Examining The Impact of a DSP Project through a Comparative Adult Education Lens: A Snapshot of Principal Professional Development for Education Internationalization in Beijing, China - read online free

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by ahduag

This qualitative narrative inquiry examines how four Beijing local school principals experience learning after participating in a professional development program named the “Domestic Study Program” (DSP) in Beijing. Using comparative adult education and international educational leadership development lenses, the study reports that participants experienced major changes in self-perception, ways of thinking, and ways of doing. Data analysis followed qualitative research protocols from Rossman and Rallis (2003) and Creswell (2014).

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages9

Reading Time23 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Conceptual Frameworks

Examining The Impact of a DSP Project through a Comparative Adult Education Lens: A Snapshot of Principal Professional Development for Education Internationalization in Beijing, China Haijun Kang, Lei Lyu, and Qi Sun Dr. Haijun Kang is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at Kansas State University. He has a dual title PhD degree in adult education and comparative and international education. He is interested in using adult learning theories and current technologies to enhance cross-cultural and international educational leadership practices. Dr. Lei Lyu, associate professor of Beijing Institute of Education (a specialized institute providing training for Beijing principals and teachers) served as a public secondary school teacher for six years. Her research fields are principal professional development and educational leadership. Dr. Qi Sun is Associate Professor and Program Coordinator of Adult Learning Program at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Her research focuses on transformative learning, lifelong learning, Eastern philosophy on education, and international and comparative (adult) education. Abstract Through the lenses of comparative adult education and international educational leadership development, this study explores the learning experiences of local school principals after they participated in a professional development program named "Domestic Study Program" (DSP) in Beijing. A qualitative narrative inquiry was applied and four school principals who self-reported as experiencing personal and professional improvement through the DSP program were interviewed. Their lived learning experiences as adult learners through the DSP project were sorted, categorized, grouped, and regrouped following the qualitative research data analysis protocols suggested by Rossman and Rallis (2003) and Creswell (2014). The research indicates that the four local principals experienced major changes in the areas of self-perception, ways of thinking, and ways of doing. The findings are interpreted through the lenses of comparative adult education and international educational leadership development. Introduction In the past decade, more than 30 international schools have been established in Beijing, China to address the need of delivering quality education to foreign employees’ children and those children born in countries outside of China but live in Beijing area. Because of using International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum and other countries’national curriculum and hiring principals and teachers with rich international education background, these international schools provide a unique learning opportunity for local schools to understand how to connect local education practice to the world. To internationalize education, principal leadership development is important because “the total (direct and indirect) effects of leadership on student learning account for about a quarter of total school effects (Leithwood, Louis, Anderson, & Wahlstrom, 2004, p.5). From 2011 through 2015, therefore, Beijing Education Commission organized a principal leadership development program to provide local 18 Vol. 43, No. 3, Summer 2016 principals with the opportunity to systematically study the school systems and curriculum of nine international schools in Beijing. Because Beijing local principals gain international principal leadership development experience without leaving the country, this professional development program was named "Domestic Study Program" (DSP). The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of DSP on local principals in Beijing, China by critically examining these school principals’ learning experiences after they participated in the DSP project as an adult learner. In this study, professional development is defined as “educational activities designed to enhance the professional knowledge, skills and attitudes that will improve the performance for a future role.”(Retna, 201

FAQs

What program (DSP) does the study focus on, and who participates?

The study focuses on the “Domestic Study Program” (DSP) in Beijing. Four local school principals who reported personal and professional improvement after DSP participation were interviewed.

How is the research designed and analyzed?

A qualitative narrative inquiry design was used. The principals’ lived learning experiences were sorted, categorized, grouped, and regrouped using qualitative data analysis protocols suggested by Rossman and Rallis (2003) and Creswell (2014).

What kinds of changes did the principals report after DSP?

The findings indicate major changes in self-perception, ways of thinking, and ways of doing, interpreted through comparative adult education and international educational leadership development lenses.

Oct 15, 2026

Upload by ahduag