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