You are here:
Start
Department of Education
Research
Research Groups
Leadership, Improvement and Organization of Schools (SOUL)

Leadership, Improvement and Organization of Schools (SOUL)

The research group focuses on the governance, organization, improvement and leadership of pre-schools and schools. The members of the group publish their work and contribute to the field Educational Leadership, Management and Administration nationally and internationally. One strand that ties the group together is a focus on schools rather than the school. This indicates openness and sensitivity to empirical diversity and the importance of moving away from views of schools as stable and uniform phenomena.

The governance, organization and leadership of schools, but also school development and improvement are complex and context-dependent matters varying over time, space and place. Another unifying strand is expressed in an approach to research: the importance of navigating between habitual or taken for granted assumptions or imaginaries of school governance, organization, improvement and leadership, and the need to think and imagine anew.

The research group includes different approaches, such as theoretical, conceptual and critical imaginary research; studies of policy and reform; and different approaches to empirical research in pre-schools, schools and in the school system. One important area of research is the conditions for, characteristics of and variety of practices expressing pedagogical leadership or learning oriented leadership in pre-schools and schools. The influence of global actors, national regulations, institutional contexts and local conditions are shaping leadership practices in pre-schools and schools, and leadership is studied as an organizational and collective phenomena and not only as a trait or capability of individuals.

The research group and its members are active in several research partnerships and networks nationally and internationally. Members of the group also offer organized support to schools, school organizers and the National Agency of Education with regard to research and school development. We meet regularly at the SOUL Seminar. Areas of research articulated in our three year plan are:

School leadership in politics and society: local, national, global
Change and improvement in schools
Leadership conditions, characteristics and actors: theory and practice.
Gender equality and inclusion as a concern for school leaders
Learning, training and supervision of school leaders
School leadership, work environment and health

Researchers

Niclas Rönnström, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor (contact person)
Pia Skott, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor (contact person)
Marianne Döös, Professor emerita
Eva Amundsdotter, Senior Lecturer, PhD
Jonas Gustafsson, Senior Lecturer, PhD
Pär Larsson, Senior Lecturer, PhD
Anita Nordzell, Senior Lecturer, PhD
Martin Rogberg, PhD
Johanna Ringarp, Senior Lecturer, PhD
Henric Stenmark, vSenior Lecturer
Annica Källebo, PhD
Ylva Ståhle, Senior Lecturer

Master studentt and aspirants for research education

Mark Garrett, aspirant for research education
Rebecca Gonzalez, former master student, aspirant for research education
Bo Klum Ekdahl, master student
Sara Utku, master student
Anna Swärd, master student
Susanne Tistad, master student

For more extensive information please visit the Swedish web here

Last updated: April 7, 2022
Source: Department of Education

Tell a friend

CONTACT

Associate Professor Niclas Rönnström
E-mail: niclas.ronnstrom@edu.se.se

Associate Professor Pia Skott
E-mail: pia.skott@edu.su.se