Educational Leadership Program (EDLDR)

This course examines the interrelationships between rural communities and their schools. In the Unites States schools are the backbone of rural communities. Rural schools help to shape the local boundaries of communities and the identity of community members in a variety of both formal and informal ways. Drawing heavily from published empirical research, this course provides a solid theoretical foundation in community sociology in order to investigate the interrelationships between rural communities and rural schools. Orienting questions include: In what ways might we consider "rural" as a meaningful category in understanding both community and education? In what ways do schools shape (or reshape) the structure of communities? How do communities shape (or reshape) the structure of education? What are the challenges that confront the vitality of both rural schools and communities? How have these challenges changed over time, and what are the implications for educators, residents, and public policy makers? The course is strongly interdisciplinary, with material drawing from education, sociology and rural sociology, economics, anthropology, geography and demography.

This course bridges theoretical statistics coursework and practical research with real, large-scale data sets. The course emphasizes hands-on data preparation and analysis using statistical software. More specifically, the course will give an overview of national and international data resources that are available for educational researchers, survey the most widely used data analysis techniques in educational research, and use statistical software and large-scale datasets to produce useful results for educational policy research.

The aim of the course is to help students view the educational system and students' educational decisions through the lens of economics. We will discuss the methods that economists commonly employ to study education and read recent empirical articles that examine the impact of educational policies and practices. At the end of the semester, we will discuss insights from the field of behavioral economics, which builds on the standard economic model to better understand decision making. This course also surveys the empirical literature on the economics of education which is organized into several broad topics, including human capital and economic return to education, school choice and college access, and education production. Finally, the course covers a variety of econometric methods that are widely used in the economic study of education. These methods include regression models (e.g., ordinary least squares, discrete choice models, Multi-level modeling, panel data models, etc.) and commonly used techniques to deal with self-selection and causal inference (e.g., quasi-experimental methods).

This course is designed to give students an overview of large-scale international assessment databases and to demonstrate how these databases can be utilized to investigate critical issues in education from a comparative perspective. A number of empirical studies using large-scale international assessment databases will be reviewed, and these analyses will be replicated via computer labs. Students will develop a good understanding of large-scale international assessment databases and will learn to apply an appropriate method to address a particular topic of interest. Students will also develop a wide range of research skills necessary to independently conduct comparative research, including but not limited to formulating a research question, conducting a literature review, analyzing empirical data, and interpreting results. Although the focus is mainly on datasets relevant to education and education policy research, the skills taught in the course are broadly transferable to other social sciences including sociology.

Social and institutional forces which shape the public school system and determine national, state, and local educational policy and politics. EDLDR 528 Educational Politics in the United States (3) "Educational Politics in the United States" focuses on the social and institutional forces that shape the public school system and determine national, state, and local educational policy and politics. The rationale underlying this course is that citizens and educators, particularly those in administrative roles, need to understand the social forces that influence educational policy and politics. Until the late 1960's there was a pervasive myth that school affairs could and should be separated from the world of politics. Few people now believe that schooling can be entirely separated from politics, but many people lack an understanding of the broad, recurrent forces and competing values that ensure that schooling in pluralistic societies will be affected by political factors. This course is intended to provide a sophisticated understanding of this subject, with emphasis on the acquisition of conceptual and analytical skills that will be useful for leaders in education. Student performance is assessed through group and individual activities and projects, students' contributions to class discussions, and exams.

In-depth analysis and discussion of the school leaders's role in creating and sustaining an inclusive learning enviroment for all.

This course examines what it means to lead educational organizations in an increasingly diverse society. Specifically, this course will focus on policy, theory and practice as they relate to school leadership, and also equity and diversity as they connect personal experiences with research literature. Students from culturally, linguistically, socially, and economically diverse backgrounds account for an increasing percentage of the school-age population in the United States. This is a seminar aimed at facilitating discussion and exploration around issues related to education, equity, and diversity.

Preparation for doctoral studies in Educational Leadership. This course is designed as a preparation for Ph.D. studies in Educational Leadership (EDLDR). The primary purposes of this course are: to familiarize first-year Ph.D. students with graduate studies at Penn State; to identify topics, problems, and policies of importance or interest to the field of educational leadership/administration; to introduce students to EDLDR faculty members and their research; and to ensure students are aware of the programmatic requirements for successfully completing the Ph.D. degree in Educational Leadership. This course is also designed to meet the University's Scholarship and Research Integrity requirements (SARI) for all first-year graduate students.

