Mystics, Neats and Scruffies: Informing Professional Practice in Educational Administration
| Date | 01 February 1989 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09578238910139339 |
| Published date | 01 February 1989 |
| Author | Thomas J. Sergiovanni |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Mystics, Neats and Scruffies:
Informing Professional Practice
in Educational Administration
by
Thomas J. Sergiovanni
Trinity
University,
San
Antonio,
Texas,
USA
Mystics,
Neats and
Scruffies
7
Do you remember the picture of the vase formed by the two profiles
that appeared in the textbook chapter on perception when we were
taking "Introduction to Psychology" too many years ago? If the picture
were shown to a novice she or he would probably see only one of the
two images. A subsequent conversation about the picture with someone
who saw the other image would be difficult. The image each sees
functions as a "mindscape" that programmes reality differently.
Similarly, mindscapes shape the way we think about knowledge and
professional practice. In this article I examine mindscapes of the
"Mystics", "Neats" and "Scruffies" [1] (focusing primarily on the latter
two),
suggesting that current preparation programmes and in-service
programmes for educational administrators may be based on the wrong
view.
Mystics, Neats and Scruffies have widely different conceptions of the nature of
educational practice and of the relationship between this practice and theoretical
knowledge. For Mystics no relation whatsoever exists, for Neats theoretical
knowledge is superordinate to practice and for Scruffies theoretical knowledge
is subordinate to practice. Their respective views can be summarised as follows.
Mystics hold the
view
that educational administration resembles a "non-science"
and thus scientific principles gleaned from theory and research have no relevance
to professional
practice.
The two are disconnected. Instead professional practice
is driven by one's tacit knowledge, intuitive feel for situations, sixth sense and
other more transcendental factors.
Neats hold
a view
that educational administration resembles an "applied science"
within which theory and research are directly and linearly linked to professional
practice. The former drives the latter and thus knowledge is
superordinate
to the
professional and designed to prescribe practice.
Scruffies hold the view that educational administration resembles a "craft-like
science" within which professional practice is characterised by reflection, action
This article is based on a paper given for the invited symposium, "Theoretical and Applied Research
in Administrator Preparation Programs", University Council for Educational Administration Convention
'88,
Cincinnati, 28 October, 1988.
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