Introduction to Educational Leadership
EdL 701

Department of Human Services and Educational Leadership
College of Education and Human Services, UW Oshkosh
Dr Susan Cramer – Spring 2008

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MS Educational Leadership
Excellence in Preparing Educational Leaders

Course Description
This course will provide an introduction and overview to the MS Educational Leadership program (and other associated programs). Students will explore program options and requirements, set professionals goals, and explore current educational issues. This course should be taken before or immediately after acceptance into the MS Educational Leadership program. Required course for all students entering the program Fall 2006 or later. (2 credits)

Course Objectives
The graduate student will:

1. Explore Educational Leadership program options and goals as well as navigating UW Oshkosh resources;
2. Explore leadership needs and roles in schools;
3. Set personal/professional goals and accompanying program plan;
4. Understand change and people’s reaction to it;
5. Explore the future and how it impacts current educational issues.

The primary focus of this course is on Program Goal 1 and COEHS Model component Change Agent. You are also demonstrating you are a Lifelong Learner by enrolling in this graduate program and writing a program action plan. Save materials from this class to demonstrate your excellence in these areas.

MS Educational Leadership Program Vision, Mission, Goals and Dispositions

Vision
Excellence in Preparing Educational Leaders

Mission
The mission of the MS Educational Leadership degree program is to develop educators to assume formal or informal leadership roles in their organization.

Goals
Throughout this program you will develop the capacity to:

1. Envision and guide organizational change.
2. Communicate effectively, engage constituents, develop people and build community.
3. Advocate and promote equity for diverse populations and respect for individuals.
4. Integrate theory, data, research and ethical standards into the context of one’s practice through continuous learning.

Dispositions
Throughout this program you will be expected to demonstrate the following dispositions:

1. Values change as the source of opportunity for improvement.
2. Displays the ability to understand people and relationships and is receptive to the ideas of others.
3. Shows a willingness to implement non-discriminatory access, accommodations and assessments.
4. Demonstrates empathic understanding of diversity in all domains.
5. Regularly reflects upon the philosophical assumptions, ethical principles and rationales that guide one’s practice.
6. Understands oneself as a learner and values learning as a core capacity.

Audience
The MS Educational Leadership degree program serves educators or other professionals who want to assume formal or informal leadership roles in their organizations.

ELPA Portfolio Components/Leadership Dimensions:
Professional Vision
* Resume, references, licenses, & leadership contributions

Advancing Learning Equity
* In your position as a school leader, how would you assess and improve equity in student learning, including students who traditionally struggle and students with disabilities?

Building Teacher Capacity
* In what ways would you identify teachers’ individual and collective needs and build teacher capacity for teaching and learning?

Leading the Organization
* How would you acquire and align resources and opportunities to meet the organization's goals, needs and priorities?

Engage Communities
* In what ways would you reach out to engage the community to support student learning and build the organization’s goals?

Link to COEHS Model We focus primarily on the four outer components of our COEHS model -- Change Agent (CA), Reflective Professional (RP), Lifelong Learner (LL), and Skillful Practitioner (SP) Old program goals (pre 2008) Develop leadership, decision making, legal and ethical skills, and change agent skills (CA) Develop written, oral, and technological communication skills (LL, SP) Understand and appreciate cultural and intellectual diversity (SP, RP) Develop professional practice based on theory and research (SP, RP) Develop skills in integrating and applying knowledge to specific problem-solving tasks (SP, PR) Develop requisite skills and attitudes to become lifelong learners (LL)

WI Teacher Standards
Course content will addres many of the Wisconsin Teacher Standards. However, there is a significant and primary emphasis on standard:
9. Teachers are able to evaluate themselves.

Required Texts, Materials, Expectations, and Policies

1. Friedman, Thomas L. The World Is Flat. 2005 or 2006 edition. Purchase online or at any local retail store.
2. A sense of adventure, humor, and cooperation.
3. Attendance - expected. When you find yourself unable to attend due to illness or other professional commitment, please contact me via email alerting me that you will be missing and why. After 2 absences, 5% of your grade will be deducted for each additional absence.
4. Plagiarism - see University rules http://www.uwosh.edu/dean/conduct.htm. When in doubt, reference your work.
5. If an assignment does not fit your needs, see the instructor to arrange an alternative. Push yourself to master new information. This is your degree and your learning. Make it count!!!

Tentative Weekly Schedule

Grading and Due Dates
Grades will be based on quality of work submitted.

