Exploring School Leaders’ (SLs) Perspectives and Understanding about Globalization and Its Effects on Their Leadership Practices in District Ghizar, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan ()
ABSTRACT
Regardless of interpretations and explanations, globalization has direct bearing with education, educational leadership practices and classroom instructions. This study explored school leaders’ perspectives about the effects/impacts of globalization on leadership practices and school culture as a whole in a mountainous district (Ghizer) of Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. Theoretically grounded in globalization and educational leadership, the study was methodologically landed on qualitative phenomenological case study. Data were collected from 8 schools principals (4 public and 4 private) using an eclectic set of tools: semi-structured interviews, focused group discussion (FGD) and field notes. The findings showed that globalization has affected not only school leaders’ leadership practices, but has also facilitated the reshaping of schools’ culture, students’ learning, teachers’ teaching, educational policies and the role of community in the education of their children. The study highlighted both the positives and negative effects of globalization: in one hand it has created competition among learners, has reshaped educational policies, made information accessible, and has changed students’ style of learning, their language, food and clothing, while also bringing drastic change in teachers’ pedagogy. On the other hand it has had serious consequences for local and indigenous culture. The study confirms that no matter whether the schools’ leaders are prepared for the change, it has to occur. It is recommended that school leaders need to be proactive and develop certain literacies such as social, moral, academic and democratic in order to better cope with the pressing demands associated with globalization.