The role of authentic assessment in developing authentic leadership identity and competencies

The need to develop assessment practices that are contextualised, meaningful for students and closely linked to real-world challenges has been increasingly recognised in higher education. This is particularly relevant for leadership development programmes that are assumed to have a work context embedded in their content and assessment components. Assessment practices currently used in higher education focus mostly on testing academic knowledge, rather than on enhancing leadership competencies. This research used an abductive approach to investigate how the application of authentic assessment can assist in developing authentic leadership competencies. Thematic analysis of written reflections of 24 students revealed that authentic assessment, accompanied by self-reflection, not only enhanced students’ comprehension of theories and improved their leadership skills but, more notably, helped students develop elements of self-concept, which is a key aspect of authentic leadership. Our findings demonstrate that authentic assessment combined with a reflective piece can assist students in the development of their self-understanding and authenticity as leaders.     

美国教育领导力评价研究三十年:回顾与启示

本文回顾了1980~2010年美国教育领导力评价研究路向。研究显示,20世纪80年代早期美国兴起了以"校长教学管理评定量表"(PIMRS)为代表的教育领导力测评浪潮;到了90年代初,变革型领导成为美国教育领导力评价的另一风潮;而进入21世纪以来,以学生学习为中心而创建的"范德比尔特教育领导力评估"(VAL-ED)成为新的潮流。注重科学性、多样性和时代性已成为美国教育领导力评价的主要趋向。     

Entrepreneurial leadership competencies among Malaysian university student entrepreneurial leaders

Developments in entrepreneurial leadership as a distinct area of both research and practice raised many questions about the personal competencies of entrepreneurial leaders that enable them to successfully lead entrepreneurial endeavours. Although identifying entrepreneurs' specific capabilities has been one of the main focuses of entrepreneurship researchers, our knowledge is limited about personal leadership competencies required in entrepreneurial contexts. This qualitative study aimed to explore the personal competencies of undergraduate student entrepreneurial leaders in four Malaysian universities. Fourteen student entrepreneurial leaders were purposefully selected to participate in this study. Analysis of the semi-structured and in-depth interviews revealed different dimensions of proactiveness and innovativeness as previously identified competencies of entrepreneurial leaders for the student entrepreneurial leaders. Furthermore, love of challenges and versatility emerged as the personal competencies of the students. Implication of the findings and suggestions for developing entrepreneurial leadership competencies in university students through purposeful interventions are proposed.     

新时期学习型班级建设与学生领导力研究简

学习型班级是以班级成员为中心,以班级成员管理自治为运行机制的新型班级组织。它是开放的组织管理体系,其动力机制和运行机制是一种“竞争力匹配与调和”模型。实践中,可以通过重新树立学生领导力权威、营造“可以犯错”的学生领导力执行氛围、重新确立学生领导力执行的目标等途径和手段来实现班级组织转型和学生领导力变革。新时期,提升学生领导力水平,树立学生自治意识是首要前提,维护学生领导权威是重要保障,变革班级组织架构是关键步骤,完善班级纪律规定是基础环节。只有改变传统“德育式”和“法治化”的教育实践方式,才能实现“通过教育的纪律”、学生个体的纪律化和“美化集体的纪律”。     

Educational leadership and change: structural challenges in the implementation of a shifting paradigm

A great deal of research has been conducted regarding leadership and change. The impact of this research has not been limited to academe, but rather, government policy in different jurisdictions has been directly impacted by developments into collegial forms of leadership. While the positive correlation between leadership and change has been widely acknowledged, this article argues that a disconnect has emerged between the theory and practice signifying that the efficacy of change remains hampered by structural constraints and subjective factors that result in unpredicted outcomes. To explore this thesis, the fundamentals of educational leadership theory, our ability (or inability) to manage change and an analysis of the difficulties faced by leaders as they move from theory to praxis are examined.     

Hybrid configurations of leadership in higher education employer engagement

Recent literature has emphasised the distributed nature of leadership in higher education (HE) and the multitude of actors and factors that contribute towards organisational outcomes. Gronn suggests, however, that rather than using such evidence to provide broad, normative accounts of leadership practice, greater attention should be directed to mapping the ‘hybrid configurations’ through which leadership practice emerges. This article responds to this call through an analysis of employer engagement activities in UK HE. Using a qualitative case study approach, it illustrates the complex, interdependent and contested nature of leadership practice in cross-boundary environments. The article concludes by suggesting how a hybrid perspective may enhance leadership theory and practice in tertiary education.     

