Syllabus
Master of Science in Education
EDU 701: Educational Leadership, Decision Making and Ethics – Summer B 2016
Credits - 3
Description
This course provides the overarching context for the entire curriculum in educational leadership. Participants consider theories and practices relating to effective leadership in educational settings. Topics include team building, diagnosing the work environment, decision-making, problem solving, and strategic planning and human resource development. Students will reflect on their own leadership, observe and analyze other leaders, and explore how the theories and practices relate to the Interstate School Leaders License Consortium (ISLLC) standards for leaders. This course meets standards of the Interstate School Leaders Consortium (ISSLC) 2008*. This course explores ethical decision-making and individual styles with respect to professional responsibilities.
* Course NOTE: The Interstate School Leaders Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) standards were updated in November 2015. The new standards, now called Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (PSEL), outline what states need to consider as they implement changes instituted by the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Because implementation of these standards is still underway across the nation, this course continues to use ISLLC standards and resources.
Materials
Learning Objectives and Outcomes
- Examine and identify leadership styles (including determining his or her own style)
- Observe, interview, and analyze the leadership style of at least one educational leader
- Assess leadership skills (in themselves and others), using the Professional Standards for Educational Leaders (formerly known as ISLLC Standards) as the standard of measurement*
- Define one’s self in light of personal values, beliefs, ethics, and leadership styles, and reflect on a course of personal action
- Acquire knowledge of ethical decision making strategies and apply them to educational situations through collaborative decision making processes
- 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
- Acquire knowledge of ethical decision making strategies and apply them to educational situations through collaborative decision making processes
- Define one’s self in light of personal values, beliefs, ethics, and leadership styles, and reflect on a course of personal action
- 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
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 | 5 |
| 2 Case Studies (10 points each) | 20 |
| Implications for Our Work: Reflection | 20 |
| Follow the Leader | 20 |
| 7 Threaded Discussions (5 points each) | 35 |
| 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 |
Schedule
|
Week |
Topic |
Activities & Assignments |
Dates |
|
1 6/29-7/3 |
A Framework for School Leadership |
Required Reading Practicing the Art of Leadership:
Finding Your Leadership Style. Part I, pp. 1-82. In The Jossey Bass Reader on Educational Leadership:
Class Discussion No Written Assignments |
Due: July 3 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
2 7/4-7/10 |
Leadership Styles and Ethical Moral Courage |
Required Reading: Finding Your Leadership Style:
In the Jossey-Bass Reader:
Class Discussion Written Assignment: Leadership Self-Assessment |
Due: July 10 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
3 7/11-7/17 |
Decision-making Process |
Required Reading: “Practicing the Art of Leadership,” Chapters 6 and 7, pp. 165-229
In Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership:
Small Group Discussion Written Assignments: First Case Study Response |
Due: July 17 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
4 7/18-7/24 |
Ethical Dilemmas |
Required Reading: Read Kidder Chapters 5 to 8. Pay particular attention to the four paradigms of ethical dilemma in Chapters 5 and 6, the three resolution principles in Chapter 7, and the 9 checkpoints for ethical decisions in chapter 8. Read the three short case studies in Chapter 2 (pp. 34-45). Identify the ethical dilemma involved in the case study while you read. Small Group Discussion Written Assignments: 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. |
Due: July 24 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
5 7-25-7/31 |
Practical Application of Ethics |
Required Reading: There are no readings this week. Small Group Discussion Written Assignments: Case Study |
Due: July 31 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
6 8/1-8/7 |
Developing a Collaborative School Culture/Communication as Leadership Enhancement |
Required Reading: In Jossey-Bass Reader on Educational Leadership:
No Discussion Written Assignments: Work on your Follow the Leader Paper (Due Next Week) |
Due: Aug. 7 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
7 8/8-8/14 |
Reflection and Synthesis |
Required Reading:
Small Group Discussion Written Assignments: Follow the Leader Paper |
Due: Aug. 14 at 11:59 pm. ET |
|
8 8/15-8/21 |
Leadership Standards |
Class Discussion No Written Assignments |
Due: FRIDAY, Aug. 19 at 11:55 pm. EST |
Student Resources
Online Student Support
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The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:
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Policies
Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool
The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.
Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.
You can learn more about Turnitin in the Turnitin Student quick start guide.
Technology Requirements
Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements
Course Evaluation Policy
Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.
Information Technology Services (ITS)
ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673
Attendance Policy
Online students are required to submit a graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. If a student does not submit a posting to the graded assignment/discussion prior to Sunday evening at 11:59 pm ET, the student will be automatically dropped from the course for non-participation. Review the full attendance policy.
Late Policy
Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.
Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.
Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.
Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures
The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Graduate and Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.
UNE Course Withdrawal
Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.
Academic Integrity
The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:
- Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
- Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
- Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
- Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
- Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.
Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.