Theories of Educational Leadership – EDAS 741

CG • Section 8WK • 07/01/2018 to 12/31/2199 • Modified 09/05/2023

Course Description

An analysis of education/organizational leadership theories and evidence based practices with application to challenges faced by academic leaders in complex and changing contexts. Emphasis given to significance and relevance for leaders forging relationships and leading academic organizations to successfully fulfill their mission.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Rationale

This course is a study of leadership styles and the resulting influence upon school personnel, community, and instructional innovation and curricular change within the system.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the candidate will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (5)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the candidate is required to create a thread in response to the provided prompt for each discussion. The candidate will complete the corresponding readings/research and clearly discuss and reflect upon the specific prompts. The candidate will create a 200–250 word thread in response to the prompt supported by at least 1 current source. The candidate will then submit 100–150 word replies to the threads of at least 2 classmates. (CLO: A, F)

Leadership Requirements Paper Assignment

The candidate will write a two-section paper describing both formal and informal requirements to serve as a leader in an organization. The paper must be in current APA format, include a title page, include a reference page with at least 2 references, and be 400–500 words. (CLO: F)

Improvement Plan Project Assignment

This project consists of five parts that will be completed and submitted over the course of four assignments:

Improvement Plan: Part A - Vision Evaluation, Development, and Revision Process Assignment

The candidate will report, evaluate, review, and revise a school’s or district’s vision/purpose statement. This must be between 300–500 words. (CLO: D, E.)

Improvement Plan: Part B - Needs Assessment: Data Collection, Analysis, and Goals Assignment

The candidate will gather and analyze multiple types of school data and then list 3–5 SMART goals for school improvement. The data analysis section should be 300-500 words. (CLO: D, E)

Improvement Plan: Part C - Needs Assessment: Relation to the School's Vision Assignment

The candidate will explain how each of the 3-5 SMART goals align with the school’s vision and how the SMART goals are communicated to all stakeholders. (CLO: D, E)

Improvement Plan: Parts D & E - Resource Management, Implementation, and Monitoring Progress Assignment

The candidate will complete an Implementation Plan that covers resource management, implementation, and monitoring progress. A template will be provided for Part E. (CLO: D, E)

Improvement Plan: LiveText Submission Assignment

The candidate will revise Parts A, B, C, D, and E, combine them into one Improvement Plan assignment, and submit their paper in LiveText. (CLO: D, E)

Personal Leadership Philosophy Paper Assignment

The candidate will articulate a personal philosophy of educational leadership, focusing on the purpose of leadership. The candidate must focus on the long-range impact that leadership must have on stakeholders and on the community. In addition, the candidate must focus on the outcome of leadership rather than on methods and practices. This assignment must total 4–6 pages, use current APA format, and include a minimum of 4 references. (CLO: A, G)

Research Journal Critique Paper Assignment

The candidate will evaluate and critique 2 research articles from varying professional journals related to a similar topic. The journals can be from varying disciplines. All articles must be current (5 years or less). (CLO: A)

Biblical Worldview on Nehemiah Assignment

The candidate will read the Book of Nehemiah as assigned throughout the course and complete 6 entries for the Leadership Journal which will be submitted at the end of the course. Each entry must answer the provided prompt and include a summary and reflection indicated by headings. Each entry must be 300-450 words. At the end of the course, the candidate will submit the entries in one document with a title page and reference page. (CLO: B, G)