Syllabus

I. CONTACT INFORMATION:

Cynthia L. Uline, Ph. D.	Program Website http://tep.ucsd.edu/edd/el/about.shtml
Phone: 619-594-3949	5500 Campanile Drive, NE 166
Fax: 619-594-3825	San Diego , CA 92182-1190
Email: culine@mail.sdsu.edu	Christy Andrade, Dept. Coordinator
Office Hours: By appointment	Phone: 619-594-4063
Dr. Uline's Website: click here

 

II. COURSE RATIONALE:

This course is designed for doctoral students concentrating their studies in educational leadership. Students of educational leadership should explore various topical issues relevant to practice in December 9, 2005nd/or dimensions of leadership as influencing schools within the context of diverse democratic communities. How do school leaders become the agents of public deliberation and intelligently guided inquiry regarding the challenges their schools face? How do these same educational leaders develop as informed consumers of educational research, applying current research and scholarship to problems of practice?

In this course, students will examine how school leaders, who are themselves learners, stay current in the face of ever-changing developments in the field. They will explore strategies for developing adaptive school cultures that foster individual and organizational learning. They will examine and refine their own personal and professional learning habits, exploring how educational leaders serve as role models for such learning organizations.

Finally, students of educational leadership should begin to develop their own theories of practice, theories in concert with the enterprise of school. This course will provide students time, resources, and guidance to pursue their review of the literature on a topic of particular interest to them (the doctoral qualifying paper). Reflecting upon their own teacher and/or administrator practice within an empirical and theoretical context, they will begin to synthesize ideas about a specific advanced topic in educational leadership, articulating and presenting the themes and theoretical findings emerging from their developing doctoral qualifying papers.

III. STUDENT OUTCOMES:

a. To develop an understanding of the evolving concept of educational leadership, along with its changing roles and expectations.

b. To explore critical topics relevant to leadership practice in American schools, including how school leaders meet the challenge of accountability, build instructional capacity, manage organizational conflict, apply methods for ethical reasoning, and the like.

c. To examine how school leaders, who are themselves learners, develop cultures that foster organizational learning, adaptive school cultures conducive to personal and professional growth.

d. To employ various research tools, exploring the literature relevant to a particular topic of interest in the field, demonstrating mastery of this literature.

g. To grow self-conscious of one’s own leadership theory and practice.

IV. REQUIRED TEXTS/DOCUMENTS:

Articles as outlined in the course schedule, posted on the Program Website. http://tep.ucsd.edu/edd/el/about.shtml

V. STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:

Students are expected to attend all classes and actively participate in class discussions in a manner that deepens the learning experience for all the class members. Students are expected to complete assignments in a timely manner, striving for consistency in the quality of their ideas, their writing, and their presentation of themes and findings, demonstrating a thorough knowledge of the literature and research relevant to their qualifying paper topics.

VI. COURSE DELIVERABLES AND REQUIREMENTS

1. Qualifying Paper Abstract:

Prepare a one-page, three paragraph abstract of your qualifying paper.

Paragraph one should set the context. What concern/advanced topic in educational leadership does your qualifying paper explore? How will your study of this topic advance the knowledge base in educational leadership? Describe the potential of the work for improving leadership practice. Create a sense of interest and urgency for your audience.

Paragraph two should introduce the literature you are intending to review. Summarize the themes/findings you intend to explore. Cite relevant scholars.

Paragraph three should explain how this literature/research provides a point of departure for your future dissertation research.

1. Qualifying Paper Presentations:

Develop a formal presentation of the themes and findings emerging from your developing doctoral qualifying paper. Articulate the areas of research relevant to your chosen topic. Define the specific theoretical themes you are exploring through your review of the literature. Chronicle the important empirical findings that will inform your research, describing how these research findings originated or stimulated growth and development within the field and how your own research aims to extend this body of knowledge.

You must employ and reference relevant research to: a) support your growing understanding of a given advanced topic in educational leadership, and b) to demonstrate your mastery of the research/literature itself. This presentation will be an effort to synthesize, clarify and document your ideas as they are informed by others.

1. Formal Bibliography:

Prepare and disseminate to all seminar members a formal bibliography of the articles, books, technical reports, dissertations, etc. included in your literature review to date. Bibliographies should be typed/printed double-spaced (including references) and must conform to the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5 th edition).

1. Class Attendance and Participation: The seminar group will read assigned

materials and be prepared to participate actively in discussions.

