This book argues that contemporary global crises are symptomatic of a deeper metacrisis fundamentally rooted in education itself, and that educational leaders are pivotal in navigating this time between worlds by adopting big picture perspectives and integrative metatheories. The central conceptual tool presented is the Integrative Worldview Framework (IWF), which analyses worldviews (Traditional, Modern, Postmodern and Integrative) through five philosophical components to help leaders clarify their own values and bridge ideological divides. The book systematically applies the IWF to develop four domain-specific frameworks for educational leadership development. The Integrative Education Framework (IEF) addresses educational codes and the meaning crisis, supporting leaders in re-integrating educational philosophy and leadership for learning. The Integrative Sustainability Framework (ISF) addresses the capability crisis and sustainability competencies in relation to advanced leadership theories. The Integrative Organising Framework (IOF) addresses the legitimation crisis and organisational dynamics in educational institutions. The Integrative Inquiry Framework (IIF) addresses the sensemaking crisis through modes of inquiry and mixed philosophical methodologies, enabling leaders to develop their own living leadership theory in the ecological university. The IWF is then critically examined to identify its limitations, inviting critiques from Traditional, Modern, Postmodern, and Indigenous (Kinship) worldview perspectives, while exploring its capacity to address these criticisms through dialogue.

Tim Saunders is MA Pathway Lead for Educational Leadership at Edge Hill University, UK, where he leads postgraduate leadership preparation. A former school principal, he also runs a private practice @ supervisionary.uk offering professional supervision for school leaders, focused on restorative and regenerative support. His research addresses integrative educational leadership and the wellbeing of school leaders.