The UALR leadership program prepares school leaders to: demonstrate
effective and ethical leadership that achieves common educational
goals; promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing,
and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive
to student learning and staff professional growth; demonstrate the
ability to analyze organizational structure and school operations;
work in collaboration with families and community members to gather
information from, and communicate it effectively to, students, parents,
staff, the community, and the media to facilitate greater student
achievement, and, promote the success of all students by ensuring
management of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe,
efficient, and effective learning environment.
Conceptual Framework of the College of Education:
The Conceptual Framework for programs in the College of Education
is Leadership in Learning through specialized expertise (SE), communication
(C), and professional development (PD).
Professional Association Standards
Standard 1.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementarion,
and stewardship of a school or district vision of learning supported
by the school community.
Standard 2.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by promoting a positive school culture, providing
an effective instructional program, applying best practice to student
learning, and designing comprehensive professional growth plans for
staff.
Standard 3.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by managing the organization, operations, and resources
in a way that promotes a safe, efficient, and effective learning environment.
Standard 4.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by collaborating with families and other community
members, responding to diverse community interests and needs, and
mobilizing community resources.
Standard 5.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by acting with integrity, fairly, and in an ethical
manner.
Standard 6.0: Candidates who complete the program are educational
leaders who have the knowledge and ability to promote the success
of all students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the
larger political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context.
Program Goals and Objectives:
1.0. Vision of Learning - The EDAS candidate for the M.Ed., Ed.S.,
or Ed.D. degree will be an educational leader who promotes the success
of all students by facilitating the development, articulation, implementation,
and stewardship of a vision of learning that is shared and supported
by the school community. Upon completion of the EDAS program of study
the student will be able to demonstrate that:
EDAS 1.5. the school community is involved in school improvement
efforts. (SE, C) (ELCC 1.5.; ADE I.7.)
EDAS 1.6. an implementation plan is developed in which objectives
and strategies to achieve the vision and goals are clearly articulated.
(SE, C) (ELCC 1.3. ADE I. 3.5)
EDAS 1.7. assessment data related to student learning are used to
develop the school vision and goals. (SE, C) (ELCC 1.2., 1.4.; ADE
I.12.)
EDAS 1.8. existing resources are used in support of the school vision
and goals. (SE, C) (ELCC 3.3. ADE II. 13, 14.)
EDAS 1.10. the vision, mission, and implementation plans are regularly
monitored, evaluated, and revised. (SE, C) (ELCC 1.4.; ADE I.5.)
2.0. Curriculum, Instruction & Supervision - The EDAS candidate
for the M.Ed., Ed.S., or Ed.D. degree will be an educational leader
who promotes the success of all students by advocating, nurturing,
and sustaining a school culture and instructional program conducive
to student learning and staff professional growth. Upon completion
of the EDAS program of study the student will be able to demonstrate
that:
EDAS 2.3. professional development promotes a focus on student learning
consistent with the school vision and goals. (PD) (ELCC 2.2.,6.1.;
ADE V.1, 2, 3.; VI.1, 3)
EDAS 2.4. barriers to student learning are identified, clarified,
and addressed. (SE) (ELCC 2.1., 2.3. 4.2.; ADE VI. 2, 6)
EDAS 2.6. technologies are used in teaching and learning. (SE) (ELCC
2.3., 6.1.; ADE V. 1., 2., 3.; VI.1., 3;)
EDAS 2.7. curriculum decisions are based on research, expertise of
teachers, and the recommendations of learned societies. (SE) (ELCC
2.2., 2.3.; ADE III. 5.; V.3., 5., 7., 8., 9., 10
EDAS 2.8. student learning is assessed using a variety of techniques.
(SE) (ELCC 2.1.; ADE II.4., V.10.)
EDAS 2.9. the school culture and climate are assessed on a regular
basis. (SE, C) (ELCC 1.5.; ADE III.1., 2., 4)
3. 0. Professional and Ethical Leadership - The EDAS candidate for
the M.Ed., Ed.S., or Ed.D. degree will be an educational leader who
promotes the success of all students by ensuring leadership and management
of the organization, operations, and resources for a safe, efficient,
and effective learning environment. Upon completion of the EDAS program
of study the student will be able to demonstrate that:
EDAS 3.1. knowledge of learning, teaching, and student development
are used to inform management decisions. (SE) (ELCC 3.1.; ADE I.4.,
9.; II.1., 17.)
