The Joint Research Taskforce on Educational Leadership Preparation

• AERA meeting of the Joint Research Taskforce on Leadership Preparation (April 7, 2006) (47 KB)
  

1. What is the Taskforce and why was the taskforce formed?

The primary impetus for the taskforce has been to stimulate more and better research in the field of leadership preparation. UCEA and TEA-SIG's collaborative taskforce on evaluating leadership preparation program effectiveness has shown that an organic taskforce process could effectively review the state of research, identify gaps, and support new research, development, and publications. That taskforce has successfully drawn in a wide range of researchers' on its evaluation questions and mentored junior faculty.

The Research Taskforce shares these same goals, while focused broadly on the field of leadership preparation as a whole: to stimulate new research, development and publications in all core areas of the field; to advance the field conceptually and methodologically by building on existing research and theory; and to engage new and experienced scholars to establish research agendas around foundational questions on leadership preparation. The taskforce structure-- with its work groups and conference convening opportunities--facilitates a research community of practice that facilitates collaborative learning and supports research conceptually and methodologically over time.

Thus, the primary aims of the taskforce are:

1. to provide a foundation about existing research and theory in the field of leadership preparation
2. to identify gaps and new directions for research on leadership preparation
3. stimulate more, better quality research in the field of leadership preparation
4. to encourage new and experienced researchers to undertake research in the field.
5. to provide a community of scholars for on-going conceptual and methodological work.
2. Who formed the taskforce?

The taskforce was formed as a collaborative effort of four professional associations: UCEA, TEA-SIG of AERA, Division A of AERA, and NCPEA. Officials of these four associations coordinate the taskforce's work and facilitate their members' participation and support the work products of the taskforce.

3. What is the plan for the Taskforce's work?

The taskforce is expected to be a 3-5 year process, which will be reviewed by the four associations' officials annually on its direction, vitality and success and by the domain leaders. Over time, the domain areas may be reorganized, particularly as new research directions emerge.  

The steps for the taskforce are roughly as follows:

1. form the taskforce and workgroups (UCEA, 2004)
2. invite scholars from the field to join the taskforce and work groups and establish domain leaders (on-going, UCEA and AERA, 2004-present)
3. ask each work group to frame the nature of the research in their domain, gaps and new directions by:
1. provide a 3-5 page summary for a taskforce report by March 1st (to be compiled and handed out at AERA 2006)
2. develop presentations of research domains (for presentation at AERA in April 2006).
4. ask each work group to propose 1-5 research projects to initiate
1. present research plan and methodology (UCEA 2006)
2. workshop on research grants and funding (UCEA 2006)
3. discuss research in progress (AERA 2007)
4. present preliminary new research findings (UCEA 2007)
5. participate in press conference (UCEA 2007)
5. publicize research findings
1. professional publications for the research products
2. association newsletters
3. conference reports


4. When is the next meeting?

AERA 2006-San Francisco, CA. on Friday, April 7 th , in the afternoon from 4:05pm to 5:35pm in the Moscone Center South, Mezzanine Level West, Room 274.   For more information on this meeting click here.

5. What is the relationship between the taskforce and the proposed Handbook ?

The taskforce and handbook were initiated simultaneously for very similar purposes--to take stock of the nature of research in leadership preparation, gaps in the field, and new directions; and to encourage further research in this area as a worthy and fruitful field of study.

The taskforce work and handbook, however, are different projects. The taskforce is to be generative and community building. It will be purposefully a messy, elastic process for knowledge development work as individual or groups of scholars investigate different areas of the field, initiate research and product results. The taskforce is about building an active research community.

The handbook, in contrast, is a much smaller project, focused on the current state of research on leadership preparation in our field. It is a publication, with a purpose, perspective, a finite set of authors and editors, standards, and production and delivery schedule.   Like other books, it was undertaken by a small group of authors who have final editorial responsibility for the book as a product. They developed the prospectus, sought a publisher and are negotiating the publishing terms and conditions. Like other edited series, they are inviting others to contribute sections or chapters to the book. Unlike the taskforce, it cannot be developed through an organic, bottom up process.

Fortunately, several section editors of the handbook are also domain leaders of the taskforce. In their dual capacity, they are more able than most authors of an edited series to work with taskforce members on developing chapter contributions to the handbook and identifying a research agenda for their domain area.   They do not have independent editorial license, however. The handbook has three editorial levels--the publisher, the general editors and the section editors. How each section is to be organized into chapters and the authorship of the chapters is to be reviewed at all three levels.

6. What other publishing opportunities exist for the taskforce work?

While the taskforce is still in its beginning stages, there are several options already available for publishing the results of our work.   These include:

1. Journal of Research in Leadership Education
2. The Educational Leadership Review
3. Educational Administration Quarterly
4. The UCEA Review
5. Journal of School Leadership
6. UCEA Monograph & Book Series
7. TEA-SIG newsletter
8. Division A Newsletter
9. NCPEA Yearbook
10. Organization Sponsored White Papers
11. UCEA Conference Proceedings

The new Journal of Research in Leadership Education is seeking papers and would enthusiastically entertain ideas for special issues. As well, UCEA's publication committee is looking for books and monographs to include in its new series with Rowman and Littlefield. Similarly, each of the organizations sponsoring this initiative may consider publishing white papers from the taskforce domains and making conference papers available on their websites.