Theory and practice of the politics and governance of local school districts; issues and methods in studying political decision making. EDLDR 533 The Politics of Local School Districts (3) "The Politics of Local School Districts" focuses on the theory and practice of politics in local school districts, with attention to the study of political decision-making and influence. The rationale underlying the course is that citizens and educators need to understand the social and political factors affecting school-community relations and the factors affecting the Relihood school-community conflict. Although communities vary greatly, rural, urban, and suburban communities each tend to have some distinctive features that influence the character of school-cornmunity relations and politics. At the same time, communities in general vary in the extent to which they possess characteristics that promote or inhibit the incidence and intensity of community conflict. The governance of education in local communities is heavily influenced by such factors. Consequently, educational leaders need to be knowledgeable and perceptive in this area. This course is intended to provide the knowledge and analytical skills needed for effective leadership in local school districts. Student performance is assessed through group and individual activities and projects, students' contributions to class discussions, and exams.

This course examines the Federal role in education, emphasizing relationships between the Federal government and states, tribes and schools.

The social and organizational characteristics of East Asian schooling, including understandings of authority, power, and leadership, and systemic school reform.

Development and use of information technology applications to analyze common problems faced by educational administrators. EDLDR 540 Technology Applications in Educational Leadership (3) EDLDR 540 teaches the development and use of electronic spreadsheet models to analyze common problems faced by educational administrators. The format of the course is a computer laboratory in which students work through a series of assignments designed to introduce them to the basics of spreadsheets and then to teach a broadening range of modeling and analytical skills using progressively more complex problems. Applications are stressed through the creation of models that emphasize the organization, analysis, and presentation of data concerning such topics as salary schedules, budget preparation and analysis, expenditure control, cost projections, and data development. In conjunction with model building, a variety of analytical techniques are used, such as graphing, frequency distributions, regression, what-if tables, pivot tables, and database applications.The work in the course is individual and students move at their own pace through the assignments. New concepts and techniques are introduced and demonstrated periodically by the instructor and are then used by the students in succeeding assignments. The course accommodates widely differing ranges of abilities possessed by students taking the course. No prior computer experience is necessary. Satisfactory completion of all assignments is required for the passing R grade.The course emphasizes the development of useful information for administrative decision-making. Students should finish the course with a new or renewed confidence in their ability to deal with a problem in which some quantitative analysis is necessary, to be able to organize the available data in a logical and helpful fashion, and to use an electronic spreadsheet to develop a serviceable model to aid in the analysis.

Examination of civil rights policies and educational equity in the U.S. from the perspectives of law, social science, accountability policy. Civil Rights and Education will examine civil rights policies and educational equity in the United States from the perspectives of social science, education policy, and law. The aims of the course are to build students' understanding of the key principles of civil rights policies and the sources of contention in civil rights, and to enhance students' capacity for participating in issues of civil rights and education through project-based work. We will begin by considering what it means to have an opportunity to learn and how it has been defined. The course will then consider legal and policy developments since the "Brown" decision that have both expanded and constrained the opportunity for certain groups of students. The course is primarily focused on national developments, but does include a focus specifically on educational opportunity in Pennsylvania. The course concludes by considering recent civil rights developments and prospects for the future. Cross Listings: EDLDR 542 will be added as a cross-listed course.

This course focuses on understanding and leading systemic district improvement efforts.

Course participants explore the fundamentals of curriculum; that is, curriculum cultures, traditions, perspectives, theories, or models that have significantly affected the field of curriculum design. Participants also learn about historical and contemporary issues in the development of national, state, and local academic standards, and how these issues have shaped the design of particular curriculum programs. Participants engage in curricular analysis of a content-specific program through examination of "what is behind the curriculum" (purpose, goal, perspectives, assumptions), "what is in the curriculum" (the nature of the content, basis for its selection, content and media structures), and "what are the experiences with the curriculum" (how curriculum may be taught, what methods may be used, how the program success may be judged, the "frame-factors") in order to outline the strengths and weaknesses of the program, and how it can be adapted to maximize its benefits and minimize its limitations for a specific institutional or educational context.

