Graduating From the School of Noranology

The chapter sought to provide a summative reflection from the co-authors based upon narrative research. Two of the co-author designed questions for her mentor based upon Standard 6 of the ELCC Standards as related to the co-author's current careers and how the mentor mentee relationship assisted in formulating those careers. The mentor trained and mentored the co-authors using transformational leadership as the guiding principle for preparing the co-authors to become transformational educational leaders in their field.

Neoliberalism and Western accreditation in the Middle East

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of neoliberalism and the accreditation of educational leadership programs in one Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country by contextualizing the accreditation process and closely examining the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards used by NCATE, now CAEP, to accredit educational leadership programs in the GCC. By using Habermas’ knowledge constitutive interests (KCIs) and evoking notions of floating signifiers, the paper develops an understanding of the use of Western-developed standards in a country that is different than the one in which these standards were conceived and how the discourse of accreditation standards shapes understandings and meanings of educational leadership. Design/methodology/approach A critical discourse analysis of the ELCC standards is conducted using a two-prong strategy that applies Habermas’ KCIs and evoking the notions of floating signifiers as a theoretical framework. Findings Understanding that knowledge is bounded by cultural circumstances, findings indicate that the ELCC standards contain all three KCIs, and various floating signifiers are embedded within the ELCC discourse that are problematic in a culture that is vastly different than the one in which these standards were conceived. Originality/value There are a few, if any, studies that have examined neoliberalism and accreditation in a GCC country. In particular, there are no studies that have examined the ELCC standards being used outside the USA. The research provides educators with an insight into the different forms of knowledge and understanding of the surplus of meaning of various concepts that are used within the ELCC professional standards outside the country where the standards were conceived without due regard for contextualization. The study provides discussion on how the discourse of the ELCC standards shapes understandings and meanings of educational leadership and educational leaders.

Principals Preparation Program: Managing The Learning Environment Using ELCC Standards

School principals need to be well prepared to manage school facilities assigned to their care. Educational leadership programs can make best use of the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards to develop a course of study to address school facility management issues. Every standard has its facility implications that lead to designing course activities to prepare school principals to be facility managers. A school facility management course can be effectively delivered by meeting all ELCC Standards.