English abstract
The study aims at identifying the reality of communication practices between school principals and supervisors in basic education in the Sultanate of Oman. It aims also at identifying the reality of communication between the school principal and the supervisor at Basic Education schools in the Sultanate of Oman, and identifying differences according to job position, gender, academic qualifications, years of experience, educational district, the number of schools the educational supervisor supervises, the size of the school, and the number of head teachers in the school.
study aims at reaching recommended processes to activate the communication between school principals and supervisors in basic education.
To achieve the objectives of the study, a descriptive method was used; where the analysis of relevant literature on educational communication was carried out .A questionnaire of (59) items, has been developed in which its validity and reliability have been tested. It has been categorized into 4 aspects: (1) strategic planning, (2) circulation and exchange of information, (3) professional development of teachers, and (4) interface with the local community.
The sample of the study consisted of (505) school principals and educational supervisors from eight educational governorates and districts. The study method used random sample with equal classification. The data was statistically treated by using averages, standard deviations, relative importance (P), test (v) (T-test), One Way ANOVA, and Tukey HSD test.
The most significant findings of the field study are as follows:
1) The estimates of the responses of the study sample regarding the four aspects of the activation of communication between school principal and educational supervisor in Basic of Education schools in the Sultanate of Oman, varied between high and low. The aspect of professional development for teachers received either high or medium estimates, while both the aspect of circulation and exchange of information, and the aspect of strategic planning received estimates ranging between high and low. The estimates for the aspect of interface with the local community varied between medium and low.
2) As for the study variables, the study has found out that:
• There are significant differences of statistical indications between the responses of the study sample on both the aspect of strategic planning, and the aspect of interface with the local community in favor of school principals. However, there were no statistically significant differences related to the aspects of circulation and exchange of information, and professional development for teachers.
• There are statistically significant differences between the estimates of study sample due to the variable "gender" in the aspect of interface with the local community in favor of males. Meanwhile, there were no statistically significant differences between the average of male and female practices with regard to the degree of practice of the other three aspects in the study.
• There are no differences in the averages of the sample estimates attributed to the variable of "academic qualification" in the four aspects. . There are statistically significant differences in the average estimates of study sample attributed to the variable "years of experience" between those with experience of 5 to 10 years and those experienced more than 10 years on the aspects of circulation and exchange of information, professional development for teachers and interface with the local community for the benefit of those experienced 5 years to 10 years, while there are no statistically significant differences attributed to the variable" circulation and exchange of information"
. There are statistically significant differences attributed to the variable "educational district" in all four aspects of the study.
• There are statistically significant differences attributed to the variable "number of schools" to be supervised by the educational supervisor; between the category of the number of schools from 11 to 17 schools and from 18 schools and over in both aspects "professional development for teachers", and "interface with the local community", in favour of the category of the number of schools from 18 schools and over. There are also differences between the category of the number of schools from 10 schools and less, and the category of the number of schools from 18 schools and over in the aspect of interface with the local community, in favour of the category of the number of schools from 18 schools and over.
• There are no statistically significant differences attributed to the variable "size of the school", and the variable "number of head teachers at the school" on all four aspects of the study.
In the light of the study findings; the researcher has reached a number of proposed procedures to activate the communication between school principals and educational supervisors in the Basic Education schools in the Sultanate of Oman. A number of further research studies have also been proposed.
