Opportunities and Costs: A Self-Study of Coordinating Teacher Education Programs

Overview & Synopsis

Although there is substantial research documenting the impact of department heads in higher education, there is a significant gap in the literature examining the role of program coordinators. This self-study explores how two teacher educators navigated the opportunities and costs of coordinating their respective programs, literacy education and elementary education. The data revealed three themes consistent across the coordinators: stakeholder and engagement, collaboration, and policy and power. Implications for leaders in higher education are discussed including the importance of revising evaluation tools to reflect the actual demands on coordinators' time, allowing time for rich and deep conversation among leaders, and providing mentors to assist coordinators in building their skills and supporting their efforts.