Advancing Scientific Knowledge, Essay Example

The special education sub-sector within the broad education sector is one in which special education programs aim to assist students with challenged learning, physical disabilities, developmental disorders, and the like. Although the education of the majority of special education administrators have some form of specialized training that reflects in-depth knowledge of special education, in particular the proper management and placement of children with special needs, some do not.

However, this can be seen as a problem or an opportunity. On the one hand, school administrators who lack special education training do not have the expertise and knowledge to handle children’s issues and challenges in the expected way; furthermore, they probably have not come across such problems before. In addition, there may be tensions between trained administrators who are familiar with and understand the procedures and policies of special education learning and instructional methods, while untrained administrators may have barriers trying to acclimate to such a work environment.

On the other hand, untrained administrators may have more hands-on experience as opposed to technical training than trained administrators; such as working with challenging children, special schooling work experience, and even having children with special needs. As the perception of special education suggests that training is critical, education leadership is one trait that is a key variable in effective schools (Gersten, Keating, Yovanoff and Harniss, 2001). However, leadership abilities are not gained in theory, but in practice. Therefore, it is possible for untrained administrators to exemplify leadership skills without prior training.

Much research has been undertaken in order to show the qualitative relationship between school administrators who have training in comparison to those who do not have training, reflected by the knowledge differences between them. Nevertheless, the significant difference between trained and untrained school administrators in a quantitative sense has yet to be explored, as shown by the difference in knowledge levels regarding special education.

As the current scientific knowledge bases increases, in terms of qualitative research, there is still a need for a more quantitative focus, especially in light of the knowledge gap between trained and untrained school administrators. This specified study will advance the knowledge of the trained and untrained administrators, what can be done to improve the playing field to a more reasonable and acceptable level, as well as insights into further research. Specifically identified is the special education sector, and what influence both types of school administrators are having on challenging children. As aforementioned, it is quite a diverse sector, and special education does require a certain level of special education training in order to work with challenging children. However, having said that, it is not imperative that this training takes on a formal nature, but rather an adaptive one that best suits the challenging child, and the environment.

As a small step forward in current research, this study analyses the current quantitative research in respect to how certain traits, such as leadership and influence, are valued by challenging children, in comparison to special education training by the special education sector. As such, it outlines the need for updated training methods for both trained and untrained school administrators, as well as new ways of approaching challenging children and special education in schools.