EAPE 417: EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT PDF

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EAPE 417: EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT


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EAPE 417

EAPE 417: EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT

THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION ADMINSTRATION INTRODUCTION Administration is generally considered as consisting of the administration tasks which are performed by administrators. It is the process through which decisions are made in an organization. Most scholars agree on the following basic definition of administration. Administration is the process of directing and controlling life (or human behavior) in any social organization, such as industry, a government department or a private firm, a family or a school. In the administration of a school for example, the head makes decisions and takes action to achieve the desired goals. The administrator whose goal should be quality education will ask himself how can I organize my school to achieve this goal. Management While administration is concerned with directing and controlling life in a social system, management is the process of working with and through individuals and groups of people to accomplish organization goals. Another difference between the two terms is that administration deals with establishing a policy that will guide decision-making enacting laws and regulations while management will deal with the implementation of the laws and regulations. ADMINSTRATIVE PROCESSES Major processes: The concept of administration grew from that of management, which is still preferred in industry. It refers to administrative thinking and planning and involves both major and minor processes. The four major processes are planning, organizing directing, and controlling 1. Planning This is forecasting. It is the method that is used in setting goals and objectives and devising ways and means to achieve them. 2. Organizing This is the aspect of collecting and putting together both human and material resources. In order to achieve organizational goals, personnel need to be hired and materials obtained 3. Directing This includes the various methods used in order to motivate and influence hired personnel to defective work. One could motivate workers or students by providing rewards for work well done in the form of promotion and increased enrolments. 4. Controlling

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This is the method used in assessing the result of a plan. One assesses or evaluates in order to know whether the personnel and the system as a whole have helped in achieving the goal that was set to be achieve. The feed back obtained is the most important source of information for personnel manager in the controlling process.

Minor process Henri Fayol, one of the earliest administrators focused his attention on what he preferred to label as elements of management. These elements include: planning, organizing, commanding, coordinating and controlling (POCCC). These elements were applied first to industrial production. They are also applied in public administration. Two other propagators of administration Luther Gulick and Lyndall Urwick applied Fayol’s theory. Luther particularly, suggested that the functions of all administrators should be organized a long the principle of POSCORD. This means: planning organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting and budgeting. The word POSDCORD is an acronym, which was designed to call attention to the general duties of a chief executive or a personnel manager. APPLICATION OF THE PROCESS OF EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION IN SCHOOLS In order to do an effective job, the public administrations have to perform competently the following functions: a) Planning In this processes, administrators decide in advance what is to be done, for instance, they may define and objective of the organization. Within the planning process public administrators set long goals which are further broken down to medium term and short term goals. b) Organizing This is where the head teacher devises the method of fitting together people and other resources. To provide quality education, for example, one will need to deploy qualified teachers to teach their best subjects as far as possible. One will also need to schedule the teaching assignments on the school timetable, eliminates clashes in the use of special rooms, workshops, laboratories and personnel. c) Staffing This function is similar to that of organizing since it deals with identifying, employing and assigning human resources needed to pursue an objective and fulfill programme demands. The success of a school will depend on the kind of teaching and non-teaching staff employed and deployed. d) Directing

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This function (task) is concerned mainly with authority. It involves consulting as well as issuing directives and general orders in order to attain organizational goals. It involves commanding and leading. Those elements are both used in our modern school system. For instance, a school head may command, direct, influence or lead his staff members to work to improve the school mean score. Whatever the method used, the purpose is always to organize school activities as efficiently as possible. e) Coordinating This process involves relations with staff and student body. Its main function is that of unifying the activities of the various components of the school community in order to attain the desirable objective. A school head ensures team work among his staff so that all the various school activities may be included in the timetable and the whole process may run smoothly. f) Reporting This is how the school manager keeps the authorities, the board of governors and the parents informed of the progress of the school. Some reporting is necessary because of the public demand accountability. In this case, reporting will provide some feedback. Each member of the organization must know who to report to from whom to get orders. Every piece of information, good or bad concerning the plan must be made available; all policies implemented and all errors corrected. g) Budgeting This task deals with expenditure. It deals with both inputs and outputs. Financial resources must be allocated for the purpose of accomplishing the organizational goals and objectives. The organizational budget calls for planning; all expenses must be accounted for and audited. Public administration must plan how to use the money available either on activities of on necessary items of equipment. PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATIONAL ADMINISTRATION The development of educational administration can be understood in the context of its historical development. Educational administration has its beginning in the field of business administration and public administration which had developed much earlier. The development of concepts, theories of administration approaches and techniques of business management influenced the field of educational administration. To understand the conceptual base of educational management and administration, its important to underscore the development of administrative theory discussed in historical perspective. The administrative theory is analyzed through three administrative theories, commonly known

