Will the Increasingly Globalized Knowledge Base for Educational Leadership Increase the Professional Status of the Field?

Abstract

Purpose: This chapter examines the global applicability of the knowledge base in the field of educational leadership from the lens of occupational professionalization. Design/Approach/Methods: Abbott‖s (1988) model of field professionalization is applied to the work of educational leadership as it pertains to a potentially universal knowledge base for efficacious practice. Findings: The knowledge base for the field of educational leadership has already demonstrated international appeal. But from a theoretical perspective, bolstered by still early empirical findings, the work of educational leadership will struggle to reach the purest form of sociological professionalism. The work of educational leadership is often tied to social and political values that do not persist across international borders. Originality/Value: As empirical research in the field of educational leadership grows on an international level, the field must articulate how such knowledge can be utilized in policy and academic preparation programs.