EDL - Educational Leadership

EDL501 Educational Finance

The educational finance course is a laboratory based experience which focuses on the major concepts, primary language and political realities of the fiscal arena of education including local, state and federal funding, the continuing issues of adequacy, equity, efficiency and reliability (in particular Property Taxes vs General State Aid), formulation of District-Building-Department/Team budgets and the delegation of authority in allocation of fiscal and human resources. Financial forecasting and planning as key elements in attaining fiscal stability are addressed. Case studies, problem illustrations and study of current local and state education financial challenges are among the methodologies utilized. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL502 Educational Law and Governance

The law and governance course presents the legal and legislative bases of public education. The school codes, federal and state court decisions, and federal and state legislation are studied and analyzed in this course. Along with general educational legislative issues, specific items such as substance abuse, employee discipline and dismissal procedures, and faculty and students rights are addressed. Each student is to complete at least 15 hours of clinical internship work outside of class and attend one additional class session to meet clinical expectations. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL504 School Community Relations

This course provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary for understanding the interaction between schools and their communities; initiating and maintaining effective communications among school personnel, families, students, and other community members; and developing educational policies and programs which best reflect the community's needs and desires. Interactive, participatory communications are emphasized to reduce isolation and increase responsiveness between constituency groups and the schools. Each student is to complete at least 15 hours of clinical internship work outside of class. Prequisites:None; 3 semester hours

EDL506 Collective Negotiations and Personnel Administration

The Collective Negotiations and Personnel Administration course is a simulation based experience which focuses on both the content and the process of contract bargaining, including the importance of valuing the labor-management relationship, understanding/resolving conflict as a function of expectations, and developing and maintaining mutual integrity, trust and support. Further strategies in recruitment and employment of personnel, delegation of authority, and dealing with incompetent and ineffective staff are addressed. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL510 Leadership and Organizational Development of Schools

This course provides each student with theories and strategies of leadership affecting administration and organizational development of schools. Specific attention is given to change theory, long-range planning, decision-making process, and motivational and social systems theories. This course provides students with a solid foundation in the research and practice of effective leadership in schooling. Each student is to complete 15 15 hours of clinical internship work outside of class. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL512 Communication and Technological Skills for School Leaders

Communication skills play an essential role in leading a school system. Listening, diagnosing, analyzing and responding skills are critical elements of quality leadership behavior. Communication strategies are suggested to enhance the effectiveness of the school leader at specific organizational, group and individual levels. Students will explore aspects of technology that enhance school leadership communications. Prerequisites: None; 3 semester hours

EDL520 Leading Diverse Schools

This course focuses on the cultural, ethnic, and socio- economic contexts of schools and school communities. Through course readings and activities, leadership candidates will have opportunities to develop critical perspective toward diversity. Emphasis will be placed on developing leadership skills and dispositions that result in the candidate's capacity to promote inclusive practices. In particular, candidates will understand how their actions impact perceptions about inclusiveness within such realms as race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, religion, culture, and language. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed./Ed.S Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL521 Building School Community Leadership

This course provides leadership candidates with a foundational understanding of community dynamics in order to mobilize efforts and resources to improve student learning. Emphasis is placed on identifying community outreach opportunities, strategic partnerships, and vital relationships. How to plan, organize and evaluate school community initiatives will be explored. Candidates will learn to utilize diverse sources of data to analyze community context. Other topics include mobility, community schools, local employment, inter-organizational networking, and inter-cultural communication. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision. 2 semester hours

EDL522 Leading Student-Centered Schools

This course provides an opportunity for candidates to explore what it means to lead student-centered schools. Student-centered schools are characterized by a culture of learning, personal accountability, self- discipline, and safety. This course will look at the school leader's role in creating and sustaining this type culture by integrating building management and program supervision skills with knowledge of student-centered classrooms, child and adolescent development, student motivation and discipline strategies, social emotional learning, environmental and emotional safety, character development programs, and relationship building. Issues of safety will be addressed, including disaster planning, bullying, and cyber-bullying. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL523 Navigating School and Special Education Law

