A Collaboration of School Administrators and a University Faculty to Advance School Administrator Practices Using Appreciative Inquiry

• In Event: Roundtable Session 21
  In Roundtable Session: Collaborative Partnerships That Build Professional Capacity for Schools and Universities

Abstract

School administrators used observations of highpoint experiences to advance educational practices and human performance in their schools. An appreciative inquiry (AI) theoretical research perspective guided this study and its methodology. The unit of analysis included 10 school administrators located in a highly diverse suburban school district. There were two findings: 1) The AI focus of inquiry on highpoint experiences shapes school administrator perceptions, attitudes, and application of craft knowledge to practice. And, 2) the school administrators’ sharing of highpoint experiences in a whole group setting generated new forms of practice during the 10-week study. The findings suggest that personal and whole group reflection on successful practices generates new craft knowledge with immediate application to practice.

Authors

• Raymond L. Calabrese, The Ohio State University

• Leona Houston, The Ohio State University