Communication between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and secondary schools – effective or not?

Abstract

The introduction of the National Certificate of Educational Achievement required the positions of School Relationship Manager to be created by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and Principal’s Nominee to be nominated by secondary schools. These designated personnel are responsible for communication between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and secondary schools. There is an assumption that there is effective communication between people in these roles. This thesis attempts to investigate the validity of this assumption.

The aim of this research was to identify, from the perspective of School Relationship Managers, Principal’s Nominees and Heads of Department, the factors that contribute to effective communication between the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and secondary schools. This qualitative research involved a focus group interview with five School Relationship Managers, one- to-one interviews with three Principal’s Nominees from three schools and three focus group interviews with a total of nine Heads of Department from three schools.

The findings highlighted that regular face-to-face communication, honesty, trust and collaboration are key ingredients for effective communication. The conclusion drawn from this study is that a symbiotic association exits between relationships and effective communication because they sustain and feed off each other. Appropriate modes of communication are necessary and straightforward language is important. The main recommendation to the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and secondary schools is to continue to create new relationships and nurture existing ones so that effective communication is perpetuated. Another recommendation is to use appropriate methods and clear language to communicate so that the emphasis of the message is conveyed correctly and without ambiguity.