Abstract
Enhancing learner attainment is consistently highlighted as a national priority by the South African government, especially in gateway subjects such as Geography, Sciences, Technology and Mathematics. The role of instructional leadership (IL) in subject-specific contexts such as Geography is under-researched in South Africa, although IL is widely considered a key determinant of school effectiveness and learner performance. Therefore, this study investigated how school principals use the IL approach to enhance learners’ performance in Geography in Fezile Dabi Education District. Specifically, the study explored the school principals' perception of their instructional leadership roles in improving learners’ performance in Geography, how school principals implement instructional leadership to enhance Geography learners’ performance, how school principals influence educators to improve Geography teaching, ultimately enhancing learners’ performance, and identify challenges school principals’ face in implementing instructional leadership to enhance learners’ performance. The study was underpinned by Weber’s instructional leadership model. Based on the interpretivism paradigm, a qualitative research approach was adopted using a case study research design to provide an in-depth understanding of school principals’ perceptions and implementation of instructional leadership in improving learners’ performance in Geography. A purposive sampling approach was used to select six secondary school principals who lead secondary schools that offer Geography as an elective subject from Grades 10 – 12 in Fezile Dabi Education District (FDED). A semi-structured interview was used for data collection from participants. The data obtained was thematically analysed to capture the nuanced perceptions of the participants on how they perceived their IL to improve learners’ performance in Geography. Atlas.ti software was used to analyse the data thematically. The findings of this study reveal that school principals view their IL as integral to addressing challenges that are specific to Geography teaching and learning, including curriculum coverage, protecting teaching time and resource constraints. Furthermore, the adoption of IL to improve learners’ performance in Geography may be hampered by school principals’ level of expertise and administrative demands. The study recommends that school principals’ capacity for subject-focused IL ought to be enhanced through subject-specific professional development, collaborative leadership with Geography subject heads, data-informed decision-making, Geography classroom
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observations, promoting Geography communities of practice, and providing access to Geography resources and tools. The study’s results contribute to the growing body of knowledge on the benefits of IL adoption by school principals in terms of improving learners' subject-specific performance. Furthermore, it contributes to Geography education by attempting to address subject-specific challenges and exploring how principal leadership can support teaching, learning, and performance in the subject.