EDL - Educational Leadership

Educational Leadership provides an examination of the foundational theoretical principles of leadership and the knowledge, proficiencies, and dispositions required for effective leadership in P-12 settings. Problem-solving and decision-making models are explored as tools to maximize educational benefit to stakeholders. Discussions will include teacher and principal roles in leadership, foundational leadership and organization theory, leading change, building a culture conducive to a learning community, site-based management, supervision, evaluation, effective policy decisions, and implementation of school improvement reforms.

This three hour course is designed to prepare aspiring district level administrators with the fundamental knowledge of curriculum development, curriculum alignment, pedagogical synergy, and research-based instructional methodologies. In order for the candidates to be able to lead curricular change at the corporation level, the following topics will be addressed: models of curriculum development and alignment and curricular integration through various research-based instructional methods.

This course reflects upon the needs of the district administrator to broaden their scope to be culturally responsive in all diverse settings. Although the urban setting will be a main focus, the course will cover the areas of diversity in both the urban and rural settings. The prospective leader will be exposed to, and apply, practical and effective theory in the myriad of areas needed to assure they are prepared for a diverse and culturally responsive district leadership position.

The District Personnel Management and Supervision course is a 3 hour blended course. This course explores the various functions considered vital to the efficient use of the school district?s most valuable asset, its human resources. This course covers the area of staffing, employee professional development and training, creation of a favorable work environment, federal and state regulations, and the operation of management-labor relations. Activities and assignments will provide hands-on exploration of all aspects of human resource management in creating win-win results through creative problem-solving processes.

This course will require candidates to develop an educational philosophy built on collaborative leadership attributes. Candidates will also examine strategies to implement and monitor effective change within the school environment. Candidates will learn the value of soliciting feedback from all key stakeholders, and identify strategies to cultivate new relationships in the community. Prerequisite: EDL-657, EDL-618 or EDL-618OH

This course is the first half of the Principal Internship where the candidates will experience clinical application of the leadership principles learned in this program. This is also where the candidates will demonstrate competency in the School of Educational Leadership dispositions: communication, critical thinking, human interaction, leadership, and professionalism. Candidates will model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior and demonstrate competency in the teacher evaluation process. This course requires field experiences. Prerequisite: EDL-657, EDL-618, or EDL-618OH, EDL-610

This course provides the candidate a ten-week opportunity to complete and present the Applied Principal's Portfolio begun in EDL-612 and EDL-625. This course must be taken immediately following the completion of EDL-625 if the candidate chooses to continue to pursue licensure. Candidates who do not complete the portfolio process in EDL-625 and who do not register and complete this course will not be eligible for licensure. The candidate continues school-based activities that demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and proficiencies identified in the IPSB/ISLLC/ELCC Standards, builds appropriate portfolio exhibits under the direction of the University Supervisor, and formally presents the portfolio in a professional setting. This course may be repeated once for a maximum of two ten-week continuations. Graded on a CR/NC basis. Prerequisite: EDL-625.

The District Facilities Management/Leadership course is a 3 hour blended course. All processes and procedures of administrative responsibility including facility needs and assessments processes, actual renovation process, new construction of facilities, facility staffing, facility occupation, ongoing maintenance and improvement of existing facilities, safety procedures and planning will be a major focus of the course.

This course will require candidates to use data to assess organizational effectiveness and identify goals that promote student learning. Candidates will also explore best practices for creating and maintaining a safe school, creating a master schedule and school calendar, and creating new teacher induction and professional development plans. Finally, candidates will investigate and evaluate models to efficiently utilize human, fiscal, and technological resources within the building to maximize achievement. Prerequisite: EDL-657

This course is designed to prepare principals for the complex area of school finance. The course will focus on the knowledge base necessary for both school building and district business administration including budgeting and accounting. The principal is faced with wearing many hats. These hats range from curriculum and instruction to financial responsibility with many hats in between. The principal will promote the success of all students, staff, parents, and community by having a working knowledge of school finance.

