Cultivating a \u27Community of Practice\u27 in an Educational Leadership Preparation Program: Experiences and Roles of Adjunct Faculty

Educational leadership preparation programs increasingly rely on adjunct faculty to teach aspiring leaders. Although the percentage of adjunct faculty serving as instructors continues to grow relative to full-time, tenured faculty, the role of part-time instructors/K-12 practitioners remains confined to instruction. This study explored how one educational leadership preparation program attempted to include adjunct faculty in roles beyond teaching to include course and curriculum development, program redesign, and recruitment and marketing. Informed by the communities of practice literature, this study illustrates ways that programs can foster meaningful professional community among full- and part-time faculty in ways that contribute to program quality. In this study we found that fostering a professional community not only contributes to positive program outcomes, but also creates formal and informal learning opportunities and a powerful professional network for adjunct faculty. The implications for program practice are discussed in light of these findings