College of Education

Research Area(s)

  • school Improvement; the principalship; leadership; staff development

Profile

Dr. Paul Newton is Professor in the Department of Educational Administration. Prior to coming to the University of Saskatchewan, he was an Associate Professor in the Department of Educational Policy Studies at the University of Alberta, a principal in the North East School Division, and an instrumental music teacher in Saskatoon Catholic Schools. His research interests include administrative practices, the principalship, educational improvement, teacher leadership, and theoretical constructions of leadership and administration. He has presented at international conferences, as an invited speaker for ministries of education in various countries, and has engaged in international professional development work for policy makers and school administrators.

Dr. Newton’s most recent projects include: a study of the teaching principal; an international study of school autonomy and 21st century learning outcomes (with colleagues from Alberta, Finland, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Israel, Australia, and Hong Kong); a study of the professional learning of post-secondary vocational educators: and a study on principal decision making for school improvement.  He serves as editor of the Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy.

Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching

  • EADM 303 - Schools in Society: Structure, Systems and Stakeholders
  • EADM 411 - Schools and the Zombie Apocalypse
  • EADM 423 – Leading Organizations: An Introduction to Leadership Theory and Practice

Graduate Teaching

  • EADM 816 – Instructional Leadership for the Enhancement of Teaching
  • EADM 821 – Organizational Behaviour in Education
  • EADM 881 – Organizational Paradigms and Analysis
  • EADM 892 - International Perspectives on the Principalship/Headship

Selected Publications

Books

  • Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2016). The best available evidence: Wise decision making for school improvement. Rotterdam, NL: Sense. 
  • Burgess, D., & Newton, P. (2015). Educational administration and leadership: Theoretical foundations.New York, NY: Routledge.

Chapters in Books

  • Xiao, J., & Newton, P. (accepted). Educational leadership challenges in Canada. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education. Oxford, UK, ORE.
  • Xiao, J., & Newton, P. (accepted). Curricula: Internationalization of higher education. In Bloomsbury Education and Childhood Studies. London, UK: Bloomsbury.
  • Xiao, J., & Newton, P. (in press). The rise of higher education scholarship in educational administration and leadership. In M. A. Diaz Delgado & A. Veloso Rodriguez (Eds.), Models of Educational Leadership: an international review. Guadalajara, MX: Interleader.
  • Riveros, A., Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2017). Leadership standards and the discursive repositioning of leadership, leaders, and non-leaders: A critical examination. In G. Lakomski, S. Eacott, & C.W. Evers (Eds.), Questioning leadership: New directions for educational organizations. London: Routledge.
  • Riveros, A., & Newton P. (2016). Ontological issues in educational administration: The ontological status of educational organizations. In The Encyclopedia of Educational Philosophy and Theory (EEPAT).
  • Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2016). Preface. In P. Newton & D. Burgess (Eds.), The best available evidence: Wise decision making for school improvement (pp. vii-ix). Rotterdam, NL: Sense. 
  • Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2016). Exploring types of educational action research: Implications for validity. In P. Newton & D. Burgess (Eds.), The best available evidence: Wise decision making for school improvement (pp. 33-46). Rotterdam, NL: Sense 
  • Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2016). Epilogue. In P. Newton & D. Burgess (Eds.), The best available evidence: Wise decision making for school improvement (pp. 167-174). Rotterdam, NL: Sense 
  • Newton, P., & Riveros, A. (2016) Toward an ontology of practices in educational administration: Theoretical implications for research and practice. In S Eacott, & C. Evers (Eds.), New Directions in Educational Leadership Theory(pp. xx-xx). London: Routledge.
  • Burgess, D., & Newton, P. (2015). Early history of science in social science and educational administration. In D. Burgess & P. Newton (Eds.). Educational administration and leadership: Theoretical foundations(pp. 11-29). New York, NY: Routledge.
  • Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2015). Introduction. In D. Burgess & P. Newton (Eds.). Educational administration and leadership: Theoretical foundations(pp. 1-8). New York, NY: Routledge.
  • Newton, P. M. (2009). The research-practice gap in education: A view from both sides. In K. Anderson (Ed.),The leadership compendium: Emerging scholars of Canadian educational leadership(pp. 56-68). Fredericton, NB: The Atlantic Centre for Educational Administration and Leadership (ACEAL).
  • Newton, P. M. (2009). Newton’s future trends in leadership. In K. Anderson (Ed.), The leadership compendium: Emerging scholars of Canadian educational leadership(pp. 69-70). Fredericton, NB: The Atlantic Centre for Educational Administration and Leadership (ACEAL).
  • Newton, P. M., Burgess, D., & Robinson, S. (2007). Chapter 3: Saskatchewan. In A.S. Chan, D. Fisher, & K. Rubenson (Eds.), The evolution of professionalism: Educational policy in the provinces and territories of Canada(pp. 49-64). Vancouver, BC, Canada: Centre for Policy Studies in Higher Education and Training. 
  • Newton, P. M. (2006). Separate school divisions-Systems of education, K-12. Article for The Encyclopedia of Saskatchewan.
  • Newton, P. M. (2005). Knowledge management in school boards. SSBA Research Centre Report #05-03. Saskatchewan School Boards' Association. 
  • Newton, P. M. (2002). Corporate involvement in Catholic education. SSTA Research Centre Report #02-05. Saskatchewan School Trustees Association. 

