Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 701: Educational Leadership, Decision Making and Ethics – Fall B 2015

Credits - 3

Description

This course introduces participants to the major concepts of leadership as applied in leading schools and educational institutions. The Interstate School Leaders License Consortium (ISLLC) Students will review leadership styles, conduct self-reflection, observe leaders in action, and offer solutions for various problems and scenarios.

Materials

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

1. Use appropriate APA citations and formatted references within reference lists in assignments throughout the course (ISLLC Standards 1);
2. Become familiar with the online learning format and course tools if they are a new online learner (ISLLC Standards 1);
3. Examine and identify leadership styles (including determining his or her own style) (ISLLC Standards 1 & 5;
4. Observe, interview, and analyze the leadership style of at least one educational leader (ISLLC Standards 1);
5. Assess leadership skills (in themselves and others), using the ISLLC Standards as the standard of measurement (ISLLC Standards 1);
6. Define one’s self in light of personal values, beliefs, ethics, and leadership styles, and reflect on a course of personal action (ISLLC Standard 5);
7. Acquire knowledge of ethical decision making strategies and apply them to educational situations through collaborative decision making processes (ISLLC Standard 5);
8. Examine the role of values, beliefs, and ethics in the integrity of leading others, applying them to situations faced by superintendents, principals, and educational leaders (ISLLC Standard 5);
9. Acquire knowledge of ethical decision making strategies and apply them to educational situations through collaborative decision making processes (ISLLC Standard 5);
10. Define one’s self in light of personal values, beliefs, ethics, and leadership styles, and reflect on a course of personal action (ISLLC Standard 5 b, c, d);
11. Examine the role of values, beliefs, and ethics in the integrity of leading others, applying them to situations faced by superintendents, principals, and educational leaders (ISLLC Standard 5)

Assignments

Leadership Self-Assessment Paper:

In 2 to 3 pages double-spaced, write about your strengths as a leader and how you nurture your strengths. How do others view those traits? Describe the consequences of your using those strengths in addition to those instances where you did not.

Case Study:

Prepare your response to the following scenario: You have just been promoted to an assistant principal at your school after teaching there for 6 years. You are assigned the task of improving student behavior in terms of attendance, punctuality, disciplinary actions and school violence. You are expected to work with students, teachers, staff, and parents to improve the overall school culture. How will you do this?

Implications for our work:

How might this particular text influence your work? Write a 1-2 page reflection answering the questions. Please provide evidence both from the readings and the video.

Ethical Dilemma Case Study:

Write a case study of not more than 1200 words about an incident, event or situation that you were involved in or know of in which a school leader faced an ethical dilemma. The Kidder book contains many examples of case studies, though not always labeled as such. On pages 13 – 16, the author tells two stories about people faced with tough decisions. Some of these case studies can be used.

Follow the Leader:

The purpose of this assignment is for you to take a detailed look at a leader’s style, skills, and approaches to a variety of situations. As a result, you will consider their strengths, skills, and offer suggestions as to how situations might have been handled differently.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Points
Leadership Self-Assessment	10
Case Study	10
Implications for Our Work: Reflection	10
Ethical Dilemma Case Study	10
Follow the Leader	20
8 Threaded Discussions (5 points each)	40
TOTAL	100 POINTS

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00