School Administrator’s Cognitive Constructs Related to Ideal Teacher Qualifications: A Phenomenological Analysis Based on Repertory Grid Technique

Abstract

In this study, it was aimed to reveal school administrators’ cognitive constructs related to ideal teacher qualifications. For this purpose, the study was conducted based on phenomenological design which is one of the qualitative research patterns. The study was conducted on 24 school administrators working in 24 different schools in the Giresun and Ordu city centres during 2015-2016 academic year. Criterion sampling technique was used to determine the study group. Data were collected by using repertory grid technique. The school administrators have produced 240 valid cognitive constructs related to ideal teacher qualifications. The most frequently mentioned cognitive constructs are namely, (1) communication/communication skills [η=9, 3,8%], (2) close attention/closeness to students [η=8, 3,3%], (3) self-sacrificing [η=8, 3,3%], (4) self-improvement [η=8, 3,3%], (5) job enthusiasm [η=8, 3,3%], (6) planning [η=8, 3,3%], (7) openness to improvement  [η=7, 2,9%], (8) collaboration [η=7, 2,9%], (9) work devotedly [η=7, 2,9%],  and (10) responsibility [η=6, 2,5%]. The 240 cognitive constructs produced by school administrators related to ideal teachers’ qualifications were collected in eight different groups considering functionality and the similarities.