Papers in Refereed Journals:

  • Newton, P., Jacobson, D. R., & Ahn, R. (2017). Teacher leadership: Canadian and American perspectives. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 8(1), 1-5.
  • Hoekstra, A., & Newton, P. (2017). Departmental leadership for learning in vocational and professional education. Empirical research in Vocational Education and Training, 9(12), 1-24.
  • Hoekstra, A., Kuntz, J., & Newton, P. (2017). Professional learning of instructors in vocational and professional education. Professional Development in Education. 1-17.
  • Newton, P., & da Costa, J. (2016). School autonomy and 21st Century learning: The Canadian context. International Journal of Educational Management30(7), 1279-1292.
  • Newton, P., & Riveros, A. (2015). Toward an ontology of practices in educational administration: Theoretical implications for research and practice. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 47(4)330-341.
  •  Wallin, D., & Newton, P. (2014). Teaching principals in small rural schools: “My cup overfloweth”. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 60(4), 1-18 
  • Newton, P., Riveros, A., & da Costa, J. (2013).The influence of teacher leadership in the career advancement of schoolteachers: A case study. Journal of Educational Administration and Foundations. (delayed publication- December 2014)
  • Riveros, A., Newton, P., & da Costa, J. (2013). From teachers to teacher-leaders: A case study. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 4(1). 1-15. 
  • Newton, P., & Wallin, D. (2013). The teaching principal: An untenable position or a promising model?. Alberta Journal of Educational Research, 59(1), 1-17. 
  • Wallin, D., & Newton, P. (2013). Instructional leadership of the rural teaching principal: Double the trouble or twice the fun?. International Studies in Educational Administration, 41(2), 19-31.
  • Riveros, A., Newton, P. & Burgess, D. (2012), A situated account of teacher agency and learning: Critical reflections on Professional Learning Communities. Canadian Journal of Education, 35(1), 202-216.
  • Newton, P., Burgess, D., & Burns, D. (2010). Models in educational administration: Revisiting Willower’s “theoretically oriented” critique. Educational Management, Administration, and Leadership.38(5), 578-590.
  • Newton, P., Tunison S., & Viczko, M. (2010). The school principal’s role in large-scale assessment.  Canadian Journal of Educational Administration and Policy. 105,1-24.
  • Newton, P. M., & Burgess, D. (2008). Exploring types of educational action research: Implications for research validity. International Journal of Qualitative Methods. 7(4), 19-30.
  • Newton, P. M. & Sackney, L. (2005) Group knowledge and group knowledge processes in school board decision making. Canadian Journal of Education. 28 (3)434-457. 
  • Newton, P. (2005) Ensemble Learning: A Lens for Group Learning in Schools. Journal of Educational Thought, 39 (1), 75-90.  
  • Newton, P. M. (2004). Leadership lessons from jazz improvisation. International Journal of Leadership in Education, 7 (1), 83-99. 

