A second, more fine-grained analysis, revealed five leadership  dimensions that have moderate to large effects on student outcomes: establishing goals and expectations; strategic resourcing; planning coordinating and evaluating teaching and the curriculum; promoting and participating in teacher learning and development; ensuring an orderly and supportive environment.


The relative impacts of the five dimensions suggest that the closer leaders are to the core business of teaching and learning, the more likely they are to make a difference to student outcomes.
In addition to identifying and explaining these five dimensions, Professor Robinson will present new information on the leadership knowledge, skills and dispositions which underpin leaders’ ability to engage in these types of leadership in their own contexts.


Professor Robinson’s keynote address is based on the findings of a recently completed Best Evidence Synthesis of international research on the relationship between school leadership and student outcomes. The synthesis is one of the outcomes of the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s iterative Best Evidence Synthesis programme.


After completing her doctoral study at Harvard University, Viviane Robinson took up a position at The University of Auckland, New Zealand where she is now Professor in the Faculty of Education. She is an organisational psychologist, specialising in school improvement, leadership and the relationship between research and the improvement of practice. She is the author of five books and numerous chapters and journal articles. Her work has been published in such leading international journals as Educational Researcher, Educational Administration Quarterly and Review of Educational Research.
Viviane is passionate about doing research that makes a difference to practice. She has recently published a best selling book, based on her experience teaching teachers how to do research that is both rigorous and relevant to their job situation (Robinson, V.M.J., & Lai, M.K. (2006). Practitioner research for educators: A guide to improving classrooms and schools. Corwin Press).
Viviane is also Academic Director of the First-time Principals Programme – New Zealand’s national induction program for school principals. She was recently honoured by the Australian Council of Educational Leaders by being invited to deliver the William Walker Oration and being given the 2007 Headley Beare award for educational writing. In January 2008 she was also honoured by the New Zealand Secondary Principals Association for her outstanding contribution to educational leadership.
Viviane was the lead writer of a recently completed Best Evidence Synthesis on Educational Leadership. This research, which is part of the New Zealand Ministry of Education’s Best Evidence Synthesis programme, will form the basis of her address to the conference.

Recorded and edited by Nathan Wood

PROF. VIVIANE ROBINSON

BA(Psychology & education) - The University of
Auckland, MA Hons(Education) - The University of Auckland, PhD(Clinical Psychology and Public
Practice) - Harvard University,
The University of Auckland

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