Doctor of Education: Teacher Leadership Degree Handbook Maryville University School of Education www.maryville.edu/edgrad Revised 8/13 EDDTL 1
Doctorate of Education Degree Table of Contents School of Education Mission 3 Program Themes 4 Sequence of Courses 5 Course Descriptions 6 Key Program Component Descriptors 11 Personal Leadership Growth Plan 11 Comprehensive Reflective Journal 11 Practicum Introduction and Guidelines 12 Capstone Experience Introduction and Guidelines 13 General Procedures 13 (Appendix A) Conceptual Framework 18 (Appendix B) Practicum Proposal 20 (Appendix C) Project Log 21 (Appendix D) Comprehensive Assessment 22 EDDTL 2
Welcome to the Maryville University s Doctor of Education: Teacher Leadership Program! This handbook is designed to provide you with a guide to our program, policies, and procedures for the Ed. D. at Maryville University. We hope that it will also provide you background as to the guiding principles of the University and the School of Education, the structure of the program, and the degree requirements. If reading the handbook raises questions, please feel free to contact the Director of the Ed. D. Program at the School of Education, Dr. Bev Nance 314-529-9468. Mission and Moral Purposes of the School of Education The mission of the School of Education at Maryville University is to prepare socially responsible critical thinkers who are collaborative and reflective educators committed to the moral endeavor of schooling in a democracy. The moral purposes of schooling, derived from the National Network for Educational Renewal, provide the foundation for School of Education programs. We believe teachers have the responsibility to: a. Stewardship of the school work at their own teaching and the teaching of others as well as collaborate with others in practices that serve the school, its students and the larger community. b. Pedagogical nurturing nurture their own pedagogical skills so that each child develops to her/his highest potential within a caring learning community. c. Access to knowledge provide equitable access to knowledge for ALL students based on developing understanding of the unique strengths and needs of students within the context of culture. d. Enculturation into a social and political democracy model behaviors and create opportunities that help students learn and practice caring, fairness, tolerance, and responsibility. As learners in the School of Education, we seek out perspectives and skills that enhance our experience, understanding and appreciation of diversity in individuals, curricula, and practice. The School of Education is committed to working with our school and community partners in the simultaneous renewal of schools and teacher education. Revised July 2007 EDDTL 3
Ed. D. Program Themes Theme 1. The Nature and Ethics of Leadership in a Democratic Society Educational Leaders Are deeply committed to the premise that a democracy is built upon, and sustained by, a strong and vital system of public education Have a clear understanding of the nature of leadership, of themselves as leaders, of the moral and ethical imperatives of leadership, and a clear grasp of the environment in which educational leaders function Theme 2. Leaders as Agents of Positive and Sustainable Change through Democratic Management Educational Leaders Have the skills to initiate, build, and maintain positive human interactions, develop human potential, build systemic learning communities, generate resources, operate in rich and diverse cultural settings, and who view others as worthy and valuable individuals Possess the knowledge and understanding necessary to lead school and district level learning systems effectively and who comprehend the educational forces, state and national directions, and community resources necessary to successfully lead the processes that impact student achievement within its current and changing environment Are committed to the role and function of a school leader as an advocate for ALL children, an instrumental leader, vision-builder, and effective manager; capable of carrying out change initiatives. Theme 3. Leaders as Reflective Learners Who Appreciate the Value of Formal Inquiry in Understanding the Context of Schools in a Democratic Society Educational Leaders Understand, and continuously reflect upon the critical nature of valid data in the decision-making process; who are able to apply sound inquiry methodologies; who are able to analyze complex data sets, draw strategic conclusions and develop strategic plans, build collaborative work teams, formulate effective implementation plans and evaluate results Have a firm grasp of organizations and how they function with emphasis on leading, guiding, developing and advising school leadership, acquire and practice the skills, concepts, and techniques to structure and redesign school systems as safe and educationally rich environments that maximize student learning Are effective evaluators of programs, teachers, staff, and students EDDTL 4
SPRING COHORTS SEQUENCE OF COURSES Course Title Credit Sem EDL 710 Developing Myself as a Leader 3 hours (1)(Sp) 3 hours (1)(Sp) EDL 711 Introduction to Action Research EDL 712 Advanced Research for Teacher Leaders EDL 713 Practicum in Teacher Leadership EDL 714 Understanding Systems Thinking and the Change Process EDL 715 Adult Learning and Professional Development EDL 716 Curriculum Design and Development EDL 717 Assessment Literacy and Data Analysis for Teacher Leaders EDL 718 Leading Professional Development Institutes EDL 719 Coaching and Facilitation for Teacher Leaders EDL 720 Strategies for Teacher Leadership I (2 credits: modules) EDL 721 Strategies for Teacher Leadership II (2 credits; modules) EDL 722 Strategies for Teacher Leadership III (2 credits: modules) EDL 723 Issues in Moral Leadership EDL 724 Capstone and Culminating Experience 3 hours (2)(Su) 3 hours (2)(Su) 3 hours (3)(Fa) 3 hours (3)(Fa) 3 hours (4)(Sp) 3 hours (4)(Sp) 3 hours (5)(Su) 3 hours (5)(Su) 2 hours (6)(Fa) 2 hours (6)(Fa) 2 hours (6)(Fa) 3 hours (7)(Sp) 3 hours (7)(Sp) EDDTL 5
