Aims and Fit of Module

This module aims to:
• Develop students’ critical understanding of the key principles, functions, and contemporary challenges of K–12 school administration in local, national, and international contexts.
• Examine how policy, governance, culture, accountability, organisational structures, and stakeholder relationships shape administrative practice in diverse school settings, including international and Chinese contexts, using technology (e.g. AI).
• Develop students’ ability to use research, data, and evidence to analyse authentic administrative issues and to formulate context-responsive strategies for school improvement and effective administration.
• Engage students in research-led and project-based learning through case analysis, collaborative inquiry, and the design of administration or school-improvement projects for real or realistic K–12 contexts.
• Cultivate students’ capacity to use digital tools (e.g., AI-enabled tools) critically, ethically, and strategically to support administrative inquiry, decision-making, communication, planning, and project management.

Learning outcomes

A. Critically analyse key theories, principles, roles, and policy contexts of K–12 school administration in local and international educational settings.
B. Evaluate current practices and challenges in K–12 administration by drawing on research, empirical evidence, relevant data, and technology (e.g. AI), with attention to governance, culture, resource management, communication, and stakeholder needs.
C. Collaboratively design and justify a research-informed administration or school-improvement project for a real or realistic K–12 context, demonstrating coherent problem analysis, stakeholder awareness, implementation planning, and evaluation.
D. Use digital tools (e.g., AI-enabled tools) critically, ethically, and strategically to support administrative inquiry, evidence use, decision-making, professional communication, and project management in K–12 schools.

Method of teaching and learning

The whole module adopts a Research-Led Project-Based Learning approach, integrating technology (e.g. AI) where appropriate, with teaching sessions comprising a series of interactive seminars and fieldwork. Students will be guided to identify real-world issues in the field of K-12 administration and asked to develop practical solutions through their projects.