School leaders must be able to quickly assess a situation and respond in a reasonable and prudent manner to maintain fairness and avoid liabilities. This course enables leadership candidates to understand the fundamentals of school law, and in particular, special education law, to ensure that laws are upheld and applied fairly and equitably with the goal of enhancing school climate. Particular attention will be given to application of Response to Intervention and student learning in the least restrictive environments. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL524 Negotiating and Resolving Conflicts in Education Communities

This course introduces the candidate to the role the school leader plays in the larger political, social, cultural, and economic contexts of their school and community and what they face unifying multiple interest groups towards a common vision of equitable schooling. Candidates will explore leadership skills and dispositions needed to promote cooperative interaction among stakeholders and to resolve conflicts of varying degrees. Emphasis will be placed on the importance of developing clear and purposeful communication strategies, negotiation, and mediation skills. Interest-based bargaining will be taught utilizing simulation-based experiences. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration & Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL525 Decision-Making for Educational Systems and Organizations

This course enables leadership candidates to develop decision-making and problem-solving capabilities to mobilize schools with a common vision. Within the context of systems theory applied in educational settings, as well as current educational policy, candidates will analyze organizational situations using leadership frames, social network and decision-making theories. As developing leaders, candidates will build capacities to empower leadership teams and teacher decision-making. Most importantly, candidates will make sense of how current policies impact educational change and how good leadership funnels those efforts into positive school culture and productive school improvement. Alternative models of school organization, including charters, will be explored. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL526 Realizing Vision through Technical and Human and Financial Resources

This course prompts leadership candidates to develop plans and strategies for using educational resources to promote student achievement. Students will examine theories of effective resource allocation as well as case studies presenting decisions and tradeoffs involving the key resources such as budgets, staff, time, and technology. They will create a major resource re-allocation project, making leadership choices about resources while providing decision rationales, aligning resources with school improvement plans, and resolving resource conflicts. Course topics also include resource adequacy, equity, efficiency, reliability, as well as quality staff recruitment, selection, support, and retention. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL527 Guaranteeing a Differentiated and Coherent Curriculum

Leadership candidates will become familiar with a variety of curriculum development strategies, curriculum integration, differentiation, curriculum monitoring and assessment. Candidates will learn leadership skills required to offer a culturally responsive and differentiated curriculum used to advance student achievement, supporting all students including English language learners, gifted and special needs students. Response to Intervention will be examined as a systematic model for problem-solving in academic and behavioral areas. Leadership for instructional technology will also be explored. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL528 Maintaining Accountability with Date Use and Program Evaluation

Candidates will develop competencies in data interpretation, data-driven decision-making, and data presentation to improve student achievement. They will also examine and compare tools for analyzing student performance data and for collaborating with teachers on creating data-driven approaches to improve instruction and student achievement. Formative and summative assessment will be studied from a leadership and administrative perspective as well as strategies for conducting program evaluations. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL529 Improving Instruction through Teacher Evaluation and Professional Development

As instructional leaders, candidates will promote teacher efficacy and implement comprehensive professional growth plans for all staff focused on student learning. State-specific models of teacher evaluation will be explored, as well as current conceptions of adult learning and professional development. Particular attention will be given to collaborative models of interpreting and improving instruction. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL546 Perspective and Administration of Policy

This course focuses on the conceptualization, adoption, implementation, and assessment of educational policy. The historical, political, legal, social, and community context is analyzed. The various roles and responsibilities for the people involved in the policy process are discussed and clarified. Prerequisites: none 3 semester hours

EDL551 Professional Development

The manner in which schools are organized for optimal efficiency and effectiveness is a primary concern of those in positions of leadership. Improvement strategies may be utilized to "turn around" low performing schools. The establishment and measurement of individual goals and organizational objectives should promote growth within and among the school system. Schools as "learning communities" are characterized by professional discussion. Prerequisites:None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL552 Administration of Curriculum