The course examines how educational leaders at all levels can determine, promote, support, and achieve successful school improvement. EDLDR 559 School Improvement (3) The last 20 years have witnessed unparalleled efforts to improve schools and raise student achievement. These initiatives include but are not limited to: (1) new content standards for mathematics, science, English, and social studies (2) increased requirements for high school graduation, (3) reduced class sizes, especially in the early grades, (4) new high-stakes state testing and assessment programs, and (5) the performance-based accountability requirements set by No Child Left Behind. Yet, despite all this activity and attention, significant changes in student achievement and in basic school practices have been slow at best. While there has been some improvement, success has been largely scant and spotty.The reasons for slow progress are many and complex. However, one that is receiving growing attention is the need for stronger school leaders (including teachers, principals, superintendents, and other educators) who can direct and implement changes in curriculum, instruction, and school organization. There is growing consensus in the research literature that school improvement and school leadership are largely inseparable - that leadership is a critical element in order for schools to improve. While focusing on leadership without attending to the many other conditions that affect school effectiveness is not productive, it is clear that leadership is an important ingredient in the mix of strategies for improving schools.The course addresses three major questions: (1) What is school improvement? (2) What does it involve? (3) How do we do it? To accomplish this, the course first focuses on several general models developed for school improvement purposes. After this the focus shifts to an examination of the component pieces of school improvement, including leadership, professional development/professional learning communities, and a focus on teaching and learning (including standards, instruction, and assessments). All these are connected the larger discussion of what education leaders need to know and be able to do to strengthen instruction and raise student achievement. If leaders are to nurture better teaching and learning, they will need greater familiarity with promising instructional approaches, new curricular materials, and ways to adapt them to a particular school's circumstances.

Social and institutional settings for instructional supervision; functions, activities, and practices of supervision; supervisory case studies. EDLDR 560 C-S 560 Principles of Instructional Supervision (3) This course explores themes, trends, and key ideas that influence current supervisory practices. Course content gives specific attention to supervisory practice in relation to teaching practices and to life in schools.

Designing, implementing, and evaluating effective staff development programs for personnel in educational settings. EDLDR 563 Designing Staff Development Programs (3) This course has been designed to provide students with the opportunity to develop a deep understanding of the process of professional development in education at the theoretical and practical levels as well as the ability to apply this understanding to the design, evaluation, and analysis of professional development activities and programs.

Principles and practices of supervision in schools related to instructional and support personnel. EDLDR 567 Organizational Supervision (3) "Organizational Supervision" focuses on principles and practices of supervision in schools related to instructional and support personnel. The rationale for this course is that organizational supervision is that aspect of administration that demands that the administrator focus on the instructional and non-instructional program as he/she facilitates the learning process. While the major topic in this course is the role of the administrator in the supervision of the organization, other considerations in this course are how to relate leadership, change, management, and evaluation to organizational supervision. Other topics include the nature of supervision and its place in the schools; the organizational environment for supervision; leadership behavior and supervisory effectiveness; a contingency approach to supervision; power, authority, and conflict in supervision; teacher motivation and supervisory effectiveness; and supervision and group effectiveness.

Principles and practices of administration of elementary and secondary schools. EDLDR 568 The Principalship (3) The course is intended to help students gain theoretical and practical insight into what it means to be an effective principal. EDLDR 568 is not a "how to" course; that is, it makes no effort to explicitly lay out rules, procedures, "best practices," or techniques associated with being a principal. Rather, the course calls on students to read, think, write about, and discuss: What do we mean by management? By leadership? What's the difference? What social and political factors help shape the principal's organizational role and behavior? How can principals acquire and maintain power and authority? And what is the difference between these two concepts? How do different school social contexts influence principal effectiveness? What do we mean by school culture and climate? How do these relate to effectiveness? How do principals become "instructional leaders?" When should they? How should student performance be evaluated? Teacher performance? What legal issues do principals need to be aware of?

