SCHOOL PRINCIPALS' MANAGEMENT OF BOARDS OF TEACHERS' STUDIES

In Turkish education system, boards of teachers are constituted to enable primary school/branch teachers to study together or support each other. Based on the teachers' perceptions, this research tried to identify how school principals employ management processes in boards of teachers' studies. Multiple case studies which is a type of case study in qualitative research design, was used in the research. The participants of the research consisted of the teachers who work in primary, lower secondary and upper secondary schools. Focus group and semi-structured interview techniques were utilized to collect the data. The data was analyzed through descriptive analysis method. As a result of the study, it was found that the school principals are not fully effective to employ management processes in the boards of teachers' studies. It was determined that they are effective in planning and document controlling, whereas they are not effective to organize and lead boards of teachers' activities to fulfill their goals. School principals prefer not being involved in board of teachers' activities. The following suggestions for the practical implications were made: School principals' awareness with regard to the management of boards of teachers should be raised; teachers should be trained about the importance of board of teachers' studies; management of board of teachers should be included in legislative arrangement; researchers should conduct their research with different method and samplings; the documents dealing with the board of teachers should be exam