Maryville University Ed.D. in Teacher Leadership Sequence of Courses and Descriptions Spring Semester Year One (1): EDL 710 DEVELOPING MYSELF AS LEADER Effectively leading others requires: a well-developed personal belief system, understanding the basic principles of leadership, full knowledge of one s leadership strengths and areas for development, and how teams are created for success. In this course, each of those requirements will be explored and analyzed through readings, self-study instruments, analysis of current leaders, study of systems thinking, and simulation. The ethics of leadership will also be examined. The candidate will create his/her own personal leadership growth plan that will tie together the remaining six semesters of the program. EDL 711 INTRODUCTION TO ACTION RESEARCH Today s leaders must be able to critically interpret the research that they read in the professional literature as well as understand what research is necessary to promote k-12 student learning in their role. The current paradigm of scientifically based research changes the lenses through which educational research is being viewed. At the same time, meaningful inquiry, through local projects (school or district wide) can produce extremely valuable information. In this course, candidates will examine research that informs and improves schools. Particular emphasis will be placed upon Action Research related to student achievement or school improvement. This introductory course is designed to be the first in a series of three courses (EDL 711, EDL 712, and EDL 724) to guide the student through the process of developing and writing the final Capstone project. Candidates will review the methods of educational research and examine research that informs and improves individual schools. Using the action research model, particular emphasis will be placed upon research related to student achievement and school improvement. The guidelines for Research on Human Subjects will be studied for their implications on the ability to do research and protect students throughout the processes. Chapters 1 & 2 of the Capstone will be completed this semester. EDDTL 6
Summer Semester Year One (2): EDL 712 ADVANCED RESEARCH FOR TEACHER LEADERS Teacher leaders, both at the school and district levels, must be able to analyze complex, system wide research questions and data collections. As a continuation of Introduction to Action Research, this doctoral level research course will focus upon a rigorous, in-depth study of research design and implementation. The goal of this course will be to research and compose the Methodology, (Chapter three) for the final Capstone project. Students will understand the Institutional Review Board (IRB) process and have filed the appropriate forms for IRB approval. Students will have all surveys and forms ready to collect data for the Capstone project. Considerations for reliability and validity, specific research paradigms and methodologies, and qualitative and quantitative data analysis will be studied in depth. Finally, the candidate will conceptualize his/her own research that culminates in the capstone experience. The major project for this class will be to complete chapter three and prepare to write chapters four and five. EDL 713 PRACTICUM IN TEACHER LEADERSHIP Under the direction of a mentor, chosen in tandem with the candidate s school district and the Maryville advisor, the candidate will begin an in-depth and extended practical experience with the area of teacher leadership of focus. This experience should consist of a minimum of 150 hours (open for discussion) to develop a particular and transferable expertise. The final product will be in part the development of an institute to be conducted in the second summer, free of charge, in the candidate s district, for teachers in that area of concentration. Fall Semester Year One (3): EDL 714- Understanding Systems Thinking and the Change Process This course focuses on the comprehensive development of the Teacher Leader Standards and Program Theme Two: developing leaders who are change agents, and who are capable of both initiating positive change and sustaining change through sound organizational skills and an orientation toward collaborative decision making. A focus on the importance of creating a learning organization informs students of the importance of personal mastery, team learning, mental models, shared vision and systems thinking. Emphasis will be given to acquiring the knowledge, dispositions and skills enabling candidates to design and lead professional development opportunities. Readings and interviews will target the analysis and application of successful change efforts. EDDTL 7
