Educational Leadership in Practice

With standardisation and teach to test movements sweeping the education sector, influencing policy, and putting pressure on educators, there is on-going demand for education to adhere to external requirements. Joleen Lewis, a recent graduate of our online, part-time master’s course in Educational Leadership in Practice, has been working in the education sector for 16 years and is currently working as a teacher in further education. We spoke to her about her career, her personal experience of the course and the reasons she chose to study at The University of Manchester.

A world-class university

“When deciding on my master’s, I chose The University of Manchester because it is extremely well-known and highly regarded. With it being one of the best universities in the world, I knew it would supply me with an outstanding education”, Joleen tells us. “My literacy has massively improved because of this course, as well as my communication skills. Gaining the skills and the knowledge about leadership in the education sector has given me so much confidence in my abilities as a teacher”.

“When I first started the master’s, I experienced imposter syndrome, and I didn’t feel academic enough for the course. However, because of the amazing staff and educational facilities at the university, I gained so much confidence in my abilities, leading me to achieve an overall mark of a distinction.”

Outstanding academic staff

The support of the academic staff was paramount to Joleen’s success. “During the course, my tutors provided me with a schedule of key dates which gave me a guideline of when to work on each essay or deadline. This was a key tool that really helped my learning. The staff were always on hand to answer my questions in a timely manner. You could always ask for them help whenever you needed it, they were supportive and dedicated towards your success.”

Joleen was given the chance to meet her academics through in-person conferences.“The conferences I attended over the span of the master’s were great. I was given the opportunity to network with my peers and tutors and speak in depth about our careers. The activities involved within these conferences were so engaging and even stimulated the idea behind my dissertation. To me, they were invaluable”.

Finding a good balance between studying and working full-time is a challenge for most of our students. Joleen advises prospective students that planning is key. “To succeed at this course, I had to practice self-discipline”, Joleen tells us, “I had to be strict with planning my study around my work commitments. It was challenging but very much worth it. To do well, you need to be passionate about the subject. You must be motivated and be able to take autonomy over your own learning.”

Personal development

“A few years before enrolling on this course, I was in a middle-leadership role at a secondary school. Prior to this role, I had not had any formal leadership training. Studying this master’s after this role gave me so much opportunity for self-reflection and improvement. As a graduate, I now feel a 100% more confident to attain a leadership role again.”

“The completion of this course inspired me to apply for more leadership positions. In the next few months, I will begin studying in preparation for the position as an IQA internal quality assessor. This role involves being responsible for anything to do with the courses my educational facility delivers, whether it be the quality of the learning material, the marking feedback and many more”.

Joleen expresses her gratitude for our Educational Leadership in Practice course and believes that it has been invaluable to her development as an educator. “The course has given me so much personal development within myself. It has been exponential in my growth as a teacher and a leader. The University of Manchester has pushed me academically so that I could exceed my expectations and achieve my career goals. The course staff motivated me to keep aiming higher and higher with my studies. I am so grateful to have had this opportunity to advance my learning.”

Diana Wilson is an experienced educator and a member of the first Middle East cohort of students on the part-time MA Educational Leadership in Practice programme – an experience that has surpassed all her expectations. Diana is now determined to take her career to the next level.

“I selected The University of Manchester's MA Educational Leadership in Practice (MA ELiP) programme because of the strong platform it offers to listen and enjoy, experience and learn directly from the University faculty, anywhere in the world. I have met very few leaders in my career with specific knowledge in leadership and so I was delighted to see that educators in positions of responsibility can make teaching and learning a more positive experience and create better workplaces for the people involved in this profession. The MA ELiP provides specific knowledge, which I believe leaders will find essential in making a positive change in education.

Teachers certainly make good learners; they are happy to work towards positive change. I have been in the field of education for nearly two decades now. I started my career quite early and have continued to work without any gaps or breaks. This programme of study (MA ELiP) with Manchester is also one that I self-funded.

