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The “Fifth Business" Of Department Heads: Examining The Perceptions Of Department Heads About Their Role, Nikola Paranosic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Using an exploratory case study methodology, the study records the perceptions of thirteen secondary school department heads in an Ontario school board. After analysing the interviews with these department heads, this study uses the metaphor of Fifth Business to demonstrate how the role is perceived. This research demonstrates that department heads occupy a role that is vital but undervalued and not well-understood. Lacking supports and guidance to help them understand their role, department heads use metaphors – “advocate”, “clerk”, “liaison”, “filter,” “model” and “coordinator” – to describe how they perceive how they act in fulfilling the obligations of their role. …