Cross-cultural dimensions of applied,critical, and transformational leadership: women principals advancing social justice and educational equity

This study, based on the qualitatively rendered experiences and perceptions of educational leaders from historically underserved backgrounds in the US, argues that identity impacts leadership practice. To make this point, researchers build upon an emergent theoretical framework for applied critical leadership from the theories and traditions of transformational leadership, personal leadership, critical pedagogy, and critical race theory. With regard to methodology, a two-subject case study was validated by adding three additional participants for points of verification to the findings and discussion. Interview, field notes, and relevant documents were analyzed using phenomenology and constant comparative methods. Major findings indicate participants’ practice reveal characteristics of cross-cultural applied, critical, and transformational leadership. These scholarly findings are significant because they can inform mainstream leadership practices contributing to educational equity, authentic multiculturalism, improved intercultural relations, innovation, increased academic achievement, and sustainable educational change.     

The Role of Interracial Interaction in the Development of Leadership Skills and Cultural Knowledge and Understanding

While higher education leaders tout the benefits of racial diversity for developing culturally knowledgeable civic leaders, our understanding of these benefits and, in particular, the role of interracial interaction in realizing them, is still emerging. In this study, differences between the effects of interracial contact among students that are close friends versus more casual interracial interactions are examined for their affect on students' leadership skills and cultural knowledge and understanding. Findings suggest that casual interracial interaction is particularly beneficial among students with more racially homogeneous friendship circles, especially with regard to developing leadership skills. In addition, findings indicate that frequent interracial interaction among students may be more important in developing cultural knowledge than involvement in formal activities such as cultural awareness workshops.     

How performance assessment for leaders (PAL) influences preparation program quality and effectiveness

The Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL) is a four-task evaluation system designed to improve the quality of initial school leaders in Massachusetts by evaluating candidate readiness using a rigorous, standard assessment system. By design, it is signalling leadership quality expectations to preparation programmes. Through two years of survey research with leadership preparation faculty (n?=?12) and candidates (n?=?53) who completed PAL, we explored faculty understanding the PAL assessment, assessment alignment task to programme content, candidate preparedness, and impact on programmes. Results show that faculty used PAL to improve their preparation programmes and provide high-quality learning experiences for candidates.     

A Systematic Review of Assessment Literacy Measures

This work systematically reviews teacher assessment literacy measures within the context of contemporary teacher evaluation policy. In this study, the researchers collected objective tests of assessment knowledge, teacher self‐reports, and rubrics to evaluate teachers’ work in assessment literacy studies from 1991 to 2012. Then they evaluated the psychometric work from these measures against a set of claims related to score interpretation and use. Across the 36 measures reviewed, they found support for these claims was weak. This outcome highlights the need for increased work on assessment literacy measures in the educational measurement field. The authors conclude with recommendations and a resource to inform a research agenda focused on assessment literacy measurement to inform policy and practice.     

Fair and equitable assessment practices for all students

This paper focuses on promoting fairness and equity in student assessment practices. The researchers used questionnaires and interviews and the study encompassed a total of 3312 individuals representing a range of stakeholders. The paper is presented in two parts: fairness and discrimination, and challenging policy and practice. Five key principles emerged. Educators must strive to address the personal impact of assessment practices on individual students and their families. Assessment must be differentiated to accommodate the ability, social, cultural and linguistic background of students. All members of school communities must challenge the complacency associated with accepting indefensible assessment practices. The frequency, intensity and intrusiveness of assessments must not be overwhelming for students and their families. Finally, assessment must not be used to counter inappropriate student behaviour or reward desired behaviour. Implications for practice are presented. Additionally, the authors describe changes to policy and practice that occurred as a result of the study.     

Interrogating conceptions of leadership: school principals,policy and paradox

Currently educational research literature demonstrates wide discussion and endorsement of ‘distributed’ leadership while concurrently traditional, hegemonic forms prevail in practice. This article investigates understandings about educational leadership held by Australian school principals. The article describes the contradictory conceptions about educational leadership currently in circulation. It interrogates underlying assumptions and questions how both hegemonic and newer leadership conceptions and assumptions serve educational leaders. Data from principals around the country and across education systems reinforced the predominance of un-theorised or under-theorised notions about leadership, with similar assumptions found in important policy artefacts and practices. This article emerges from interviews with 100 principals focusing on their professional learning needs, which revealed interesting ideas, issues and dilemmas concerning ‘leadership’. It fills a gap in research on distributed leadership by exploring contradictions inherent in policy, practice and understandings in this area. The article is structured into four sections. First, extant literature on this topic and the research are explained. Second, the article focuses on principals' conceptions about leadership and those inherent within important policy and practical artefacts. A discussion of the findings focuses on the discrepancy between theory and policy endorsement and the views of practitioners. Finally, the article canvasses the implications of the research.     

Developing Teachers' Leadership Knowledge: Pillars for the “New Reform”

This work describes how teacher education programs can inform teachers' knowledge and practice of leadership. We introduce a leadership typology to illustrate how teachers can lead organizational reform for pedagogical excellence and socially just practices. The model provides teacher educators ways to identify and resolve conflicts generated by imparting innovative pedagogies to teachers who in turn use them in antiquated and inequitable school environments. The model can also be used to develop teachers' professional knowledge of the contexts that mitigate or marginalize their leadership potential. Several examples from current teaching practices in teacher education are used to illustrate how teachers develop leadership knowledge.     