Decision making in organizational and environmental contexts; case studies of administrative problems; application of decision making models. EDLDR 569 Decision Making in Educational Organizations (3) Decision making is one of the central processes in the leadership of educational organizations. The effective decision maker is one who can define a problem, establish criteria for its successful solution, identify and evaluate alternative problem solutions and their consequences, and choose an appropriate plan of action. The course utilizes a case study approach to examine and practice decision making in an educational context. Emphasis is placed on a systematic approach to making decisions, based on theory, research, and best practice knowledge. Various models of decision making are introduced and their usefulness and appropriateness in different types of situations are examined. Working in teams, students analyze increasingly complex cases and prepare both verbal and written presentations, which are tested in general class discussion. Through active learning experiences provided by the case method, students will study significant problems of practice while developing teamwork skills in collaborative work groups.

Financing of public education, including values underlying system, revenue sources and taxation, school funding formulas, equity, and school finance reform. EDLDR 573 Public School Finance (3) This course analyzes the systems and mechanisms for financing public elementary and secondary schools in the United States. It provides both an overview of basic school finance concepts and issues and an examination of Pennsylvania's system of financing schools. Throughout the course there is a continuing effort to blend the theoretical foundations of school finance with their practical applications at state and local levels. Microcomputer models are used to explore the applications of concepts to policy and practice.

Course explores the moral and ethical dimensions of the work of educational leaders. EDLDR 575 Ethics in Educational Leadership (3)This course will: 1) examine traditional ethics as well as alternative forms of moral development (critical theory applied to justice and feminist ethics); 2) compare and contrast one's own code of ethics with that of a professinal code of ethics; 3) explore approaches to moral and ethical reasoning and to use these approaches to work through ethical dilemmas related to the practice of educational administration; and 4) have students design and present authentic ethical dilemmas providing theoretical background, appropriate questions, solutions, and reflection.

Legal bases for education; rights and responsibilities of school board members, administrators, teachers, students, and parents; due process. EDLDR 576 The Law and Education (3) This course will provide an overview of major issues in school law. The course will focus primarily on case law including U.S. Supreme Court decisions as well as relevant state and federal lower court opinions. State legislation and administrative laws will also be considered. Topics to be covered include church/state issues, teacher and student rights, and law associated with equal educational opportunities for various groups including racial and linguistic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and women. The class will be a combination of lectures and discussions on particular legal topics based on the text and selected handouts. From time to time, the class will break up into small groups to work on in-class school law dilemmas.

Course focuses on legal and ethical dimensions issues for educational leaders and their impact on best interests of the students. EDLDR 577 Law and Ethics in Education The instructor will present various paradigms of ethical decision making: justice, care, critique, community, and the ethics of the profession as well as historical and philosophical perspectives on the rights of students. Participants will then apply what they have learned to authentic legal cases involving issues such as students' free speech rights, corporal punishment, strip searching, assessment, and the right to an education. Analyses will consider questions such as: Even if an action is legal, is it ethical? and What is the "best intersets of the student"?

Intraorganizational relationships; administration and the school in its organizational and environmental contexts. EDLDR 578 Schools as Organizations (3) This course is planned to provide students with an orderly introduction into organizational theory and administrative leadership concepts. A primary objective behind the organization and design of this course is to firmly link theory to practice by addressing the question of what does organizational theory and research have to say that is generally important and useful to the educational practitioner/scholar. This objective is addressed through the belief that practitioners must be self-conscious about what they are doing so organizational action becomes enlightened action; that is, action that has to do with understanding and using multiple perspectives of reality. What are needed are purposeful attempts to construct or reconstitute knowledge so that events, situations and problems are confronted or engaged from multiple points of view. Decision-making and problem-solving activities thus become acts of deliberate, conscious thoughtfulness (reflective thinking, if you will) designed to reconstruct holistic knowledge in order to facilitate enlightened action. Specifically, the objectives of the course are to assist students: (1) to acquire a foundational knowledge or organizational and administrative theory; (2) to use multiple organizational theories in understanding school organizations and leadership roles in these organizations; (3) to develop a framework or schema from which to reflectively think about and develop an understanding of school organizations and problems of practice; (4) to develop a concept of leadership within school organization; (5) to develop an understanding of organizational change processes and attending issues of school change; and (6) to become familiar with organizational perspectives on schools and schooling issues and problems.

