Columbus State University
College of Education
Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership, and Professional Studies
EdS. in Educational Leadership
EDUL 7107
COURSE SYLLABUS
COE Mission: “...To Achieve Excellence by Guiding Individuals as they develop the Proficiency, Expertise, and Leadership Consistent with their Professional Roles as Teachers, Counselors, and Leaders..."
The mission of the College of Education is congruent with and complements that of Columbus State University. The College of Education has adopted the guiding principle, Creating Opportunities for Excellence, to support its mission . . . to achieve excellence by guiding individuals as they develop the proficiency, expertise, and leadership consistent with their professional roles as teachers, counselors, and leaders. By creating opportunities for excellence, the College of Education prepares highly qualified teachers, counselors, and leaders who promote high levels of learning for all P-12 students by demonstrating excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professionalism. Teachers, counselors, and leaders continually acquire, integrate, refine, and model these qualities as they develop proficiency, expertise, and leadership. Ultimately, the professional educator believes in the transforming role of education in human lives and strives to improve the learning of all students. The College of Education also prepares highly qualified professionals in exercise science and community counseling. COE faculty guide individuals in this developmental process.
The visual model represents the key features of the Conceptual Framework for the programs in teacher education, educational leadership, and school counseling. The circle represents the continual process of acquiring, integrating, refining, and modeling excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professionalism. The arrows represent the interdependence of these qualities. The result of our efforts to achieve excellence in teaching, scholarship, and professionalism will be improved student learning at the P-12 level and the university level.
Teaching, scholarship, and professionalism encompass the highest standards represented in the ten (10) principles outlined by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) and the five (5) core assumptions of accomplished teaching of the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). The Department of Teacher Education has adopted these principles and assumptions, which are listed below, as standards for beginning and advanced teachers.
Part I: Course Information
Course Title: School System Reform and the Change Process
Course Number: EDUL 7107 Credit Hours: 3 Field Experiences: See Internship
Manual
Textbook:
Instructor Name:
Campus Address: 131 Jordan Hall
Telephone: (706) 568-2222
Email:
Semester: Class Meeting Time:
Office Hours of Instructor:
Office Hours of Departmental Staff: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Jordan Hall 131
Office of COE Graduate Studies: Dr. Tom Hackett, Director of COE Graduate Studies
Mrs. Patty Jamieson, Department Secretary
Jordan Hall 103
706-568-2301 FAX 706 568-5088
Part II: Program Information
Undergirding Philosophy: The undergirding philosophy of the EdS in Educational Leadership is transformational leadership. Developed by Bass in 1978 as a business model for leadership, transformational leadership is applied to the educational setting to develop leaders who inspire others through vision and through the use of personal consideration by having a clear vision of what they want to achieve and how they want to achieve it. Inherent in the definition of transformational leadership is the notion of concomitant growth of those that exercise and are influenced by such leadership. Thus, Burns (1978) held that transformational leadership (referring to it as transforming leadership) occurs when one or more persons engage with others in such a way that leaders and followers raise one another to higher levels of motivation and morality. Power bases are linked not as counterweights but as mutual support for a common purpose . Transforming leadership ultimately becomes moral in that it raises the level of human conduct and ethical aspirations of both the leader and the led and thus has a transforming effect on both (p. 20). Given this mentality, "transformational" principals are open to change and, more fundamentally, embrace its prospect since they realize that school improvement is inextricably connected with the personal and professional development of themselves and their staffs. As stated by DuFour and Eaker (1992), "the key to school improvement is people improvement. Attention to professional development must be the cornerstone of any initiative to enhance the effectiveness of schools" (p. 20).
Transformational Leadership Sources:
· Bass, B.M., & Avolio, B.J. (Eds.). (1994). Improving organizational effectiveness
through transformational leadership. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
· Burns, J.M. (1978). Leadership. NY: Harper and Row.
· DuFour, R., & Eaker, R. (1992). Creating the new American school. Bloomington, IN:
National Education Service.
· Jason, M.H. (2000). The role of the principal as transformational leader in a multicultural
learning community. High School Journal, 83 (3). Academic Search Premier.
