Academic literature on the topic 'Educational administration; Educational leadership; Education'

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.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the development of educational leadership, administration and management (EdLAM) research by identifying thematic strands that hallmark key publications and synthesise major research findings and limitations. Design/methodology/approach This study combines bibliometric and content analysis methods to review 2,347 publications from 15 core EdLAM journals published from 2007 to 2016. Findings The bibliometric analysis identified five EdLAM thematic strands: school leadership for enhancing students’ academic achievement and teachers’ effectiveness; leadership for educational change, accountability and promoting democratic values; leadership for social justice, equal education and narrowing achievement gaps; principal’s instructional leadership for school improvement; and distributed leadership and its impact on organisational climate and teachers’ attitudes and stress. The content analysis revealed that the EdLAM research from 2007 to 2016 further developed the following research areas: the dynamics between leaders and teachers in leadership work, the potential risks of distributed leadership and the EdLAM challenges brought by the New Public Management and neoliberalism. Originality/value This study depicts state-of-the-art EdLAM research. It confirms the combination of bibliometric and content analyses as a useful approach for large-scale review studies. Finally, this review suggests future research directions.

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study is to examine the leadership traits of Elmer Towns and the strategies employed as co-founder of Liberty University. In order to accomplish this purpose, this study will assess the behavioral traits, work habits, communication patterns, and organizational concepts he employed as the Dean of the School of Religion at Liberty University. The “Portraits of Leadership” pattern is defined by viewing the university as a complex organization through which leadership behaviors and traits are manifested as a part of managing the governance structure, the internal operations, and the academic functions of the institution. The case study method is employed by the examination of the leader’s background, formal education, influence of mentors, and defining events.

The case study is individual in its focus and seeks to analyze the leadership behaviors of Towns in the context of the “Reframing Patterns” of higher education leadership of Lee Bolman and Joan Gallos. The data from the study is organized into the concepts of reframing and identifies four frames of academic leadership in which administrators of higher education often function. The data from documents, interviews, and observations are placed in four framing categories and serve as chapter headings in the research findings: Structure, Politics, Human Resource, and Symbols.

The research design for the case study uses three methods of research. The first method is document research. The study examines books and articles written by Towns in order to find leadership principles identified as essential to an organization. They also serve to identify situations and events related to the history and the function of the school. Documents related to the school and to the faculty are examined for communication and organizational factors. Faculty senate minutes, accreditation reports, catalogs, faculty handbooks, Liberty University policy documents and publications are included as data for triangulating research within the case study.

The second method of research includes interviews conducted with the dean, faculty and administration. Persons selected for the interviews worked at Liberty University for a significant part of Elmer Town’s tenure and served under him in various capacities. Three of the faculty members included in the study have written previous dissertations on Elmer Towns.

The third research approach included observations of Towns and his work with students and faculty. Observations were made while attending classes taught by Towns. Informal discussions with faculty and students also proved helpful in confirming and rejecting conclusions made during the five years. The researcher made observations from interactions with Towns in meetings, at church, and during appointments held in his office and at a local restaurant. The researcher also became a Liberty University Online adjunct professor during the time period in which the research was conducted. This allowed additional access to documents and to videos related to the leadership of Towns

Concluding findings of the case study categorize leadership traits and actions employed by Towns as Dean of the School of Religion. These traits and actions are applied within the context of higher education as a model for leaders and for deans serving in other institutions of higher learning.

The increase in teacher attrition rates within the state of California since 2000 is of concern to the California Department of Education and districts throughout the state because of a myriad of issues created by the loss of qualified teachers. The cost of replacing qualified teachers and recruiting and training new teachers to replace those who have left is a costly challenge. In California, 13% of new high school teachers leave the profession within the first two years of teaching and 22% leave within the first four years, even after successful completion of a teacher support program funded by the state (Reed, Reuben, & Barbour, 2006). Teacher attrition is a growing concern to both the state and the nation.

In this quantitative correlational study, one public high school within San Diego Unified School District served as a sample reviewed for data relating to teacher job satisfaction and elements of educational leadership that work to promote teacher retention. Data were analyzed to formulate a conclusion regarding job satisfaction and the set of predictor variables including the general quality of administrative leadership within a teacher’s educational environment, problem-solving conducted by the leadership in place, professional respect demonstrated for the educator by school leadership, professional development opportunities for teachers, and projected length of employment of the teacher.

