Full Text Available
Note: Clicking the button above will open the full text document at the original institutional repository in a new window.
Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals
Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
|
| Tags: |
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1867613879213752320 |
|---|---|
| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Feldman, Toni Lynn |
| author2 | Conradie, Karlien |
| author_browse | Conradie, Karlien Feldman, Toni Lynn |
| author_facet | Conradie, Karlien Feldman, Toni Lynn |
| author_sort | Feldman, Toni Lynn |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135982 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:43:09.148Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135982 Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals Feldman, Toni Lynn Conradie, Karlien Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Education. Dept. of Educational Psychology. Thesis (MEd)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Feldman, T. L. 2026. Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/51a00c9e-f8da-4e54-aa8b-442fd52048d5 This study investigated how female school principals in South Africa described their career development within a gendered and unequal educational setting. Although women make up most of the teaching workforce, they remain significantly underrepresented in school leadership. Using the systems theory framework (STF), the social cognitive career theory (SCCT), and narrative theory, the study explored how personal agency, relational support, and systemic factors interacted to influence women’s leadership paths and professional growth identities. Guided by a constructivist paradigm, the research employed a qualitative narrative inquiry approach to highlight participants’ experiences and the meanings they attributed to them. Data were gathered by means of semi-structured interviews and a visual “River of Life” activity with three female principals from secondary schools in Cape Town. By means of narrative and counter-narrative analyses, the study examined how participants interpreted their career journeys, navigated gender and institutional barriers, and shared stories of resilience, purpose, and transformation. Five interconnected themes emerged, namely (1) non-linear and contextually grounded career paths; (2) tensions between gender and leadership within patriarchal and institutional norms; (3) relational networks as vital enablers; (4) leadership identity and practice rooted in relational authority and reflective engagement; and (5) future orientations centred on social justice, legacy, and empowerment. Throughout these narratives, participants challenged dominant ideas equating leadership with masculine authority, crafting counter-narratives that redefine leadership as relational, inclusive, and ethically grounded. The study contributes theoretically by demonstrating the value of integrating the STF, SCCT, and narrative inquiry to illuminate how women’s career development is shaped within intersecting personal, social, and systemic contexts. Practically, it offers insights for leadership development, mentorship, and policy initiatives that promote gender equity in education. Socially, it amplifies women’s voices and advocates for more inclusive and transformative understandings of school leadership in South Africa. Masters 2026-04-17T06:56:27Z 2026-04-17T06:56:27Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135982 en Stellenbosch University 204 pages : ill. application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Feldman, Toni Lynn Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title | Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title_full | Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title_fullStr | Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title_full_unstemmed | Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title_short | Narrating the Career Development Experiences of Female School Principals |
| title_sort | narrating the career development experiences of female school principals |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135982 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT feldmantonilynn narratingthecareerdevelopmentexperiencesoffemaleschoolprincipals |