Does Pedagogical Knowledge Support Effective Instructional Leadership In Usa Medical Education?

Abstract

ABSTRACT LOUISE M. JONES DOES PEDAGOGICAL KNOWLEDGE SUPPORT EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP IN USA MEDICAL EDUCATION? Under the direction of DR. EDWARD BOUIE Ed. D

The element of instructional quality in higher education is known to be a key influencer on successful student outcomes. The instructional leader is known to impact faculty instructional quality through their practices. Typically, these leaders receive little formalized preparation for their role in building capacity in instructional quality. The investigator posited that general pedagogical knowledge (GPK) would be linked to higher levels of engagement with effective leadership practices (ELP) in the leaders directly responsible for instructional quality. This cross-sectional study drew from leaders within U.S. medical education (n=189) as a subculture of higher education, using a 32 item Likert-type rating survey instrument, Educational Leadership Practices in Higher Education (ELPHE). Reliability, validity, and model-fit studies were carried out on the data set using inter-item correlation, and structural equation modeling before scoring the ELPHE subscales and full scale. The findings indicate that participants with a higher level of self-reported GPK were also more likely to have a higher level of engagement with evidence-based effective educational leadership practices. The findings from this study provide some insight into the type of knowledge and degree of mastery that best equips the leaders with direct responsibility for building capacity in faculty teaching excellence.