The development of the modern democratic society depends upon the successful integration of main democratic values in all its spheres, including education. Schools are faced with these challenges as well. The main role in the process of school change is given to the school principal, who is the leader of every innovation in school. One out of many types of school leadership is called democratic school leadership. One of the goals of such leadership is the development of school culture that (...) is based on democratic values and practices. Further on, the development of democratic school leadership opens an opportunity for students and teachers to gain knowledge an develop skills needed for them to become active citizens in their communities. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the existing literature in the field of democratic school leadership. Special focus is on the theoretical and practical operationalization of the democratic school leadership as it is presented the literature. Further, we shall analyze the possible answers to the questions of why and how to develop the democratic school leadership, and what is its role in the development of the democratic school community. (shrink)

U radu je prikazano istraživanje u kojem se ispitivala razvijenost i karakteristike određenih obilježja demokratske školske kulture i demokratskog školskog vođenja u osnovnim školama. U istraživanju je sudjelovao 651 učitelj iz Grada Zagreba i Zagrebačke županije. Istraživanje je provedeno anketnim ispitivanjem putem upitnika koji je sadržavao Instrument za mjerenje obilježja demokratskog školskog vođenja i Instrument za mjerenje obilježja demokratske školske kulture. Ukupno gledano, rezultati pokazuju da učitelji percipiraju vođenje u njihovoj školi kao umjereno demokratsko do vrlo demokratsko. Procjenjujući obilježja školske (...) kulture, učitelji primjećuju umjerenu razvijenost demokratskih, ali i nedemokratskih obilježja školske kulture. Međutim, ipak u većoj mjeri smatraju da njihova školska kultura posjeduje ona obilježja koja je čine demokratskom. Veću razvijenost obilježja demokratskog školskog vođenja percipiraju učitelji koji su na početku svoje karijere i oni koji su zaposleni u školama u kojima je aktualni ravnatelj na toj poziciji kraće od pet godina. Veću razvijenost obilježja demokratske školske kulture percipiraju učitelji zaposleni u prigradskim i malim školama. This paper describes research into the development and characteristics of particular qualities of democratic school culture and democratic school management in primary schools. The research involved 651 teachers from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Research involved a survey that used a questionnaire containing the Instrument for measuring characteristics of democratic school management and the Instrument for measuring the characteristics of democratic school culture. Overall, the results show that teachers perceive management in their schools as moderately democratic to very democratic. Rating the characteristics of school culture, teachers note the moderate development of both democratic and non-democratic characteristics of school culture; however, they more greatly consider their own school culture to possess democratic characteristics. Teachers at the beginning of their careers and those employed in schools whose current headmaster has been in his/her position less than five years perceive higher levels of democratic school management. Teachers employed in suburban or small schools perceive higher levels of characteristics of democratic school culture. (shrink)

This paper describes research into the development and characteristics of particular qualities of democratic school culture and democratic school management in primary schools. The research involved 651 teachers from the City of Zagreb and Zagreb County. Research involved a survey that used a questionnaire containing the Instrument for measuring characteristics of democratic school management and the Instrument for measuring the characteristics of democratic school culture. Overall, the results show that teachers perceive management in their schools as moderately democratic to very (...) democratic. Rating the characteristics of school culture, teachers note the moderate development of both democratic and non-democratic characteristics of school culture; however, they more greatly consider their own school culture to possess democratic characteristics. Teachers at the beginning of their careers and those employed in schools whose current headmaster has been in his/her position less than five years perceive higher levels of democratic school management. Teachers employed in suburban or small schools perceive higher levels of characteristics of democratic school culture. (shrink)