Edwin M. Bridges

Research on the School Administrator: The State of the Art, 1967-19801

This review maps the domain of research on school administrators for the period, 1967-1980, using 322 research reports drawn from two major sources: Dissertation Abstracts and published journals relevant to educational administration. The map highlights the methodological and conceptualfeatures of these studies and serves as the vehicle for identifying overemphasized approaches and major gaps in research on school administrators.

Wisdom gained, wisdom given: instituting PBL in a Chinese culture

Describes and analyses an initial attempt to introduce problem‐based learning (PBL) into a Chinese cultural setting. Discusses some of the tensions between the philosophy of PBL and the culture in which the authors used this innovative approach to leadership education. Further describes the strategies which the authors employed to address these underlying tensions and the reactions of the students to their first encounter with PBL. Examines possible cultural influences on the behaviour patterns the authors observed while the students attempted to solve the problem presented in the problem‐based learning materials. Whether these behaviours facilitate or hinder task accomplishment and group productivity remains an important area for further study.

An Example of Maximizing Survey Return Rates Methodological Issues for Health Professionals

Obtaining a high response rate in survey research can bolster statistical power, reduce sampling error, and enhance the generalizability of the results to the population surveyed. We describe a mail survey designed to achieve a high return rate of completed questionnaires from members of the American Psychological Association who were engaged in clinical practice. We adapted the Total Design Method for survey research and were able to achieve a high response rate (68%) among health professionals. This was not an experiment in which we assessed the best method to increase survey response rates, hence we cannot empirically evaluate how each of the steps influenced our overall response rate. Future research is needed to identify the relative effectiveness of each of these principles in enhancing survey response rates. Research is also needed to distinguish general principles that apply across populations fromthose that must be tailored to spe cific subpopulations.

Subunit Size, Work System Interdependence, and Employee Absenteeism

This study is concerned with the effects of subunit size and work system interdependence on short-term absenteeism among elementary teachers. The results of the path analyses show that these two structural characteristics have a direct effect on teacher absenteeism. Moreover, these effects persist after total size of the organization and various personal characteristics are taken into account.

Bureaucratic Role and Socialization: The Influence of Experience on the Elementary Principal

Findings of Dr. Bridges in his study of elementary school principals in a large midwestern city suggest that the proportions of role and personality factors determining behavior may vary with the amount of experience in the bureaucratic role. Mr. Bridges is director of the Articulated Media Project sponsored by the University Council for Educational Administra tion in Columbus.

The Macro- and Micropolitics of Personnel Evaluation: A Framework

In this article, the authors explicate a conceptual framework for analyzing the politics of personnel evaluation in an educational context. Using several elements of their framework, they discuss the politics of teacher evaluation in California in relation to the types of personnel evaluation decisions, the actors, their access to these decisions, their sources and level of power, and the outcomes related to their decisions. The authors further portray how politics enters into personnel evaluation at the district level by describing an actual case.

The Use of Cases in Problem Based Learning

Mention the word “cases,” and the first thing that comes to mind is the case method of instruction. Associating cases with the case method is understandable because this method has been used within the field of educational administration for nearly five decades. Until their cases became dated, Sargent’s (1955) case book provided the major source of case material for the field. To fill the void, the University Council of Educational Administration developed its cases series almost thirty years ago and has carried the torch ever since for using cases as a means of integrating theory, research, and practice.

Administrator preparation: looking backwards and forwards

Purpose – The purpose of this paper was to conduct a critical analysis of the origins and implementation of problem‐based learning in educational administration as a window into the limitations of this approach and more generally administrator preparation.Design/methodology/approach – The author reviewed the published work of the originator from 1970‐2009, as well as his preparation program for principals, and evaluated his approach primarily in light of two perspectives, emotional labor and positive emotions. The paper probes the utility of using these sociological and psychological perspectives in studying and understanding the emotional side of administration through interviews with principals.Findings – The major finding of this analysis was to question whether sufficient attention is being paid to the emotional aspects of administration in problem‐based learning in particular and administrator preparation programs more generally. The analysis reveals several areas where more attention should be paid,...

PREPARING ‘MANAGERS FOR ACTION’

This chapter presents a problem-based learning project that addresses problems in organizational behavior. This project differs from most other PBL projects presented in this section of the book in three ways. First, students select and frame their own problem for study and solution. Second, the project concerns a real, current problem in a real organization. Third, rather than delivering the project as a stand-alone project within a PBL track, the project is incorporated into a standard course in Organizational Behavior. Although the project described in this chapter focuses on problems in organizational behavior, the project could be used by instructors in any management subject as a template for a student-centered

A Systematic Review of Research on the Use of Problem-Based Learning in the Preparation and Development of School Leaders.

Problem: Problem-based learning (PBL) was introduced into the parlance of educational leadership and management almost 30 years ago. During the ensuing decades, a global community of professors, doctoral students, and curriculum designers has built upon early models with the goal of increasing the impact of school leadership preparation. This systematic review of the literature addressed three questions: (1) What is the scope and composition of the literature on PBL in educational leadership preparation and development? (2) What have we learned about the implementation and effects of PBL in educational leadership? (3) What directions should future research take in this domain? Method: For the review, we employed quantitative analysis and critical synthesis of 73 sources on the use of PBL in school leadership preparation and development published between 1989 and 2016. Findings: The literature on problem-based leadership preparation in education consisted primarily of descriptive studies of how PBL has been used in individual programs and courses. Progress was identified in terms of developing suitable learning strategies and curriculum designs for educational leadership programs. However, when compared with the literature on PBL in other professional fields, the research literature in this domain remains immature. Significance: This is the first published review of research on the use of PBL in school leader preparation and development. Implications: The authors highlight a need for more rigorous empirical research not only on PBL but also other innovative approaches to leader preparation in education.