The main elements of the Doctor of Education program are goal setting, self-assessment, and self-reflection. They help a future leader understand what kind of work may be done to achieve goals, how to cooperate with different people, and what steps can be taken to use people’s strengths and weaknesses. My professional development depends on how well I can use my abilities and knowledge in leading different academic programs, communicating with students, and promoting academic success regarding the offered student-centered learning environment. Nowadays, the US educational programs undergo considerable changes, including such issues as policy-making, instructional leadership, and personal attitudes in order to avoid the complication of “running on empty” (Hallinger & Murphy, 2013). To cope with the challenge of change, leaders can link leadership and learn through case studies, debates, role-playing activities, and simulations (Owen, 2015). The Doctor of Education program may guide potential leaders in how to clarify what skills they should develop and motivate their followers in completing their tasks and duties. Goals setting and self-assessment can be helpful tools in leading successful learning programs and organizations. Leaders set clear goals and inform all students about the tasks that have to be done during a course. Self-assessment is an activity in terms of which teachers may explain to their students how to evaluate their skills and knowledge, how to use theory in practice, and what future improvements may be expected. The promotion of student success, change, and a positive organizational culture can be achieved through effective self-reflection activities which show the growth of students, the benefits and challenges of the learning environment, and the worth of each decision made in a learning process.
References
Hallinger, P., & Murphy, J.F. (2013). Running on empty? Finding the time and capacity to lead learning. NASSP Bulletin, 97(1), 5-21.
Owen, J.E. (2015). Transforming leadership development for significant learning. In J.E. Owen (Ed.), Innovative learning for leadership development (pp. 7-18). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.