ERIC Number: EJ1134836
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 11
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1085-5300
EISSN: N/A
A Comparison of Internships among Louisiana University Principal Preparation Programs
Campbell, Kathleen Taylor; Parker, Randy
Research in the Schools, v23 n2 p17-27 Fall 2016
After widespread accusations that universities were not adequately preparing school leadership candidates with real world experiences, the movement to reform U.S. university principal preparation began. The National Policy Board for Educational Administration approved the Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) standards as guidelines for principal preparation programs. In the early 2000s, Louisiana universities were mandated to redesign their principal preparation programs to align with the ELCC standards. Presently, there are indications that another redesign mandate will be forthcoming, this time to align preparation programs with the most recent iteration of preparation standards, the National Educational Leadership Preparation (NELP) standards. In anticipation of the mandate, the present researchers conducted a comparison of the internship programs at the Louisiana universities. The present study is the second part of a 3-part investigation comparing 11 Louisiana university principal preparation programs. The purpose of the present study was to determine the similarities and differences in internship requirements, structure, and other logistics. The research questions were: What are the similarities in the Louisiana university principal preparation programs? and What are the differences in the Louisiana university principal preparation programs? Major findings indicated that all internships aligned with the ELCC standards. All programs required at least 1 semester of internship, although the requirement ranged from 1 to 3 semesters, and the required hands-on hours ranged from 110 to 300 hours. Most internships required candidates to experience the opening and/or the closing of the school year, and all programs emphasized authentic, practical experiences that a school principal normally encounters.
Descriptors: Comparative Analysis, Internship Programs, Principals, Administrator Education, Administrator Qualifications, Administrator Attitudes, Instructional Leadership, Universities, College School Cooperation, Partnerships in Education, Masters Programs, Questionnaires, Mixed Methods Research
Mid-South Educational Research Association (MSERA). Web site: http://www.msera.org/publications-rits.html
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Louisiana
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A