School building leaders must model the highest levels of professional, ethical, and personal behavior that set the tone for all student and adult relationships in the school. Understanding federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and framing all decisions and actions within those legal parameters are also essential to providing appropriate building leadership. District and school policy manuals and handbooks, contracts, and special education laws and procedures will be examined through the lens of professional, ethical, and legally sound leadership. Students seeking Ohio licensure should take EDL-618-OH. Prerequisite: EDL-657

The Advanced School Finance Course is designed to prepare aspiring district level administrators with integral knowledge and enhanced skills for district and building level budgets and accounting practices to enhance governance, promote servant leadership, collaborate with local involvement, incorporate efficient and effective use of monies, as well as to exhibit ethical and moral behavior and decision-making.

This course is the second half of the Principal Internship where the candidates will complete all clinical application of the leadership principles learned in this program. Candidates will demonstrate competency in the School of Educational Leadership dispositions: communication, critical thinking, human interaction, leadership, and professionalism. Candidates will model principles of self-awareness, reflective practice, transparency, and ethical behavior and demonstrate competency in goal-setting and evaluation processes. This course requires field experiences. Prerequisite: EDL-657, EDL-618 or EDL-618OH, EDL-616, EDL-610, EDL-612

This course examines basic skills necessary to develop effective referendum plans, strategies for building successful partnerships for passage of community referendums and knowledge of legal requirements of General Fund and Facilities referendums in the State of Indiana. Internet research, website utilization for teams, and community engagement are a major focus of this course. One of the concurrent themes running throughout the course is that schools/government organizations belong to the community and therefore decisions must be made with a political awareness of the community culture.

This course examines the role of the P-12 building leader in establishing a culture of school improvement. This course exposes potential building leaders to various leadership theories and practices, and requires them to evaluate their own leadership style. Candidates will develop a plan for building a collaborative vision. This course requires field experiences.

School building leaders must model the highest levels of professional, ethical, and personal behavior that set the tone for all student and adult relationships in the school. Understanding federal and state laws, rules, and regulations and framing all decisions and actions within those legal parameters are also essential to providing appropriate building leadership. District and school policy manuals and handbooks, contracts, and special education laws and procedures will be examined through the lens of professional, ethical, and legally sound leadership. This is for students seeking Ohio licensure only.

District Level Internship (3 Hours Blended). The internship is aligned with the first semester of a school year. This course involves a supervised experiential practice in a school setting along with course work and a portfolio to maximize an intern's knowledge, performance, and dispositions aligned with the ISLLC/IDOE Standards. Instructional leadership, staff and program evaluation, public relations, curriculum and staff development will be major areas of proficiency development during the Practicum.

District Level Practicum (3 Hours Blended). The practicum is aligned with the second semester of the school year. The professional growth and development of the aspiring district level administrator will culminate in the presentation of the portfolio based on ISLLC/IDOE Standards for district level school leader's criteria. Instructional leadership, staff and program evaluation, public relations, curriculum and staff development will be major areas of proficiency development during the Practicum.

This course will build on the completed portfolio to produce a professional written thesis organized as a scientific analysis of theory and practice for continuous school improvement reflecting comprehensive P-12 experiential learning, proficiency development, and leadership influence aligned with the eight conceptual framework domains of the ISLLC Standards. A comprehensive paper applying all of the ISLLC criteria in a research based thesis will be orally defended as the ?showcase product? of their servant leader practices. The thesis will focus on a research based instructional and assessment continuous school improvement project.

This course explores the impact of the school leader's character and competence on the organization. Students will be challenged to strengthen their level of moral leadership as they confront ethical and legal issues. Strategies for personal and spiritual development will be considered.

This course explores the theoretical foundations related to organizational theory and adult learning and its impact on the organization and the school's leader. Students will build a collaborative learning community that engages school leaders in knowledge management and continuous improvement strategies aimed at transforming people, units, and the organization.

This course explores the school leader's relationship to the change process and practices of international and intercultural leadership in organizations and the individuals that make up these organizations. Students will examine the change processes, innovation, entrepreneurship, barriers to change, and successful structures and strategies aimed at improving the total organization, groups, and individual. Special emphasis will be placed on understanding multicultural globalization and its impact on how leadership is exercised in today's world.

The Indiana Wesleyan University Educational Leadership (EDL) Orientation course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to get to know the members of their cohort, to gain understanding of the university structures and policies as they relate to the program, to become acquainted with Indiana Wesleyan University's learning management system, and to gain an understanding of the policies and procedures of both the IWU School of Educational Leadership and the Principal Leadership or Education Specialist program.