Premier.
EdS in Educational Leadership: Program Goals
Graduates will promote school achievement by
· Raising his/her level of proficiency with regard to supervising teachers, promoting, implementing and evaluating professional development programs, and developing, implementing, evaluating and revising curriculum.
· Being proficient in various aspects of human relations, and act as facilitator and mentor for all school staffs, students, parents, and community persons.
· Using all available resources to support the instructional program, as well as proposing grants and other means of support.
· Using technology to support both the instructional and other programs by being a leader and innovative in the use of technology.
· Having practical knowledge and skill in carrying out a school-wide or district-wide special project, and setting an example and inspiring others.
Major Emphasis Area: The major emphasis area in the EdS in Educational Leadership is improved school achievement.
Knowledge Base: The knowledge base of the EdS in Educational Leadership is founded on the ELCC Standards, the ISTE Standards for school administrators (NETSA), content endorsed by the SREB for the development of school leaders, the Georgia Board of Regents Principles and Action for the Preparation of Educators for the Schools.
The Educational Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC) Standards for Advanced Programs in Educational Leadership (SAPEL) promoted by the National Policy Board for Educational Administration, include seven standards for the education and development of school leaders. Copies may be downloaded from the website at http://www.npbea.org/ELCC/
The Interstate Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) developed technology standards for educators including the National Educational Technology Standards for Administrators (NETSA). These standards are located at the society’s website at http://cnets.iste.org/tssa/
According to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), educational accountability and higher standards have changed nearly everything, and leadership preparation and certification also must change. The leadership initiative connects SREB, leadership academies and universities across the region in collaborative work focused on significantly improving leadership preparation and development. Information about the education of school leaders is located at www.sreb.org Funded by Wallace-Reader's Digest Funds, Leadership for Educational Achievement in Districts (LEAD) is part of a 15-state initiative to put leadership at the core of systemic school reform by strengthening and diversifying the pool of potential leaders; improving the training of leaders and their professional development; and creating conditions in which they can do their job better.
The GACE in Educational Leadership is administered by the National Evaluation Systems. GACE information is located at www.gace.nesinc.com/
Performance Skills and Dispositions: Performance skills and dispositions are developed and assessed through integrated projects in individual courses and through the internship experience. Emphasis in each course is on collaboration with partner schools and completion of action research projects in culturally diverse environments.
Program Coherence: High quality students including women and minorities are admitted after completion of the admissions process which includes an interview and a writing sample in addition to consideration of test scores and GPA. Registration may be completed after the online graduate orientation is verified. Beginning in Fall 2004, students are admitted as a cohort to complete the program in 15 months. Each student must maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete and present the EdS E-portfolio for program completion.
· Regents’ Principles and Actions for the Preparation of Educators for the Schools: The Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia adopted the Principles and Actions in 1998. Additions to the Principles and Actions, recommended by the Educator Preparation Academic Advisory Committee, were approved in 2001. The Actions and Principles (#5) include a provision that any leader not meeting expectations of the employer in the first two years of practice as an educational leader will receive additional training at no expense to the individual or the school district.
Part III: Course Description
EDUL 7107. School System Reform and The Change Process
The candidate will investigate how redirecting effort can change the focus of school system reform. This course focuses on identifying the dynamics of change and how to lead stakeholders through this process.
Course Goals:
Investigates how redirecting effort can change the focus of school reform. Focuses on identifying the dynamics of change and how to lead stakeholders through this process. The focus of this course is the change process. Specifically, students are required to identify and analyze barriers to positive change at the school system level. Student products include the development of a system professional development program plan.
Course Objectives (ELCC Standards):
1.1.a. Candidates develop and demonstrate the skills needed to work with a board of education
facilitate the development of a vision of learning for a school district that promotes the
success of all students.
1.l.b. Candidates base development of the vision on relevant knowledge and theories applicable
to school-level leaders applied to a school district context.