This course focuses on the roles and responsibilities of the administrator as an instructional leader and facilitator of the curriculum development process. Curriculum development theory is explored and existing models of curriculum planning are examined. Systematic change is addressed as a need for curriculum revisions or additions to meet the aspirations of an increasingly diverse and global society. Students will be exposed to a body of knowledge focused on cognitive develoment, leadership styles, assessment processes, research data collection and analysis, resource allocation and collaborative decision making focused on instructional leadership and facilitation. This course involves a self directed curriculum analysis project as group deliberation on whether and how various proposals might be included in curriculum plans for a school or district. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL553 Supervising Instruction

In this course the student learns and demonstrates the collaborative clinical supervision and evaluation processes. The skills needed for effective supervision that result in professional development are learned and practiced, including joint planning, observation, data collection, analysis of teaching strategies and feedback. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL554 Academic System Improvement

Academic improvement is based on a philosophy of continual improvement. The philosophy requires an understanding of academic systems, respecting collaborative relationships, creating a common purpose, gathering and assessing data, and continually improving learning opportunities for everyone. Academic improvement, communication, curriculum, instruction and assessment systems are analyzed and integrated to create an understanding of implementing systems for learning and professional growth. Prerequisites: None; 3 Semester Hours

EDL561 Foundations and History of Teacher Unions and Educational Labor

This course will orient students to the past, present, and future of educational labor unions and labor movements. Candidates will study the history and context of educational labor to see (a) how and why unions have been viewed as advocates or inhibitors of educational reform and (b) how and why unions have attempted to re-make themselves as institutions that promote educational innovation. Students will be introduced to the theories and strategies of progressive unions. They will study their own unions to determine the extent to which they have the capacity to move toward progressive unionism in order to transform schools. Prerequisites: Enrollment in the M.Ed./C.A.S. program in Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education or consent of department. 5 semester hours

EDL562 Leadership in Labor and Education

The course will focus on leadership theories that guide organizational development and reform in education, business, and non-profit sectors. Students will begin by examining their personal leadership goals and determine on various scales their own strengths and weaknesses as leaders. They will then explore traditional and contemporary leadership theories and apply those to a vision for their local unions. Utilizing various analytic tools and leadership strategies, students will learn how to mobilize people within their unions. Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program or consent of department. 5 semester hours

EDL563 Systems for Labor and Education Reform

The purpose of the course is to ground labor leadership in an understanding of the multiple, often overlapping systems in which teachers' unions are rooted. The course will proceed in three stages. The first will focus on systems theory, focusing on how organizations are situated within cultural and political systems. The second stage will focus on educational systems in particular. Candidates will study educational policy and current structures of educational governance and organization. The final stage will engage students in the organizational and political context in which labor unions, particularly teachers' unions, are embedded. Prerequisites: Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program or consent of department. 5 semester hours

EDL564 Labor Leadership for Improving Teaching and Learning

This course will provide students with a foundation of instructional leadership and instructional improvement strategies. By framing student learning as an essential goal of progressive educational labor unions, this course will begin with the fundamental issues in teaching and learning as currently defined by research on instruction, curriculum, assessment, and human learning. The course will then move toward organizational issues in teaching and learning, including district curriculum administration, student engagement, standards, accountability, and instructional leadership. Candidates will examine how their unions support classroom- based instruction. They will look at theory and practice on how unions can organizationally influence teaching and learning. Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program or consent of department. 5 semester hours

EDL565 Labor Leadership in Action

This course serves as a integration of the four strands of the program: progressive unionism, leadership, systems, and teaching/learning. In a workshop format, students refine and evaluate their internship work and reform strategies thus far. Students will also learn additional progressive union strategies through cases of various reformers. Strategies and techniques of mobilization will be highlighted. Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program or consent of department. 5 semester hours

