, effective improvement work and increased participation in school and kindergarten development processes. The study concludes that by assuming the role of translators, the mid-level managers play a key role in the development of the school or kindergarten organisation.

The study is based on interviews with mid-level managers, teachers/kindergarten teachers and headteachers at two schools and two kindergartens in a Swedish municipality. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews focused on local improvement initiatives, mid-level managers’ tasks and strategies for improvement, as well as organisational changes. The interviews were then analysed to identify how the mid-level managers adapted improvement strategies to meet local needs and what translation rules they used in the processes.

Nehez, J., Blossing, U., Gyllander Torkildsen, L. & Olin, A. (2022). Middle leaders translating knowledge about improvement: Making change in the school and preschool organisation. Journal of Educational Change, 23(3), 315–341.

Online year: 2021

Issue year: 2022

Review year: 2022