Educational Leadership

Changes in educational leadership and administration over the past decade and a half represent a shift from traditional, social science-based approaches to more cognitively based views of the field. In addition, a heightened interest in the connections between the way educational leaders think and their actions has led to expanded emphasis on practice-based knowledge and in-service preparation programs for school leaders. In North America, where pre-service, formal training dominated, practice-based education, internships, and authentic evaluation received more emphasis. In the UK, where in-service professional development dominated, formal cognate learning is being enhanced. These developments suggest a broadening of approaches to educational leadership education stretching across the professional life of the practitioner.