EDL 715 Adult Learning and Professional Development This course will explore the characteristics of adult learners and their unique needs. Current research and best practices in adult learning will inform the activities and discussions in this course. Candidates will be asked to design meaningful professional development opportunities focused on the particular needs of their individual schools and/or districts. These designs will be used as the bases for summer professional develop institutes that will be presented either on the Maryville campus or in the candidates local school districts. Spring Semester Two (4): EDL 716 CURRICULUM DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT Teacher leaders must be well versed in the theories and contexts that govern curriculum development and implementation to ensure the highest quality curriculum to guide instruction. This course will explore the curriculum development process from an historical perspective to build a foundation for understanding how curriculum and instructional practices have evolved over time. The development of a guaranteed and viable curriculum, based on the Common Core Standards, that maximizes students achievement of performance standards will be emphasized as instructional strategies and assumptions guiding teachers choices in curriculum and instruction are examined. The role of assessment as integral to determining the needs and setting priorities will also be a major component of the course. Good principles of staff development will also be explored to allow the teacher leader to build a collaborative community of professionals within his or her school to review and modify the instructional programs as needed. EDL 717 ASSESSMENT LITERACY AND DATA ANALYSIS FOR TEACHER LEADERS With accountability legislation and mandates to show consistent improvement on standardized test scores, the teacher leaders must understand how to develop and implement quality balanced systems of assessment. This understanding is critical if teachers are to leverage the power of assessment not only to provide timely information regarding student achievement, (i.e. assessment OF learning), but also to enhance student learning, (i.e. assessment FOR learning.) Teacher leaders must also have a working knowledge of the concepts and practical tools of data analysis, the multiple measures of data and their interactions, the tools to derive data, and the knowledge of how to use that data to improve learning. Throughout the course, the candidate will concentrate on: Improving existing systems of assessment within his/her school/district Understanding the data team process and how to facilitate this process with teachers in his/her school/district EDDTL 8
Designing professional development opportunities to help teachers build their understanding of how to develop and use assessments Summer Semester Year Two (5): EDL 718 LEADING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTES Candidates in this program will be pursuing career specialties that require the application of their newly acquired knowledge and skills to practice. Individual candidates or small groups of candidates will be expected to design and implement an instructional workshop of three to five days duration in their area of specialization for current teachers or Maryville teacher candidates. The institutes will be free to participants and are to be held at Maryville University or at a site selected in partnership with a local school district. The institutes are designed to be presented during the summer of the candidates second program year. Partner school districts must be included in the design of these institutes. EDL 719 COACHING AND FACILITATION FOR TEACHER LEADERS One of the primary roles of a teacher leader is to serve as an instructional coach to assist teachers in the continuous improvement of their craft. This course focuses on the essential skills that instructional coaches need, including building a climate of trust, modeling best practices, observing teachers and facilitating reflective conversations using the Cognitive Coaching Model. Candidates will also explore some of the common obstacles faced by instructional coaches and how these obstacles may be overcome. Fall Semester Year Two (6): EDL 720, 721, 722 STRATEGIES FOR TEACHER LEADERSHIP I, II, III (2 credits: modules) Candidates will select three (3) five-week modules from a variety of offerings intended to give in-depth learning and experience in areas of special interest. Experts in the topics will serve as adjunct professors for these intense exposures to specific content. Reflection and application will be the key assessment features for each module. The modules are created to build upon and enhance the strategies required for the candidate to perform the leadership position being trained for and desired. Possible module topics include, but are not limited to: adult learners, teaching how to teach, RTI, Understanding by Design, learning walks, specific content instruction, character education, assessment literacy, adaptive schools, data teams, etc. EDDTL 9
Spring Semester Three (7): EDL 723 ISSUES IN MORAL LEADERSHIP Course Description : The cohort will examine social, political, and critical moral issues of the day through the lens of the knowledge gained in the first six semesters. A variety of protocols for professional conversation and systems thinking tools will be used to stimulate in-depth dialogue and discussion regarding current issues in education. Selected texts, current articles from newspapers, journals and other appropriate sources, as chosen by the cohort, may be used as well. The final individual product will be a re-examination of each candidate s This I Believe statement. EDL 724 CAPSTONE AND CULMINATING EXPERIENCES This course is the culminating experience of the EDD program and will bring into play the recurring elements and themes developed over the seven-semester program. The candidates will, through the use of the Teacher Leader Standards, illustrate with documentation and reflections on projects, class assignments, and materials generated in their daily job, the growth experienced throughout the program. The candidate will complete with the help of their advisor: All parts of the Capstone project and have the final product approved by the Capstone instructor. A presentation of the final Capstone to the cohort of peers Final submission of the Comprehensive Reflective Journal A final conversation, led by the candidate, with Maryville faculty and guests covering the growth during the program. EDDTL 10
