Leadership of cultural education in the current age: an exploratory investigation of culturally responsive capacity through the lens of transculturalism

ABSTRACT

A key features of the globalised environment of the twenty-first century is that populations across a range of societies have become more diverse in culture, heritage and identity. In turn, this has led to further emphasis on the teaching of cultural understanding in schools, as exemplified by the Australian Curriculum and their equivalents in countries such as Singapore, India and New Zealand. However, educational research has tended to focus on cultural education for the students, with relatively little consideration given to the attributes required by both teachers and school leaders to frame and deliver cultural education that meets the multiple needs of twenty-first century cultural environments. This paper comprises an initial exploration of the connections between the educational concept of transcultural dispositions and culturally responsive leadership behaviours of school leaders as they work to deliver a form of cultural education that is relevant to the context of the twenty-first century.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational leadership
• transculturalism
• culturally responsive leadership
• cultural education
• globalisation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Fiona Longmuir

Fiona Longmuir is a lecturer in Educational Leadership at Monash University. Her research interests include intersections between educational leadership and educational change with a particular focus on student voice and agency. She is currently working on projects investigating school leadership for social cohesion, leadership for unprecedented times and student voice and agency in alternative educational settings.

Niranjan Casinader

Niranjan Casinader is Adjunct Senior Lecturer in Education at Monash University and a semi-retired educational consultant. Originally educated as a geographer, he worked as a teacher and educational leader in secondary schools and international education for over 30 years before moving into academia, teaching and researching across postgraduate and graduate courses in curriculum, assessment, pedagogy and Humanities education. His current research projects are concerned with: (a) the building and evaluation of the transcultural capacity of teachers, with particular reference to their role in a globalised educational environment; (b) the nature of cultural education in schools, with particular emphasis on the role of geographical education; (c) the role of school alumni groups in facilitating migrant experience; and (d) inquiry-based teaching and learning across the disciplines.

Howard Prosser

Howard Prosser is a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education at Monash University.

Peter van Cuylenburg

Peter van Cuylenburg has taught in government and independent schools in Melbourne. Peter began his career as an art teacher and has remained a practicing and exhibiting artist. He has had extensive experience in senior management positions in schools. He retired from full-time teaching as Vice-Principal of a K to 12 Independent School in Melbourne. He is currently employed as a sessional tutor and research assistant at Monash University, Melbourne.