Heather E. Duncan

Mentoring and Coaching Rural School Leaders: What Do They Need?

This study explores the types of principal mentoring/coaching programs delivered in Wyoming school districts, USA, and the areas of need perceived by principals at different levels of experience. Some formalized district principal mentorship programs existed in larger school districts but these mainly targeted beginning principals. Most of the mentorship that occurred was informal. Priority topics for mentoring and coaching beginning and experienced principals identified were, in the area of professional socialization, data driven decision‐making and instructional leadership, and in the area of organizational socialization, working with difficult faculty members and working with difficult parents.

LEARNING TO TEACH ONLINE: WHAT WORKS FOR PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

While opportunities for online learning are increasing in K-12 education, few teacher education programs include courses on online teaching and learning. Using Garrison and Andersons (2003) Community of Inquiry framework, this qualitative study explored the educational experiences of pre-service teachers in an experiential online course designed to teach about online teaching. Students explored aspects of online education and created a multi-media teaching module. The study highlighted the need for pre-service teacher education programs to design learning experiences that equip the next generation of teachers with the skills required to teach 21st century students in a variety of media that accommodate a diversity of learning styles.

School Leaders' Perceptions about Incompetent Teachers: Implications for Supervision and Evaluation.

This study explored Wyoming school leaders’ perceptions about the traits of incompetent teachers, strategies used to work with incompetent teachers, and the barriers to their dismissal. Most importantly, this study differentiated how principals and superintendents viewed incompetency issues. Some major findings include school leaders’ beliefs that classroom management problems were an indicator of incompetence, counseling to leave the profession was a strategy used with incompetent teachers, and teacher unions were a barrier to their dismissal.

Experiencing Online Pedagogy: A Canadian Case Study.

This case study explored the educational experiences of Canadian preservice teachers in a course designed to teach about online teaching. Students gained experience in course design and delivery, and safe and ethical behavior related to technology. Findings indicated that projects in which students actively applied their knowledge were more engaging than threaded discussion; delivery and content must accommodate diverse learning styles; and leadership online must be taught as well as modeled. Students reflected with the instructor and researcher on ways to improve the online experience. The study provided the researchers with a valuable opportunity to dialogue about online teaching.

Exploring gender differences in US school principals’ professional development needs at different career stages

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore, with respect to gender and career stage, the areas in which principals perceived professional development was important. Beginning principals perceived higher needs for support and skill development in all areas. All experience levels of principals indicated high needs for professional development in using data to inform decisions and in resolving personnel issues. Many of the top-ranked areas, regardless of gender or experience level, were relational areas (resolving student, parent and personnel issues). Female principals perceived greater need for professional development, particularly in resolving student issues. Female beginning principals and female experienced principals expressed greater needs than did their male counterparts for support in sustaining personal motivation.