Key Program Component Descriptors In addition to the successful completion of the sequence of courses, the candidate will complete four major program components: Professional Leadership Growth Plan, the Comprehensive Reflective Journal, the practicum in teacher leadership, and the Capstone Experience. In addition to the written documentation required by these four components, the candidate will engage in a professional conversation with the Graduate Faculty during the final semester of the program where the candidate elaborates and field s questions about his/her body of work. The following are brief outlines of each of the four major components: (1) The Personal Leadership Growth Plan: An Introduction and Some Guidelines Purpose: You entered the Ed. D. program at Maryville University in order to become the best teacher leader you could possibly be. That commitment to excellence cannot be left to chance. The Personal Leadership Growth Plan serves as a roadmap that will channel all of the coursework and activities of the doctoral studies experience along a clearly delineated path leading directly towards your own individual goals for growth and development. The PLGP is a mechanism for keeping the dots connected as you move through the variety of experiences provided by this program. Rationale: Careful planning is an essential element in assuring the success of any venture. The goal to becoming the best teacher leader you can be cannot be reached without first, a serious, objective, and in-depth analysis of your current leadership qualities and skills, then second, a plan to make the most effective use of your strengths and also to improve or offset your less developed qualities and skills. The PLGP is personal as it created by and for you as a unique individual is about leadership as that is the skill set central to the Ed. D. program is about growth as you seek to become the best teacher leader you can be is about systematically setting goals, action items, benchmarks, course corrections and assessments for your journey. (2) The Comprehensive Reflective Journal Rationale: The seven-semester doctoral program should be one of gradual, yet steady growth in the candidate s knowledge about his/her own leadership. Growth can be found in classroom assignments, cohort discussions, teacher leader practicum experiences, readings, and work-related activities. That growth can best be understood by systematic personal reflection throughout the life of the program. The record of the journey of learning is one of the four major program elements to be completed by each candidate. EDDTL 11
Processes: Each candidate will be developing the Comprehensive Reflective Journal throughout the duration of the program. This document will address four major strands of individual development. The following four areas of concentration will be addressed in this document: 1. Leadership Growth Plan and This I Believe Statement 2. Growth with Respect to the Teacher Leader Standards 3. The Nature of Leadership 4. Reflections on the Teacher Leader Practicum Experience Much like a diary or journal, the evolution of the Comprehensive Reflective Journal will be on-going. The candidate will submit the first installment of the Comprehensive Reflective Journal to the advisor at the end of the first semester. At the end of each subsequent semester, excluding summers, the candidate will resubmit the amended and updated document for a total of five (5) submissions. Assessment: The advisor will provide feedback after each submission. That will ensure that the candidate has completed a worthy, doctoral level document and successfully fulfills this program element. The content will guide the Final Conversation. Format: The Comprehensive Reflective Journal will be posted to a D2L efolio template provided by the university. (3) The Practicum in Teacher Leadership for the Doctorate in Education An Introduction and Some Guidelines The Practicum in Teacher Leadership is designed to give candidates practical experiences in developing and facilitating district level professional development. While enrolled in EDLTL 713, candidates will identify a district level mentor and consult with that individual regarding professional development needs for the district. The candidate and mentor will sign an agreement, along with the university supervisor for this course. The Teacher Leadership Practicum Proposal agreement form can be found in Appendix B of this handbook. The candidate will also keep a Project Log, indicating a minimum of 150 hours, towards the planning and completion of the Practicum project. The Project Log form can be found in Appendix C of this handbook. Upon completion of the Practicum project, the candidate s mentor will complete and sign the Comprehensive Assessment for Mentors form found in Appendix D of this handbook. Successful completion of the Practicum project and completion of the required forms is counted towards the candidate s final grade in EDLTL 718. See Internship handbook at www.maryville.edu/ed/handbooks-and-forms/ EDDTL 12