7. About the Domains

   Domain 1- Leadership Education as a Field of Study

   Domain Leader: John Hoyle, Texas A&M University, jhoyle@neo.tamu.edu

   This domain will explore the bases and issues in leadership education research, as well as its philosophical contexts, historical approaches, and futurist studies.   Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) one that explored the context of conducting research on leadership education, including issues of legitimacy, need, as well as interest in conducting and the level of support available to conduct such research; 2) one on the methodological and theoretical approaches used to research leadership preparation, identifying themes over and critical moments within that history; 3) a general overview of the areas in which research has been conducted concerning leadership education (e.g., student recruitment, cohorts, use of cases, internships); 4) one offering a critique of the research that has been conducted so far on educational leader preparation, highlighting areas for improvement or expansions concerning theory, method and focus; and 5) perhaps one on the Danforth Schools and where they are now.

   Domain 2- The Context of Leadership Education

   Domain Leader: Dianna Pounder, University of Utah, pounder@ed.utah.edu

   This domain will explore research on university contexts, fiscal affairs, standards, policy-making and issues within the K-12 environment that impact, either directly or indirectly, educational leadership preparation. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) the emergence of leadership standards and their impact on program content, accreditation, and program approval; 2) the impact of state certification and licensure policies on leadership preparation programs; 3) contextual issues of the university, including institutional prestige and economic issues; 4) the role of advisory boards and school partnerships in developing and delivering leadership preparation, 5) the issue of PreK-12 accountability and its impact on leadership preparation programs specifically and Higher Education generally, 6) partnerships.

   Domain 3: Models and Theories of Leadership Education

   Domain Leader: Edie Rusch, UNLV ( rusche2@unlv.nevada.edu ) and Fen English, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (fenglish@attglobal.net)

   This domain considers models of pre-service and advanced university-based leadership education and the underlying theories of leadership education. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:    1) the historical development leadership education, 2) theories of leadership education both for ed leadership and in other fields; 3) the organizing theories that programs use to construct their programs (e.g., ethics, social justice, management, transformational leadership); 4) various university-based preparation models; 5) preparation programs that are designed and delivered by school districts, either alone or in collaboration with universities; 6) alternate paths that states make available to leadership candidates; and 7) leadership preparation programs, like New Leaders for New Schools, that provide an alternative to university programs.

   Domain 4: Recruitment, Selection and Development of Leadership Candidates

   Domain Leaders: Tricia Browne-Ferrigno, University of Kentucky (tricia.ferrigno@uky.edu) and Theodore Creighton, Virginia Tech (tcreigh@vt.edu)

   This domain focuses on research about leadership candidates. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) recruitment and selection procedures, 2) processes used to develop individual candidates; 4) candidate learning and adult learning in general; 5) candidate engagement; 6) development of candidate leadership identity, and 7) how programs connect to students following graduation and how they sustain them as leaders (i.e., mentoring and inducting).  

   Domain 5: Providers of Leadership Education

   Domain Leaders:   Martha McCarthy, Indiana University ( mccarthy@indiana.edu ) and   Nelda Cambron-McCabe, Miami University (cambron@muohio.edu)

   This domain is concerned with the individuals involved in teacher educations. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) characteristics of university faculty; 2) the preparation and professional development of leadership faculty; 3) the contributions of adjunct and clinical (non-regular) faculty vis-à-vis tenure-track (regular) faculty; 4) the characteristics and preparation of non-regular faculty members; 5) the work life and evaluation of regular faculty; 6) partnerships with districts and communities and inclusion of district practitioners in preparation.

   Domain 6: Curriculum and Pedagogy in Leadership Education

   Domain Leader:   Robert Kottkamp, Hofstra University, edarbk@hofstra.edu , and Marilyn J. Bartlett, University of South Florida, bartlettm@earthlink.net

   This domain examines the content of leadership preparation programs including the content taught in courses and the pedagogy (cases, action-research, problem-based learning, portfolio development) used to facilitate learning. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) the evolution of program content overtime; 2) the use of reflection, journaling and storytelling within the leadership curriculum; 3) the use of cases and problem based learning in the leadership classroom; 4) the use of portfolios as a learning tool; 5) internships and other practicum experiences, and 6) a comparison of preparation in educational leadership programs to preparation in other professions.

   Domain 7: The Delivery of Leadership Preparation

   Domain Leader: Margaret Grogan, University of Missouri-Columbia, groganm@missouri.edu

   This domain will analyze research on the delivery of leadership preparation. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) a description of how programs have been delivered overtime; 2) a comparison of the delivery of leadership preparation to that of professionals in other fields; 3) the use of distance technology; and 4) the use of cohorts in the delivery of leadership preparation.

   Domain 8: Student Assessment and Program Evaluation

   Domain Leader:   Terry M. Orr, Teachers College-Columbia, mto10@columbia.edu

   This domain examines assessment of individual leadership candidates as well as program evaluation strategies for institutional change. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include:   1) strategies used in evaluating student learning; 2) procedures used for course assessment; 3) the use of assessment centers; 4) state wide reviews of educational leadership preparation programs; and 5) past trends and new developments in program assessment.

   Domain 9: Professional Learning

   Domain Leader: Fran Kochan, Auburn University, kochafr@auburn.edu

   This domain examines leadership education within the larger context of professional learning. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include: 1) mentoring and induction programs; 2) how leaders are socialized into their roles; 3) research on continuous professional learning; 4) the types and quality of professional learning available; and 5) the role of professional associations in professional learning.  

   Domain 10: Leadership Education Around the Globe

   Domain Leaders:   Miles Bryant, UNLV, bryant@unlserve.unl.edu ; Jacky Lumby, University of Lincoln, jlumby@lincoln.ac.uk

   This domain will examine leadership education within countries outside the US. Potential areas to explore within this domain would include: 1) leadership education within specific countries; 2) how contexts, cultures and economies have shaped leadership education, 3) how public education systems influence the need and design for leadership education, 4) how leadership education is provided, and 5) the nature of scholarship on leadership education.

    

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