The Effects of the Educational Reform Movement on Departments of Educational Leadership

1991 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Murphy
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Reform Movement ◽  
National Commission ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Reform Agenda ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs ◽  
The One

This article reviews the types of revisions that preparation programs in educational leadership have begun to make in response to three related sets of pressures brought on by the reform movement of the 1980s: pressures bearing on school administrators from the larger reform agenda—that is, improving education across the board, general critiques of and calls for improvement in educational leadership, and specific analyses and demands for change in administrator preparation programs. The results are based on questionnaires completed by 74 chairpersons in departments of educational leadership. The emerging picture is mixed. On the one hand, departments of educational administration have begun to respond to the pressures for change. In addition, for better or worse, discernible patterns in these revisions are generally consistent with the implicit demands for improvement that lace the critical reviews of the field and with the more explicit recommendations contained in the reform reports of the National Policy Board for Educational Administration and the National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration. On the other hand, the response has been moderate (at best) in intensity and mixed in focus.

Professional Standards for Educational Leadership

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle D. Young
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
School Leaders ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Leadership Preparation ◽  
The United States ◽  
National Standards ◽  
Professional Standards ◽  
School Level ◽  
Professional Fields

Standards are used in a variety of professional fields to identify core elements of practice within the field as well as to describe a desired level of performance. The first set of standards for the field of educational leadership in the United States was introduced in 1996 by the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC). Since then, they have become the de facto national standards for educational leaders. The ISLLC standards have been updated three times and were recently renamed Professional Standards for School Leaders (PSEL) under the authority of the National Policy Board for Educational Administration (NPBEA). Over this same period of time, multiple sets of sister standards (e.g., standards for leadership preparation) have emerged as have evaluation tools and practice resources. Soon after their release, a variety of concerns were raised about the standards and their potential impact on the practice of education leadership, particularly school level leadership. Some argued that the standards were too broad, while others argued that they were too specific. Similarly, concerns were raised about the focus of the standards and what was left out or only weakly included. These and other concerns continued to plague newer versions of the standards. Concerns notwithstanding, today, educational leadership standards are fully embedded in the lifeworld of the educational leadership profession. They have been adopted and adapted by states, districts, professional organizations, and accrediting bodies and used in a variety of ways, including: setting expectations for educational leadership preparation and practice, state certification, leadership recruitment, professional development and support, and evaluating leadership practice.

Action Research

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eileen S. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Action Research ◽  
Professional Learning ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Action Observation ◽  
Action Planning ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Community Practice ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Action Science

Action research has become a common practice among educational administrators. The term “action research” was first coined by Kurt Lewin in the 1930s, although teachers and school administrators have long engaged in the process described by and formally named by Lewin. Alternatively known as practitioner research, self-study, action science, site-based inquiry, emancipatory praxis, etc., action research is essentially a collaborative, democratic, and participatory approach to systematic inquiry into a problem of practice within a local context. Action research has become prevalent in many fields and disciplines, including education, health sciences, nursing, social work, and anthropology. This prevalence can be understood in the way action research lends itself to action-based inquiry, participation, collaboration, and the development of solutions to problems of everyday practice in local contexts. In particular, action research has become commonplace in educational administration preparation programs due to its alignment and natural fit with the nature of education and the decision making and action planning necessary within local school contexts. Although there is not one prescribed way to engage in action research, and there are multiple approaches to action research, it generally follows a systematic and cyclical pattern of reflection, planning, action, observation, and data collection, evaluation that then repeats in an iterative and ongoing manner. The goal of action research is not to add to a general body of knowledge but, rather, to inform local practice, engage in professional learning, build a community practice, solve a problem or understand a process or phenomenon within a particular context, or empower participants to generate self-knowledge.

Potential Problems (and Solutions) of Mentoring in the Preparation of School Administrators

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 310-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivan D. Muse ◽  
Gloria Jean Thomas ◽  
F. Del Wasden
Keyword(s):  
School Administrators ◽  
Administrator Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Mentoring Relationship ◽  
Problems And Solutions ◽  
Aspiring Principals ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs ◽  
The University ◽  
University Training

In a few university administrator preparation programs, experienced principals are being used effectively as mentors to aspiring principals. The mentoring relationship has been found to be more positive and beneficial if the practicum experience is long term and the mentor is seen as an important member of the university training effort. Under the best of circumstances problems may occur that affect the value of mentoring. The article discusses twelve common pitfalls of mentoring and provides suggestions for their resolution.

