The learning models and the demand for skill development are changing with time, especially since online learning has become common.
The generation-old learning methods and curricula are no longer relevant in today's fast-paced work environment. Things are going digital and it is important to develop a deeper understanding of online learning methods.
We must continuously develop and adapt to new learning methods to improve the quality of education in the region. The sooner we adapt, the better-quality education we may be able to provide.
A master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management focuses on developing skills and expertise to improve the online learning models. It focuses on utilizing modern learning methods, such as online learning tools to improve the quality of education.
If you are related to the education sector of the United Arab Emirates and want to pursue a degree in Educational Leadership & Management, then read this guide. We have explored online educational learning in detail and its need and potential in the UAE.
Let’s get started!
Understanding Educational Leadership
Before you decide whether to pursue a master’s in Educational Leadership & Management, it is crucial to understand its implications and potential truly. Educational leadership is critical for learning. It works to provide an effective learning environment and a world-class curriculum to ensure personal and professional growth for students.
An educational leader finds ways of improving the system and works closely with different departments for collaborative efforts toward enhanced learning.
Educational leadership is closely knitted with the principles of business management. There is an overlap of leadership theories derived from business management and applied in the educational setting.
It is fair to say that educational leadership is about managing the daily affairs of the school to help achieve its overall goal and vision, just as is managing any other organization.
Educational leadership helps in creating a vision for the school as well as the students.
It is important to align this vision with the region's job market so that educational institutes focus on developing skills and expertise in demand. This bridges the gap between the skill sets required in organizations and the skill sets acquired by students, helping lower the unemployment rate in the United Arab Emirates.
It also aims to provide a safe and productive learning environment. It looks for modern learning tools and ways to ensure a practical and structured classroom experience for students and teachers.
Furthermore, educational leadership empowers students, teachers, and parents to take responsibility for their roles. Continuous improvement brings tremendous growth to the education sector.
Innovative Leadership in Education
Innovation in education is the key to successful educational leadership and management.
Creating a learning environment that encourages creative thinking, forces stakeholders to solve complex educational challenges, and supports the institute's growth is required.
It involves teachers, counselors, principals, consultants, advisors, administrative staff, regulatory bodies, and government agencies to make collaborative efforts to improve learning outcomes.
The educational system across the world faces various challenges.
For example, the widespread discrepancies in public and private schools and providing education for children with learning difficulties are some challenges the educational sector faces today.
Resolving such challenges requires non-conventional solutions enabled via innovative leadership.
Innovative leaders are fearless, inspiring, and resilient.
They are visionary and committed to quality education, focusing on enabling equity within the education system.
Furthermore, having innovative leaders in educational institutes fosters a culture of creative problem-solving, and the characteristics are also fostered in the students.
The global learning and education crisis required innovative education leaders.
Millions of students are still out of school, and the literacy rate is not very promising. This calls for innovative solutions that are sustainable, cost-effective, and mutually beneficial for students and educational institutes.
Therefore, innovative leadership has become increasingly popular in the educational sector.
Instructional Leadership in Education
Instructional leadership is a leadership model specially designed for schools.
It encourages the institute's principal to work with teachers to provide guidance and support to develop and execute the best practices in teaching.
The principal works alongside the teaching staff to set clear goals and boost student achievements.
It is also called learning-centered and student-centered leadership.
It aims to develop continuous learning to improve the processes and ensure successful outcomes. It requires uninterrupted collaboration and assessment of data so that productive decisions can be made.
Observation and analysis are the centers of instructional leadership. The principal and other leaders observe teaching and learning behaviors in the classroom to identify areas for improvement. These areas are linked with learning outcomes so that the teachers and other staff can be trained for a better educational environment.
Instructional leadership is essential in the educational sector and ensures that educational institutes work with a proactive approach. This approach of identifying problems on the go will help solve problems right away while keeping the damage in control – and it is much needed in these challenging times.
Challenges Faced By Educational Leaders In Online Learning
Online learning comes with various challenges, one of which is the difficulty to adopt technology, especially for senior teachers. It is important that teachers feel comfortable and confident using online learning methods and tools so that they can effectively deliver lectures.
If you are a teacher with over a decade of experience, chances are that you might not be as hands-on on technology.
Another challenge that teachers face is keeping students engaged and interested.
