Being an educator-leader – what does it mean? (Universities in Georgia case)

Abstract

Due to ongoing educational reforms administration alone is no longer able to lead schools on the way to efficient teaching. Educator-leaders,
both formal (the department chairs, the staff developers, the head teachers, mentors, program coordinators, etc.) and informal (event initiators,

educators active in participation in conferences, meetings, etc.) have become an absolute necessity. However, there are some grave
obstacles to involving all teachers and lecturers in leading at least certain activities at their institutions and beyond. The article aims to find out
the viewpoints on leadership at universities in Georgia. A survey was held in three universities with 96 lecturers as respondents. It applies a
questionnaire with 10 close-ended items assessed via Likert scale and an open-ended question concerning the attitudes of lecturers towards
leadership and their motives for wanting or not wanting to be leaders. It is concluded that lecturers, probably, do not realize the great need
on educator-leaders of contemporary education in the time of continuous and intensive reforms. Lectures need to be educator-leaders in the
classroom, among colleagues and in professional self-development. They have to lead some events, at least from time to time.