learning leadership
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Learning Leadership. Faculty and Administrative Practices That Advance Learning Pete Turner, PhD Residential Educational Faculty Estrella Mountain Community College. How Many of You are - . Faculty? Senior Administrators (Presidents or Vice-Presidents)? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Learning Leadership
Faculty and Administrative Practices That Advance Learning
Pete Turner, PhDResidential Educational Faculty
Estrella Mountain Community College
How Many of You are
- Faculty?
Senior Administrators (Presidents or Vice-Presidents)?
Deans or middle-level administrators?
Support Staff?
Of effective faculty? Of effective administrators?
In the name of learning, what are the leadership characteristics and
practices . . .
Not Appointed ElectedBut Informal “Grassroots” (Burke, 2010; Kezar & Lester, 2009)
Faculty members influencing their peers Amend and improve practices Name of student learning
Faculty Leadership
Learning Leadership
Background
Purpose
Lit Review
Findings
Implications
Recommend
So What’s This About?
Background
Starts with Teacher Leadership• Most significant in reforming K-12 education
(Danielson, 2006; Donaldson, 2006)
• More responsible for bringing about change than any other force (Reeves, 2008)
And what about informal (grassroots) faculty leadership (IFL)?• Essentially undefined, little documentation
(Shugart, 2010; Turner, 2013; Wilson, 2010)
• Calls for more research (Burke, Kezar & Lester)
So . . .
Led to research project Literature review Case Study involving
Three of original Vanguard Colleges Documents examination Senior administrator (10+ yrs. at that college)
interviews Faculty Surveys
Determine current IFL practices, examples Explore future areas for IF leaders Identifying administrative practices advancing
IFL Delineate administrative practices impeding
IFL
Purpose
Literature Review
Informal Faculty Leadership Formal vs. Informal (Burke, 2008; Kezar & Lester, 2009;
Mayrowetz, 2008) IFL in the Learning College and Post-Secondary
Education Collaborative teams (O’Banion, 2007; Shugart, 2010; Wilson,
2010) Faculty Inquiry Groups (Faculty, 2008; Huber, 2008) Grassroots leadership (Burke, 2010) – new
technologies, new pedagogies Focus on teaching and learning (Shugart, 2010)
Literature Review
Administrative actions advancing IFL Supporting actions (Wechsler, 2007)
Collaborative Narrow focus on teaching and learning, broad
perspective of college High value for role of faculty in change All levels involved in innovation
Servant leaders (Grosso, 2008)
Literature Review
Administrative actions impeding IFL Impeding actions (Kezar, 2009)
Initiative overload “Institutional isomorphism”
“Bureaucratic Baloney” (Reeves, 2008) Leaders don’t model behavior they preach “Polar opposite of culture of evidence” Traditions rule over data-driven decisions Reliance on purpose (as opposed to results)
Findings
Examination of Documents
High level of consistency Common themes:
Learning Collaboration Innovation Diversity
Findings
Faculty Member Surveys
Current/future examples: Collaboration Mentoring (faculty-faculty, faculty-student) Center for Teaching and Learning Innovative ideas with sharing
Findings
Faculty Member Surveys
Current/future examples: Action research Service learning Technology Faculty-driven professional development
Findings
Faculty Member Surveys
Administrative Practices Advancing: Characteristics of administrators
Facilitative, encouraging, communication, trust, transparency
Collaborative: horizontal and vertical Allocation of resources (CTL, technology, etc.) High value for faculty innovators Provide needs and then freedom
“Get me what I need then get out of the way!”
Findings
Faculty Member Surveys
Administrative Practices Hindering: Character deficits
Micromanaging Secretive, lack of transparency Poor communication skills Collaboration deficit, especially horizontal Failure to show appreciation/recognition
Organizational design issues Structural designs, campus layout Not supporting innovation Not allocating resources
Findings
Faculty Member Surveys
Administrative Practices Hindering: Requirements not related to teaching/learning
Paperwork Out-of-class assignments, tasks Committee assignments not related to learning
Impediments to collaboration Not modelling Not walking talk Not removing structural roadblock
Role of deans, other middle-level managers
Findings
Administrator Interviews
Current/future examples Characteristics of IF Leaders
Focused on learning Energetic, enthusiastic: “passionate innovators” Never satisfied, always looking for better way Influential: always sharing and contributing
Purveyors of innovative practices Service learning Experiential learning Authentic assessment High engagement pedagogies Use of cutting edge technology
High value for informal faculty leaders – aura of mutual admiration
Findings
Administrator Interviews
Administrative practices advancing Characteristics of administrators
Self-critical, open to change Focus on learning
Culture of collaboration Inclusive of faculty in discussions, decisions Deep conversations Open to suggestions
Continual, rigorous, transparent system to evaluate current systems/practices
High value for informal faculty leaders
Findings
Administrator Interviews
Administrative practices advancing Facilitative
Dedication of budget, resources Ongoing faculty development, faculty involvement Moving innovation to institutionalization
Hiring consistent with learning Peer-to-peer training Induction/mentoring program
Celebration of IFL
Findings
Administrator Interviews
Administrative practices/structures hindering
Financial stressors Governance systems, political agendas Middle level managers (deans, etc.)
