Introduction

Appropriate design and development of new programs, evaluation and redesign of existing programs, and responses to accreditation agencies and internal academic legitimacy concerns are among the most critical current challenges and issues in education in general (Wolf & Hughes, 2007) and in leadership education in particular (Mengel, 2005; Zundel & Mengel, 2007). Guiding Questions: Guidelines for Leadership Education Programs (Guiding Questions) provides a framework to address these challenges.

Guiding Questions is the result of a four year, broadly collaborative and voluntary project of the International Leadership Association’s (ILA) Guidelines for Leadership Education Learning Community. More than 70 leadership educators contributed at one level or another to this project. The project intent was and is to create a document that could guide the process of leadership program design or development at various educational institutions.

On the advice of the ILA Executive Board, Guiding Questions was placed on ILASpace to encourage member review, comments, and field tests (http://www.ilaspace.org). A panel at the ILA’s 11th Global Conference in November, 2009 in Prague will report field test results. Following this, the ILA Board of Directors will consider the proposal for adoption in Prague.

Guiding Questions is an online document that consists of an introduction with links to documents that describe the project’s background, history, and processes; an Overview, which is explicated in this paper; and  five sections of more detailed questions that should be asked and answered to guide curriculum development, instructional effectiveness, and quality enhancement through assessment. These five sections are Conceptual Framework, Context, Content, Teaching and Learning, and Outcomes and Assessment.

The guiding questions presented within the document are designed to evoke answers that help leadership educators make important choices about the quality, scope, and focus of their programs. Answers can be generated in many ways, whether formally or informally, collectively or individually. Not surprisingly, additional questions are often generated as well. Yet, in all cases, answers or additional questions point the way for development, organization, and evaluation of leadership education programs.

In most cases, the guiding questions include either an introduction or a response to explain and clarify the significance of the question. These clarifications are not intended to answer the questions, but rather provide suggestions for further study and point to answers in relevant research and best practices. Eventually, as the project evolves and matures, there will be links to research and best practice articles.

Guiding Questions is a “living document.” As an online document, anyone may post comments, suggestions, or recommendations. On an annual basis, revisions may be made through the proposal process for ILA’s annual Global Conference. The ILA’s Leadership Education Member Interest Group sponsors a permanent conference track to ensure rigorous peer review of proposed revisions.