EDL570 Internship Seminar I: Organizing Leadership Competency Demonstrations

This is the first course for candidates for the M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Administration and Supervision. Candidates are introduced to the program expectations, state and other academic standards, certification requirements, professional decorum, NLU technology platforms, and professional writing expectations. It also introduces students to the Administration and Supervision Internship. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1 semester hour

EDL571 Internship Seminar II: Resume Building and Professional Writing for Educational Leaders

This course enables leadership candidates to demonstrate competency in case study analysis, to implement competency-based strategies in presenting their leadership identity, to receive feedback regarding progress in leadership development, and to demonstrate use of feedback for performance improvement. Candidates gain skills in competency- based interviewing and written communication. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1 semester hour

EDL572 Internship Seminar III: Demonstrating School Leadership Competence

This course is the final forum for leadership competency demonstrations and final assessment of leadership candidates in the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. In it, candidates demonstrate leadership knowledge, skills, and dispositions through a formal interview and capstone case analyses drawing upon all previous courses, as well as applicable national and state leadership standards. Candidates are assessed for their presentation skills, as well as their understanding of all program curriculum, through a formal interview and a video case analysis. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 2 semester hours

EDL573 Educational Leadership Project

Candidates for the M.Ed. in Administration and Supervision complete a capstone project that demonstrates skills and knowledge in building-level, entrepreneurial leadership. Candidates work with faculty to develop a product such as a grant application, a school improvement plan, a technology or curriculum initiative, a public-relations plan, or another project which has practical application. Program faculty will direct candidates to complete projects that assist them in their career aspirations as school leaders. Each product will adhere to standards set forth by the department. Final products titles are listed on candidates' transcripts. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. Administration and Supervision Program. 1-4 semester hours

EDL590A Clinical Internship/Educational Leadership/Early Childhood

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL501; EDL504; EDL510; EDL512; EDL552 and EDL553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

EDL590B Clinical Internship/Educational Leadership/Middle School

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL501; EDL504; EDL510; EDL512; EDL552 and EDL553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

EDL590C Clinical Internship/Educational Leadership/Secondary

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL501; EDL504; EDL510; EDL512; EDL552 and EDL553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

EDL590D Clinical Internship/Educational Leadership/Exceptional Children

The Educational Leadership Clinical Internship is designed to meet the Florida program requirement for individuals whose training and experience allows them to develop professionally through the application of theory and research to administrative practice. Each student will take a total of six hours focused on either Early Childhood, Middle School. Secondary Education or Exceptional Children in conjunction with EDL501; EDL504; EDL510; EDL512; EDL552 and EDL553. Students will work in cooperating public school systems to test and refine the wide range of personal and professional competencies associated with effective leadership in district level administrative positions. Prerequisite: Admission to Educational Leadership Program. 1-4 semester hours

EDL591A Field Study/Educational Leadership/Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education

Candidates design and carry out evaluation plans for their personal union reform and mobilization plans. Students learn methods and philosophies of evaluation and data-use and apply them to various performance and perception areas. Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program. 2-4 semester hours

EDL592 Internship: Progressive Leadership for Labor Education

The internship enables candidates to integrate theory, practice, and professional growth through on-site interaction with the local union, as well as regional, state, and national union levels. Internships are guided by strategies and frameworks introduced in each of the program courses, however, students will focus their work on specific goals they identify for their unions. Prerequisite(s): Enrollment in the Progressive Leadership for Labor in Education Program. 2-6 semester hours

EDL593 Seminar in Educational Leadership

An advanced seminar dealing with current issues in administrating and supervising schools K-12. 2 semester hours

EDL594 Independent Study/Educational Supervision/Professional Development

The purpose of this independent study is to provide participants with the opportunity to explore a topic of their own choice related to professional development and growth, educational supervision, and/or educational leadership. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Interdisciplinary Studies Program in Curriculum and Instruction and completion of Terms I and II. 1-3 semester hours

EDL595 Special Topics in Educational Leadership

This course exists to provide an opportunity for school leaders to promote individual and administrative team development, the mentoring of recently appointed school leaders, and professional networking to offer support to those serving in leadership roles in schools and school districts nation-wide. Prerequisite(s): none 1-4 semester hours

