Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Delivery
This is a multi-modal course. Much of your learning will take place online and asynchronously within Canvas. You will also have synchronous learning opportunities with the instructor and your peers during the weekly Live Sessions via Zoom.
Course Materials
There is no textbook for this course. All required readings and videos will be posted via Canvas. See the "Readings and Resources" page in each module for necessary materials.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Graduates will demonstrate a firm understanding of core educational leadership theories, models, and concepts. They will be able to analyze and apply these theories to on-the-ground challenges in schools.
- Graduates will be equipped with the skills to make informed and effective decisions in complex educational settings. This involves the ability to identify problems, gather relevant information, and develop strategic solutions. Graduates should be capable of developing and implementing strategic plans that drive positive change and innovation in educational organizations.
- Students will apply principles of effective organizational management and leadership to educational institutions. This includes understanding human resources management, financial management, and organizational behavior.
- Graduates will develop research skills, enabling them to design and conduct rigorous educational research, including qualitative and quantitative design, analysis, and appraisal.
- Graduates will be grounded in ethical standards in educational leadership, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and professionalism in their interactions and decisions. The program will equip graduates with the skills to navigate diverse educational environments and promote cultural competence, understanding cultural differences, safeguarding civil rights, and equal educational opportunity for all students.
- Graduates will be able to engage in reflective practice, assessing their own leadership work and continuously seeking opportunities for growth.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A | Describe the role and uses of budgets for schools and school districts | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| B | Analyze and evaluate a school’s and school district’s budgets | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| C | Describe the different types of methodologies utilized in the development of school budgets and strategic plans | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| D | Describe the role and uses of strategic planning for schools and school districts | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| E | Identify and analyze a school district’s strategic plan | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| F | Analyze and evaluate the alignment between the district’s budget and strategic plan | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
| G | Create recommendations for a school district to improve the alignment between its strategic plan and its budget | 1, 2, 3, 6 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Assignments (x5) |
|
500 |
| Discussion Boards (x4) |
|
200 |
| Team Presentation |
|
500 |
| Participation |
|
100 |
| Dissertation Assignment 1 |
|
30 |
| Dissertation Assignment 2 |
|
100 |
| Total Points |
1,430 |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Discussion Boards
Discussion Boards provide an open/free/safe space for low-pressure exchange of ideas, similar to an in-person classroom conversation. Students will integrate new knowledge with existing knowledge and apply that knowledge to a prompt/scenario. Students form and communicate an educated stance on the topic/case at hand. Some posts will also encourage/require analysis & synthesis and use of professional writing with supporting evidence.
Budgeting in a School
This assignment is intended to help create an awareness of the budget and the budgeting process at individual schools as a starting point for creating a larger understanding of school budgeting across a variety of educational settings.
Budgeting in a School District
This assignment is intended to help create an awareness of the budget and the budgeting process at a district level as a starting point for creating a larger understanding of district budgeting across a variety of educational settings.
District Strategic Plans
This assignment is intended to help create an awareness of strategic planning at a district level as a starting point for creating a larger understanding of strategic planning across a variety of educational settings.
Team Presentation
This assignment will provide an opportunity for you and your team to give a live presentation of your analysis of a specific school district and your recommendations for better alignment between strategy and resource allocation in the district.
Dissertation Assignments
Refine Problem Statement Draft
As you continue to investigate the problem of practice selected for your dissertation, you will need to revise and expand upon your statement to account for new findings and understanding. For this assignment, you will refine the draft of your problem statement that you have already started. Findings from your literature review (see the Dissertation Component 2 Assignment) can be directly incorporated into your problem statement draft. This problem statement draft will eventually become a major component in the first chapter of your dissertation.
Literature Review Draft
When writing a literature review, you should collate, synthesize, and appraise existing scholarship on a particular topic. It should be a mostly neutral or objective summary of existing research surrounding the topic. For this assignment, please review empirical studies on the factors underlying your problem statement. You can also include relevant research dealing with the consequences of the problem. Findings from your literature review can be directly incorporated into your problem statement draft. This literature review draft will eventually become a major component in the second chapter of your dissertation.
Course Policies
Communication
I try to be available to students in whatever ways they like to communicate – text, Canvas, email, phone, etc. I also am comfortable with students reaching out to me at any time on any day – weekends, holidays, etc. (the benefits of being semi-retired). I should be able to respond within 24 hours or less.
Feedback
I will commit to giving students individual grades in Canvas for individual assignments and discussion boards within a week of the assignment’s submittal date. In terms of feedback, I prefer to give group feedback to the entire class, typically via Canvas announcements.
Late Policy
Students are expected to adhere to all assignment deadlines as outlined in the course syllabus and are encouraged to proactively manage their time and workload to minimize the likelihood of missed deadlines. In the event of unforeseen circumstances that may prevent meeting a deadline, students should promptly communicate with the instructor as soon as possible, providing a clear explanation of the situation. Early communication allows for a potential extension to be discussed and arranged.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|