Promising Practices for Leadership Development: Exploring a Collaborative Professional Learning and Coaching Program

Authors

  • Christy Thomas Ambrose University
  • Jennette Koehn
  • Jeff Turner University of Calgary

Keywords:

leadership development, district leadership, professional development, peer coaching

Abstract

Given the substantial impact school leaders have on school improvement, the imperative for continuous professional learning for leaders is evident. In this two-year action research study, researchers collaborated with a school division, forming a research-practice partnership, to design and explore a collaborative professional learning and coaching program. The primary objective of this program was to align with local leadership standards and foster leadership development. The central research question was: How does implementation of a collaborative professional learning and coaching program contribute to leadership development? Data were collected from district and school leaders and included pre and post surveys, interviews, and focus groups. The findings of this study indicate that district leadership practices show promising potential in fostering inservice opportunities for leadership development. These practices include the following: (a) ensure programs are sustained with a consistent focus, (b) utilize collaborative learning approaches, (c) assess growth through reflection and feedback, and (d) use action research to support continual improvement. This study aims to provide valuable insights to school districts and researchers regarding the implementation of sustained and job-embedded professional development for school leaders, with a specific focus on leadership development.

Author Biography

Christy Thomas, Ambrose University

Dr. Christy Thomas is an assistant professor in the School of Education at Ambrose University and an adjunct assistant professor in the Werklund School of Education at the University of Calgary. Her research centers on leadership, professional learning, and collaboration which is fueled by her desire to build communities of practice that support flourishing for all.

References

Adams, P., Braunberger, D., Hamilton, S., & Caldwell, B. (2021). Leaders in limbo: The role of collaborative inquiry influencing school leaders’ levels of efficacy. The Canadian Journal of Action Research, 22(1), 27–44. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v22i1.551

Barnes, C. A., Camburn, E., Sanders, B. R., & Sebastian, J. (2010). Developing instructional leaders: Using mixed methods to explore the black box of planned change in principals’ professional practice. Educational Administration Quarterly, 46(2), 241–279. https://doi.org/10.1177/1094670510361748

Barth, R. S. (1986). Principal centered professional development. Theory Into Practice, 25(3), 156–160. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1476805

Brown, B. (2021). Research-practice partnerships in education: Benefits for researchers and practitioners. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 67(4), 421–441. https://doi.org/10.11575/ajer.v67i4.70073

Carey, W., Philippon, D. J., & Cummings, G. G. (2011). Coaching models for leadership development: An integrative review. Journal of Leadership Studies, 5(1), 51–69. https://doi.org/10.1002/jls.20204

Celoria, D., & Roberson, I. (2015). New principal coaching as a safety net. Educational Leadership and Administration: Teaching and Program Development, 26, 86–99.

Coburn, C. E., & Penuel, W. R. (2016). Research–practice partnerships in education: Outcomes, dynamics, and open questions. Educational Researcher, 45(1), 48–54. http://doi.org/10.3102/0013189x16631750

Coffin, G. A. (1997). The impact of district conditions on principals’ experientially acquired professional learning. [Doctoral dissertation, University of Toronto]. TSpace. https://hdl.handle.net/1807/10739

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Cunha, R. S., Tintoré, M., Cabral, I., & Matias Alves, J. (2020). Portuguese principals’ professional development needs and preferred learning methods. Education Sciences, 10(9), 219. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci10090219

Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., Meyerson, D., & Orr, M. (2007). Preparing school leaders for a changing world: Lessons from effective school leadership programs (Executive Summary). Stanford Educational Leadership Institute, Stanford University. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/Preparing-School-Leaders-Executive-Summary.pdf

Davis S. H. & Darling-Hammond L. (2012). Innovative principal preparation programs: What works and how we know. Planning and Changing, 43(1/2), 25–45.

Davis, S., Darling-Hammond, L., LaPointe, M., & Meyerson, D. (2005). School leadership study: Developing successful principals (Review of Research). Stanford Educational Leadership Institute, Stanford University. https://edpolicy.stanford.edu/sites/default/files/publications/school-leadership-study-developing-successful-principals.pdf

Day, D. V., & Dragoni, L. (2015). Leadership development: An outcome-oriented review based on time and levels of analyses. Annual Review of Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior, 2(1), 133–156. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-orgpsych-032414-111328

Duncan, H. E., & Stock, M. J. (2010). Mentoring and coaching rural school leaders: What do they need? Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 18(3), 293–311. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2010.492947

Ely, K., Boyce, L. A., Nelson, J. K., Zaccaro, S. J., Hernez-Broome, G., & Whyman, W. (2010). Evaluating leadership coaching: A review and integrated framework. The Leadership Quarterly, 21(4), 585–599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.06.003

Evans, P. M., & Mohr, N. (1999). Professional development for principals: Seven core beliefs. Phi Delta Kappan, 80(7), 530–532. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20439497

Friesen, S., & Brown, B. (2022). Design-based professional learning: A promising approach to continuous professional learning. International Journal for Leadership in Learning, 22(1), 218–251. https://doi.org/10.29173/ijll10

Gates, S. M., Baird, M. D., Master, B. K., & Chavez-Herrarias, E. R. (2019). Principal pipelines: A feasible, affordable, and effective way for districts to improve schools (Research Report). Rand Corporation. https://doi.org/10.7249/rr2666

Goldring, E. B., Preston, C., Huff, J. (2012). Conceptualizing and evaluating professional development for school leaders. Planning and Changing, 43(3/4), 223–242.