Administrator Preparation

Education ◽  
2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
John R. Hoyle ◽  
Colleen Hoy
Keyword(s):  
Education Policy ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Graduate Programs ◽  
Central Office ◽  
Leadership Education ◽  
National Council ◽  
Degree Programs ◽  
Administrator Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs

Administrator preparation refers to leadership education graduate programs in universities, granting master’s and doctoral degrees in educational administration or educational leadership. These programs usually include completing requirements for state licensure to serve as school principals, superintendents, and other central office administrators. Students’ degree programs include a plethora of courses including educational finance, organizational theory, leadership processes, education law, education policy, instructional management, research methods, program evaluation and data management, systems planning and analysis, and human resource management. The two most prominent professional associations for individuals engaged in administrator preparation and related research efforts are the National Council for Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) and the University Council of Professors of Educational Administration. Researchers for NCPEA reveal that more than 370 graduate programs in educational administration include approximately 3,000 professors and nearly all programs offer the master’s degree and courses leading to administrative licensure, many with an online option. The terminal degree—PhD or EdD—is viewed as a necessity for candidates competing for central office jobs or principalships in many school districts. The historical context and evolution of theory within the field has been important in generating research and change in administrator preparation programs. The American Association of School Administrators (AASA) and the Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC), now called ISLLC 2008 Leadership Education Policy Standards, are the primary standards in place for administrator preparation programs. This standardization has raised significant criticism within the field, spurring best-practice research and efforts to reform existing programs. “Interdisciplinary” administrator preparation is a newer movement promoted by growing criticism of traditional administrator preparation. These new degree programs blend graduate-level courses in financial, entrepreneurial, and innovation skills in business administration, public administration, and public affairs with courses in departments of educational administration. In addition to new courses, the popularity of online courses and degrees increases each year. This new program content and the new mode of delivery require research to be conducted to compare the quality of credentials awarded online and through the traditional model.

Democratic Leadership and Places to Practice It

1996 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Heckman
Keyword(s):  
Preservice Teachers ◽  
Public Schools ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Leadership Skills ◽  
Community Change ◽  
Leadership Roles ◽  
Administrator Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Democratic Leadership ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs

The renewal or reform of public schools and their communities calls for a moral democratic concept of leadership, which includes the principles and practices of caring, trust, social justice and collaborative inquiry. In contrast to the bureaucratic concept of leadership that has prevailed in public schools and placed a few people in leadership roles, a democratic concept involves everyone and requires the development of leadership skills in teachers, school administrators, students, parents and neighborhood residents. Such a concept can best be served by a merger of teacher and administrator preparation programs, so that future teachers may develop as leaders as well as followers, and future administrators may develop as followers as well as leaders. In such a merger, there must be community and school forums in which preservice teachers and administrators may practice for their future roles and extend the democratic concept of leadership to students, parents, and neighborhood residents. Efforts of one eight-year school and community change initiative, which is now in its sixth year, indicate the type of forum that might effectively serve this need.

scholarly journals Redefining Teaching and Learning in Educational Administration

1994 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 451-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Connie L. Fulmer
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Evolutionary Process ◽  
Leadership Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Alternative Learning Environments ◽  
Educational Leadership Preparation Programs ◽  
Educational Leadership Preparation ◽  
Delivery Models

Recent attention to alternatives for traditional educational leadership program delivery models is part of an evolutionary process that serves to redefine teaching and learning. The conventional linear relationship between content, teaching, and learning is being transformed by these alternative models. The assumptions and components of an experiential learning model are presented to bring focus to this process and to offer one way to redefine teaching and learning in educational leadership preparation programs. This redefinition describes teaching and learning as a transactional process of creating personal knowledge through experiential alternative learning environments. The model has design implications for individual lessons, courses, projects, or an entire program. Two examples of experientially-based course projects are presented.

scholarly journals Critical issues for educational leadership in Ghana

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 122-125
Author(s):  
Anthony Afful-Broni
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Future Generation ◽  
Visionary Leadership ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Critical Issues ◽  
Education In Ghana ◽  
Socializing Agents

Critical Issues for Educational Leadership in Ghana, though not a proposal to kick-start a reform in education across Ghana, it does present the reader with some challenges and dilemmas that confront leaders of educational administration in Ghana and to solve problems of education in Ghana. The book of 129 pages comprises nine chapters. Each chapter raises critical issues regarding education which should be of interest to parents, teachers, school administrators, policy makers, researchers and anybody who has a stake in improving the quality of education in Ghana. The critical issues raised by the author begin from the mission and vision of education to include teaching as a profession, the roles of parents, family, and the community. Apart from discussing the roles of each of these socializing agents in contributing to the growth and development of the child as a socially, economically and morally acceptable member of society through the school system, the author provides overview of perspectives and scholarly opinions concerning leadership in education for interrogation. He asserts from the very beginning of the book that for a school, for that matter, education in Ghana to achieve its purpose, there must of necessity be a visionary leadership with missionary zeal who is prepared to remain focus and also ready to bring all stakeholders on board in fulfilling the mandate of producing a future generation in whom the older generation can confidently entrust our societies, institutions, and the country as a whole without trepidation.

