Vibrant, quality, inclusive, and performing education systems remain a constant aspiration for all countries and educational stakeholders, and are more important than ever given the uncertain and disrupted times in which we live. Ground-breaking and timely, Leading Education Systems explores the nature, dispositions and context of the leadership of schooling systems.
Acknowledging the once-in-a-lifetime stimulus of a pandemic, this timely edited collection highlights the opportunity we have for comprehensive and complex new discussions around education systems. Drawing on the perspectives of a diverse range of global thought leaders, academics and scholar-practitioners, this text is a springboard for the re-imagination of education system leadership. Supporting and fortifying leaders to question traditional models of system leadership, Brown and Duignan envision how system leaders might act in collaboration with others to lead differently. Their book is a must-have call to action for education stakeholders to lead us into a new and different age, and a sustainable future.
Industry Reviews
'Guiding and inspiring systems of schools is increasingly complex given the myriad of demands placed on school leaders. The value of school systems in realising quality learning outcomes for students, is increasingly supported by evidence based research and the practical experience of those who lead schools. Stephen Brown and Patrick Duignan have brought the experience and perspective of system leaders to this largely unchartered territory. Leading Education Systems draws on the wisdom of educators and researchers to provide system leaders with practical and thought provoking strategies as we come to terms with the immediate and long term implications of COVID-19. As we look to a world beyond the pandemic, the compilation of the experience and insights of those who have worked in Australia and internationally provides a valuable resource for those leading education systems now and in the future. What lies ahead is uncertain, but as educators we can draw on the vast wisdom and knowledge of current leaders and the lessons they have learnt, so that our students will not just survive, but thrive in the world that will emerge as this decade unfolds.' -- Pam Betts, Executive Director, Archdiocese of Brisbane Catholic Education, Australia
'Leading a school is challenging and complex enough, but leading a whole system is not for the fainthearted. The challenges are huge, the eco-system is tough to understand and navigate and it can take several years to begin to see an impact. But in a world where it is increasingly politically, socially and economically essential for states and countries to have successful education systems, system leadership is more important than ever. This book avoids simple solutions to these complex problems. Instead, it provides rich and insightful analyses and case studies, based on research and on what has worked well in different contexts. Thoughtful and challenging in equal measure, it will help system leaders and those who aspire to be system leaders to reflect on their own situation and to ensure that they become the leaders that their context needs them to be.' -- Professor Steve Munby, former CEO Education Development Trust and former CEO National College for School Leadership, UK.
'The world is changing faster than the systems that we design to process its uncertainties and demands. Nowhere is this more urgent, important and difficult than in education. The Covid-19 pandemic has raised the pace and urgency of the challenge, but also, like any great crisis, creates the climate in which innovation and rethinking design and practice can be more acceptable. So it is that this book is one for our times, for education systems need innovation like never before - at the levels of systems, processes and practices on the ground. We should never forget these are profoundly human at every level, and this inspiring collection shows the global scale, richness and urgency of rethinking that is emerging. Brown and Duignan are to be congratulated for bringing together such an accessible digest of visions and sharing them in this volume.' -- Nigel Nicholson, Emeritus Professor of Organisational Behaviour, London Business School, UK.
'Despite a burgeoning literature about approaches to school-based leadership in the contemporary world, very little attention has been paid to leadership at the level of education systems. This book makes an important contribution to filling that gap. Importantly its authors recognize that the dead hand of the neoliberal policy regime in education cannot deliver the kind of collaborative and democratic leadership that is needed to shape responses by schooling systems to the massive changes that are bearing down on our societies. Each chapter explores approaches to system-wide change which promote partnership, capacity building and teacher professionalism. As a collective they demonstrate that such approaches are far better suited to the demands of the future than the competitive individualism that for too long has formed the basis of education policy around the world.' -- Professor Emeritus Alan Reid AM, Education Futures Unit, University of South Australia, Australia.
'Education will become the most critical profession in the next decade. Dramatic global change will require learning systems that encourage our youth to redesign their communities. The world will need educational leaders who can do likewise, and Leading Education Systems is the book for those who seek both the Why and the How of that transformational thinking. Accompanied by contributions from other outstanding educators, the deeply respected expertise of Stephen Brown and Patrick Duignan resonates throughout the text. This is the definitive educational leadership book for these tumultuous times. Savour every word.' -- Tony Ryan, Education Futurist, author of The Next Generation, Australia.
