What can you learn about Educational Leadership trends in the 21st century?

In a diverse and global world respect and sensitivity will take you a long way. It's important to keep in mind that we live in plural and pluriversal world where different value and belief systems don't only co-exist but need to be cherished. As a global leader one can continuously learn not only from peers but from students and stakeholders. Any learning moment is a door to a new culture. It is also an opportunity to do better service. As leaders we learn through exposure and social interaction. It takes courage to be humble in front of new cultural phenomena but it can be hugely rewarding to empower someone to share this new knowledge with others.

I do not believe this is a new concept, but I do agree that it is now being recognized as an important competency to possess if you are to be successful as a leader in Education. Diverse learners have always been in every classroom, even if you could not see them with the naked eye looking in. It’s in opening your mind and re-evaluating your beliefs that you begin to develop a new perspective on it.

For a teacher to be able to share knowledge about globalization and diversity, needs the experience of working with students of different cultures, to build a solid knowledge you need to have experienced this type of teaching, the foundations of this reflection is based on three aspects: 1. Diversity is misunderstood as concept of learning about countries, instead of understanding the culture and showing appreciation for it. 2. Globalization, beyond to think in economical bonds, it is allowing a professionals to teach in different countries. Some employers, expect the teachers coming from other countries to adapt without the proper process and just do magic. 3. Preparation, the opportunities for teachers to get prepared to work are few.

In order to cater to the diverse needs of all, we must empower our teachers to collaborate globally and create a dynamic environment that is conducive to learning for all. Inclusion is also to be encouraged for a culturally responsive learning process. This process is not only a way forward for students but also for teachers and the entire learning community where they reflect upon their existing practices and plan their future goals and strategies accordingly.

My perspectives Educational leaders have to be visionary, adaptable, and belive in collaboration. They must understand that the Educational Paradigm is changing constantly and be in regular touch with the latest trends in educational technology, thus constantly upskilling themselves and their team. Focus on inspiring innovation, fostering critical thinking, and promoting lifelong learning. A forward-thinking approach that embraces change and empowers educators and learners to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. Leaders have to lead by example and create environment where Communication, Collaboration, Critical Thinking and Creativity are valued.

I agree with your point of view and questions that are most crucial at this time specially it's AI to deal with. I have personally witnessed the well preparedness of students rather then educators due to reinforcement of AI into their own learnings.

Additionally, it's critical to be knowledgable about the privacy laws and other regulations that protect young learners. Beyond laws, acting as an advocate for our minors who can not consent to having their data shared must become a minimum expectation for educational leadership in tech and innovation.

There is so much talk about leading for the future and adopting a growth mindset. Let's be specific: Will AI become a cost saver or an abundance driver? Are you a platform provider or a content provider? Are you a founder of new ecosystems or a follower? Are you paying enough attention to scalability? How do you strategically encourage innovation?

We understand technological integration as substitution of the teacher functions sometimes, with this I express my concerning about how the students are depending totally of technology and education could be being automatized. Education is a human process, the softskill taught must be motivated for the desire to learn and grow, sometimes technology for education uses the dopamine addiction and not the real purpose. Technology on education is a helper, not the main focus. All advances on this field are pointing to release from the many possibilities instead helping to support the process.

I believe that AI can be leveraged to power highly responsive and responsible data analytics to help education institutions support learner success. If we imagine the learner success system as a tree, the trunk of the tree is this kind of high-value data analytics. To grow this tree trunk requires an all-institutional collaborative effort.

I touched on the importance of equity and inclusion in my earlier comment. Learner success (completion, personal growth, career skills progress) must be equitable and inclusive because learning opportunities are the right of all individuals. AI can assist in driving equity and inclusion in education if we make thoughtful decisions about how we create and deploy these tools.

I believe this is perhaps the most important of all the trends. Social harmony, social awareness, and unity of thought on the inequalities and injustices today, everywhere, will help the move in the direction of justice and then peace and unity-in-diversity. For the global world, for humanity, the only path forward, in my understanding, is for us all to work to establish justice, truthfulness, and trustworthiness as the primary foundation. An ongoing mutual conversation and exploration together on the concepts of justice, truthfulness, and trustworthiness are required and will be for the next decades and centuries.

A topic that should be included in the learning road map for all teachers in their training. The lack of knowledge about the most effective techniques and the focus, are obstacles to develop quality learning experiences, for the education being able to reach all and provide all with the knowledge, skills and open mindset, it is necessary to understand that a humans we learn using our own style and the context defines the importance we give to our learning. Another important aspect is the willing of the teacher to assume the role, not all teachers feel confident dealing with special needs of education or teaching different cultures. In this case, there is a need to develop the sense of equity and go beyond their own beliefs.

Inclusive education focuses on special education to help children with disabilities learn and succeed in regular classrooms. However, in recent years, the definition of inclusive education has broadened to include “addressing all forms of exclusion and marginalisation, disparities and inequalities in access, participation, and learning outcomes.” Restrictive responses to variety in race, social class, ethnicity, geographic location, residence status, religion, gender, and ability are examples of social exclusion and marginalisation that have a direct impact on participation and learning outcomes.

Equity and inclusion are not separate from the earlier discussion on working with diversity. The term "belonging" is very important. In my work with youth who had dropped out of mainstream schools, lived on their own, or were involved in at-risk behaviors my team and I quickly learned we were not going to help them meet their educational goals if they did not feel any connection to the school. Creating an atmosphere of belonging became our primary goal. To do this well, we had to address any barriers that excluded people - physical, psychological and societal. It is difficult work because it is work again established systems.

