Margaret Cahalan is a brilliant writer and researcher who focuses on the improvement of the quality of higher education and the necessity to increase its equity through effective leadership practices. Regarding my knowledge of and experience in educational leadership, I find many strategies introduced by Cahalan (2015) helpful as they are based on clear statistical data, as well as the personal and academic needs of students and teachers.
However, at this stage of learning, I want to underline the importance of an understanding of how to combine learning processes and work. Students have to be engaged in choosing their careers at the early stages of their education in college. As soon as they set their career and learning goals and are provided with certain guarantees, they will be eager to continue their education and be guided with a meaning.
Equity of participation in higher education can be valuable when students realize what they strive for. Still, it is not enough to have one or two goals and try to do everything possible to achieve positive results. I already observed several situations when students established goals and tried to do their best to have the highest grades and introduce the strongest projects. In the end, they were assessed, and a portion of gratitude was shown.
Unfortunately, it was the only result achieved. No job opportunities were offered. Therefore, to make sure that students want to stay in college and continue their education in universities, educational leaders have to think about the increased integration of work and learning. This method can inspire students, open new partnerships for leaders, and guide teachers concerning the skills and knowledge that may be crucial for their students.
Reference
Cahalan, M. (2015). Sixteen strategies for widening equity of participation in higher education in the United States: Reflections from international comparisons. In the Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education (Ed.), Indicators of Higher Education Equity in the United States (pp. 43-52). Philadelphia, PA: The Pell Institute.