1.2.a. Candidates demonstrate the ability to articulate the components of this vision for a district and the leadership processes necessary
1.2.b. Candidates demonstrate the ability to use data-based research strategies and strategic
planning processes that focus on student learning to develop a vision, drawing on
relevant information sources such as student assessment results, student and family
demographic data, and an analysis of community needs.
1.2.c. Candidates demonstrate the ability to communicate the vision to school boards, staff,
parents, students, and community members through the use of symbols, ceremonies,
stories, and other activities.
1.3.a. Candidates demonstrate the ability to plan programs to motivate staff, students, and
families to achieve a school district’s vision.
1.3.b. Candidates design research-based processes to effectively implement a district vision
throughout an entire school district and community.
1.4.b. Candidates understand the theory and research related to organizational and educational
leadership and engage in the collection, organization, and analysis of a variety of
information, including student performance date, required to assess progress toward a
district’s vision, mission, and goals.
1.5.a. Candidates demonstrate the ability to bring together and communicate effectively with
stakeholders within the district and the larger community concerning implementation and
realization of the vision.
2.4.a. Candidates demonstrate knowledge of adult learning strategies and the ability to apply
technology and research to professional development design focusing on authentic
problems and tasks, mentoring, coaching, conferencing, and other techniques that
promote new knowledge and skills in the workplace.
2.4.b. Candidates demonstrate the ability to use strategies such as observations and
collaborative reflection to help form comprehensive professional growth plans with
district and school personnel.
2.4.c. Candidates develop personal professional growth plans that reflect commitment to
life-long learning and best practices.
3.2.b. Candidates can use appropriate and effective needs assessment, research-based data, and
group process skills to build consensus, communicate, resolve conflicts in order to align
resources with the district vision.
3.2.c. Candidates develop staff communication plans for integrating district’s school and
divisions.
3.2.d. Candidates develop a plan to promote and support community collaboration among
district personnel.
4.1.c. Candidates apply an understanding of community relations models, marketing strategies,
processes, data driven decision-making, and communication theory to craft frameworks
for schools, business, community, government, and higher education partnerships.
4.1.e. Candidates demonstrate the ability to involve community members, groups, and other
stakeholders in district decision-making, reflecting an understanding of strategies to
capitalize on the district’s integral role in the larger community.
4.2.a. Candidates facilitate and engage in activities that reflect an ability to inform district
decision-making by collecting and organizing formal and informal information from
multiple stakeholders.
4.2.b. Candidates demonstrate the ability to promote maximum involvement with, and
visibility within the community.
4.2.c. Candidates demonstrate the ability to interact effectively with individuals and groups
that reflect conflicting perspectives.
5.2.a. Candidates demonstrates the ability to combine impartiality, sensitivity to student
diversity, and ethical considerations in their interaction with others.
5.3.a. Candidates make and explain decisions based upon ethical and legal principles.
6.1.e. Candidates demonstrate the ability to work with political leaders at the local, state, and
national level.
6.1.g. Candidates espouse positions in response to proposed policy changes that would
benefit or harm districts and explain how proposed policies and laws might improve
educational and social opportunities for specific communities.
Course Requirements:
General: The requirements of this course include: attendance at all announced sessions, participation in class and group activities, timely and successful completion of assignments and projects, sufficient out-of-class preparation for all work assigned, a working knowledge of the problem-solving process, an identified personal code of ethics, and excellent computer, computational, oral and written skills.
Specific: Planning a viable change at system or school level
Course Evaluation:
20% Class Participation
20% Class Projects, Essays
20% Midterm
20% Final
20% Evaluation of School Collaboration Practices
Required Reading:
Allyn & Bacon. Implementing Change: Patterns, Principles & Potholes.
References: At least five (5).
The Human side of School Change- Reform, Resistance, and the Real-Life Problems of Innovation, Robert Evans, 1996
The New Meaning of Educational Change-Michael Fullan, 2001
Shaking Up the School House-How to Support and Sustain Educational Innovation, Phillip Schlecty, 2001
Changing Forces- The Sequel- Micheal Fullan, 1999
Nothing’s Impossible- Lorraine Monroe, 1997
Learning by Heart- Roland S. Barth, 2001