Dr. Daniel Moraguez is an Assistant Professor of Educational Leadership and Administration at Florida State University. He holds a Ph.D. in Administration & Supervision from the University of Virginia and a Master of Science in Education from The City College of New York. His research interests include effective leadership in K-12 schools, principal preparation, and instructional technologies. As a previous researcher in the Virtual Practicum Lab at the University of Virginia, he has studied the effects of interactive learning tools such as immersive, AI-enhanced digital and mixed-reality simulations on leadership decision making and self-efficacy. At the lab, aspiring leaders continue to engage in realistic rehearsal opportunities with three types of simulated learning tools. Research findings have shown that a digital simulation practicum may serve to influence the practice of ethical leadership, leadership confidence, decision making, as well as bridge theory and practice in lieu of additional time in the field.
At FSU, he is currently engaged in a study on simulated learning for the enhancement of leadership preparedness, particularly around competences for school improvement, fostering climates for high expectations, and ensuring academic success across all student groups. The simulated learning practicum is in addition to existing pedagogies and provides additional formative assessment opportunities of learning and development, immediate feedback to students, and includes two types of simulations—choose-your-own-adventure style digital simulations and mixed-reality simulations. His current and ongoing research further explores leadership identity development, aspiring leaders’ evolving conceptualizations of the principalship and the complex leadership practices required for school improvement and student success, and the affordances of a simulated practicum for the development of aspiring leaders’ leadership competences.
Dr. Moraguez has been published in the Journal of Educational Administration, the Journal of Research in Leadership Education, and the Journal of School Leadership. He has also published a chapter in an edited book on leadership learning, capturing his signature pedagogy for simulation-based leadership competency/competence development. He is a Floridian from Hialeah, has served in the Marine Corps, and has worked as an elementary school teacher in public, independent, and international schools in New York City and Taiwan.
Selected publications:
Moraguez, D. (2024). Experiential learning, simulations, and competence development: Towards a signature pedagogy for principal preparation. In J. Watters, G. Miller, & R. Rhone (Eds.), Reimagining the landscape of P-20 school leadership learning. IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/979-8-3693-6220-4.ch012
Dexter, S., Moraguez, D., & Clement, D. R. (2022). Pedagogical gaps in the bridge from classroom to field for pre-service principal competence development. Journal of Educational Administration, 60(5), 473–492. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEA-07-2021-0141
Dexter, S., Clement, D. R., Moraguez, D., & Watson, G.S. (2020). (Inter)Active learning tools and pedagogical strategies in educational leadership preparation. Journal of Research on Leadership Education, 15(3), 173–191. https://doi.org/10.1177/1942775120936299