International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership (IJEPL)
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The Effects of Simulations in a Simulation Center on Principals’ Training and Professional Self-Efficacy
No full textA simulation is a powerful tool for having an experience in a controlled and safe environment. In education, it has been used within simulation centers. The current study examined the effect of simulations on the professional self-efficacy of school principals in training. Twenty-two master of education students were asked to fill out the Principal’s Professional Self-Efficacy Questionnaire before and after taking a course at a simulation center. Results showed a statistically significant increase in all five categories of professional SE. Strong positive correlations were found between the age of the students and each of the measured elements of professional SE in the post-test. Simulations within an organized, supervised process in a simulation center are a powerful tool for the professional development of principals in training
Deal or No Deal? The Effects of Deregulation on Public School Leaders’ Support for Private School Choice in California
Get PDFPublic school leaders might be more likely to support private school voucher programs if they are enacted alongside public school deregulations. We use a survey experiment to examine the effects of public school deregulations on actual public school leaders’ support for a hypothetical private school voucher program in California. We do not find evidence to suggest that public school deregulations affect public school leaders’ support for private school vouchers overall. However, we unexpectedly find that deregulations related to teacher certification and administration of standardized tests further decrease support for private school choice for leaders of large public schools. This unexpected result may be explained by expected adjustment costs or regulatory capture
How a Networked Approach to Building Capacity in Knowledge Mobilization Supports Research Impact
Get PDFResearch impact is emerging as a common feature in national research systems. Knowledge mobilization (KMb) includes efforts undertaken to aid and accelerate research impact pathways by directing focus to processes that support impact. To date, researchers and universities have struggled to increase their capacity in KMb. This study explores the perceptions held by 16 leaders of Research Impact Canada, representing 14 networked universities, about the usefulness and use of networked learning to build institutional capacity in KMb. The analysis of data, which was collected using a mixed-methods survey design, highlights two overarching themes: 1) the contextual variability in how institutions engage in KMb work, and how practice-based subgroups can support the diverse KMb needs of different institutions; and 2) how capacity is developed through networked learning is distributed among individuals and groups within institutions, and how networked institutions need to be self-referential to the ways knowledge about KMb is sourced, validated, shared, interpreted, and employed
Opportunities and Access: Exploring How School District Leaders Make Meaning of Equity in Practice through Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Get PDFPurpose: The purpose of this research was to explore how PBIS and equity interacted according to school and district leaders.Research methods/approach: This study examined how five schools made meaning of the implementation process, ongoing efforts, and structures created. Through a case study including interviews, focus groups, and observations, the primary research question was explored: How do school leaders and teachers make meaning of implementing and assessing PBIS in their schools as a component of a journey toward equity?Findings: While the five schools had unique aspects, four common themes emerged across schools, including the benefits of PBIS, the power of relationships, the importance of communication and leadership, and PBIS challenges
Education Leaders’ Perspectives on Special Education Research: A Priority Setting Study
Get PDFResearch priority setting, an element of knowledge mobilization, makes knowledge users integral to the development of research agendas. To date, the use of research priority setting in educational research has been minimal. The purpose of this study was to explore educational leaders’ perspectives on research priorities in special education. We conducted a cross-sectional research priority setting survey with educational leaders from 60 public school districts in British Columbia, Canada. Seventy-one participants completed the survey. Results of a pre-set list of questions indicated that the top three research priorities were: grade-to-grade transitions, high school graduation, and time to designation. In terms of designation, or student categorization, participants were most interested in “Intensive Behaviour Interventions/Severe Mental Illness.” When asked about other priorities, participants identified research on types of support/interventions. These results have implications for developing a research agenda that can support informed decision-making around policy-development and programming for students with special needs.
A developmental evaluation of research-practice-partnerships and their impacts
Get PDFGlobally, K-12 education systems are grappling with how best to integrate research and evidence into policy and practice. Research-practice-partnerships (RPPs) have arisen as a potentially powerful mechanism for school improvement. This study investigates the ways four research-practice-policy-partnerships are addressing impact by (a) reporting on metrics being used to assess brokering and partnerships, and (b) exploring the ways that network leads and policymakers conceptualize partnerships and impact on the frontlines. Our findings suggest that while metrics being used provide a necessary baseline for number and types of partnerships, more robust methods are needed capture the quality of interactions and to strategically inform network development. Network leads conceptualize impact in relation to collaborative processes (shared goals; new and diverse partnerships; improved student achievement; system alignment); systems and structures (joint-work; funding and sustainability; demand from practitioners; equity); continuous learning (capacity-building; reach; adaptability; storytelling). Our discussion provides ideas about network improvement that include sharing cases of failures (alongside exemplary cases) to maximize learning, and advocates for the use of developmental evaluation to explore the impacts of RPPs
Wordplay or Paradigm Shift: The Meaning of “Research Impact”
Get PDFResearch impact is increasingly a global issue, yet it is still emerging in the context of U.S. education. This article synthesizes insights on this issue from key thought leaders in various roles in the U.S. education system, including their perspectives on defining, motivating, measuring, and supporting research impact. These insights offer the conceptual framing for this special issue of the International Journal of Education Policy and Leadership (IJEPL) and highlight several themes and tensions associated with research impact. The call for articles focused on these insights, which are addressed in the pieces that constitute this special issue
An Inquiry into the Impact of Stress on New School Leaders within a Unique Mentorship Experience
No full textThis study aimed to identify the sources of stress new school leaders encounter that may influence their mental health. This study used semi-structured focus groups to elicit thick, rich descriptions of participants’ experiences. The extensive data sets were collected over two years from 16 focus group interviews conducted during Colorado State University School Leadership Institute retreats. Narrative analysis of participants’ responses provided findings on the stress they experienced, including fear of failure or insecurity, pressure to perform, isolation, work-life balance, time constraints, and compassion fatigue. The participants identified that this unique mentorship opportunity allowed for self-reflection, self-care, and reconnecting with their purpose; furthermore, participants shared that the School Leadership Institute offered support and connectedness in a safe, non-evaluative environment. They shared the importance of strong building-level team support, the cathartic nature of the focus group interviews, and the positive progression from year to year in their roles
Knowledge Mobilization for Impact: A Multi-Case Study of Education Organizations
Get PDFUsing a multi-case design, this study draws on empirical evidence and literature to analyze the knowledge mobilization approaches in educational organizations. The sample consists of four different types of education organizations in Ontario, Canada: a school board, a university, a not-for-profit, and a professional association. Data sources include publicly available websites and documents (n = 63) and key informant interviews (n = 18). Although research impact was operationalized and observed differently in these organizations, measures of impact were found to be ineffectual in all cases. This article validates the findings of existing studies that have found that there are limited instrumental uses of research, wherein research directly influences policy and practice decisions. The study calls for a careful discernment and applicability of research impact