| This study applied the following frameworks: (a) Lee Bolman and Terrence Deal's 4-frame model; (b) John Kotter's 8-step model of leading change; (c) Tony Wagner's 7 survival skills for the 21st century; (d) the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) project-based learning (PBL) framework of Robert Capraro, Margaret Capraro, and James Morgan; and (e) the professional learning community (PLC) model of Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, and Thomas Many to understand the impact of leadership on the Costa Rican Programa Nacional de Ferias de Ciencia y Tecnologia (PRONAFECYT). The purpose of this study was to identify leadership practices, instructional strategies, and professional development practices at Costa Rican primary school sites to identify key components attributed to successful implementation of the PRONAFECYT. Through emergent design, this case study developed a grounded theory related to the influence of leadership on educational practices and the outcomes of the PRONAFECYT. As a bound system, the unit of measurement was individual Costa Rican schools that currently participate in the National Inform and Executive Decree 31900. Data drawn from the firsthand accounts of policymakers, educational leaders, school directors, and teachers were coded, analyzed, and triangulated to derive a theory of action related to the influence of leadership practice on implementation, classroom instruction, and participation in the PRONAFECYT. Key findings from this study indicated that leadership provided by the school director is among the most crucial aspects of successful PRONAFECYT implementation; 21stcentury skills are well ingrained in the consciousness of Costa Rican teachers and students but have not been consistently translated into observable classroom practices. Moreover, curriculum and pedagogy changes related to the PRONAFECYT have been inconsistent across school sites. This study integrated several key themes related to the current era of globalization and its impact on education as a critical driver of economic prosperity through the production of human capital. It contributes to a new line of work within educational leadership studies with generalizable findings across geographic and cultural contexts. |