Where is the Discussion of Diversity in Educational Administration Programs? Graduate Students’ Voices Addressing an Omission in their Preparation

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-33 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurence Parker ◽  
Joan Poliner Shapiro
Keyword(s):  
Graduate Students ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
School Administrators ◽  
Educational Leaders ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Diversity Issues ◽  
Race Ethnicity ◽  
Educational Administration Programs ◽  
Depth Interviews ◽  
The U.S

This paper describes an investigation of the needs of graduate students in educational administration preparation programs. The study raises questions focusing on what learning would be most valuable to school administrators who deal with diverse constituencies and cultures. To obtain appropriate information, the authors conducted in-depth interviews with older graduate students at three different locations in the U.S. In this study, the most salient finding that emerged was that graduate students learned far more through informal peer learning about diversity issues dealing with gender, race, ethnicity, social class and other areas of difference than they did in the formal educational administration classroom. Based on the analysis of interviews, the authors recommend a number of changes for program development under the category of diversity. Through these changes, it is hoped that educational administration faculty will better prepare graduate students to be educational leaders in the 21st century.

A systematic review of educational leadership and management research in Turkey

2019 ◽  
Vol 57 (6) ◽  
pp. 731-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mehmet Şükrü Bellibaş ◽  
Sedat Gümüş
Keyword(s):  
Educational Leadership ◽  
School Improvement ◽  
Mixed Method ◽  
Educational Administration ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Recent Effort ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Leadership And Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
School Principalship

Purpose While the current knowledge in the field of educational leadership and management (EDLM) has been primarily based on research produced in English-speaking Western societies, there have been significant efforts by other societies to contribute to the knowledge production, especially during the past decade. The purpose of this paper is to identify the contribution of Turkey to the international EDLM literature by investigating the topical focus, conceptual frameworks and research designs of papers published by EDLM scholars from Turkey. Design/methodology/approach Descriptive content analysis method was employed to examine 315 empirical, review, conceptual and commentary papers published by Turkish scholars in core educational administration and Web of Science journals. The time period of the review left open-ended. However, in practical terms, it begins in the year 1994 when the first article from Turkey was published in any of the selected sources and ends at the end of 2018. Information relevant to the research was extracted from each article and was coded to facilitate quantitative analysis. Using Excel software, descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were provided for each research question. Findings Results show that Turkish EDLM scholars mostly rely on survey based quantitative research approach, employing advanced statistical techniques in the analysis of the data. However, mixed method and qualitative studies are relatively less common. Organizational behavior, school leadership and emotions stand out as most frequently used topics, while Turkish scholars are not interested in analyzing the educational outcomes such as student achievement and school improvement. Consistent with the findings related to topical foci, a large number of those who were interested in correlational studies examined the relationship between leadership roles and organizational behaviors. Research limitations/implications The data set only included journal articles and excluded conference proceedings, books and theses/dissertations. Nevertheless, the authors believe this review adds significantly to previous reviews of local EDLM journals conducted by Turkish scholars. The authors concluded that the Turkish scholars should direct their future research to exploring and better understanding the practices of Turkish principals in schools by: diversifying their research topics; incorporating more qualitative and mixed-method designs; and taking into account specific features of the culture and educational system in Turkey. Practical implications Based on the current higher education context, reducing scholars’ teaching load, diversifying research funding opportunities, and modifying access to tenure tracks seem necessary interventions to support EDLM research with strong ties to practice and to the sociocultural context. In addition, policy changes aiming professionalization of administrative positions and establishing some forms of formal training for school principalship are needed. Such changes can help transfer the knowledge produced by the Turkish EDLM researchers to the practice and provide solutions to problems related to school administration. Originality/value This paper will add to recent effort to identify how a developing nation outside Western perspective approaches the field, and contributes to the global knowledge base.

Social Justice Leadership and Family Engagement

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (5) ◽  
pp. 754-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
David E. DeMatthews ◽  
D. Brent Edwards ◽  
Rodolfo Rincones
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Family Engagement ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Social Justice Leadership ◽  
Administrator Preparation ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
The Status ◽  
Administrator Preparation Programs

Research Approach: This in-depth qualitative case study explores one school leader’s enactment of social justice leadership in an elementary school in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. Analysis of interviews and observations revealed how this leader adapted her leadership to prioritize the severe needs of families and students in one of the world’s most violent cities. Findings: The article describes how the leader made sense of the community and its needs. Then, it examines how the leader enacted social justice leadership by addressing the out-of-school challenges that affected student achievement and well-being. Consequently, the leader’s focus shifted toward meaningful family engagement through adult education, community advocacy, and critical questioning of the status quo. Implications: Implications for future research, theory, and administrator preparation programs are presented at the conclusion of the article.

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