Case Studies on Educational Administration by Theodore J. Kowalski

From the Publisher

Case Studies on Educational Administration, 5/e

Theodore J. Kowalski, University of Dayton

Effective practice in school administration requires both leadership and management. In today’s reform-minded, information-based society, practitioners must be able to frame problems correctly and then make effective decisions to ameliorate them. As leaders, district and school-level administrators are expected to focus on what should be done to improve schools; as managers; they are expected to focus on how to do things successfully. The cases in this book are designed to make students think about common problems of practice by encouraging them to bridge theory and practice. More precisely, the cases are intended to hone four essential practitioner skills:

1. The ability to frame a problem correctly

2. The ability to develop and evaluate alternative solutions to a defined problem

3. The ability to use data and other facts to counter the influence of politics and emotion in decision making

4. The ability to grow professionally by engaging in reflective practice.

New to this Edition:

• In the aftermath of the No Child Left Behind Act, greater emphasis has been placed on using data to make decisions.
• The Introduction to the book has been expanded to provide more information about problem solving and data-driven decision making.
• Immediately after each case, a format for framing the primary problem has been added. The intent is to teach students how to frame problems and the nexus between problem solving anddecision making.
• Three new cases have been added. Case 1 involves data-driven decision making; Case 8 pertains to cultural conflict in a rapidly changing community; Case 15 addresses the responsibility of high school officials for a weekend student party.

Here’s What Your Colleagues Are Saying:

“These cases provide the students opportunities to see things from an administrator’s perspective instead of the teacher’s perspective.  This can be very eye-opening for some of the students”

Michael Pregot, Iona College

“The book’s strength definitely lies in the complexity of each case.”

Terry Stirling, Northeastern Illinois University

Booknews

Kowalski (educational administration, U. of Dayton, Ohio) uses 24 case studies to train the reader in the issues and dilemmas that face an administrator. The case studies are grouped by topic<-->such as lounge talk, using committees to make key decisions, the principal changes some valued rules, and different perceptions of effective teaching<-->and, following background on the topic, the case study is laid out in detail, with the end result suppressed and replaced by a list of key issues and questions to provoke thought and discussion in the classroom. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Product Details

• Table of Contents

Table of Contents