Full Description
This book explores the dynamic interplay between two fundamental but often conflicting forces within the educational landscape: managerialism and professionalism.
Educational reform has long been shaped by a cyclical pattern of tightening and loosening control - an oscillation between the managerial impulse to standardize and the professional need for autonomy. The book examines how this dynamic unfolds in different educational contexts, with a particular focus on the United States and China. Tracing the evolution of reform efforts, examining the tension between managerialism and professionalism, and rethinking the use of data in decision-making, it argues for a shift from top-down control to "data-informed sensemaking," ultimately advocating for educational systems in which professionalism "leads the dance" and ensures that they truly serve students, teachers, and communities.
The book will appeal to scholars, students, and practitioners in the fields of educational management, leadership, administration, and policy.
Contents
Introduction: Rethinking Education System in the Age of Data
PART I The Myth and Ceremony: Loose Coupling in Educational Organizations
1 Spinning Wheels: The Cyclic Nature of Educational Reform in Misaligned Systems
2 A Paradigm Debate: Loose or Tight Coupling Across Educational Organizations
PART II The Collision of Managerialism and Professionalism
3 Hearts Versus Charts: The Managerial Dilemma of Social-Emotional Learning in China
4 Measuring Mission: The Managerial Dilemma in NCLB's Data-Driven Era
5 Crafting Professionalism: A Contemporary and Future Outlook on Teacher Profession
PART III Data: The Epicenter of Managerialism and Professionalism
6 Weaving with Data: Professional Approaches to Recoupling Educational Organizations
7 Number Numb-ers to Sense-makers: Professional Sensemaking in Educational Organizations
Epilogue: Reimagining Schools as Learning Hubs in the Age of AI