Critical perspectives on changes in educational leadership practice

This paper examines a group of Chinese educational leaders’ leadership practice changes after undertaking a leadership development course offered by an Australian university in China. It presents their self-reported changes in leadership practice profiles and features selected vignettes. The study was primarily qualitative and interpretative, based on the interview responses of 20 participants. The findings showed that exposure to different perspectives appeared to expand participants’ views and equip them with a wider range of leadership strategies. Despite some observable differences in practices reported by participants from the three sectors (school, educational system, and university), there seemed to be more similarities than variance. The respondents were cautious about radical changes in leadership practice, reiterating that local contexts and cultures must be considered when accommodating Western educational ideas. The study suggests that participants’ self-reported changes in leadership practices resulted from mediation of contextual and cultural conditions rather than the direct transfer of Western ideas and practices into the Chinese context.     

城市义务教育学校领导质量评价的价值变迁

学校领导质量评价是学校办学水平评估的重要组成部分,也是诊断学校教育发展状况的关键指标.城市学校领导质量评价需要在吸收传统体制思维中“绩效性评价”优点的基础上,形成促进学校改进的“发展性评价”取向,从领导文化、领导能力、领导机制三个维度进一步改进评价体系,增强学校发展的“造血”功能,进而为义务教育办学水平评估提供有益支撑.     

Instructional leadership in Malaysia: a review of the contemporary literature*

This article provides a review of the contemporary instructional leadership research base in Malaysia. The core aim of this review is to assess the recent knowledge base on instructional leadership in Malaysia and to evaluate its current contribution to the existing international literature. The article explores a range of published material that has focused explicitly on instructional leadership and instructional leadership practices in Malaysia, including that written in Bahasa Malaysia. The article outlines the findings from the review and highlights certain strengths and limitations. The article concludes by identifying areas for further enquiry and investigation.     

促进教师发展的校长领导力研究——以两所初中学校校长为个案

以素质教育为核心的教育改革对学校管理带来了冲击与挑战。它要求教师转变传统的教学观,学习新的知识和教学方法。校长是学校管理的关键人物,其领导实践对于帮助教师发展具有重要作用。本研究采用质性研究方法,尝试揭示两位校长在真实情境中帮助教师发展的领导实践全貌与过程。研究发现,促进教师发展的校长领导力主要具有以下三方面的特征:(1)以提升教师专业知识与技能的工具取向为主;(2)以转变教师认知、情感与态度的文化取向为辅;(3)在规范教师教学行为与激发教师改革动机之间寻求平衡。     

What does technology integration research tell us about the leadership of technology?

Abstract

This systematic review of the literature focuses on the empirical research conducted between 1998 and 2018 at the intersection of leaders, teachers, and technology in K-12 schools. The question guiding this review was “what does the technology integration literature identify as key leadership practices that support teachers’ technology integration efforts?” Findings are presented in terms of the larger body of knowledge about effective leadership practices that are empirically shown to influence teaching and learning by applying a conceptual framework of empirically derived leadership practices. The researchers analyzed, deductively coded, and categorized findings from 34 relevant articles in peer-reviewed journals. Findings emphasized leadership practices for building professional capacity including providing teachers with opportunities to learn, creating communities of practice for them, considering their individualized needs, and addressing issues of access and support. In this article, domains of the conceptual framework are described and convey the findings about leadership practices in terms of IT and offer suggestions for further synthesizing the currently siloed work on technology integration in the leadership, teacher, and technology literature.     

Towards leadingful leadership literacies for higher education management

This paper locates ‘leadingful leadership literacies’ as a lens for considering changing contexts for leadership and work in higher education management. It makes a contribution to higher education leadership studies by offering an empirical account of expanded notions of leadership. These extend the field beyond those unwilling to critique managerialist knowledge claims. I will argue that not only managerialist practices per se are of concern as we face discontinuous change in the sector – changes which move well beyond rationalist truth claims – but that these remain largely unchallenged and have moved into spaces that should be (re)claimed by leadership.     

The Ineffectiveness of our Effective Schools

The values and principles underpinning the ‘Leadership for Learning: Cambridge Network’ support the distribution of leadership to all members of the school community. This paper introduces the HCD (Highest Common Denominator) Student Partnership as a key way in which the ‘Leadership for Learning’ team learns from, explores and extends student leadership and participation within the current educational context. The paper opens with a consideration of current issues within the field of student voice before locating the contribution of the HCD Student Partnership within this field. Examples from recent projects with primary- and secondary-aged students are used to reflect on and illustrate the work of the Partnership with a view to sharing new practice and collaborating with new partners.