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Dissertation/Thesis Abstract

Principals' Perceptions of Their Leadership Preparation: A Study of Preparation Programs' Practices for Transferring Theory to Practice
by Mueller, L. Heather, Ed.D., Missouri Baptist University, 2017, 122; 10742544
Abstract (Summary)

This qualitative case study sought to identify strategies and practices which align administrator preparation coursework with the needs of new school leaders in transferring theory to practice. This study explored current school administrators’ perceptions of their leadership preparation experiences in relationship to their perceptions of readiness for leadership. Utilizing an anonymous semi open-ended questionnaire, the researcher focused on two over-arching questions: 1. What are the perceptions of the practical application experiences used in participants’ administrator preparation program? 2. What are the participants’ perceptions of the practical experiences most needed by new administrators? Both negative and positive themes provided a deeper understanding of the participants’ lived experiences. A comparison of the positive and negative comments regarding field-based internships and clinical experiences revealed a difference in the depth of the experiences which correlated to the participants’ perceptions of the positivity or negativity of the internship. The experiences listed as negative revealed a need for in-depth and purposeful experiences and improved feedback to the graduate student from both the internship mentor and the university teachers. Subsequently, the results were positive for cohort themes and indicated the participants found this practice be a tool for developing relationships and providing feedback. While viewed in a positive light, the mentoring results’ themes presented an opportunity to review practices in conjunction with one another, such as the combination of mentoring within field-based internships and clinical experiences. Finally, participants provided suggestions for program improvement including the use of preparation program and district partnerships as a means to align coursework with real-world experiences.

Indexing (document details)
Advisor: Hillhouse, Edward
Commitee: Riggs, Richard, Vitale, Cynthia
School: Missouri Baptist University
Department: Education
School Location: United States -- Missouri
Subjects: Higher Education Administration, Educational leadership, Educational administration
Keywords: Cohort, Internships, Leadership preparation, Mentoring, Preparation programs and district partnerships, Preparation programs’ practices
Publication Number: 10742544
ISBN: 978-0-355-56776-2