Drawing in the School Context as a Learning Resource in School Leader Development: Application-Oriented Projects in Active Learning Designs

Abstract

This article investigates a yearlong professional development experience provided to two cohorts within a doctoral program for early career school leaders. Drawing from situated learning theory, we examined one aspect of this program’s pedagogy, which centers on the use of field-based application-oriented projects that leaders must take up in their school settings. From this investigation, we identified and reported two key elements of the school context that were regularly drawn into leaders’ application-oriented learning experiences. We also illustratively highlight several of the authentic leadership consideration and practice experiences that were enabled.

Leadership for school improvement – linking learning to leading over time

“…Previous research has shown that school leader education needs to be organised so that school leaders have opportunities to practice the knowledge and skills it fosters in their own leading practice, during the education (Fluckiger et al 2014, Cosner et al 2018). This has proved to be essential to enable school leaders to search for new knowledge, theories and models that can strengthen their leading practice after completing the education.…”

“…The study shows that it can be productive to integrate school leader training and school leading practice to support novice school leaders' professional development. However, previous research on school leader education has pointed out that this opportunity is not fully utilised (Bush 2012, Cosner et al 2018). There may be several reasons for this.…”

“…However, previous studies have shown that it is difficult to design learning activities that promote effective changes in school leading practices (Ärlestig 2012, Edqvist 2014, Aas 2017. Moreover, training generally lacks sufficient contextual relevance and integration with local leading practice (Cosner et al 2018). Harris et al (2016) conclude that policy borrowing between different educational systems is a reason for this.…”

A Deeper Look Into Next Generation Active Learning Designs for Educational Leader Preparation

“…More robust designs, for example, create learning experiences that are authentic to the work of the leader and support theory-to-practice connections (Cunningham et al, 2019; Darling-Hammond et al, 2007; Orr, 2011; Orr & Orphanos, 2011). These designs also emphasize application, inquiry, problem-solving, and reflection (Crow & Whiteman, 2016; Darling-Hammond et al, 2007), and they ensure that the kinds of skills and leadership practices evidenced within leadership standards are targeted for development (Cosner et al, 2018; Cunningham et al, 2019). Cunningham and colleagues (2019) advance the term “powerful learning experiences” to conceptualize instructional learning designs that are emblematic of these features.…”

“…In broad strokes, scholars commonly contrast active with passive learning designs (Bonwell & Eison, 1991; Graffam, 2007), and in doing so, generally label as active those approaches that engage learners with “doing” and reflecting on their doing (Bonwell & Eison, 1991). In this way, the essence of active learning is the engagement in practice experiences and the use of those practice experience as a later learning resource where practice inquiry, reflection, and scrutiny occur (Cosner et al, 2018). Thus, active learning designs support development by allowing leaders to “act in the role of a leader and contend with authentic situations” (Gray & Bishop, 2009, p. 29), and importantly, where learning “occurs during, thru, and after the practice experience” (Orr, 2020).…”