EDL598 Administration and Supervision Internship

The Administration and Supervision Internship requires candidates to engage in authentic leadership at the school building level. The internship requires candidates to apply theoretical and empirical knowledge to solve practical administrative problems and to transform learning environments. In consultation with the clinical supervisor and a site sponsor, the candidate will engage in an extensive internship that involves practice and competency in all ISLLC 2008, Wisconsin Administrator, and Florida Principal Leadership Standards. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the M.Ed. or Ed.S. in Supervision and Administration. 1-6 semester hours

EDL601 School Financial Management

In this course students will consider the social, economic, and political considerations related to financing public schools. Adequacy and equity provide the lens for analysis and critique of existing policies and practices. Students will learn about effective practices for decision-making and resource allocation that support improved student achievement. The changing landscape of federal, state, and local funding, new forms of teacher compensation, strategic management of human capital, charter schools, partnerships, and fund-raising are also considered. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL602 Leadership and Management Strategies

This course is designed to assist leaders in the management of change and deals with the developing strategies of implementing change. The theories and strategies discussed center on the individual, group, and organization. Each student is made aware that successful organizational change depends on effective diagnosis of subsystems within the organization, the organization's culture, and environmental forces. Strategies for team building, improving decision making in the system, and changing the culture of the organization are examined as a result of the diagnosis. 3 semester hours

EDL603 Educational Planning and Decision Making

This course examines planning and decision making at both the policy and operational levels. It emphasizes individual, group, and organizational decision making. This course reviews decision-making theory, social, political and economic influences on planning and decision making, and the P.I.E. (planning, implementing, and evaluating) cycle of decision making. 3 semester hours

EDL604 Administrative Issues for Pluralistic Schools

In this course students will extend their cultural proficiency to lead pluralistic schools. Coursework requires students to engage in self-assessment, reflection, and goal-setting around their cultural proficiency. Students will also analyze diversity within the school setting, examine school structures that promote or hinder equitable educational practice, and evaluate policy, curriculum, and instruction from a cultural proficiency lens. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL605 Leading Change

In this course students will be introduced to a systems approach to design, implement, and support transformational change required for improved teaching and learning. Students will examine the conditions, competencies, culture, and context that affect organizational change as well as critical skills required to lead a change initiative. Students will also identify the barriers to change and strategies to build capacity, develop high functioning teams, improve decision making, and assess progress to sustain change initiatives. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL606 Principles and Fundamentals of School Leadership

In this course students are introduced to leadership theories, principles, and styles. Students explore how leaders work to establish climate, conditions, and culture that foster both adult and student learning. Building professional learning communities, cultivating relationships, and establishing trust among internal and external stakeholders will be addressed. Communication and advocacy skills for the school leader, capacity building, and sustaining organizational initiatives will also be examined. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL608 Community Engagement

In this course students will focus on community engagement through the exploration and analysis of school/educational policy in community settings. Power structures, social and political contexts, cultural and demographic changes, and principles of social justice are examined as they affect school and community relations. Students will explore principles of community development such as autonomy, self determination, and the integration of community resources. Students will also examine multicultural understanding, group dynamics, community organizing, interagency cooperation, financial resources, and evaluation. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL610 Entry Portfolio Development for Superintendent Endorsement

This course is required for candidates in the Subsequent Certification (Superintendent Endorsement) program who hold doctoral degrees in Educational Leadership, Educational Administration, or Educational Policy but who did not earn recognized endorsements for the superintendency within those doctoral programs. Candidates register for a total of 9 semester hours to fulfill the portfolio documenting knowledge, skills, and dispositions mandated by national standards. Prerequisite(s): Candidates must hold a Type 75 endorsement in Illinois or a Type 51 License in Wisconsin. Candidates must be admitted to either the Educational Leadership Ed.D. or Subsequent Certification (Superintendent Endorsement) program. 1-9 semester hours (may be repeated up to 9 semester hours)