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as approaches to administration theories, commonly known as approaches to administration. They include: - The classical or scientific management movement - The human relations movement - The social sciences movement THE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT MOVEMENT Fredrick Taylor (1956-1915) Father of Scientific Management Frederick Taylor an engineer at Midvale and Bethlehem steel works in Philadelphia developed a theoretical approach to management. The approach was popularly known as the scientific management. The approach was based on five principles which if applied to management would maximize the use of available human and material resources in achieving the goals of an organization. 1. Time study principles: this principle stipulated that all times work done must be measured by accurate and standard observation, in a certain school situation, for instance, a teacher should report to work at 8.00a.m and stay on the school compound until 5.00pm. 2. Piece-rate principle: that is salary (wage) must be proportional to the work done (output). That is to say a fair day’s pay for fair day’s work. The more the work the more the pay. Workers, teachers, included should be motivated by extrinsic rewards 3. Separation of planning from performance principle: Managers have the ultimate authority and decisions. That is, planning should be done by the management and not by the workers. 4. Scientific method of work principle: management takes over from the decisions on methods of working; determine scientifically the most efficient and train workers accordingly. 5. Management control principle: Managers should be trained in the art of scientific management so that they can train workers effectively. This means that management should be trained to apply scientific principle of management of control. These principles emphasis maximum production through maximum use of resources (a belief that workers are motivated by economics and limited by physiological constraints. Direction of workers make the work as efficient as machines). 6. Functional management principle: This means that the organization should be designed in a manner that it best serves the purpose of improving the coordination of activities among the various specialists. Under any circumstances the needs of the organization are given precedence while the individual needs must be kept outside the organization. (use workers as tools for management, ignoring their personal needs e.g. when sick, bereaved).

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Taylors principles were popular in organizations as they aimed at lowering the unit of cost of production by increasing the efficiency of the management.  Taylors ideas led to time-and –motion studies, rigid discipline on the jobs concentration on the task to be performed with minimal interpersonal contacts between workers and strict application of incentive pay systems.  These ideas had impact upon Educational administration of schools till 1940’s: Note shortcoming – man-machine model. NB: Others for your study are: Fayol: he developed 14 principles and five functions of administrations planning organizing, commanding coordinating and controlling all these constituted his theory of administration. Luther Gullik and Lydall Urwik The two focused on higher level of personnel, they adapted Fayol’s analysis and defined the job of the manager as indicated by the letters posdcorb: planning, organization, staffing, directing coordinating reporting and budgeting. Administration as Bureaucracy Max Weber 1984-1920 Max Weber a, German sociologists who focused on the structure of organizations. His concern was an establishment of ideal organization for purposes of efficiency. He developed a theory of organization design known as Bureaucracy. He considered a bureaucratic form of administration management capable of attaining the highest degree of efficiency and through which it was possible to exercise imperative control over human being (through possible control of human beings) He advanced five principles of Bureaucracy. 1. Hierarchical structure of authority 2. An ideal organization should have a well defined Hierarchy of authority , whereby authority is distributed in a pyramidal configuration or manner from above and each officer in a chain of command is responsible for his/her subordinates actions and decisions (what do you think about this principle Bureaucracy is present with us today. School Headteacher, Deputy head teacher (Senior teacher) or H.O.D) Ministry Minister, Assistant Minister , P.S Secretary , under secretary. The chart below explains the hierarchical structure found in school administration.

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Deputy Head Teacher

Department Heat

Subject Teacher

Subject Teacher

Department Head

Subject Teacher

Subject Teacher

Subject Teacher

Subject Teachers

3. Division of labour Varied tasks of an organization has varies complex for everyone to perform with equal competence, it is ideal for individuals to be assigned tasks as per their training. This would guarantee greater effectiveness in performance. This principle ensures greater efficiency because: - Tasks or duties are divided into specialty areas and - Individual employees are assigned tasks according to their training, skill and experience 4. Control by rules Codified rules should govern official decisions and actions, to ensure uniformity predictability and stability. Rules also help in the coordination of activities in the hierarchy and provide continuity of operation when there are changes in personnel (rules and regulations make employees know their rights and responsibilities) 5. Impersonal relationships The working atmosphere should provide the dominance spirit of formalistic impersonality without hatred, or passion. Employees are expected to make decisions based on the part of and not feelings

