Leadership Matters: Supportive Administration and Teacher Enrollment in a Professional Development Program

• In Event: Friday Roundtable Session 11:25 am
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership for Better Schools, Equity, and Justice (Table 10)

Abstract

This study investigated the factors associated with teacher enrollment in a higher education professional development (PD) partnership. Drawing on Wenger’s (1998) communities of practice, one recruiter documented visitation reception of administrators and teachers. Factors influencing enrollment were identified and statistical analyses were conducted. Enthusiasm of school administrators was shown to be an important factor when predicting participation in the PD program. The modality of the information meetings only mattered if teachers were required to attend a virtual session, as opposed to in-person, in which case enrollment dropped dramatically. Findings suggest that a recruiter’s role as knowledge broker extends beyond building relationships with teachers; buy-in from administrators is an overlooked, yet crucial, factor in the success of PD higher education partnerships.

Authors

• Stephanie M. Madison, Clemson University

• Virginia Clark, Clemson University