I agree that current learners need to be prepared for uncertainty and associated challenges especially after the pandemic. The school mental health team comprising mostly school counsellors / psychologists need to strongly advocate for their roles and responsibilities in order to ensure better school climates . Keeping in mind the need for improving resilience among school going learners , it is imperative to adopt and integrate evidence based SEL initiatives . However it is even more crucial to look at the fidelity of delivery of such programmes . This requires collaboration , shared leadership and trust among stakeholders.

Yes, an ideal educational leadership must focus on sustainability. However, I seriously doubt whether this objective of educational leadership is really achieved. When we focus only on economic sustainability, especially in developing countries, environmental and social sustainability are grossly neglected. In the absence of a strong state funded education system, the private educational institutions may not be really committed to the first two types of sustainability. When equal right to education is not guaranteed to all sections of the society both Social and Economic sustainability can’t be achieved easily, instead inequality will be widened. And mostly it depends on the adaptive leadership style.

Sustainable leadership absolutely requires resilience and adaptation. As I often say, “Learning is our job.” The education profession needs to embrace the word, “profession” and empower change to rid the public school system of outdated learning models that are misaligned with the latest neuroscience on learning. Leaders must embrace change and lead those in their charge through the stages of growth, through fear of change into what the current science tells us about learning. Learning is active, creative, innovative, engaging, connected, integrated and should fill us with joy. If that is not happening we are not preparing children for their future.

To foster resilience, schools need to include socio-emotional learning and practices into the curriculum and culture of the school. Just teaching to the head is short-sided and counterproductive. Given how mental health issues are proliferating amongst youngsters the world over, schools need to actively teach and model emotional awareness, regulation, a growth mindset and an optimistic attributional style. Positive psychology researchers have identified and validated a number of tools and techniques that schools may introduce to children.

Sustainability and Resiliency in education leadership is of critical importance post-covid. Leaders can enhance their capacity through: 1. Curriculum Integration: Incorporating sustainability and resiliency topics into educational leadership programs to ensure future leaders are well-versed in these concepts. 2. Professional Development: Offering ongoing training and workshops for current education leaders to enhance their understanding of sustainability and resiliency.

At the moment, most higher education institutions do not have boards or senior management that are very knowledgeable about AI. Clearly, this points to an urgent need for various types of learning activities for strategic leadership roles to move organisations forward in a postive way.

School leaders are continually challenging teachers to improve their teaching. Here is a framework to help school leaders re-imagine how to do this: 1. Re-imagine teaching improvement as a coherent program or initiative (needs to be considered, goals and aims, essential questions, success criteria, etc.). 2. Translate this into an actionable program (assigned roles, goals linked to success criteria, evidence-driven criteria, participant motivation, etc.). 3. Re-imagine how to evaluate program success (different forms of evidence, research approach, contingency data collection, etc.). 4. Re-interpret and re-direct the strengths and limitations of the improvement program (how might this type of research be generalised?).

It is important that Professional learning and Development is in line with what the school hopes to achieve in the future. I feel that when for example teacher training or pedagogy is planned for then it should be implemented in some shape or form. All too often, one goes for such seminars and workshops and they are not implemented or the runway is short for only a year before another PD or training is started. It should be sustainable, impactful and make a difference to teachers.

Adding to Jeppe Klitgaard Stricker's comment, postsecondary education institutions need to not only learn how to use AI to promote learner success, they also need to see the learning journey as progressing beyond their own campuses. Internships and other career trajectory opportunities should be created with local employers and both technical and human skills training should be folded into as many courses as possible to facilitate this career pathway.

Professional learning for education leaders can be achieved through: Leadership Workshops and Seminars: Leaders can attend workshops and seminars on topics such as instructional leadership, school improvement, and educational policy to enhance their knowledge and skills. Coaching and Mentoring: Engaging in coaching or mentoring relationships with experienced leaders can provide valuable guidance and support.

The Triangle of Trust: Be Authentic - Show the real you... Be Logical - Prove your reasoning & judgement... Be Empathetic - Care about your teams... PS - Listen to the individuals around you...

In my educational experience I have worked with teachers, students, and parents from many cultural backgrounds and affiliations. In this global economy of which we find ourselves, it is so important that we embrace the differences and similarities which bring us together from all walks of life! This mindset helps us to understand different learning styles as we interact with multicultural groups in order to move forward to educate all students!

In the realm of educational leadership, there's one more crucial facet I'd like to emphasize: empathy. Beyond trends and strategies, the ability to truly connect with students, teachers, and stakeholders is paramount. It's about understanding their aspirations, challenges, and dreams. When we lead with empathy, we foster trust and create a nurturing environment for growth. It's the human touch that transcends all educational trends. So, let's not forget that behind every statistic, there's a unique story, and behind every challenge, there's an opportunity for connection and understanding. Let's lead with our hearts and minds, making a profound impact on education.

What I have found is in leadership, if you allow the freedom for your staff to create around the needs of individual students, they feel respected and valued and our students feel heard and valued. Both staff and students thrive in this kind of culture.

I think this is the time when tectonic transformations are happening across the fields, and education sector has to adapt to these shifts. the current model of schooling has to change itself in order to meet the individual needs of the students, and in the current class/grade/semester/year structure, that is not doable. The technologies like AI now have the potential to provide individualised instruction at an affordable cost, which was not previously possible. So, the educational leaders have to prepare themselves to envision a very future of education, and its delivery modes.