Since it is a remote learning method, teachers have less control on the discipline. Similarly, teachers and students can face connectivity issues which can lead to disruption and chaos, killing the momentum of the classroom.
With online learning, we cannot deny the possibility of computer literacy issues as well as hacking and data theft issues. Teachers need appropriate training to handle these issues if needed to avoid any panic situation and make the most of the classroom time.
As a teacher of today, you need to be aware of popular online learning tools and should be well-versed in using them.
You must work on improving your online teaching skills such that you can effectively communicate with the students and keep them engaged during the class. The goal is to offer a similar learning experience as that of on-campus classrooms.
Benefits of Pursuing a Career in Online Educational Leadership & Management in the UAE
The scope of Online Educational Leadership & Management is immense, especially in countries like the United Arab Emirates.
But if you are still wondering if getting a professional degree in the field will be worth the time and investment, you will find your answers in this section.
Here are some of the many reasons why pursuing a career in Educational Leadership & Management is the way to go:
1) High Earnings & Financial Growth
When deciding on pursuing a degree, you must evaluate the potential return on investment to know whether the degree is beneficial to opt for or not.
The educational institutes, both online and traditional ones, in the UAE value people with professional degrees in educational leadership and management to offer the best learning experiences to the students.
The pay scale for people with a degree in Educational Leadership & Management is promising.
For example, if you are working as a Principal, your salary will start from AED 30,000 per month on average.
The degree has a tremendous payback, thanks to the educational section in the United Arab Emirates that recognizes the significance of the degree and massively rewards degree holders in terms of salaries and finances.
2) Diverse Job Opportunities
The knowledge and experience you gain while pursuing a degree in Educational Leadership & Management open various job opportunities for you in the UAE.
It is not only restricted to improving your teaching skills but opens doors for you as an online or offline educational leader, education consultant, principal, education coordinator, instructional designer, and more.
You can help educational institutes incorporate modern learning techniques, such as online learning, and ensure that students, teachers, and the school administration make the most of the tech-driven learning models.
You can work closely with the administration to manage the school’s budget and recruitment.
Your grip on new learning models and problem-solving skills will be an asset for your employer, while the degree curriculum will help
you take different roles in educational institutes.
3) Improvising the Curriculum
With a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management, you will be involved in improvising and updating the curriculum of the educational institute, especially when it comes to online education.
The degree will enrich you with the skills needed to understand the ever-changing educational requirements and the need for updating the curriculum.
Your grip on modern learning methods and understanding of the latest technologies in education and learning will help you upgrade your organization's curriculum and learning model.
You will work closely with the education board, educational coordinators, and textbook authors to upgrade the curriculum.
Keeping in mind the diverse culture and audience of the United Arab Emirates, educational institutes always look to improve their curriculum and provide everyone with a productive and fruitful learning environment.
Your role in this regard can be a game changer for your employer.
4) Help Improve Quality of Education
The role you will play after getting a degree in Educational Leadership & Management will significantly impact the quality of education provided by the educational institute.
For example, if you successfully implement an effective online learning program, you can help the organization lower its operational costs otherwise spent on conducting on-campus classes. That money can be used to add a new program or extend learning opportunities to those in need so that quality education is accessible to more people.
Furthermore, with new and improved learned methods introduced by you, students will get a worthwhile learning experience that truly contributes to their personal and professional growth and sets the way for their potentially successful careers.
The degree will help you play a productive and fruitful role for educational institutes and society by improvising the learning methods and curriculum – and ultimately improving the quality of education in the UAE – one school at a time.
5) Relevant to UAE’s Diverse Culture
The United Arab Emirates has a diverse culture with people from different regions, cultures, and traditions living in the Emirates. This diversity demands educational institutes to be on their toes to offer students a safe, productive, and inclusive learning environment.
The learning years are the most critical years of shaping students' mind frames and personalities, and that’s why a healthy school environment is integral.
You will hold an important role in building such a culture for the educational institutes, and the responsibility for offering a productive and positive learning environment lies on your shoulders.
Potential Career Opportunities in Educational Leadership & Management in UAE
Apart from your professional degree, you need various other skills to make a career in Educational Leadership & Management in the UAE.