Financial management concepts and techniques for educators: district and school level budgeting process, hands-on budget preparation workshop, and budget management. EDLDR 579 Financial Management for Schools (3) Public schools are funded almost exclusively from revenues received from local, state, and federal taxes-public funds-and school administrators are accountable for the proper usage and stewardship of these funds. This course examines the fiscal management concepts and techniques needed by educational leaders in order to plan, control, and evaluate their operations effectively. The primary means for managing the fiscal resources of the district is through the annual budget. Administrators and other educators use the budgeting process to plan educational programs for the upcoming year, to allocate the available funds among competing programs, and to control expenditures in order not to exceed allowable limits. The primary purpose of the course is to acquaint students with the central importance of budgeting in management of schools and districts and to show how mastery of budgeting will make them more effective educational leaders. Procedures for identifying the necessary budgetary activities, as well as constraints, are discussed to provide a management context for the process. Emphasis is placed on the critical, and often neglected, step of formulating expenditure and revenue estimates to teach students how budget numbers are created. Budget modification and analysis techniques are reviewed to provide skills for changing and explaining budget amounts. Monitoring procedures that prevent overexpenditure of budgeted funds are also discussed.

Critical analysis of current theories; problem finding and hypothesis formulation. EDLDR 580 The Use of Theory in Educational Administration (3) This course provides an introduction to problem finding in educational leadership and the development of research problems and hypotheses for conducting systematic inquiries in educational leadership. The focus will first be on the major research paradigms-the structural-functionalist, phenomenological-symbolic interactionist, and critical-constructivist-and on a overview of the kinds of approaches, questions, and problems posed in each. The emphasis will be on developing an understanding and appreciation of the different as well as complementary aspects of each of these research paradigms and the appropriate uses of each for inquiry in support of improved understanding of and practice in education. An integrated agenda of readings, lecture, group discussions and presentations, and completion of a research project will explore and emphasize the relationship and interdependence of all elements of systematic research. Activities are designed to integrate conceptual knowledge and understanding with active and collaborative participation. This course is designed to provide students with an orderly introduction to and apprenticeship in educational research. Specifically, the objectives of this course, inclusive of both semesters, are: (1) to become familiar with the major research paradigms pertinent to inquiry in educational leadership; (2) to understand the basic tenants, philosophical foundations, and epistemological beliefs of the major research paradigms; (3) to develop an understanding of the different elements involved in the educational research process; (4) to read as widely as possible in relevant literature; and, (5) to explore the research development process by identifying and developing a researchable problem statement and supporting conceptual framework

Field study and qualitative methods in research on educational organizations. EDLDR 581 Field Research in Educational Leadership (3) This course provides an introduction to the various research methodologies available for conducting inquiry in educational leadership across the three paradigms - structural-functionalist, phenomenological-symbolic interactionist, and critical-constructivist. Specifically, this course will focus on relationships between research questions, the theoretical/conceptual framework, and research methods but focus specifically on the methods for data collection and analysis. Part of the course will focus developing an understanding and appreciation of the different as well as complementary aspects of qualitative and quantitative research methods and the appropriate uses of each for inquiry in support of improved understanding of and practice in education. However, the majority of the course will center on the development of an understanding of the qualitative research skills needed to conduct field research. An integrated agenda of readings, lecture, group discussions and presentations, and completion of a research project will explore and emphasize the relationship and interdependence of all elements of systematic research. Activities are designed to integrate conceptual knowledge and understanding with active and collaborative participation.This course is designed to provide students with an orderly introduction to and apprenticeship in educational research. Specifically, the objectives of this course are: (1) to become familiar with specific research designs and methods used in qualitative research; (2) to read as widely as possible in the relevant qualitative research literature; (3) to become familiar with appropriate field-based research skills for data collection; (4) to conduct field-based research investigating a specific problem related to educational practice; (5) to develop the skills necessary for qualitative data analysis; and, (6) to develop the skills needed for writing qualitative research.

Introduction to education policy journals and the review and editing process; discussion of emerging issues within the academic publishing industry.

Naturalistic and empirical evaluation methods and procedures for educational organizations. EDLDR 584 Evaluation in Educational Organizations (3) "Evaluation in Educational Organizations" examines methods and procedures for conducting effective evaluations of educational programs. It reviews naturalistic and empirical evaluation methods and procedures for educational organizations. Government demands for educational accountability, and political and social requirements for educational improvement, have increased the need for scientific and systematic evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of educational programs. This course provides an introduction to both qualitative and quantitative methods of program evaluation, and examines the strengths and weaknesses of alternative models and approaches for program evaluation.