(4) The Capstone Experience for the Doctorate in Education An Introduction and Some Guidelines Purpose: The capstone experience for the Maryville University Ed. D. will bring into play the recurring elements and themes developed over the seven-semester program of studies. The processes employed to complete the experience are as critical to the worthiness of the effort as is the final product. At its conclusion, the product should contribute to the solution or the completion of a real-world challenge. Rationale: A doctoral program of studies should include a major piece of work as its final product. A research degree such as a Ph. D. uses a dissertation for that purpose. A practitioner s degree such as the Ed. D. is better served by an action research project of substance and meaning. Working alone, in pairs, or in small groups, the candidates will engage in a research-based, data-driven, real world educational experience. See Capstone handbook at www.maryville.edu/ed/handbooks-and-forms/ GENERAL PROCEDURES Admission to the Doctor of Education Program A. Admissions Policies Students are encouraged to contact the Graduate Admissions Coordinator to ensure preliminary eligibility to apply to the program. All application materials, including transcripts must be received in order for the student to be scheduled for an admissions interview. B. Requirements for Admission The requirements for admission to the program are: Completed Application Official transcripts from all institutions attended 3.5 GPA overall in graduate studies Three letters of recommendation Admissions essay Successful interview, acceptable spontaneous writing sample, and recommendation for admission from the interview committee C. Deferral and Denial Students can be fully admitted, admitted on probation, or denied admission. The interview team conducts the interview and reviews the applicant s writing sample and makes all recommendations to the Graduate Admissions Committee about the status. Students admitted on probation will be reevaluated at the end of nine hours of coursework. EDDTL 13
D. Retention Policies The Doctorate in Education program is an intense program. Continuous progress and growth is expected throughout the program. Retention in the program is contingent upon completing at least 42 credit hours and having a minimum grade point average of 3.00 and no more than two grades of "C". Any student receiving a "C" in coursework will be required to meet with the course instructor and advisors to address any specific academic concerns. Students who receive a third grade of "C" or receive a grade of "D" or "F" will automatically be dropped from the program the semester in which the grade is received. E. Advising Advising is done by the assigned advisor. Students are encouraged to discuss any concerns or questions with his/her advisor at any time. F. Transfer of Credit (To be addressed with advisor during the first semester) All courses are expected to be completed in the Maryville University program. Should the student have appropriate coursework (beyond a master s degree) from another university program, he/she can make application for transfer of credit to the Graduate Admissions Committee. A student may transfer, at most, nine (9) credit hours. A student will be notified to apply for credit and will be notified during the first semester of classes. G. Identification Cards, Parking Permits During registration students should obtain I.D. cards (for use in the library), parking permits, the academic calendar and other useful information. Registration is initiated in the School of Education with the graduate admissions coordinator. After completion of arrangements for payment, students will then go to the Campus Security Office in Buder Commons to obtain I.D. cards and parking permits. Students are advised to park in designated areas only, respecting the university s regulations. H. Textbooks Textbooks may be purchased in the Campus Bookstore located in Donius Center. Books may also be ordered on line through Bookstore on Maryville s home page (http://bookstore.maryville.edu/ ). Please allow sufficient time to fill orders placed electronically. I. E-mail Accounts E-mail is a principle means of communication and all students will obtain a Maryville e-mail address. You may set up your e-mail account by phone at (314) 529-9506 or at https://mylogin.maryville.edu/ or in person at the Help Desk in the Information Technology office. An e-mail account is required to access library materials on-line. J. Financial Aid and Scholarships Students wishing to apply for financial aid need to make an appointment with the Director of Financial Aid and complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. All EDDTL 14
money for graduate students is in the form of loans. Students must be enrolled for at least 6 credit hours of graduate credit to qualify for financial aid. K. Library Facilities Students may contact the Maryville library anytime by calling at 314-529-9595 and speak with a reference librarian or at www.maryville.edu/library/. L. Services for Students with Disabilities We provide accommodations and support for students with documented disabilities as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact the Center for Academic Success & First-Year Experience, as soon as possible by phone at 314-529-9374 or by email at academictesting@maryville.edu. M. Assigning a DG delayed grade No DG grade will be awarded without prior approval of both the instructor and advisor. If a DG grade is awarded: The candidate has two weeks from the date that grades for that semester are due to complete and turn in assignments for original grade. Coursework completed between two and four weeks, the highest grade possible is a B. After four weeks, the DG grade converts to an F. N. Requests for Transcripts From time to time as a student progresses through the program, he/she may find it necessary to produce official transcripts for his/her school districts as proof of completion of course work. Requests for transcripts must be made to the Registrar at 314-529-9360. 