Abstract:
This paper explores some of the issues and challenges faced by a small team of
Western academic staff who were involved in a project to develop leadership practice
amongst higher and further education teachers and administrators in China. These
issues and challenges arose as soon as the project commenced and meant that the
Australian teachers involved had to come up with solutions acceptable to a different
cultural context. The paper discusses how these issues and challenges were perceived
by both the Western and Chinese teaching steff and how they were jointly solved to
develop more resourceful teaching practitioners. This case study illustrates how the
underlying assumptions about teachers' development need to take account of the
pervading culture in which the educational change is to occur. With care and
sensitivity, Western style educational leadership theory, research and practice can be
applicable to higher and further education teachers' in a different cultural context.
