'Professionalising the Profession': Evolving a Multi-site National Executive Development Center

Abstract

Ben Harris, Nolan Estes and Judith Loredo of the University of Texas at Austin and David Carter of The University of Notre Dame Australia report upon a project undertaken under the auspices of the American Association of School Administrators, which is evolving a National Executive Development Center to meet the needs of senior school system executives. In their paper they discuss initial work on a diagnostic and professional development system. The underlying assumptions of the Diagnostic Executive Competency Analysis System (DECAS) are described. Procedures for the conduct of a diagnostic workshop are delineated as well as the scheme for self-diagnosis of workshop-generated data. These are used to develop a professional programme plan for on-going professional development. The authors, whilst acknowledging the distinctly American flavour of the approach, claim that it has implications for the professional development of senior managers in markedly different cultural settings.

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References

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