Dr. William Allan Kritsonis, Educational Philosophy
- 1. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy Implementing Postmodern Strategic Planning Creates Innovative Leadership for 21st Century Educational Organizations Introduction Educational leadership is the vision, skills, and leadership capabilities that leaders have to build and maintain their educational organization. Educational organizations must develop strategic plans that mobilize the organizations, avoid past mistakes, and guide the organizations to excellence. Fenwick English and his book, The Postmodern Challenge to the Theory and Practice of Educational Administration (2003), offers an excellent conceptual frame to strategic planning. Fenwick English believes, “Postmodernism has many implications for the theory and practice of educational administration” (English, 2003, p. 235). Postmodernism marks the end of the idea of a singular, unitary field of study that asserts that there is only one, unchanging truth. Postmodernism encourages strategic plans that are flexible and practical to each individual educational organization. Purpose The purpose of this article is to discuss the evolution of strategic planning and methods in which educational organizations can effectively implement postmodernism in strategic planning. Dr. Fenwick English, in his book The Postmodern Challenge to the Theory and Practice of Educational Administration (2003), discusses his views on modernism, postmodernism, and the ways postmodernism may benefit educational practice today. Strategic planning is essential to educational leadership. Strategic planning serves as a guiding document for an educational organization. Strategic planning enables an educational organization to declare its direction. Dr. English (2003) believes that
- 2. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy educational organizations need to abandon the “one best way” thinking but we can adopt and refine old ideas. The old idea can be utilized but the old context may not continue to be relevant. Dr. English (2003) reiterated his point by using Frederick Taylor and Edward Deming as examples. Frederick Taylor is the father of the scientific management movement (Hoy & Miskel, 2005, p. 9). Taylor focused on physical production, time and motion studies, and the division of labor (Hoy & Miskel, 2005, p. 9-10). Edward Deming denied his notion of “quality” was Taylorism, but his model incorporated all of Taylor’s attitudes toward change and the idea no organization could change itself. The same ideas were introduced with different approaches. Educator’s need to abandon the modernistic metanarrative and seek different perspectives resulting in a paradigm shift. Modernist school leadership does not believe that anything other than academic learning should take place in schools (English, 2005). Modernists fail to make the connection between student achievement and issues of social class, race, and gender. Dr. William Kritsonis (2007) in the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning states that educational organizations are obligated to the development of the whole child. Modernism is based on the notion of rationality, prediction and one universal truth. Proponents of postmodernism find inherent weakness in modernist philosophy and offer a more inclusive perspective. Dr. English (2003) believes that postmodernism begins with a paradigm shift from traditional modernism. The dichotomy between management and leadership is a point of contestation that affects performance in educational administration (English, 2005). The structure of schools as a social system is that of the modern bureaucracy. According to Dr. English (2005), educational administration was infatuated by the rhetoric surrounding the work
- 3. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy by Taylor and the new “mission” for educational leaders to set about the task of creating a science of school leadership. Strategic plans in educational organizations must embrace the concept of learning organizations becoming learning communities within the postmodernism context (Glanz & Behar-Horenstein, 2000). Educational organizations must become learning environments that empower self and others; transcend superficial understanding; apply knowledge to practical problems; and make the future better than the present (Glanz & Behar-Horenstein, 2000). Dr. English (2003) challenges the Interstate Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards. They are a set of universal, generic, work standards that claim to be research based. “Each of the standard are then developed more fully by indicating under each what the critical knowledges, dispositions (values) and performances would comprise the standard” (English, 2003, p. 104). The Interstate Leaders Licensure Consortium standards have strong ties to Frederick Taylor’s principles of implementing strategic plans. His method was a plan of “deskilling” by restructuring, reducing, and simplifying work tasks. These standards are stated to be “scientific” and “best practice”. The Interstate Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards do not deal with alternative conceptions of knowing other than competency-based assessment which excludes knowledge unrelated to the workplace (English, 2003). Postmodernism believes that knowledge includes life experiences such as culture and daily interactions that sculpt human beings. The development, articulation, and implementation of a vision of learning that is shared and supported by the members of the educational organization is the best plan for strategic planning. A postmodern educational administrator is an educational leader who
- 4. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy advocates nurturing and sustaining culture in addition to academic learning within the educational organization. The postmodern educational organization emphasizes a shared vision which guides the direction of the organization. The educational organization’s mission must clearly and succinctly describe the business of the organization. Educational data is vital for strategic planning in organizations. Strategic planning must provide an understanding of the design of the educational organization’s assessment of needs and provide some direction for future aspirations. Postmodernism requires the educational organization to view data individually to the specific organization and according to specific circumstances. Dr. English states, “The human decision maker can take into account sources of data beyond information stored in binary codes” (English, 2003, p. 206). Effective decision making must take that particular organizations environment into account. Data-driven decisions limit educational organizations and lack the human experience. Educational leaders must be able to approach relevant issues, problems, or concerns specific to their educational organization. Concluding Remarks In conclusion, the need for effective strategic planning is critical for all educational organizations. It is time for a change from the traditional one size fits all view. Educational leaders must challenge current theory and develop innovative strategies while continuing to meet current student needs. Dr. Fenwick English and his book, The Postmodern Challenge to the Theory and Practice of Educational Administration (2003), provides strategies that educational organizations can use to create postmodern strategic plans today.
- 5. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy References English, F., (2003). The postmodern challenge to the theory and practice of educational Administration. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD. English, F., (2005). The Sage Handbook of Educational Leadership: Advances in Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications, Inc. Glanz, J., & Behar-Horenstein, L. S., (2000). Paradigm debates in curriculum and supervision: Modernism and postmodernism perspectives. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Hoy, W.K., & Miskel, C. G., (2005). Educational administration: Theory, research, and Practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Kritsonis, W. (2007). Ways of knowing through the realms of meaning. Houston, TX: National Forum Press. Stowe, D. E., (1996). Postmodern view of advisement in higher education. National Academic Advising Association, 16(2), 16-18. Townsell, R. (2008). A national look: Epistemology applied to postmodernism for the improvement and development of public education. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 26(4), 1-5.
- 6. 101 30 814 Educational Philosophy References English, F., (2003). The postmodern challenge to the theory and practice of educational Administration. Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas Publisher, LTD. English, F., (2005). The Sage Handbook of Educational Leadership: Advances in Theory, research, and practice. Thousand Oaks, CA. Sage Publications, Inc. Glanz, J., & Behar-Horenstein, L. S., (2000). Paradigm debates in curriculum and supervision: Modernism and postmodernism perspectives. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc. Hoy, W.K., & Miskel, C. G., (2005). Educational administration: Theory, research, and Practice. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Kritsonis, W. (2007). Ways of knowing through the realms of meaning. Houston, TX: National Forum Press. Stowe, D. E., (1996). Postmodern view of advisement in higher education. National Academic Advising Association, 16(2), 16-18. Townsell, R. (2008). A national look: Epistemology applied to postmodernism for the improvement and development of public education. National Forum of Educational Administration and Supervision Journal, 26(4), 1-5.