Enrollment first Budget second Learning third
Environmental obstructs
Speaking of enrollment . . .
Implications Derived from Convergence
High value held for IFL and leaders: significant/necessary vehicles for change
Continual focus on learning, collaboration, innovation
Programs: Service Learning Mentoring CTL/faculty-driven professional development Emerging technologies
Deans/middle level managers focused on learning
Recommendations
Regarding Professional Development Administrators
Provide resources Let faculty drive it
Faculty members Understand importance of PD Share best practices Strive for continual growth
Recommendations
Regarding Programs (Service Learning, Mentoring, Emerging Technologies) Administrators
Well-resourced and supported? Move to more integrated and essential part? Faculty have critical role in driving/implementing?
Faculty members Be open to change Understand connection of change to learning
Recommendations
Regarding Administrative Practices Challenges in moving innovation to
institutionalization Faculty used as “champion innovators”? If perceived as top-down Dedicate the resources
Faculty members Understand processes, protocols to be followed Understand challenges admin faces
Learning Leadership
Background
Purpose
Lit Review
Findings
Implications
Recommend
So What’s This About?
Of effective faculty? Of effective administrators?
So now, in the name of learning, what are the leadership
characteristics and practices . . .
Burke, K. (2010). Distributed leadership and shared governance in post secondary education.
Management in Education 24(2), 51-54. Retrieved from: http://mie.sagepub.com.proxy1.ncu.edu/content/24/2/51.abstract
Danielson, C. (2006). Teacher leadership that strengthens professional practice. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Donaldson, G.A. Jr. (2006). Cultivating leadership in schools: Connecting people, purpose, and practice. New York: Teachers College.
Faculty inquiry in action: Guidelines for working together to improve student learning (2008). The Carnegie Foundation for the advancement of teaching. Retrieved from: http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/publications/faculty-inquiry-action-guidelines-working-together-improve-student-learning.
Grosso, F.A. (2008). Motivating faculty through transformational leadership: A study of the Relationship between presidential leadership behaviors and faculty behaviors. Dissertation, The Catholic University of America, # 3310021.
References
Huber, M.T. (2008). The promise of faculty inquiry for teaching and learning basic skills.
A Report from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching:Strengthening Pre-Collegiate Education in Community Colleges. Retrieved from: http://eric.ed.gov/PDFS/ED503130.pdf.
Kezar, A. (2009). Change in higher education: Not enough or too much? Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning 32(6), 18-23.
Kezar, A., Lester, J. (2009). Supporting faculty grassroots leadership. Research in Higher Education 50, 715-740. DOI 10.1007/s11162-009-9139-6.
Mayrowetz, D. (2008). Making sense of distributed leadership: Exploring the multiple usages of the concept in the field. Educational and Administration Quarterly 44(3), 424-435.
O'Banion, T. (2007). Leadership for learning. Community College Journal, 78(2), 45-47. Retrieved from Research Library. (Document ID: 1383351301).
References
Reeves, D. B. (2008). Reframing teacher leadership to improve your school. Alexandria, VA:
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Shugart, S. (January 8, 2010). From an interview with the president of Valencia College (a Vanguard College) conducted by Peter Turner, Doctoral candidate, Northcentral University; at Estrella Mountain Community College, Avondale, Arizona.
Turner, P. (2013). Informal faculty leadership that transforms: Evidences and practices for the Learning College. Dissertation, Northcentral University. UMI # 3571494
Wechsler, J.K. (2007). The presidents’ role in the learning college project: A multiple case study. Abstract of Dissertation, Argosy University.
Wilson, C. (August 23, 2010). From a telephone interview conducted by Peter Turner, Doctoral candidate, Northcentral University; and Learning College Project Director at the League for Innovation in the Community College.
References