The seminar group will also respond to individual member’s qualifying paper introductions and presentations according to the course outline. For these activities we will function as a workshop, reviewing and critiquing seminar members’ work. These responses will be as specific as possible, including feedback on the ideas expressed, the organization of these ideas, voice and conventions, and suggestions regarding the references cited.

VII. UNIVERSITY EXPECTATIONS

SDSU rules and regulations concerning graduate students can be found in the Bulletin of the Graduate Division that you received in class. This Bulletin can also be found online at: http://coursecat.sdsu.edu/bulletin/index.html

Disability
Students with special needs (as specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act) should notify the instructor immediately so that special accommodations may be made.

Field Trips and Liability Coverage :
Should this course require students to participate in field trips, research or studies that include course work that will be performed off-campus, it is important to note that participation in such activities may result in accidents or personal injury. Student participating in the event are aware of these risks, and agree to hold harmless San Diego State University, the State of California, the Trustees of the California State University and Colleges and its officers, employees and agents against all claims, demands, suits, judgments, expenses and costs of any kind on account of their participation in the activities. Student using their own vehicles to transport other students to such activities should have the current automobile insurance.

Plagiarism :
Students may be suspended, placed on probation or given a lesser sanction for one or more of the following causes which must be campus related: (a) Cheating or plagiarism in connection with an academic pro-gram at a campus. (b) Forgery, alteration or misuse of campus documents, records, or identification. http://gra.sdsu.edu/dra/integrity_research_scholarship.htm

VIII. TENTATIVE OUTLINE:

CLASS SESSION	TOPIC/ACTIVITY	ASSIGNMENTS
1 Fri. evening October 28	Introduction and course overview. Consider the evolving concept of educational leadership, its changing roles and expectations.   Introduce workshop process.	Prior to this session review course syllabus and posted materials. Prior to this session read and study Goldring, E. & Greenfield, W. (2002). Underdstanding the evolving concept of leadership in education: Roles, expectations, and dilemmas. In J. Murphy (Ed.) The educational leadership challenge: redefining leadership for the 21 st century. Posted to program website. Prior to this session prepare a one-page abstract of your qualifying paper, Assignment A (See description on p. 2 of syllabus.) Distribute this abstract to cohort members and the professor by Monday, October 17.
2 Sat. a.m. October 29	Consider how school leadersmake building design decisions that enhance educational aims and intentions supporting quality instruction on behalf of learners’ diverse needs.	Prior to this session read and study Uline, C. (2000). Decent Facilities and Learning: Thirman L.Milner Elementary and School Beyond. Teacher College Record , 102, 2, 444-462. Posted to program website.   Prior to this session read and study Schneider, M. (2002). Do School Facilities Affect Academic Outcomes? Washington, D.C. National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities. http://www.edfacilities.org/pubs/outcomes.pdf Also posted to program website.
3 Sat. p.m. October 29	Present qualifying paper abstracts, assignment A. Seminar participants workshop assignment A.	Prior to this session seminar members will read and study colleagues’ qualifying paper abstracts. Utilize the provided writing rubric to prepare a reflective question for each cohort author. Questions should relate to idea development and/or general organization. Written comments may address word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, etc.
4 & 5 Between October 30 and December 2	Articulate the areas of research relevant to your chosen qualifying paper topic.   Define the specific theoretical themes you are exploring through your review of the literature.   Chronicle the important empirical findings that will inform your research.	Complete Assignment B.   Complete Assignment C. Distribute this formal bibliography to cohort members and the professor by Monday, November 28th.
6 Fri. evening December 2	Examine the role constructive conflict plays in advancing the goals of school improvement.	Prior to this session read and study Uline, C., Tschannen-Moran, M., & Perez, L. (2003). Constructive Conflict within School Organizations. Teacher College Record, 105, 5, 782-816. Posted to program website.
7 Sat. a.m. December 3	Qualifying Paper Presentations, Assignment B.   Seminar participants workshop assignment B.	Prior to this session, prepare 15 minute qualifying paper formal presentations.
8 Sat. p.m. December 3	Explore the ethical dimensions of educational leadership and learn ethical concepts important to educational administration. Consider methods of ethical inquiry as central to educational leadership.	Starratt, R.J. (1991). Building an ethical school: A theory for practice in educational leadership. Educational Administration Quarterly, 27, 185 202; and   Willower, D.J. (1994). Values, Valuation, and Explanation in School Organizations. Journal of School Leadership, 4, 466-483. Posted to program website.
9 By Monday December 19, midnight		Ensure that professor receives final drafts of assignments A, B, and C.

Autumn 2005