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Research on educational leadership preparation remains limited despite its importance for the larger educational leadership scholarship. This paper aims to provide a helicopter view of the current research topics in leadership preparation and their evolution. Using structural topic modeling (STM), it analyzes 786 full-text articles in the field published between 1966 and 2023. The analysis estimates 19 topics grouped into three clusters: Leadership Learning & Development, Policy, Equity & System Change, and Research, Theory & Practice. Over time, the research focus on leadership preparation has shifted from administrative and compliance-oriented topics like leadership standards and accreditation toward more equity-centered, emotionally attuned and practice-based approaches. Several topics, including instructional leadership, partnerships, race and identity, and emotional and reflective practices, have continued to grow, while topics like standards and system reform have declined. Finally, the study discusses the findings by pointing out the importance of incorporating equity, emotional engagement, and global perspectives into leadership preparation. The use of topic modeling provides a data-driven map of research trends by offering insights for future scholarship, policy reform, and program (re)designing.
Aziz Awaludin (Wed,) studied this question.