PROFESSIONAL INTERVIEW ANALYSIS INSTRUCTIONS

Assignment Description

You will conduct an interview and write a case study analyzing the interviewee's beliefs on education in the context of the theories and thinkers covered in the course. The final document must be 2,500-3,000 words; include a title page, abstract, and reference page; and use current APA format. You must include 4 scholarly sources.

Specific Guidelines

You will be asked to analyze the statements of another educator in the context of the thinkers covered in this course. Seek out a person of interest and schedule an interview early in the course.

• Identify the person to be interviewed. This person may be a teacher, administrator, or other educational professional working in K-12 or in a higher education environment. The person may not be related to you. Be candid with the person about your task. You will not use real names in your report.

• You must use the first 3 sets of questions (items A-C below), although you may add to or modify them to fit your interview. Use sections A-C (Foundations of Leadership, Critical Issues, Effective Practices) as first-level headings for your paper. You may ask follow-up questions to probe more deeply if you need more detailed responses to better inform your paper.

• Keep in mind that you want to have enough substantive material to write your paper. In the case that a participant cannot identify the philosophical basis of his/her practice as an educator, the recommended approach includes asking questions about practitioner issues in order to understand how he/she approaches problems and real-to-life situations. This will provide you with material for a substantial analysis.

• During the interview:

o Record the interview if you are able. If not recorded, you must take detailed notes.

o Be aware of your own bias as you interview. Be sure you are not taking any statements for granted. Question assumptions on your part.

• Writing the Analysis

o This assignment is designed to introduce you to real case study analysis.

o Write the case using pseudonyms. Be sure to begin your paper by providing the reader with a description of the subject's role/context, background of your analysis, and your conclusions.

o Avoid the overuse of direct quotations by summarizing or paraphrasing the participant's responses.

o Each major heading must contain a brief summary of the participant's comments along with a thorough analysis. Your analysis is really an examination of the participant's statements in light of your knowledge of philosophical perspectives in education.

This is not merely a summary of the interview; it must be an analysis of the subject's remarks to the interview questions.

Be sure to include specific citations and references to the various people, concepts, and resources addressed in the course textbooks. You are trying to place your subject on the continuum of beliefs. Feel free to be critical.

o Your analysis must include proper citation of at least 4 references.

o You are being assessed on your ability to summarize and critically think about the subject's statements, your knowledge of leadership theories and practices, and your writing style (spelling, grammar, punctuation, and current APA format, etc.).

Interview Questions/Outline:

A. Foundations Of Leadership (required)

1. Discuss your background (e.g., where you grew up, where you went to school, and life experiences before becoming an educator).

2. Describe your philosophy of education.

3. Which philosophers most shaped your beliefs? How?

4. What skills, characteristics, attitudes, etc., are most important for an effective educator to develop?

5. How would you describe your "call" to be an educator?

6. How did your religious views or worldview impact your views of education?

B. Critical Issues (required)

1. Identify and comment on the 3 most critical issues (e.g., social, legal, pedagogical) currently facing educators. How should schools work to resolve these issues?

2. How have these issues been addressed by educators in the past?

3. Describe any institutional plans to improve in a certain area or areas.

4. What do you see as the most critical issue for education in the coming years?

C. Effective Practices (required)

1. Identify and briefly comment on 3 effective practices used by you personally which have enhanced your capabilities of accomplishing your institution's stated mission and/or vision.

2. What actions are you taking to help future educators become effective?

3. What are common mistakes educators make?