Share Paper: External Professional Development Organization Supports for K-12 School Initiatives: A Leadership Study

  1. Nathaniel Ostashewski, Athabasca University, Canada
Wednesday, March 9 10:45 AM-11:15 AM McGavock's B

Abstract: This paper presents initial findings of a qualitative study exploring K-12 leadership approaches that utilize external professional development (PD) support. The pilot study consisted of 19 questions asked in a semi-structured interview. Results of the study indicate that school administrators find a cooperative leadership approach, utilizing teacher PD, valuable for the implementation of non-mandated school wide initiatives. The study confirms that PD supports for school initiatives are an integral part of a school initiative implementations. Administrators identify external PD organization supports for an initiative as: provision of “big picture” information for administration, opportunity for staff to participate in PD opportunities ...