This chapter differs from other chapters in this book in that it is first and foremost a story. Like the tale that inspired it, this is a story with universal themes: working with intentionality and the importance of relationships and leadership. This story documents the design of an online program, how online faculty can build intimate learning communities for participants and for themselves, and how leadership can both help and hinder the delivery of online programs. My hope is that in reading this chapter, you will reflect deeply on the value of intentionally building an online program, on the possibility of allowing optimism and idealism to drive such a design, on the relationships required to sustain a dream, and on the unpredictable effects of changing leadership.
Ncpea publications
This manuscript has been peer-reviewed, accepted, and endorsed by the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA) as a significant contribution to the scholarship and practice of education administration. In addition to publication in the Connexions Content Commons, this module is published in the
NCPEA Handbook of Online Instruction and Programs in Education Leadership, ISBN 978-1-4507-7263-1.
Editor's Note:
The title of this section, Renewing our Commitment, was inspired from an email message between the author, Frederick Buskey, and Editor Brad Bizzell. His full quote (noted below) is a fitting way, along with his compelling personal narrative, to conclude this Handbook and look forward. We should all recommit to moving optimistically forward as we share in the development of the next generation of educational leaders.
The process of writing, of trying to describe my own experiences and yet also understand the perspective of others, has helped me come to a place of cautious optimism about the program, and a renewed commitment to act authentically as a leader both within and outside my college. (F. Buskey, personal communication, December 12, 2011)
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Editors
- Janet Tareilo, Stephen F. Austin State University
- Brad Bizzell, Virginia Tech
Associate Editors
- Beverly Irby, Sam Houston State University
- Rosemary Papa, Northern Arizona University
- Thomas Valesky, Florida Gulf Coast University
- Theodore Creighton, Virginia Tech
About the Author
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Frederick C. Buskey is an Assistant Professor at Western Carolina University. He spent seventeen years as a teacher and administrator in K-12 education. His passion is improving education for young people by facilitating the growth of both hierarchical and non-hierarchical leaders. He is committed to helping educators connect their work to a strong sense of moral agency.
Prelude
Methodology
I wanted to tell a story that would be instructive, and would also resonate deeply with readers. I have tried to describe instances of inter-departmental and college life that we don’t generally write about, but which touch almost every facet of work in academe. I searched for a way to tell this story as my own without ascribing negative motivations or intentions to others, but in a way that could candidly describe how the interactions of various players shaped the program and my current condition. In searching for an adequate methodology I discovered Scholarly Personal Narrative (SPN). SPN seeks to use storytelling as the vehicle for sharing personal experiences and giving voice to the author (Nash&Bradley, 2011). SPN differs from other autobiographical forms of research in that it is firmly grounded in scholarship, adheres to a general theme or themes, and reaches conclusions that are universalizable (Nash&Bradley, 2011). I have attempted to follow Nash and Bradley’s suggestion to “Be candid, keep an open mind at all times, attribute the best motive to others, and avoid going on the attack” (p. 9).