0. Career Education Office Maryville University s career education staff is available to all students to assist them in developing their credential file and vita. Postings of vacancies are available through the Maryville University website or at 314-529-9375. P. Degree Completion/Certification Original copies of all transcripts and certification examination scores must be on file in the School of Education Office. Students applying for graduation should apply online the first few weeks of the semester before they will be expecting to graduate (www.maryville.edu/academics-registrar-gradapp.htm). They are responsible for obtaining appropriate graduation calendar deadlines and for applying with the Registrar s office. Students complete the application form for Missouri Certification upon completion of the certification examination. These forms are available online through DESE. EDDTL 15
The student is responsible for registration and completion of the State Superintendent s licensure examination at the completion of the program. Students are responsible for having these scores sent to Maryville University and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Certification. The licensure examination may be taken prior to the completion of the coursework. Applications for the assessment are online at http://dese.mo.gov/. Certification applications will not be processed until successful completion of the internship, all coursework, a satisfactorily completed portfolio, and the State licensure and certification examination with scores received and on file at the university. Q. Graduation Maryville University holds graduation ceremonies once each year, on the first Saturday in May. Application for graduation should be completed when the student is enrolling in his/her last semester. Students should, therefore, plan ahead. A fee is charged for degree completion and graduation costs. The transcript will not be marked with the completed degree until that fee is paid. Cap and gown information is emailed to students who have indicated that they wish to participate in commencement on their graduation application. Contact the Maryville Book store at 314-529-943. Graduation is an important ceremony. We urge all students to participate in it and to attend the reception that follows. Families who have "sacrificed" enjoy seeing their family member receive that hard-earned diploma. R. Convocation Convocation ceremonies for each cohort of graduates are conducted during the last semester of classes. The ceremony is usually conducted on a Saturday in December or Saturday in May, depending on the scheduled 7 th semester. The convocation (hooding) ceremony is a more personal ceremony conducted by the graduate school of education and is for the candidates and their families. The ceremony is in the auditorium on the Maryville campus. Contact the university bookstore at 314-529-9438. S. Rights and Privileges You are a Maryville graduate student and we are proud of you. We urge you to use our library facility as well as the Simon Recreation Center and the Donius student union. You will, from time to time, receive information about events on campus and we hope you will attend. If you are not now a member of Phi Delta Kappa, the education professional and honorary organization, we hope you will consider joining the Maryville University chapter. You will also be sent emails and/or flyers about our courses each term and we hope you will circulate these to your colleagues. EDDTL 16
T. Academic Integrity Preamble Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of the academic world. All members of the university community share the responsibility to uphold academic integrity. Faculty members should encourage free discussion, inquiry and expression. Students are responsible for maintaining the standards of academic performance established for each course in which they are enrolled. While grades and academic judgments are the province of the faculty, problems arising involving dishonesty (such as cheating, fabrication, plagiarism) or faculty error (such as ones affected by prejudice or capriciousness) should be resolved through the appeals process that is outlined in the Office of the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs. Informal Grievance Process 1. An initial complaint of a student or faculty member regarding academic integrity should be addressed at a meeting between the two parties at which the perceived problem will be discussed. Substantiated data and examples illustrating the problem should be presented by the student or faculty member. 2. If the problem is not resolved by such an information meeting, the student or faculty member should request a meeting with the Dean of the applicable academic unit to resolve the issue. Formal Grievance Process If the grievance of a student or faculty member has not been resolved by the informal process, the affected party should submit a written request for action, containing all pertinent documents and other information regarding the complaint, to the Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs for referral to the Student/Faculty Hearing Committee. A hearing, to be held within ten (10) working days of the receipt of the written request, shall review the grievance together with any witnesses and documents the student, faculty member or the Student/Faculty Hearing Committee requests to be present. To the extent practicable, due process for the parties involved will be followed. EDDTL 17
