An account of a mainly web-based, action-research, programme and its effects on the professional development of a group of primary school principals in Israel

This thesis is an account of an action research that took place in Israel between May 2000 and December 2001 investigating a programme for the professional development of primary principals. Most of this programme was conducted through virtual channels. In addition to the improvement of managerial behaviours of principals, this programme attempted to form a professional support group for its ten participants. There were three types of sessions: face-to-face, synchronized and a-synchronized. The research presented five questions. First, it investigated the effectiveness of the programme; secondly --- the feasibility of it generating a professional support group. The third question compared the user-friendliness of synchronized sessions with a-synchronized. The fourth question looked into the substance and degree of the use of virtual channels of communication by the principals following their experience in the programme; the fifth question investigated the principals' preferences regarding participating in virtual sessions compared to face-to-face sessions. The research was qualitative, attempting to look into the processes of development that the programme generated. The small size of the group required the use of methodical elements of case study, too. The data was obtained through interviews, observations and document-analysis. The findings show that participants have experienced differing degrees of openness to changes and to 'others', as well as of 'involvement' with one another and with some 'relevant others'. They have adopted, in limited forms, the use of ICT. Whilst they participated in the a-synchronized sessions, the synchronized session failed. There was evidence of a lasting effect of the programme six months after the programme had come to its end.