EDL620 School Leadership: Policy and Politics

This course focuses on federal and national trends in education policy. An examination and analysis of the way these trends influence policy and political action at the school district level are addressed by focusing on governance structures, politics, and the influence of interest groups. Candidates will analyze cases while developing a working knowledge of educational politics and policy. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL622 Curriculum Planning and Organization and Evaluation

In this course students are introduced to models and processes for curriculum planning, organization, and evaluation through a district leadership perspective. Traditional and contemporary curriculum theories and frameworks are examined as they relate to curriculum issues and problems. Macro and micro levels of curriculum are explored to understand how knowledge is shaped in schools and how curriculum is organized to assist students to meet specific learning goals. Case studies are used to develop a practical working knowledge of contemporary problems and solutions to issues of curriculum, teaching, learning, and assessment. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL624 Professional Development and School Change

This course focuses on school change in the contexts of teacher learning and organizational culture. School improvement, teacher learning, and vision are linked by a focus on teaching as the core technology of schools. School culture, teacher professionalism, teacher knowledge, and instructional leadership are examined for the purpose of building instructional capacity and teacher professionalism within the organization. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL626 Instructional Leadership

In this course students will examine theoretical and practical knowledge necessary for a school leader to guide curriculum, instruction, and assessment at the district level. Identification and exploration of assumptions, principles, and concepts of learning theories, strategies, and assessments to foster an inclusive learning community will be emphasized. The use of technology to inform and enhance instruction will also be examined. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL628 Organizational Inquiry

This course focuses on how well a school district is functioning as an organization. Students combine sociological analysis of organizational roles, structures, and dynamics with practitioner research methods to better understand and assess their school district's organizational conditions, context, culture, and competencies. With the goal of uncovering and building organizational capacity from within, qualitative and quantitative research methods are applied to various organizational structures and operating systems that impact power distribution, information flow, collegiality, school climate, and leadership development. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL630 Understanding and Using Educational Research

In this course students analyze and critique theories, paradigms, and methods of practitioner-focused research that impact district educational policy and decision-making. This includes evaluation, experimental, and various forms of both quantitative and qualitative research. Students also study research that informs and influences product development (e.g., achievement tests, software, textbooks, training programs), policy decisions, and evaluation techniques utilized in the field by principals, superintendents, and state-level educational administrators. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL632 Data-driven Decision Making

In this course students study the methodologies, assumptions, and the techniques for various types of data collection and analysis used by educational leaders. The course begins with an overview of student data as a form of organizational performance (e.g., test scores, graduate rates, attendance, etc.) then moves to the broader issues of evaluation, experimentation, quantitative analysis, and interpretivist analyses. The course ends with a review of current research and trends in data-driven decision making. Throughout the course students analyze cases to develop a practitioner's knowledge of research, evaluation, and data use for school improvement. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. 3 semester hours

EDL690 Educational Leadership Internship

The Ed.D. Internship in Educational Leadership provides interns with the opportunity to apply theoretical and empirical knowledge to solve practical administrative problems. Under the direction of an advising professor and a cooperating superintendent (or other district administrator with a superintendent endorsement), the intern will assume district-level leadership work in areas such as planning, finance, community and board relations, policy development, and curriculum and instruction. A minimum of 800 hours of work is required over two to three years. Prerequisite(s): Admission to the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program, Educational Specialist Program, or with permission of the Program Director. Co-requisite(s): None. 12 semester hours

EDL693 Educational Leadership Seminar

The intern seminar provides an opportunity for administrative interns to integrate practical experience with theoretical models addressed in the program course work. Students will meet with the seminar professor weekly to review the activities in which the interns are involved, share experiences, and products, discuss the degree of success achieved, analyze administrative styles of cooperating administrators, analyze interpersonal relationships and integrate these with the theoretical modes, processes and skills. 1-4 semester hours, variable credit per quarter.