Activating Overall Instructional Leadership: Creating District Conditions for Informed Instructional Support

• In Event: Using Novel Approaches to Further the Development of Instructional Leaders

Abstract

This collective case study provides insights into the ways that superintendency teams are creating conditions in their districts wherein school and district leadership efforts are explicitly and persistently focused on informed instructional support through the system wide activation of overall instructional leadership. Evidence from the first two years of a comprehensive, longitudinal research study has revealed five major assertions: (a) framing leadership research in action, (b) building purposeful professional relationships, (c) modelling ongoing collaborative professional learning, (d) mobilizing overall instructional leadership, and (e) integrating external and internal expertise. Data from individual and focus group interviews, documents, artifacts, field notes, and online surveys were gathered and analyzed in pursuit of transferable insights for leaders practicing in other settings.

Authors

• Jim Brandon, University of Calgary

• Jeff Turner, University of Calgary