A Bonferroni adjustment was performed on the original alpha level (α = .05) to reduce the likelihood of a type I error (false positive interpretation). Due to the application of the Bonferroni correction, the research study presented the finding that job satisfaction was not related teacher job satisfaction. Recommendations include the integration of relevant, focused professional development opportunities for teachers, with the ultimate goal in mind to retain dedicated, quality educators who seek to improve the lives of their students daily.

Principals have tremendous influence on the schools they lead (Bamburg & Andrews, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005). Certain leadership behaviors impact school level factors (Cotton, 2003; Hallinger & Heck, 2010; Leithwood, Begley, & Cousins, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005; Orr, 2003). To affect high levels of student achievement, school principals must be responsible for uniting diverse groups under shared purposes with purposeful emphasis on others rather than on self (Cotton, 2003; Hallinger & Heck, 2010; Leithwood, Begley, & Cousins, 1990; Marzano et al., 2005; Orr, 2003). Effective programs in educational leadership preparation include cohort-modeled groupings, among other features (Davis et al., 2005). Because cohorts are a feature of effective programs, yet few aspiring school leaders are prepared through cohort-based programs (Browne-Ferrigno & Muth, 2009), a concern regarding a problem of practice is raised.

The purpose of this study was to explore how aspirant school leaders experience the acquisition of leadership practices within their educational leadership preparation program and to contribute to the empirical understanding of how to best prepare school leaders for successful practice. This study was designed to examine: How do school leaders make meaning of their experience in a principal preparation program? In what ways do their experiences support the development of communitarian leadership?

The sample included nineteen school leaders who were alumni of a university-based educational leadership preparation program. Participants were interviewed using a basic interview protocol that followed the semi-structured approach for interview technique outlined by Moustakas (1994). The data analysis was carried out in the stepwise manner, using Atlas.ti 7.0 to code and group significant statements from the interview texts and using a basic memoing process to address any concerns of subjectivity.

Leaders who experienced preparation activities, including activities that gave them practice leading diverse individuals to shared outcomes articulated how preparation influenced the development of communitarian leadership skill, including relationship-building, communication, and values-identification. Communitarian leadership, which includes leadership actions linked to improved school-level outcomes (Marzano et al., 2005), may have utility as a framework for developing aspiring principals through formal preparation programs.

The students in Title I schools remain the most vulnerable in our education system. Principals in these schools must be exceptional and well prepared. However, principals have been trained in a universal approach that is not sufficient for those who lead schools with high poverty rates as well as culturally and linguistically diverse learners. The purpose of this mixed-methods descriptive study was to gain insight from principals about instructional leadership in Title I schools. Thirty-two principals described their perceptions about the preparation, supports, and challenges necessary to develop instructional leadership, including cultural proficiency for Title I schools. The findings in this study highlight the complexity of the principal role with a specific focus on Title I schools. While principals reported positive experiences as well as support from their leadership preparation programs and school districts, neither was sufficient to fully prepare them to be instructional leaders in Title I schools. Recommendations include a comprehensive, cohesive district coaching and mentoring program that considers elements necessary to build well-prepared and exceptional leaders for Title I schools.

There is an absence of research examining the relationship between the experiences that occurred while holding formal student leadership positions and leadership identity development. This study will investigate if leadership can be learned through the lenses of the leadership experience of men who hold the formal student leadership position of chapter president within their local chapters of their national social fraternal organization. The design of the study is quantitative in nature and will utilize an electronic survey to examine the impact of a college student’s leadership identity development from holding a position of leadership within a student organization.

Texas Education Agency (TEA) introduced Texas Principal Evaluation and Support System (T-PESS) for the 2016-2017 year. The evaluation system identifies five standards that serve as a guide to campus principals for improving school productivity, increasing student achievements, and continually improving effectiveness as a leader. In an effort to support principals with T-PESS standards, some districts have implemented leadership development plans. Leadership development plans provide a framework for principals to measure their leadership competencies, acquire peer feedback, and develop an action plan focused on effective leadership practices. Standard 4 of T-PESS measures effective culture-leader practices of principals. The current study reviewed principal leadership development plans and the perceived impact on school culture. According to T-PESS standards, effective culture leaders establish a shared campus vision, high expectations, family and community engagement, school safety, and student discipline. In the current qualitative study, eight campus principals who have utilized leadership development plans for two consecutive years and the eight assistant principals who serve under these principals were interviewed. The researcher used NVivo 11 Pro to analyze the qualitative data from the interviews. The researcher analyzed and coded the data as patterns emerged in perceptions of leadership development plans and the impact on school culture. Themes emerged which aligned with T-PESS Standard 4 culture-leader indicators. Furthermore, the data indicated that the participants considered leadership development plans to be a useful guide for campus principals in developing effective practices as culture-leaders.