Projects/Assignments

Program Action Plan -- due April 15 (tax day, ugh!) objectives 1, 2, 3 Starting a graduate program is an exciting time. It is also a good time to reflect on where you have been and where you want to go in life. That is the purpose of this paper. In narrative format, (single spaced, line between paragraphs) please discuss the following areas. Give each section of your paper a title corresponding to the topics to provide focus and structure. Please focus on the professional aspect of your life/goals. However, because lives tend to be complicated and messy, discuss personal, family, and civic-recreational goals if you wish. Typically they are important and should be figured into your plans and dreams. Life is an adventure. Hop into the drivers seat and make those dreams come true. Where have I been? What type of leader/manager am I now? Where am I going? (3-5 years, 10 years, 20 years) Career paper (name of career/leadership position desired, demand/availability, salary, location, requirements (knowledge, experiences, special talents, etc.), other, 3-5 references including interviews (APA citation format) Where do I need to grow? (self assessment based on career paper information and other sources) How will I get there? (classes, experiences, other) Timeline Program Planning Sheet PK-12 educators only PDP (I am an IHE rep if you need one on your team, fee $0 for program students) Reference list, APA citation format http://www.uwosh.edu/library/citing.html, include at least one of each type: book, newspaper, journal article, website, interview Attend to writing mechanics, single space with blank line between paragraphs, use headings to separate sections of paper, staple packet together Grading Criteria -- above list fully addressed/discussed, graduate level writing

Environmental Scan and SWOT -- due April 1 objective 5 We use environmental scans to gather information on what issues are hot (current), what is emerging, and what is falling from importance. We use this information as a way to predict, prepare for, and position ourselves, our organizations, our schools and our classrooms to meet current and emerging needs/issues. We complete the scan by examining a large amount of information specifically for the purpose of identifying trends. With an eye to the future, it is less likely to catch us by surprise. Identify 10 different resources/data sources (journals, newspapers, etc). Each data source should look at the world through a totally different set of eyes. Select sources you typically don't read. Read/scan the entire source not just one article to tease out what issues the editors have identified as important. Additionally, review two TED speeches/videos looking for issues being discussed. [TED stands for the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference. The website calls itself TED: Ideas Worth Spreading. It also says -- Inspired talks by the world's greatest thinkers and doers] http://www.ted.com/index.php Compile a list of the topics/concerns/conversations/issues in each resource (see chart below). Look at lists to tease out the big ideas -- highlight these in your table. In your list, identify each topic as current, emerging, or waning (has it been in the news for a while, is it gaining attention, or is it close to being solved so is old news). Identify each area as a Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, or Threat (SWOT) to schools and your current lifestyle/job description. Be ready to give us your prediction of what the future is going to bring and its impact on education, students, teachers. Note: if you are not an educator, substitute your work situation for education. Topic/Big Idea Author Source Current/Emerging/Waning SWOT           SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats A chart where you categorize issues into strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats so that you may better understand what is going on in the world around you and then plan on how you can position your organization/classroom/school/family/self to best function in the world given these factors. Items may fall into more than one category. Develop your SWOT after completing your environmental scan. Strengths are what you do well. Weaknesses what you do poorly. Opportunities are things you probably should start doing or areas you should start addressing. Threats are areas where you will lose if you continue on your current path. Be honest, none of us are perfect. Issues often fall into more than one area. You probably refers to your school/organization as opposed to you personally. However, one can make SWOT charts for themselves, their church, their business, etc. The world has a funny way of impacting all aspects of our lives. We will be developing a SWOT in class as it relates to education generally. Grading Criteria: Assignment as described above is completed, insights shared in class

Change/Issue Project -- due April 15 (objective 4) How do you react to change? What do you think the future holds and why? Write a paper exploring the following. Please use/type single space and include a blank line between paragraphs. Do attend to mechanics and use APA format for all citations. Headings within your paper add structure and focus. (1) How you react to change; (2) How you help your students/collegues handle change; and (3) How you might incorporate thriving with change more in your office/classroom/life. (4) What do you think the future holds and why? In your paper include insights you gained from the following sources (cite these sources in your paper): The World is Flat Who Moved My Cheese Environmental Scan/SWOT Rogers Diffusion of Innovations Theory Your life experiences Class discussions Three other sources addressing change Grading Criteria: Comprehensive discussion of topics 1-4, reference to above materials, APA citations, graduate level writing

Electronic Portfolio -- due April 15 (objective 3) Complete Intro Level of portfolio Grading Criteria: Portfolio is completed at Met level.

Class presentation: Insights into Change, the Future, and My Future -- Due April 15 Prepare a short presentation for the class entitled Insights into Change, the Future, and My Future. Share what you have learned about yourself, leadership, the world, change, the future and how this impacts your program and career plans. Tell us where you go from here.

Page last updated May 5, 2008
If you have questions or problems with this page, please contact me: cramer@uwosh.edu