Developing Leadership Through Collaborative Professional Learning

• In Event: Moscone Center North Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: Leadership Preparation: Continuing to Improve

Abstract

Effective leadership at the central office and school level can make a difference in student learning. There is a demand for ongoing leadership professional learning. In this two-year action-based research study, researchers collaborated with a school division as part of a research-practice partnership to design and explore collaborative professional learning model aimed at addressing new leadership standards. Preliminary findings from year one surveys, interviews, and focus group indicate a modest increase in leader’s perceptions of growth in leadership dimensions showing that the collaborative professional learning appears to be having a positive impact on leadership development. Findings from the first year of this study will inform recommendations for the professional learning designs that will be investigated during year two.

Authors

• Christy Carla Thomas, Ambrose University

• Jeff Turner, University of Calgary

• Jim Brandon, University of Calgary

• Sharon Friesen, University of Calgary