The job of an education system-level leader in urban environments is becoming more demanding, and the environment in which they operate more complex. Filling these very critical roles with individuals who possess the right characteristics could mean the difference between success and failure at improving the educational outcomes of students who are more often than not students of color and economically disadvantaged students.

Through seven interviews, this qualitative study focused on understanding the leadership dispositions that contributed to the success of transformative urban education system-level leaders in Los Angeles. The new transformative urban education leadership framework was developed using elements from each of the following existing frameworks: leadership for multicultural education, transformative leadership, and leadership for social justice. Findings from the data revealed four themes and two subthemes that described the characteristics that these transformative education leaders in urban Los Angeles had in common. The four themes were early experiences that impacted future trajectory, power of positive communication, forming deep relationships with the community, collaborative decision-making and teambuilder; the subthemes were communicating beliefs and vision, communicating hope, and communicating courage. These themes and subthemes suggest some positive alignment to the new transformative urban education leadership framework.

Los Angeles education organizations could develop their own pipeline of top-level leaders who are prepared to assume positions when the opportunities present themselves, elevate the role of community-based organizations (and community), and be more targeted in their recruitment and professional development strategies for existing transformative leaders.

University leadership and administration is a critical aspect as it is about the functioning of the entire institution. Effective and efficient administration of the university relies on the principal. Leading proponents encourage transformational leadership, moral stewardship, principal as an instructional leader, and principal as a communicator or community builder. Discovering effective leadership and administration mechanisms can help teach university decision and policy makers to implement leadership development which will lead to improved student achievement. The purpose of this article is to investigate the university senior leadership and its administration in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness holistically. The problem resulting to conducting of this study is the high level of both students and staff demonstrations annually in the selected university, these strikes end up affecting teaching, learning and research within the institution. The underlying question the study intends to address is: “Which factors hinder effective and efficient university administration?” Educational leadership changes from a managerial orientation to promote the significance of concentrating on the learning and teaching process and student success. Educational institution leaders’ competencies are always associated with continuous training and development they receive to make them better leaders. Hence, training and development in university leadership requires a systematic planning which will result to excellent institution education. In order to explain the phenomenon under study better, the Burns transformational theory founded by James MacGregor Burns will be utilised. The positivism paradigm is the philosophy adopted for this study. The survey will be conducted at the Durban University of Technology with the intention to address the question and the objective of the study. The questionnaires will be administered to 30 senior management members within the institution, including the Vice Chancellor and his Deputy, Deans, Directors and HODs.

This policy brief reports findings from a survey of parent leaders in 2007 that sought to understand what parents of English Learners and Standard English Learners think about the education of their children and about parent education and involvement in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Surveys with 513 LAUSD parent leaders revealed low ratings for LAUSD’s parent education efforts as well as for student academic programs. Open-ended responses point both to educational as well as policy recommendations in the following areas: 1) home/school collaboration; 2) professional development, curriculum and Instruction, and tutors/support; and 3) accountability. This policy brief concludes that improvement in the educational experiences and outcomes for Standard English Learners and English Learners can happen by capitalizing on existing parent leadership.

For nearly 100 years, American leadership, regardless of political affiliation, has recognized the vital importance of people-to-people international exchange programs in bolstering our nation’s economy, strengthening our national security, and improving America’s status in the world. In today’s interconnected world, where global challenges require global cooperation on solutions, the United States should not retreat from international engagement, but should rather double our efforts to build positive and mutually supportive connections with our neighbors. America must embrace its role in leading international peace and prosperity by facilitating meaningful, safe, educational exchange in all directions – helping more Americans learn firsthand about other people and cultures and helping more foreign students come to America to experience for themselves the principles upon which our country was built - liberty, democracy, capitalism, and basic human freedom. America can and should leverage international education, exchange and public diplomacy programs to plant seeds of peace, regain the world’s trust, and return to our previous role as a respected leader in global affairs. Leading the effort to bring the world together helps America, Americans, and our vital allies.