EDAS 3.10. financial, human, and material resources are aligned to
the goals of the school. (C) (ELCC 3.3., 4.3.; ADE II.13., 14.)
5.0. Ethics - The EDAS candidate for the M.Ed., Ed.S., or Ed.D. degree
will be an educational leader who promotes the success of all students
by acting with integrity, fairness, and in an ethical manner. Upon
completion of the EDAS program of study the student:
EDAS 5.8. protects the rights and confidentiality of students and
staff. (SE) (ELCC 5.1.; ADE III.4)
EDAS 5.9. demonstrates appreciation for and sensitivity to the diversity
in the school community. (SE, C) (ELCC 1.1.; ADE III.4)
EDAS 5.10. applies laws and procedures fairly, wisely, and considerately.
(SE, C) (ELCC 3.2., 3.3. ADE II.9)
6.0. Influence - The EDAS candidate for the M.Ed., Ed.S., or Ed.D.
degree will be an educational leader who promotes the success of all
students by understanding, responding to, and influencing the larger
political, social, economic, legal, and cultural context. Upon completion
of the EDAS program of study the student will be able to demonstrate
that:
EDAS 6.2. communication occurs among the school community concerning
trends, issues, and potential changes in the environment in which
schools operate. (C) (ELCC 6.1.; ADE II.16.)
EDAS 6.4. the school community works within the framework of policies,
laws, and regulations enacted by local, state, and federal authorities.
(SE) (ELCC 3.3., 6.3.; ADE II.11.)
Methods/Instructional Strategies:
The instructional methods include: individual research, lecture,
Socratic questioning and discussion, situational problem analysis,
communication skills examination, student recording and reporting
of data, and individual/small group problem solving.
Course Textbook:
American Psychological Association. (2000). Publication manual of
the American Psychological Association (5th ed.). Washington, DC:
Author
Instructional Resources:
Readings are done at the discretion of the student and with a focus
on the selected topic; the instructor will act as a resource to assist
the student.
Course Assignments:
1. The interactive nature of this course requires consistent attendance
at and appropriate involvement in all class meetings.
2. An action research project will be completed in small groups.
3. Each student will write a research report using the data from
the action research project.
Significant Activities:
1. An action research project will be completed in small groups.
The project will be accomplished by conducting: school data analysis;
needs assessment; problem identification; conceptual framework; research
procedures; instrumentation; data gathering; data analysis, and; action
plan.
Evaluation Procedures:
Each student will be required to submit assignments and examinations
as performance assessment for inclusion in the candidate's Master's
Degree or Specialist Degree Portfolio, if appropriate.
Grading Interpretation:
CR Student will attend class sessions regularly, participate as an
equal group member in the action research project, and submit a written
research report achieving a score of 70 or above using the research
scoring rubric.
NC One or more of the above criteria were not met.
Grading Policy:
Assessment will be on a CR/NC basis.
Class Schedule/Topical Outline:
Class topics will vary depending on the needs of the class and the
progress made by the students.
Bibliography:
American Psychological Association. (1994). Publication manual of
the American psychological association (4th ed.). Washington, DC:
Author.
Achilles, C. M., Reynolds, J., & Archilles, S. (1997). Problem
analysis: Responding to school complexity. Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.
Achilles, C. M., & Achilles, S. (1997-1998). Data-based decisions:
The first decisions are “what problems?” and “what
data?” National Forum of Applied Educational Research Journal,
10(2), 19-24.
Arminger, G., Clogg, C. C., & Sobel, M. E. (Eds.). (1995). Handbook
of statistical modeling for the social and behavioral sciences. New
York: Plenum.
Borg, W. R., & Gall, M. D. (1989). Educational research: An introduction
(5th ed.). White Plains, NY: Longman.
Dortsen, L. E. (1996). Interpreting social and behavioral research:
A guide and workbook based on excerpts from journal articles. Los
Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
Fowler, F. J., Jr. (1993). Survey research methods. Newbury Park,
CA: Sage.
Gall, J. P., M D., & Borg, W. R. (1999). Applying educational
research: A practical guide (4th ed.). NY: Addison Wesley Longman,
Inc.
