Recent reports indicate the national principal attrition rate is at an all-time high. Scholars suggest a lack of responsive professional development as a leading factor in why principals leave the field. Further, the pandemic has exposed daily uncertainties for school leaders as they navigate new territory, bringing forth new considerations in how…

While it's school building looks like something straight out of Harry Potter, Washington Leadership Academy is best-known for its visionary thinking. One of only 10 schools in the U.S. to receive a $10 million grant from XQ: The Super School Project, the public charter is immersing its mostly minority, low-income students in technology--giving…

In fall 2020, the U.S. Department of Education awarded the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching (NIET) a $2.5 million grant, in partnership with the University of South Carolina (UofSC) and the Branch Alliance for Educator Diversity (BranchED). The aim of the three-year Supporting Effective Educator Development (SEED) grant is to build…

This article presents three types of (inter)active learning pedagogical tools to better prepare future administrators for complex, real-world tasks. We propose a framework of narrative linearity and responsiveness to examine digital cases, digital simulations, and clinical simulations as bridging pedagogies from abstract class-based methods to…

This teaching note outlines an innovative simulation game realized in response to post-pandemic experiential learning needs. The game introduces a fictional African country experiencing a series of political and financial shocks. Students are assigned membership in social groups and must implement the national policies that would improve outcomes…

The authors of this paper discuss the use of Virtual Reality (VR) as a tool for building meaningful connections in science education across different grade levels. The authors elaborate on their experiences with using VR in teacher training programs, in practicum and student teaching experiences, and in providing a professional development…

This article describes the process of designing and creating six computer-based simulations for school leadership training programmes, in the context of the Chilean school system. For the design and construction of the simulations, six scenarios were selected from case analysis of principals with formal training and experience in different…

This article describes how a federally funded afterschool program serving an elementary-age population in a rural southern community used the creative affordances of Minecraft and a creative youth development (CYD) framework to support the local school district's character education program, The Leader in Me (LiM). On receipt of a 21st Century…

The purpose of this article is to present how one university incorporates immersive simulations through platforms which employ avatars to enhance graduate student understanding and learning in educational leadership programs. While using simulations and immersive virtual environments continues to grow, the literature suggests limited evidence of…

This paper describes the use of advanced computer technology in an innovative educational leadership program. This program integrates full-motion video scenarios that simulate the leadership challenges typically faced by principals over the course of a full school year. These scenarios require decisions that are then coupled to consequences and…

Presents an overview of the benefits of applying multimedia technology to redesign and invigorate the career-long performance assessment and professional learning of school leaders. Focuses on the Administrator Case Simulation Multimedia Library (Texas Tech University) as a means of principal assessment and development. (SLD)

An $11 million executive-training course for principals, modeled after best practices used in the corporate, medical, engineering, and military worlds, is starting to gain traction among states. Developed by the National Institute for School Leadership, or NISL, a for-profit company based in Washington, the program is now used widely in…