Educational reform commissions and state departments of education across the United States have recommended that would-be administrators spend more time in planned field experiences, internships, and other practica and on-the-job learning activities. Despite this need, systematic research on experiential learning for administrators is remarkably…

The value of field experience in administrator preparation programs is assessed in this paper, which examines commonly held beliefs about field experience. The following values of field experience--that it assesses career commitment, refines school goals, provides practice in real settings, and develops personal and professional competence--are…

This paper is a response to two recommendations for preservice training of school administrators proposed in the 1987 report of the National Commission on Excellence in Educational Administration: that greater attention be placed on discovering ways in which universities and local education agencies might collaborate more effectively in the…

This keynote talk addresses future trends in educational administration and reviews the ways in which attention to professional development for school administrators can help people to become better prepared for the challenges of today and tomorrow. Future trends include (1) a growing awareness of the importance of instructional leadership; (2)…