A capstone course on research design and analytical approaches to support decision-making in administration and policy-making. EDLDR 585 / EDTHP 585 / HIED 585 Research Design: Implications for Decisions in Higher Education (3) By the end of this course you should be able to: (1) Define and explain the following concepts/tools of social science research: The scientific method-Theory and its role, Constructs and variables, Hypotheses and relations, Experimental designs, Quasi-experimental designs and Ex post facto designs. Sampling theory and designs-Survey designs and methods, Approaches to data collection, Measurement reliability and validity, Quantitative analytical designs, and Ethical practices. (2) Apply these concepts/tools in designing a study relating to educational research. (3) Effectively critique both the theoretical bases and methods of a journal article or report of research or policy analysis. (4) Prepare a sound research proposal.

Exploration of the theoretical framework undergirding qualitative research and its attendant practices and techniques. EDLDR (EDTHP, HI ED) 586 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research (3) This course is the introductory course in the EPS qualitative research methods sequence. This is the first course in a three-course sequence departmental sequence intended to take students from basic knowledge of qualitative methods through mastery of advanced topics. This course was designed specifically to 1) orient students to the various types of qualitative methods most widely used in educational policy research and their theoretical underpinnings; 2) provide training in basic qualitative research techniques; 3) introduce students to basic research design; 4) provide systematic practice (and feedback) in evaluating qualitative research that would allow students to become sophisticated consumers of qualitative studies; 5) prepare students for the Level 11 course. The course will begin with a brief review the development of qualitative methods in related fields (anthropology, sociology, linguistics) and quickly move on to an overview of qualitative methods in education. Students must have read the material prior to class in order to take part in in-class exercises and discussions. We will focus on key issues such as validity, interpretation and representation. Students will be asked to read studies, assess the general quality of the work, and provide a critical evaluation. Students will study specific methods of qualitative field research, and most weeks we will practice and discuss a particular research technique (e.g. participant observation, focus group interviews). These practice sessions will be informed by relevant readings. Students will practice developing coding schemas as well as get a quick overview of qualitative data analysis (QDA) packages. Finally, in small groups, students will design a basic qualitative study to be presented as a final product in the course.

The political economy and bureaucratic politics of educational organizations, with special attention to the policy making, implementation, and evaluation processes.

Advanced study of methods involved in executing and analyzing qualitative research in education. EDLDR (EDTHP, HI ED) 588 Qualitative Methods in Educational Research II (3) The course will provide practical experience with methods of qualitative data collection, data management, and preliminary data analysis that extends and deepens students' understanding of qualitative research in education. The class, limited to 15 students, will take as the focus with inquiry a common "site" around which projects of individual and group interest will be designed. Sessions will take place in "workshop" blocks during which students will present and critique the work of the project. Readings will be interspersed with the practicing of methods. The final project for the course will be the compilation of a synthesized data set that could serve as the basis of further analysis.

Within the social sciences, interest in and the use of mixed methods has grown dramatically in the last 10-15 years. Whereas it used to be regarded, at best, as something of an impractical oddity and at worst a paradigmatic contradiction in terms, a mixed methods approach to research has increasingly begun to enter the mainstream of methodological acceptability. This course explores various philosophical, epistemological, disciplinary, and design-related debates in relation to the rapidly expanding use of mixed methodologies in educational and social scientific research. It is intended to give students an overview of different mixed methods research approaches, to help students consider the epistemological and paradigmatic implications of mixed method designs, and to encourage students to think about, design, conduct, and/or critique mixed methods research within educational and other social scientific research. In this graduate seminar, students will read and discuss multiple examples of mixed methods studies while simultaneously examining broader critiques of and commentaries on mixed methodological approaches.

Supervised, research-oriented, off-campus, nongroup instruction, including field experiences, practicums, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.

Creative projects including nonthesis research, which are supervised on an individual basis and which fall outside the scope of formal courses.

Formal courses given on a topical or special interest subject which may be offered infrequently.