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(impersonality on the part of administrators and teachers assures equality of treatment and facilitates rationality). Members of the organization must be subject to strict and systematic discipline and this will eliminate personal, emotional and irrational elements among the members. 6. Career orientation Max Weber stated that: a) Employment is based on expertise or specialization b) Promotion is given according to seniority and/or merit c) Salary is tied to rank in the hierarchy d) Individual (employees) are free to resign and then e) Retirement provisions do exist. Criticism of Weber’s model of Bureaucracy  Division of labour and specialization can increase production but it can produce boredom which can reduce production.  Impersonality improves rationality in decision making, but it may produce a sterile atmosphere where people don’t interact leading to low morale.  Rules and regulations are to provide continuity, but they can produce rigidity and goal displacement, employees may become goal oriented and forget that rules are meant to achieve goals and are not ends on themselves.  Career orientation is healthy it produces a sense of loyalty and motivates employees to maximize their efforts. Promotion based on seniority and achievement which is not necessarily compatible e.g. Rapid promotion of high achievers often produces discontent among the royal hard working senior employees who are not so creative. RESULTS OF THE SCIENTIFIC MANAGEMENT 1. The scientific management approach was centralized. Authority flowed from the top downwards. 2. It used the principle of dehumanization where by workers were regarded as: - Products to be manipulated around - Machines to be compelled to work fast and be efficient at the same time. 3. Human needs were neglected 4. The approach was only concerned with high productivity and a result it became task oriented.

2. THE HUMAN RELATIONS MOVEMENT

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(Mary Parker Follet – 1868-1933) This movement was initiated by a social psychologist known as Mary parker Follet. She was against the scientific movement approach with its principles on high productivity, efficiency and other physical factors including wages as a means to motivate workers. Follet who lived in London worked hard to bring about a better ordered society in which people might live a more satisfying life. To be able to do this, she proposed four major principles. These include: 1. Employers and employees should solve their differences through conferences and cooperation. This democratic way of solving problems should be done by: a) The two parties involved listening to each other’s different views on the situation b) Those parties accepting each other’s view points and understanding each other better c) Those parties integrating their view points and becoming united in the pursuit of the common goal. 2. Coordination must be achieved in the early stages. This principle stipulates that in order to run well, any organization must have its duties coordinated from the very beginning. 3. Coordination is the result of the reciprocal understanding of all factors in the situation. This is to say that both employers and employees should share in the organization tasks: this will effect better relationship 4. Coordination is a continuing process. That is the sharing of ideas and working together between the administrators and workers should continue for the betterment of the administration and the workers. N/B: By proposing those four principles, Follet emphasized what the fundamental concern for any social organization should be. This fundamental concern is the building and maintenance of dynamic, yet harmonious, human relations. ELTON MAYO (1880) Mayo was born in 1880 in Adelaide Australia. He accepted and disseminated follets’s principles and became the strongest contributor of the human relations movement. Between 1923 and 1926, he carried out experiments to test the physical conditioning of workers productivity. The experiments reveled that wages and physical working conditions did not motivate workers, rather, they revealed that the determination factor which affected job productivity was what went on inside the worker. His data revealed therefore that sociological and psychological factors were the strongest elements in influencing workers productivity rather than physical and wage factors.

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These sociological and psychological factors were based on three elements including: 1. Morale: in every group, there are rules which influence the morale for example creative a conducive workplace. 2. Job satisfaction: over production and underproduction were both discouraged since it lead to the danger of dismissal 3. Team-spirit: this was encouraged. The human relations movement according to Mayo had two major principles. These were: 1. Satisfaction: this principle stated that the organization with the most satisfied workers would be the most efficient. 2. Democracy: this principle pointed out that democracy must prevail in any organization through: a) Employee participation in decision making b) Delegation of responsibilities to the workers by the administration c) Open channels of communication between employers and workers as well as among workers. d) Administration and workers could solve their difference democratically through conference and cooperation. RESULTS OF THE HUMAN RELATIONS MOVEMENT There were four effects brought about by the human relations movement. These included: 1. Decentralization of responsibilities by the administration. In other words workers were given some responsibilities to plan in the running of the organization: 2. Managers made it easy for workers to cooperate in the attainment of the organizational goals 3. Workers were provided with opportunities to enhance their personal growth and development; 4. The human relations movement was an employee oriented approach. That is, it was concerned with people and their needs. 3. THE SOCIAL SCIENCES MOVEMENT (1950-1970) This movement is also referred to as the behavioral movement. This movement was opposed to the scientific management movement which it criticized as being too harsh in its approach to workers. It also criticized the human relations movement as being too soft on the workers to the detriment of the organizational objectives. The social sciences movement advocated the view that both approaches should be used appropriately to effect satisfaction for both the organization and the workers. CHESTER BARNARD (1940s) Barnard initiated the movement in the 1940s. He stressed the need for a systematic conceptual scheme of administration behavior within a social

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science framework. In other words he advocated the recognition of workers as psychological-social beings. Barnard seems to use this since he utilizes human behavior for both organization and the workers. To achieve this imperative understanding, administrators or managers should be equipped with some knowledge of social sciences disciplines including psychology, sociology, government and economics. A good administrator/manager has a good insight of the working situation, the job and the worker himself. THE RESULTS OF THE...