Grissom, J. A., & Harrington, J. R. (2010). Investing in administrator efficacy: An examination of professional development as a tool for enhancing principal effectiveness. American Journal of Education, 116(4), 583–612. https://doi.org/10.1086/653631

Grissom, J. A., Egalite, A. J., & Lindsay, C. A. (2021). How principals affect students and schools: A systematic synthesis of two decades of research. The Wallace Foundation. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/How-Principals-Affect-Students-and-Schools.pdf

Gumus, E., & Bellibas, M. S. (2016). The effects of professional development activities on principals’ perceived instructional leadership practices: Multi-country data analysis using TALIS 2013. Educational Studies, 42(3), 287–301. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2016.1172958

Guskey, T. R. (2012). The rules of evidence: Focus on key points to develop the best strategy to evaluate professional learning. Journal of Staff Development, 33(4), 40–43.

Hamilton, S., Braunberger, D., & Brown, B. (2022). Conceptualizing a foundation to lead a school–university research partnership. International Journal for Leadership in Learning, 22(1), 340–363. https://doi.org/10.29173/ijll14

Honig, M. I., & Rainey, L. R. (2014). Central office leadership in principal professional learning communities: The practice beneath the policy. Teachers College Record, 116(4), 040304.

Honig, M. I., & Rainey, L. R. (2019). Supporting principal supervisors: What really matters? Journal of Educational Administration, 57(5), 445–462. https://doi.org/10.1108/jea-05-2019-0089

Huber, S. G. (2013). Multiple learning approaches in the professional development of school leaders – Theoretical perspectives and empirical findings on self-assessment and feedback. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 41(4), 527–540. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143213485469

Huggins, K. S., Klar, H. W., & Andreoli, P. M. (2021). Facilitating leadership coach capacity for school leadership development: The intersection of structured community and experiential learning. Educational Administration Quarterly, 57(1), 82–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0013161x20915948

King, T. N. (2020). Principals’ perceptions of a district-developed grow-your-own principal preparation program: A Q methodology study [Doctoral dissertation, Texas A&M University]. Electronic Theses & Dissertations. https://digitalcommons.tamuc.edu/etd/290

Ladegard, G., & Gjerde, S. (2014). Leadership coaching, leader role-efficacy, and trust in subordinates. A mixed methods study assessing leadership coaching as a leadership development tool. The Leadership Quarterly, 25(4), 631–646. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2014.02.002

Lambert, L. (2011). What does leadership capacity really mean? Counterpoints, 408, 34–36. https://www.jstor.org/stable/42981264

LeChasseur, K., Donaldson, M. L., & Landa, J. (2020). District micropolitics during principal professional learning. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 48(5), 935–955. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143219864947

Leithwood, K., & Louis, K. (2012). Linking leadership to student learning. Jossey-Bass.

Liljenberg, M. (2021). A professional development practice to enhance principals’ instructional leadership – Enabling and constraining arrangements. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 6(4), 354–356. https://doi.org/10.1108/jpcc-12-2020-0102

Lochmiller, C. R. (2014). Leadership coaching in an induction program for novice principals: A 3-year study. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 9(1), 59–84. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942775113502020

Mazurek, M. K. (2022). Senior leaders’ perceptions about preparing and developing Alberta’s principals as instructional and learning leaders [Doctoral dissertation, University of Calgary]. PRISM. https://doi.org/10.11575/prism/39856

Mendels, P., & Mitgang, L. D. (2013). Creating strong principals. Educational Leadership, 70(7), 22–29.

Meyers, C. V., Wronowski, M. L., & LaMonica, L. (2023). Evidence that in-service professional learning for educational leaders matters. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 18(1), 103–131. https://doi.org/10.1177/19427751211042060

Meyer-Looze, C. L., & Vandermolen, R. (2021). Building school leader capacity for impact. School Leadership Review, 16(1), Article 3.

Miles, M., Huberman, A., & Saldana, J. (2014). Qualitative data analysis. A methods sourcebook. SAGE Publications, Inc.

Mills, G. E. (2013). Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher (5th ed.). Pearson.

