معرفی
Carolyn M. Shields, Ph.D., is Professor of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies in the College of Education at Wayne State University, Detroit. A scholar-activist with over three decades of experience, her work centres on transformative leadership for social justice, equity, and democratic education in both K-12 and higher-education contexts.
Education
- B.A. French & English, Queen’s University (1968)
- M.A. French, Queen’s University (1970)
- Ph.D. Educational Administration, University of Saskatchewan (1991)
- Certificate in Problem-based Learning, PBL Training Institute, Palo Alto (1993)
- Additional certifications in assessment, creative education, special education, and administrative leadership.
Research Focus
Dr. Shields’ scholarship interrogates how leaders can create inclusive, democratic environments that foster academic excellence while redressing inequity. Her research spans cross-cultural leadership, transformative leadership theory, Indigenous education (notably with Navajo schools), structural reform such as year-round schooling, and international comparative studies on equity policy and practice.
Publications & Thought Leadership
Across more than 100 refereed works—including seven books—she has advanced transformative leadership as a vehicle for systemic change. Recent titles explore practical implementation of equity-focused leadership and allyship in schools, positioning her at the forefront of socially-just educational administration discourse.
Awards & Recognition
- Honorary Doctorate, Laval University (2017)
- Liebman Book Award (2000)
- Fellow, Commonwealth Council for Educational Administration and Management (2004)
- Distinguished Service Award, Canadian Association for Studies in Educational Administration (2009)
- Teaching for Social Justice Award, AERA SIG (2010)
Grants, Advising & Service
Dr. Shields has secured over one million dollars in external funding and has supervised numerous master’s and doctoral students, many of them international. She has served as Dean of the College of Education at Wayne State, department head at both University of Illinois and UBC, board member for UCEA and CASEA, and advisor to ministries and school systems in Canada, the U.S., China, New Zealand, and France.
Labs, Centres & Community Engagement
She founded the School Leadership Centre at UBC and the non-profit “Books to Schools,” which ships print materials to under-resourced schools worldwide. Continuous community engagement includes leadership institutes, keynote addresses on five continents, and ongoing consultation with districts serving marginalized populations.
