Educational Leadership (EDL)
EDL 7010 - Theory and Practice of Leadership - 3 credits
Leadership is an abstract term that defies clear definition in the practical world. School leaders understand current research, are able to analyze data, write clearly and are great organizers; they also possess strong interpersonal skills, sincerity, empathy and humor. A great school leader is also an ideal scholar- practitioner. This course serves as the introduction to this Educational Leadership program and, by combining a study of current theory and best practice, supports the development of prospective and emerging school leaders. It is organized into four major components: theory and practice in organizational leadership, organizational culture and community leadership, school improvement and educational change, and organizational planning – linking beliefs, goals, objectives, outcomes and assessments.
This course aligns strongly with the work for MA PAL Tasks 1 and 2.
EDL 7020 - Leadership in Teaching and Learning - 3 credits
This course provides students with the opportunity to acquire the knowledge to meet professional standards and expectations addressing the most important aspects of school-based leadership. Educational leaders are responsible for nurturing a school-wide focus on learning, and an academic culture that informs all instructional activity and is based on informed beliefs that are shared by the school community. In addition, they need to develop and implement high quality curriculum that is derived from and aligned with the Common Core and the Massachusetts State Frameworks. The curriculum must meet the needs of all students and instruction must provide opportunities for each student to access the curriculum content according to their abilities. Powerful leadership that is focused on student achievement derives its authority from a deep understanding of the many complex factors that contribute to the growth and development of successful schools. One of the important methods that leaders use to understand these factors is the effective use of data. In this course, principal/vice principal candidates continue their work on MA PAL Tasks 1 and 2.
EDL 7030 - Human Resources, Operational Systems, and School-Based Budgeting - 3 credits
This course prepares the future principal or program leader to work with administrative colleagues, staff, and school-based teams to design and implement routines that encompass all aspects of school operations: recruitment, hiring, developing and retaining quality staff with a heavy emphasis on observation and providing relevant feedback; and scheduling and planning to maximize time on learning to organize the entire school day to foster student health and safety. A complementary aspect of this course addresses topics pertaining to fiscal management, strategic planning, and an analysis of resources as a solid approach to school management. This course aligns strongly with the work for MA PAL Task 3.
EDL 7040 - Community and Family Engagement - 3 credits
This course defines and analyzes the multiple stakeholders that comprise the community and the many agendas that must be balanced and managed. Educational institutions at all levels are integral parts of the communities they reside in and serve. Education leaders must not only manage the relationship between their institutions and their communities, but they also need to be participants in the life of those communities and the families they support to maximize student performance. This course provides a full exposure to the various types of strategies necessary for engaging and collaborating with both internal and external communities and examines specific examples of effective community engagement, along with national and international trends. This course aligns strongly with the work for MA PAL Task 4.
EDL 7050 - Education Law, Ethics and Policies - 3 credits
Using both historical and modern readings, philosophical principles and case studies, this course provides the opportunity to reflect on moral leadership and legal issues facing today’s school leaders. Students will discuss the decision-making challenges that administrators face when confronted with dilemmas that involve the rights of teachers, students, and the community at large. Issues involving religion and community values, privacy and the First Amendment, due process, search and seizure, collective bargaining rights of staff, and the use of computers and the Internet will be addressed. This course encourages and guides aspiring leaders to develop the ability to navigate conflicting values and ongoing societal change. By grappling with the ethical and legal dilemmas faced by educators, past and present, this course provides opportunities for students to develop the intellectual and moral foundation that ethical leaders demonstrate in their work and their lives.
EDL 7060 - Sheltered English Immersion for Administrators - 1 credit
New and evolving State standards require that all in-service and pre-service teachers complete a 3-credit course. on working with students whose native language is not English, based on the Sheltered English Immersion model that Massachusetts has endorsed. Administrators who have not taken the teacher course are required to take a one-credit administrator course on the same topic. This one-credit course addresses the expectations for administrators in assuring that ELL students receive the support and instruction that they need and deserve. The College’s one- credit course for administrative endorsement in Sheltered English Immersion has been approved by the Massachusetts DESE.
EDL 7150 - Pre-Practicum - 1 credit
A requirement of the Massachusetts DESE, the Pre-Practicum is an opportunity for aspiring administrators to acquire an overview of the position to which they aspire. Paired with an experienced, accomplished administrator who is serving as the supervising practitioner, candidates will observe and perform tasks associated with their prospective future roles. (50 hours)
EDL 7160/7161/7162/7163 - Practicum - 6 credits
In this year-long, 6-credit, 500-hour practicum candidates will actively participate in the administrative life cycle of a full school year through ongoing involvement in leadership activities and duties that involve student and family issues, scheduling, faculty leadership, instruction and assessment. Candidates will assume principal/vice principal, supervisor/director or special education administrator duties depending on the licenses they are pursuing. Candidates will demonstrate through their practicum experiences the ability to meet all State standards. The practicum is offered in parallel with academic courses, and practicum requirements directly align with the coursework. Sections of EDL 7160/7161/7162/7163 will be taken one-and-a-half credits each term, starting the second term of the program after EDL 7150, the pre-practicum. The Director of Graduate Education Programs will assign the credits for EDL 7160/7161/7162/7163 allotted to each semester based on the timing for each cohort.