Doctoral Leadership Preparation in Education: The Practice-Research Debate Dr. Brian K. Perkins, Director Urban Education Leaders Program Teachers College Columbia University New York, New York

Framing the Debate Practice Candidates should be grounded in practical aspects of job function Important for candidates to know how to consume research Research Candidates should have significant research experiences Important for candidates to know how to conduct research

Top* Program Structural Overview *US News World Report 2014

Top* Program Course Overview

Interviews (Former & Current Superintendents) Seven (7) Cases 5 EdD | 2 PhD Reason for attendance: Convenience of Alternative Schedule Average Years of Service: 17 years

Most Relevant Courses Administrative course on Budget and finance; Leadership (focus on leadership behavior) Leadership Theory/History of Leadership Theory Law & Sociology of Education “Connecting Policy to Practice” Organization Dynamics; Politics; Law Ethics; Developing Policy for practice Policy developments courses; looking at the effects of policy on practice; Politics

Importance to Understand Practical Strategies to Educational Improvement Very Important---how to get people motivated and move the instructional agenda Extremely Important – Somewhat Important – was not a focus Extremely Important; think critically about the issues/problems and solve them Extremely Important Extremely Important – Extremely Important – getting an understanding of the breadth of the job is essential

Importance to Understand How to Conduct Research Somewhat Important – Given the nature of the job you don’t need to do it, but you need to know how to use. Somewhat Important – Learning how to read and interpret research was essential Somewhat Important Somewhat Important – able to read and understand studies Somewhat Important – need to understand the qualities of good research vs bad research Extremely Important – made him think of things differently; no longer pull the latest thing off the shelf Somewhat Important – need to understand terminology and study designs

Missing Courses Board/Superintendent Relationships Instructional Leadership/Best Instructional Strategies Dealing with Personnel/Human Resources Nothing---program was geared for the practice of the superintendency; strong mentoring component for entire program Clinical Experience; go in the field and be with a superintendent Budgeting Change Process

Major Recommendations Course(s) on Organizational Change & Development Research courses focus on the consumption of research & understanding of statistical significance Non-traditional dissertation (focus on a problem of practice)