Selected International Presentations

  • Wallin, D., Newton, P., Jutras, M., & Adilman, J. (2018) Teaching Principals in rural, remote, and northern schools in Canada: Workload, roles, and instructional leadership. American Education Research Association Annual Conference, New York, NY.
  • Newton, P. (2017). New models of educational leadership. Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. Mexico City, MX.
  • Hoekstra, A. & Newton, P. (2016). Leading teaching excellence in vocational and professional education. American Education Research Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC. 
  • Newton, P. & da Costa, J. (2016). Multileveled autonomy in Canadian schools: Exploring the impact of school boards and teacher unions on school-level autonomy. American Education Research Association Annual Conference, Washington, DC.
  • Newton, P. (2015). Models for the development of teachers. Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. Chetumal, MX.
  • Newton, P. & da Costa, J. (2015). School autonomy and 21stCentury learning: The Canadian context. European Education Research Association Annual Conference, Budapest, HU.
  • Hoekstra, A., Kuntz, J. & Newton, P. (2015). Vocational educators’ professional learning activities and workplace affordances. European Education Research Association Annual Conference, Budapest, HU.
  • Newton, P. (2015). Educational improvement, distributed leadership, and school autonomy: The Canadian perspective. Tampere University. Tampere, Finland.
  • Newton, P. (2015). Educational improvement and distributed leadership. Invited Panel: International Panel Escuela Normale de Colotlan. Colotlan, MX.
  • Newton, P. (2015). The training of principals: Academic and practical knowledge. Invited Panel: International Panel Instituto Superior de investigación y docencia para el magisterio. Guadalajara, MX.
  • Newton, P. (2015). Educational improvement and distributed leadership. Invited Presentation: Escuela Normale de Xalapa. Xalapa, MX.
  • Newton, P. (2015). Educational improvement and distributed leadership. Invited Panel: Second International Encounter of School Principals. Guadalajara, MX.
  • da Costa, J. & Newton P. (2014). 21st century policy context: SBM in Alberta. Presented to the Israeli Ministry of Education. Jerusalem, Israel.
  • Riveros, A., Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2014). Agency and leadership: Exploring the assumptions behind conceptualizations of leadership in Canadian policy documents. Commonwealth Council on Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM) International Conference, Fredericton, Canada.
  • Burgess, D. & Newton, P. (2013). A comparison of the qualification standards for superintendents of education in Canadian provincial jurisdictions. British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS) Annual Conference, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
  • Newton, P. (2012). Public policies and new perspectives for principals’ training programs and systems. Invited Keynote: First International Encounter of School Principals. Guadalajara, Mexico.
  • Newton, P., Arroyo Rodriguez, J., Acosta, M., & Varela, F. (2012). First international panel on the prinicpalship. Escuela Normal Superior de Jalisco. Guadalajara, Mexico.
  • Riveros, A., .Newton, P., & da Costa, J. (2012). The influence of a cascade model of leadership in the career advancement of school teachers: A case study. Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management. Limassol, Cyprus.
  • Newton, P., Riveros, A., & Parker, L. (2012). Teachers’ conceptual understandings of teacher leadership. Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management. Limassol, Cyprus.
  • Peters, F., Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2012). The changing contexts of principal preparation programs: Alberta and Saskatchewan. Commonwealth Council on Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM) International Conference, Limassol, Cyprus.
  • Newton, P. & Peters, F. (2012). The Changing Contexts of Principal Preparation Programs in Canada. British Educational Management, Administration, and Leadership Society. Manchester, United Kingdom.
  • Newton, P., da Costa, J., Peters, F. & Montgomerie, C. (2011).Educational technology standards for educational leaders in Alberta. Ed-Media World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia, and Telecommunications. Lisbon, Portugal.
  • Chitpin, S. & Newton, P. (2010). The objective knowledge growth framework in [and] principal’s decision making. International Professional Development Association, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Burgess, D. & Newton, P. (2010). An Analysis of Academic Educational Administration in the Commonwealth. Commonwealth Council on Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM) andAustralian Council for Educational Leadership (ACEL) International Conference, Sydney, Australia.
  • Riveros, A., Newton, P., & Burgess, D. (2010). A Critique of Professional Learning Communities in Canada from a Situated Cognition Perspective. Commonwealth Council on Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM) and Australian Council for Educational Leadership (ACEL) International Conference, Sydney, Australia.
  • Peters, F. & Newton, P. (2010). Restructuring, reform and student achievement in Canada. British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society, Reading, United Kingdom.
  • Newton, P. & Peters, F. (2010). Educational quality perspectives in two Canadian provinces. British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society, Reading, United Kingdom.
  • Newton, P., Tunison, S., & Gowans, W. (2010). The school principal’s role in large-scale assessment. British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society, Reading, United Kingdom.
  • Burgess, D. & Newton, P. (2008). International educational leadership, administration, and management programme inventory: Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. Commonwealth Council on Educational Administration and Management (CCEAM) Conference, Durban, South Africa.
  • Newton, P., Burgess, D., & Viczko, M. (2008). International educational leadership, administration and management programme inventory. British Educational Leadership, Management and Administration Society (BELMAS) Annual Conference, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Newton, P., Peters, F., & da Costa, J. (2008). International educational leadership, administration, and management programme inventory: Undergraduate courses. British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Peters, F., da Costa, J., & Newton, P. (2008). The downside of school choice. British Educational Leadership, Management, and Administration Society, Birmingham, United Kingdom.
  • Burgess, D. & Newton, P. (2008). The representation of professional identity through online social networking websites. Fourth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge & Society, Northeastern University, Boston, United States.