Glesne, C., & Peshkin, A. (1992). Becoming qualitative researchers:
An introduction. White Plains, NY: Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.
Hedrick, T. E., Bickman, L., & Rog, D. J. (1993). Applied research
design: A practical guide. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Kaplan, A. (1964). The conduct of inquiry: Methodology for behavioral
science. San Francisco, CA: Chandler.
Locke, L. F., Spirduso, W. W., & Silverman, S. J. (1989). Proposals
that work: A guide for planning dissertations and grant proposals
(2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Patton, M. Q. (1990). Qualitative evaluation and research methods
(2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Pyrczak, F., & Bruce, R. R. (1996). Writing empirical research
reports: A basic guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences.
Los Angeles: Pyrczak Publishing.
Stewart, D. W., & Kamins, M. A. (1993). Secondary research: Information
sources and methods. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
Strunk, W., Jr., & White, E. B. (1972). The elements of style
(2nd ed.). New York: Macmillan.
Sudman, S., & Bradburn, N. M. (1982). Asking questions: A practical
guide to questionnaire design. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Special Technology utilized by Students:
Students will need access to Adobe Acrobat Reader©
(version 5 or higher) to open PDF files that are used during the
course.
Students will need access to an Internet browser that has JavaScript
enabled.
Students must be able to complete online forms to participate in
threaded discussions.
Students will need access to a computer that is capable of running
SPSS for Windows©. The software
is provided with the second book listed above.
Expectations for Academic Conduct/Plagiarism Policy
and Student Behavior:
As members of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, we commit
ourselves to honesty. As we strive for excellence in performance,
integrity—personal and institutional—is our most precious
asset. Honesty in our academic work is vital, and we will not knowingly
act in ways which erode that integrity. Accordingly, we pledge not
to cheat, nor to tolerate cheating, nor to plagiarize the work of
others. We pledge to share community resources in ways that are
responsible and that comply with established policies of fairness.
Cooperation and competition are means to high achievement and are
encouraged. Indeed, cooperation is expected unless our directive
is to individual performance. We will compete constructively and
professionally for the purpose of stimulating high performance standards.
Finally, we accept adherence to this set of expectations for academic
conduct as a condition of membership in the UALR academic community.
Please read the following brochure regarding academic dishonesty:
Brochure on Handling Academic
Offenses
We now live in a technological
age, and I know that everyone likes to stay "connected"
but please do not disrupt class with any type of electronic device,
your classmates will find it very irritating. Please read the following
brochure for examples of classroom disruptions:
Brochure on Handling
Classroom Disruptions
Disability Support Services
It is the policy of UALR to accommodate students with disabilities,
pursuant to federal law and state law. Any student with a disability
who needs accommodation, for example in arrangements for seating,
examinations, note-taking should inform the instructor at the beginning
of the course. It is also the policy and practice of UALR to make
web-based information accessible to students with disabilities.
If you, as a student with a disability, have difficulty accessing
any part of the online course materials for this class, please notify
the instructor immediately. The chair of the department offering
this course is also available to assist with accommodations. Students
with disabilities are encouraged to contact Disability Support Services,
telephone 501-569-3143 (v/tty), and on the Web at http://www.ualr.edu/dssdept/.
When you participate in a threaded discussion I expect
that you will read the posts of your peers and respond to them just
as you would if they made a similar statement in class. You may ask
for clarification, reaffirm what they say, add on to their example,
question the legitimacy of their statements, etc. This creates discussion
around the topic which is the goal of the exercise. Replies should not
simply consist of "I agree" or "Right on." It must
be more thoughtful and in depth than that. As many of us (myself included)
are procrastinators, most people do not post to the required threads
until the day they are due. This creates some difficulty if everyone
is also trying to respond to everyone by the same date. Therefore, my
general policy is that you post your original response to the thread
during the first week it is assigned. The following week you should
spend some time reading everyone's posts and responding to your peers.
In addition to your post I require that each student respond to at
least 3 of their peers within each thread in which they participate.
To clarify... you should respond to 3 others' original posts as well
as reply to those who reply to YOUR original post if anyone queries
you. If when you post your original response there are others
to whom you would like to reply then feel free to post your replies
within the same week. However, this extra week given for response to
peers allows you some leeway in responding to others. The idea is that
you read how others are thinking about the topic and to clarify, expand,
or reaffirm your own understanding.