Mombourquette, C. P., & Bedard, G. J. (2014). Principals’ perspectives on the most helpful district leadership practices in supporting school-based leadership for learning. International Studies in Educational Administration, 42(1), 61–73.

Nehez, J., & Blossing, U. (2022). Practices in different school cultures and principals’ improvement work. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 25(2), 310–330. https://doi.org/10.1080/13603124.2020.1759828

Nicholson, B., Harris-John, M., & Schimmel, C. J. (2005). Professional development for principals in the accountability era. Appalachia Educational Laboratory at Edvantia. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED489141.pdf

Parker, P., Hall, D. T., Kram, K. E., & Wasserman, I. C. (2018). Peer coaching at work: Principles and practices. Stanford University Press.

Parsons, J. & Servage, L. (2005). Preparing for site-based research: A research project guide for graduate studies. Duval House Publishing.

Primus, T. (2021). Examining a new approach to educational leadership training for school principals in an urban district: A qualitative case study [Doctoral dissertation, Northcentral University]. ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global.

Reiss, K. J. (2015). Leadership coaching for educators: Bringing out the best in school administrators (2nd ed.). Corwin.

Robertson, J. (2016). Coaching leadership: Building educational leadership capacity through partnership (2nd ed.). New Zealand Council for Educational Research.

Robinson, J., Horan, L., & Nanavati, M. (2009). Creating a MentoringCoaching culture for Ontario school leaders. Adult Learning, 20(1–2), 35–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/104515950902000108

Rogers, W. T., Hauserman, C. P., & Skytt, J. (2016). Using Cognitive Coaching to build school leadership capacity: A case study in Alberta. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue canadienne de l’éducation, 39(3), 1–29. https://www.jstor.org/stable/canajeducrevucan.39.3.03

Service, B., & Thornton, K. (2021). Learning for principals: New Zealand secondary principals describe their reality. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 49(1), 76-92. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143219884673

Simkins, T. (2012). Understanding school leadership and management development in England: Retrospect and prospect. Educational Management Administration & Leadership, 40(5), 621–640. https://doi.org/10.1177/1741143212451172

Simon, S., Dole, S., & Farragher, Y. (2019). Custom-designed and safe-space coaching: Australian beginning principals supported by experienced peers form pipeline of confident future leaders. School Leadership & Management, 39(2), 145–174. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2018.1470502

Slater, C. L., Garcia Garduno, J. M., & Mentz, K. (2018). Frameworks for principal preparation and leadership development: Contributions of the International Study of Principal Preparation (ISPP). Management in Education, 32(3), 126–134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0892020617747611

Solansky, S. T. (2010). The evaluation of two key leadership development program components: Leadership skills assessment and leadership mentoring. Leadership Quarterly, 21(4), 675–681. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.leaqua.2010.06.009

Taylor, R. T., Pelletier, K., Trimble, T., & Ruiz, E. (2014). Urban school district’s Preparing New Principals Program 2008-2011: Perceptions of program completers, supervising principals, and senior level school district administrators. The International Journal of Educational Leadership Preparation, 9(1), 186–198.

Thessin, R. A. (2019). Establishing productive principal/principal supervisor partnerships for instructional leadership. Journal of Educational Administration, 57(5), 463–483. https://doi.org/10.1108/jea-09-2018-0184

Timperley, H. (2011). Realizing the power of professional learning. Open University Press.

Tingle, E., Corrales, A., & Peters, M. L. (2019). Leadership development programs: Investing in school principals. Educational Studies, 45(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03055698.2017.1382332

Wahlstrom, K. L., Louis, K. S., Leithwood, K., & Anderson, S. E. (2010). Learning from leadership. Investigating the links to improved student learning: Executive summary of research findings. Center for Applied Research and Educational Improvement, University of Minnesota. https://wallacefoundation.org/sites/default/files/2023-09/Investigating-the-Links-to-Improved-Student-Learning-Executive-Summary.pdf

Welch, J. & Hodge, M. (2018). Assessing impact: The role of leadership competency models in developing effective school leaders. School Leadership & Management, 38(4), 355–377. https://doi.org/10.1080/13632434.2017.1411900

Wise, D. & Hammack, M. (2011). Leadership coaching: Coaching competencies and best practices. Journal of School Leadership, 21(3), 449–477. https://doi.org/10.1177/105268461102100306

Wright, L. & da Costa, J. (2016). Rethinking professional development for school leaders: Possibilities and tensions. EAF Journal, 25(1), 29–47.

Zepeda, S. J., Parylo, O. & Bengtson, E. (2014). Analyzing principal professional development practices through the lens of adult learning theory. Professional Development in Education, 40(2), 295–315. https://doi.org/10.1080/19415257.2013.821667

Zepeda, S. J. (2019). Professional development: What works (3rd ed.). Routledge.

Downloads

Published

2024-05-06

Issue

Section

Articles