Rapidly changing educational contexts demand deft leadership responses. In this fluid environment, it is imperative that leadership learning models sound educational praxis. Such praxis necessitates the inclusion of participant voices within relational and dialogic processes that enable authentic, creative and collaborative thinking. This paper…

This study explored the Mexican system to appoint school leaders from a perspective that could consider its positive aspects and as well as its shortcomings. This research was framed as an exploratory case study. Three types of participants were interviewed: five aspiring heads, twelve incumbent heads, and four administrators of the promotion…

Purpose: This article seeks to report on a research inquiry that explored the educational praxis of ethical school leaders in Chile. Behaving ethically is an imperative for school leaders. Being an ethical educational leader is something different. It is not only about behaving according to standards, but also rather involves an ethical way of…

California is facing a critical need for trained school leaders in the coming years. As current leaders retire, schools could be faced with teachers stepping out of the classroom and into the increasingly demanding job of the principalship with little or no preparation. With few leadership development opportunities available in entry-level…

The purpose of this study is to examine principal pedagogy from the perspective and experiences of urban education leaders; the aspiring principal and the veteran principal. The investigation is centered on the pedagogical experiences of school administrators that develop into the leadership attributes of proficient principals. An examination of…

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine principal succession planning and management by analyzing current practices of handling school leader succession in four Georgia school systems. Design/methodology/approach: Looking through the lens of organizational leadership succession theory, the practices of school systems as they experienced…

Purpose: This paper aims to discuss the teaching and assessment strategies for an organisation-centred curriculum. Design/methodology/approach: The paper is based on a case study. Data were collected from interviews and a focus group with worker-learners enrolled in a Graduate Certificate in Education (Educational Leadership) course. Findings: The…

This paper questions whether a focus on individual development is appropriate when it comes to attempting to change professional practice. Based on a study of the conceptual development of candidates on the Scottish Qualification for Headship Programme (SQH), the paper examines evidence from detailed case studies of the learning of some of the…

The purpose of this paper was to explore the role and purpose of school administrators in international schools and obtain data helpful in redesigning principal preparation programs. An ethnographic case study was designed to obtain perceptions of issues related to leadership, curriculum, teachers, students, and parents in two U.S. accredited…

This book tries to redefine what it means for a manager to function with integrity and competence in the private and public sectors domestically and globally. It integrates theoretical work in both descriptive and normative ethics and incorporates legal, communication, quality, and organizational theories into a conceptual framework designed to…

Wide-ranging changes in the education system have rendered many serving school principals ineffective in the management of their schools. Many of these serving principals lack basic management training prior to and after their entry into headship. Changes in education thus increase their problems and this causes untold harm to the education of the…

The literature on intervention theory tends to overlook the pragmatic managerial issues and challenges of intervening. This paper analyzes the formative period of a school management development program to establish crucial differences between the program director's espoused theory and the actual experience of the intervention. These differences…

An experiential course in administrative practice was designed at the University of Maine to address public and professional demands for competency-centered preparation courses. The course employs a predesigned case study replicating a school setting to move students beyond theory and into the interpersonal relationships and personal dimensions of…

This paper explores certain dilemmas in the professional preparation of school administrators, particularly in developing nations. The paper begins by reviewing the issue of specialist preparation and development for educational administrators, examining arguments for and against specialist training. A discussion of the extent of Canada's…

This paper describes the objectives and organization of the Middle Management Center (MMC), a university-based interdisciplinary resource team dedicated to improving school management practices through involvement with school principals. The author, who is also director of the MMC, first discusses the place of principals in school administration…