We have listed some of the essential skills you must work on simultaneously:
- Critical Thinking: An ability to think critically, connect dots, and use the information available to make decisions is integral for a successful career in Educational Leadership & Management.
- Problem Solving: You will be working in a leadership and management capacity where you will be required to solve complex issues. To positively contribute to your organization, it is essential to polish your problem-solving skills.
- Teamwork & Collaboration: You need excellent collaboration and teamwork skills to excel in your career. You must be able to work with different teams and be open to differences of opinion to make worthwhile decisions for the organization. Most educational leaders, especially in the online learning curve, leverage online management tools such as Trello, idenati, to ensure seamless teamwork and collaboration without any interruptions.
- Creativity: If you want productive solutions, you must be creative and think out of the box. Your thinking must not be confined, and you should always be open to learning and experimenting.
Having a professional degree in Educational Leadership & Management opens the door to various job opportunities, all of which are integral to the success of an educational institute and for offering great learning experiences for students.
With a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management, you can pursue a plethora of successful career options.
We have compiled some of these options for you:
1) School Principal
As the Principal of an elementary or high school, you will be responsible for managing various school activities and supporting other departments, such as helping with recruitment and school activities.
You will oversee class curriculum and schedule and ensure a stress-free yet productive and competitive learning environment for the students. You will regulate teachers’ performances and help them overcome learning challenges.
You will also manage the school budget, maintenance, and other resources, along with all issues related to the students, parents, staff, and visitors.
2) Instructional Coordinator
As an instructional Coordinator, you will be the focal person for developing, implementing, and evaluating the curriculum. You will work closely with different departments to have them on board with the new curriculum. You will also conduct regular workshops and conferences to train teachers and other staff for effective implementation and utility of the curriculum.
Your job will also require developing the resources needed to implement the curriculum, including any changes in the infrastructure, teacher training, and other skill development workshops required.
3) School District Superintendents
As a School District Superintendent, you will be working as the Chief Executive Officer and shall be responsible for taking actions to improve the academic achievements of the institute.
You will set, achieve, and improvident educational goals for the institute and help the organization manage resources and budget.
You will also be responsible for developing and maintaining relationships with various stakeholders, including parents, investors, educational boards, and government agencies.
4) Post-Secondary Education Administrator
As a Post-Secondary Education Administrator, you will be responsible for a range of work related to student affairs, academic issues, administrative concerns, and more. You will be involved in recruiting prospective students, reviewing student applications, and analyzing all admission-related issues. You will help various societies and clubs of your institute to work efficiently and govern their policies.
You will be a coordinator between the school management and students, ensuring that students' concerns are rightfully addressed, and a positive relationship is fostered.
Furthermore, you will also oversee student registrations and transcripts, advise students on different courses, communicate with parents and guardians, develop cocurricular activities, and more.
With a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management from a reputable institute, you will find endless job opportunities in the UAE’s educational sector.
Your job role will be holistic, from setting educational goals for the institute to improving the curriculum and ensuring the successful implementation of policies.
However, make sure that you study from a well-accredited and renowned organization so that your Educational Leadership & Management degree is valuable in the United Arab Emirates.
Become a Graduate in Educational Leadership & Management
We hope this blog helped you understand the potential and use of a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management, especially in the United Arab Emirates.
The degree will help you learn and grow in education, including taking over key managerial roles, improving your teaching and
leadership skills, and assisting educational institutes in adopting and implementing ever-evolving technologies in education.
With a master’s degree in hand, you will help make use of e-learning platforms and utilize the untapped potential of educational leadership.
HMBSU provides an exclusive learning program, Master of Arts in Online Education Leadership and Management, accredited by the UAE Ministry of Education’s Commission for Academic Accreditation.
The program is designed for managers and administrators with a background within the education sector.
It is a highly recommended degree for teachers, higher education faculty, HR specialists, coordinators, and others interested in pursuing a career in training or educational institutes.
You need a bachelor’s degree in social sciences, communication, or education to apply for a Master of Arts in Online Education Leadership and Management.
Now is your opportunity to help make the education sector in the UAE a progressive one through modern online learning programs.
If you are interested in playing a pivotal role in your institute and taking on the opportunity, register for the master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Management with HBMSU - One of the best online universities in UAE.
A thriving career in the field of education is waiting for you.