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This course focuses on understanding teacher leadership and its function with the school system. EDLDR 801 Introduction to Teacher Leadership (3) EDLDR 801 Introduction to Teacher Leadership provides an orderly introduction to new conceptions of teacher leadership in schools. The course focuses on three main areas that are foundational to building understandings of teacher leadership. The first of these areas focuses on who teacher leaders are, how they become teacher leaders, and what it is that teacher leaders do. Both formal and informal roles are discussed along with professional and personal qualities that appear to distinguish teacher leaders. Finally, a clear distinction is made between formal administrative leadership, i.e., building principals and their duties, and the role of teacher leaders. The second area uses a systems perspective to focus on the organizational supports and capacities that are necessary for teacher leadership to grow and flourish. At the district level, the focus is on the development of supportive policies and appropriate programs. At the school level, the focus is on developing a culture of continuous learning/continuous improvement in support of teacher leadership. The third area examines not only how one develops teacher leadership but also what is necessary to sustain and nourish it in schools. The focus is on building relationships, distributing power and authority, and aligning professional learning. These three areas culminate in the development of a practice-based conceptual model of teacher leadership.

Course focuses on understanding schools as learning organizations and how teacher leadership works in such organizations. EDLDR 802 How Schools Work (3) The continuing development of the capacities of schools to become learning organizations is a key aspect of creating capable, competent student learners and effective teachers. A learning organization challenges assumptions, authors and reflects upon essential questions, explores innovative approaches, and through collaborative leadership structures applies these learnings to improve instructional and environmental practices for students and teachers.The objective of this course is to examine four critical areas contributing to the understanding of how schools do work and, most importantly, how they can work, as learning organizations. Effective educational leaders must (1) understand the nature of schools as learning organizations; (2) the significant impact of global social, economic, and demographic changes on schooling; (3) the challenges, opportunities, and constraints of implementing systemic change initiatives; and, (4) the complexities of leadership in such multifaceted organizations as schools.

Students from culturally, linguistically, socially, and economically diverse backgrounds account for an increasing percentage of the school-age population in the United States. This course serves as an exploration of the school leaders' role in promoting equity and diversity for all members of the school community. Specifically, this course will focus on policy and theory as they inform the development of leadership practice. This course aims to explore issues related to education, equity, and diversity.

This course focuses on the development of skills related to data use that will help inform administrative and leadership decisions in school settings. The purpose of the course is to build the learner's knowledge and skills for understanding and using a variety of different forms of data to promote improvements in student outcomes and increased equity. This class will be most relevant to those working in K-12 school settings, particularly those who are engaged in using different forms of data to improve instruction and/or schools.

This course develops one's capability to support principals and their teams through coaching to successfully engage in continuous cycles of improvement. Candidates will develop their leadership capacity while collaboratively leading a change effort that ultimately results in success for every student. This is a key competence for principals who will coach other principals.

Students will, under faculty guidance, review events or projects they have conducted in their school and assess its suitability to be developed as a case study. After selecting the case, students will be guided in developing a case study that can be employed in future professional development. Students will write up a case study that articulates the context, vision, theory of action, strategies, evaluation, and resources utilized by the candidate to effect a systemic improvement to their school. Students will critically examine how case studies serve as teaching tools, and reflect on how their lived experience/active practice can be transformed into teaching materials that can develop the administrative skills of future principals.

Standards-based reforms of the past have brought about efforts to improve schools and raise student achievement. Initiatives include (but are not limited to): (1) introduction of standards for learning at all levels of K-12 instruction, including the Common Core Standards introduced in 2011; (2) increased requirements for high school graduation; (3) reduced class sizes, especially in the elementary grades; (4) high-stakes state testing and accountability measures. Yet, despite all this activity and attention, significant changes in student achievement and in basic school practices have been slow to transpire. The reasons for slow progress are many and complex. However, one reason is the need for stronger school leaders (including teachers, principals, superintendents, and other educators) who can direct and implement changes in curriculum, instruction, and school organization. There is consensus in the research literature that school improvement and school leadership are largely inseparable--that leadership is a critical element in order for schools to improve. The course addresses three major questions: (1) What is school improvement? (2) What does it involve? (3) How do we do it? To accomplish this, the course focuses on several general models developed for school improvement purposes. It also explores the component pieces of school improvement, including leadership, professional development/professional learning communities, and a focus on teaching and learning including standards, instruction, and assessments. Taken together, this course explores what education leaders need to know and be able to do to strengthen instruction and raise student achievement. If leaders are to nurture better teaching and learning, they will need greater familiarity with promising instructional approaches, new curricular materials, and ways to adapt them to a particular school's circumstances.

