Developing Leadership in an Emerging School-University Partnership

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 11
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring and Expanding the Scope of Professional Development Schools

Abstract

In the school year 2016-2017, seven public schools started a partnership with a teaching institute in Hawaii to create a complex-wide Professional Development School (PDS). This qualitative single-case study uses the cultural-historical-activity-theory (CHAT) and a grounded theory approach for data analysis as the analytical tools to understand how leadership is structured and organized to share ideas across institutions to support the initiative of the PDS. Findings illuminate the importance of collaborative leadership, institutional meetings for sharing, and providing opportunities to develop the partnership. Difficulties arise with the lack of time and resources and they need to be addressed in order to find creative solutions. This research adds to the literature addressing school improvement and student learning in Hawaiʻi.

Author

• Nicole Schlaack, University of Hawaii - Manoa