APPENDIX A Conceptual Framework Underpinning every aspect of the program is the commitment to providing a practical, hands-on, live work experience thoroughly grounded in the best theoretical base. We are also firmly committed to viewing educational leadership as a unique, but not isolated, dimension of the greater body of leadership studies. We will include elements of business, political, and social leadership throughout our program. In addition to the work of John Goodlad and the National Network of Educational Renewal with the emphasis on providing leadership in a democratic society, a number of other important voices and ideas informed our program development. Among them are: Michael Fullan issues a loud and important call for moral leadership. There is a strong theme of ethics and moral principles imbued across the program. The work of Roland Barth equally influenced that theme. Leadership begins with selfknowledge. Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton s work along with that of The Ventures for Excellence Corporation and the National Association of Secondary School Principals frame the candidate s initial leadership selfassessment. These influences help shape the emerging Professional Leadership Growth Plan that every candidate will develop and complete. Today s school leaders must be data and assessment savvy. The work of Victoria Bernhardt, Michael Schmoker, and Doug Reeves were our beacons in this critical area. The informed and accurate use of data supports all of the candidate s action research and Capstone Experience. Highly regarded contemporary voices from the world outside education assisted us in developing a systemic view of organizations and the importance of seeking excellence over competence. These influences would include Peter Senge, Stephen Covey, Jim Collins, and Margaret Wheatley. Lastly, as we were developing this program, Arthur Levine issued a report highly critical of university leadership studies especially honing in on Ed. D. programs. We chose not to dismiss his criticisms, but rather to embrace his ideas and use them to create a program that in many ways answers his challenges. We believed strongly in certain key components that are the backbone of the program: The cohort model is the most acceptable form of delivery system No cohort shall exceed 20 candidates EDDTL 18
Recurring program themes, rather than stand alone courses, form the building blocks of the program A candidate s Comprehensive Reflective Journal assembled over the entirety of the program is the final demonstration of the candidate s growth and development An action research project fulfilling a real world need is the candidate s final product. The candidate may focus on individual school or classroom level research. Each candidate will develop and fulfill a professional leadership growth plan Each candidate will participate in a Professional Conversation about his/her body of work at the conclusion of the program With these influences and beliefs, the conceptual framework of the program is complete. The specific requirements and course descriptions are emanated from this framework. EDDTL 19
Appendix B Teacher Leadership Practicum Proposal PURPOSE The purpose of my practicum will be to provide an operational field-based experience in teacher leadership during the EDD program. The process will allow me to explore the application of principles and standards of adult learning to a professional learning experience designed and implemented in conjunction with my school district administration. My assigned and elective leadership tasks will include activities in the design, planning, and implementation of a professional learning experience. The professional learning experience will be completed by June 15 in the second summer of my EDD program. STRUCTURE This internship will be of the extra duty type. A minimum of 150 hours will be devoted to tasks conducive to teacher leadership, functions and activities. The primary location will be (name of district). Many activities/tasks may require work in other buildings throughout the district, the central office administrative building, or in other school districts. The on-site supervisor/mentor will be. The university supervisor is, Mrs. Sue McAdamis. CANDIDATE RESPONSIBILITIES (A) I will be responsible for conducting conferences with supervisors. A date for the initial conference will be. Future conference dates will be determined during the initial conference. (B) I will carry out teacher leadership functions, observations, and exploration opportunities agreed upon by the supervisor(s). (See attached for examples of areas.) (C) I will maintain a comprehensive log of experiences during the internship. The log will contain, but is not limited to; date, description of activity, length of activity and a reflection of what was learned from the experience. Comments will be included suggesting my reaction to experiences and strengths and weaknesses of the internship. (D) I will submit to the university supervisor, in final written form, all appropriate documentation of the internship experience. Participants attending the conferences will be: (Candidate) (On-Site Supervisor) (University Supervisor) EDDTL 20