The purpose of this course is to provide aspiring leaders with learning opportunities and activities authentic to school leaders and leadership roles in educational organizations. While the course is suited to meet the needs of educators preparing for principal positions in K-12 schools, it also serves to meet the needs of aspiring leaders in specific content areas, including special education leaders and curriculum leaders often employed across K-12 as teacher leaders or administrators. The course focuses on development of leadership skills and dispositions that inform highly effective practices of instructional leaders in education. Throughout the course, students explore and investigate social and institutional settings for instructional leadership, including supervision of instructional staff and the functions, activities, and practices of an instructional leader. Students will continually work to develop and refine leadership dispositions, specifically those that support instructional improvement and high levels of learning for all students. Throughout the course, students are provided with opportunities to apply activities and learning to their specific interests, at all levels of instruction and content within schools and educational organizations. Students are expected to have teaching and/or school administrator experience, 18 credits in education (at least five of which are methods of teaching), and access to a school setting for course activities and projects.

This course will provide an overview of the critical strategic and operational leadership roles in human resources management for future and practicing administrators. Using a systems approach, this course will help leaders to identify the components of effective human resources management while also understanding how these components are interrelated and support strategic planning towards equitable teaching and learning. Additionally, this course will consider local state and federal policy, as well as legal and ethical responsibilities, dimensions of equity and diversity and a changing work force in: recruitment, selection, induction, retention, evaluation, professional development, collective bargaining and compensation of school personnel.

The Principalship course provides students with knowledge specific to the role of the principal in K-12 schools. The course is intended to help students gain theoretical and practical insight into what it means to be an effective principal. It explores principal leadership responsibilities, decision-making/problem-solving skills, and management practices across levels of K-12 leadership. The course calls on students to read, think, write about, and discuss multiple topics related to the day-to-day challenges of a building leader.

How we raise money for schools and how we spend that money reflects our values. This course gives students an overview of the values and policies shaping school finance in the United States, with a special emphasis on the relationship between education funding and equity. Students will also develop their understanding of technical topics in school finance such as how leaders build and maintain a budget. In learning to think critically about funding issues in education, students will consider the relationship between financial management, educational leadership, and organizational change.

This course will provide an overview of major issues in school law. The course will focus primarily on case law including U.S. Supreme Court decisions as well as relevant state and federal lower court opinions. State legislation and administrative laws will also be considered. Topics to be covered include church/state issues, teacher and student rights, and law associated with equal educational opportunities for various groups including racial and linguistic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and women.

EDLDR 894 Capstone Inquiry Project (3) EDLDR 894 is the culminating course for the on-line M.Ed. in Educational Leadership with an Option in Teacher Leadership. The course is designed around the presentation of a independent inquiry project that reflects the student's developing understanding of the five leadership strands upon which the program is based. While a good deal of latitude is provided to students in designing their project (usually in conjunction with the First Tier course, CI 501 Teacher Inquiry), course faculty and academic advisors also support and guide the student in project development and continuing work across the program. In addition, several general principles guide and shape the specific project work which continues over the course of the M.Ed. program. In addition to the inquiry project being focused on a problem of practice taken from the student's professional work, the final inquiry project should also give evidence of the following elements: (1) a focus on improvement of schooling practices and/or student learning; (2) the use of current research and instances of exemplary practices; (3) incorporation of authentic learning experiences anchored in practice; (4) the use of an inquiry-based model of learning and reflection; and (5) collaborative work either among on-line program participants or with participants outside the program. A portfolio of evidence pertaining to (1) individuals' reflections on teacher leadership, (2) other forms of documentation of instances of opportunities for teacher leadership, and (3) the development of the individual inquiry project will be maintained across the student's progression through the program and can be incorporated into the presentation of the inquiry project or into the synthesis and reflection paper.

Supervised, professionally oriented, off-campus, nongroup instruction, including field experiences, practicums, or internships. Written and oral critique of activity required.