My experience includes roles in teaching and leadership in the UAE. In Dubai in 2020, I decided to take my professional development to the next level and towards leadership in education. I was familiar with some of Dr. Alexander Gardner Mc-Taggart's research on international schools as at that time I was reading his work for my final project at another university in Dubai. The invitation to attend the ELiP information session caught my eye. I attended the session and was immensely impressed by the people and reputation of the University and the MA ELiP course that was due to start in September 2020 with its first cohort in Dubai.

For me personally, the biggest questions I had about school leadership and leadership in general have been answered during the programme. It has provided me with a more reflective and thorough outlook in understanding the factors impeding progress and how to deal with issues that may have remained unresolved and ignored.

The Manchester part-time MA ELiP is certainly not an academic programme that you follow in isolation. During my studies, I had the opportunity to meet my fellow students and the faculty from Manchester during live lectures and webinars, and face-to-face conferences in Dubai, which made my learning experience splendid. These meetings were engaging and generated discussions around common concerns, including global issues that affect education and how we as educators can affect the planet and its future citizens. Each semester's course conference spanned a range of topics that had a connection with the wider course content.

Together as a cohort, we have learned from each other's experiences and contributed to making the best of our professional and personal knowledge. Everything about the programme was well-organised and the team from the university was always available to respond to any queries, academic or non-academic.

With this international higher qualification, I am going to face the world wherever I am destined to lead, open mindedly, with upright moral values of equity, and levying a viewpoint that privileges social justice.’’

After studying and teaching in the UK, David Buckley decided to move abroad and engage with international school education. He worked in schools in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Singapore, and acquired significant practical experience as an educational leader. Studying for a master’s is something that he was always contemplating, as he wanted to develop his theoretical skills and take a critical approach to educational issues. Driven by his desire to interact with a global network of like-minded professionals and learn about the latest developments in the sector, David is confident that the MA in Educational Leadership in Practice will equip him with the tools to make a difference.

Influence change

“This course not only provides you with a theoretical framework, but it also examines educational leadership issues in diverse international contexts,’’ says David. Considering himself a life-long learner, he hopes to gain a holistic view of education and engage with modules he is passionate about. David finds the course and the flexibility of the assessments valuable, in terms of helping him apply his learning into practice. Exploring his interests around the expansion of international school education in the Asia-Pacific region over the last ten years, helps him relate the course to his work and expertise.

His studies help him explore alternative aspects of educational leadership that he took for granted. At a time of great change in the industry, he needs to take a more critical approach to educational issues and social policy. “My role is quite practical, but I missed the theoretical side of it. I need to learn more about leadership models, examine and review the existing literature.’’ The broad scope of the course allows him to learn about things outside of his sphere, opening his eyes to wider issues and finding fresh approaches to pursue. He can broaden his horizons and influence his organisation’s decisions by creating impactful change

Build a global network

When applying for this course, the conference element, and the fact that the course is a blend of online and in-person delivery, stood out to David. He admits that having the opportunity to connect face-to-face with people in a physical environment is inspiring, as you gain a deep understanding of best practices from around the world. “Building a global network with peers and experts and working collaboratively around issues you are passionate about, helps you discover new aspects of education,’’ says David. Although - due to the pandemic - the conferences have been virtual, he explains that they provide a platform for discussions around educational leadership issues to take place.

Meeting with fellow students and professionals is important for David. “Engaging with people from around the world makes me realise how wider the realm of educational leadership is and the opportunities that are out there,’’ he says. In this way, he can take a holistic view of educational leadership and grow personally and professionally through the course.

New paths

David is confident that the course will equip him with the tools he needs to make an impact. He hopes to develop his intellectual skills and apply his learning to his practice. “I am starting a new role soon, which is a new challenge for me. I will continue synthesizing what I’ve learned during the course and then will transfer that into this new setting and context. This offers me a sense of fulfilment,’’ he says.

The master’s in Educational Leadership and Practice is key in developing his ideas and helping him influence his organisation’s leadership decisions. He will also try to frame his dissertation around elements of his new role, which is mutually beneficial for the school and himself. David adds that ‘’the learning that has taken place during the course doesn’t end or stop, when the course ends.’’ He is also not sure, whether he will continue with a PhD, but he feels that ‘’this journey has been more of a spark and a catalyst as opposed to a full stop at the end.’’