COURSE OVERVIEW AND GOALS:

The exercise of leadership in educational organizations (museums, schools, universities) is firmly rooted in the nature of the relationship between the leader and the led. While historic leadership perspectives were largely influenced by structural needs within the organization or individual traits, leadership theory is currently undergoing a new wave of development influenced, in part, by critical theory and postmodern perspectives. Leadership is now seen more as an organizational capacity to influence–exercised by anyone within organizations–and less a function of position.

Therefore, some of the questions that will guide our inquiry include:

•Who can and should lead?
•What does it mean to lead and to empower others?
•How do race, class, gender, language and culture influence the conception and exercise of leadership?
•What moral and social justice imperatives have contributed to new understandings of leadership?
•How might leadership from a critical perspective develop organizational relationships that enhance freedom, democracy, and community?

This advanced seminar will examine some of the emerging literature on critical leadership perspectives with a particular goal of understanding how this informs the practice of leadership for those in museums and educational organizations across the P-20 continuum. The seminar will involve active engagement with the literature and ideas with an aim toward connecting leadership perspectives with students' scholarly interests and practice.
BACKGROUND PREREQUISITES

The course is designed for educators, museum specialists, and those who come from other disciplines who have an interest in the educational arena. There is no assumption or expectation that the course members will have practitioner experience. I expect that, within a multiplicity of views, graduate scholarship and civil discourse will be productive and informing. As a result of this diversity, different individuals will find unique connections with the course depending on background, interest, and future plans. While some background in philosophy and leadership theory is helpful, it is not required.

I assume that all who participate in this course are leaders, or potential leaders; that all who participate in personal and professional situations have the ability or potential to exercise meaningful influence in a specific direction. To that end, this course contributes to the preparation of participants for leadership in whatever circumstance they may find themselves.

Course participants should be familiar with the use of library resources, the Internet and are able to prepare analytic papers written at the graduate level.

Required Readings

•      Marshall, C., & Oliva, M. (2006). Leadership for social justice: Making revolutions in education. Allyn & Bacon.

•      Further readings as outlined in the course syllabus or assigned during the course.

Readings will fall into two categories: required and recommended. Required readings are available either as texts in the bookstore or electronically via the course Go-Post. Electronic files may be accessed at the course website.

1.       Attendance and participation in class discussions. Given the seminar format of this course, as well as the opportunity to learn from one another, being present, prepared, and participating is important. In addition, participation forms part of the course grade. The course relies heavily on in-class discussions, group activities, and reporting.

      NB: Please inform the instructor if you know of sessions that you will be unable to attend. Two absences, without prior negotiation with instructor, will result in loss of the participation component.

2.       Completion of assigned readings. Required readings should be completed prior to the scheduled session as they will form a point of discussion for each session.

      Readings will fall into two categories: required and recommended. Required readings are available either as texts in the University Bookstore or electronically via the course Go-Post. In addition, as an advanced seminar, I anticipate that course members will bring other relevant literature to course discussions.

      Some recommended readings may be available electronically and others will require students to use the libraries or electronic resources.

3.      Completion of assignments by the due dates. If you anticipate any difficulty in meeting assigned due dates it is important that you contact the instructor early.

      Assignments will usually be discussed in class on the session they are due. The format is normally a brief ten minute group discussion of the central elements of your paper.

      NB: Late assignments without prior consent of the instructor for other than unplanned emergency circumstances, will receive a grade deduction of:
     
      1-2 days late -.2; 3-5 days late -.5; greater than 5 days -.8 (from a 4.0 scale)


Communication. Go-Post and the course website will be used to alert students to matters dealing with upcoming sessions, to guide reading, explain upcoming assignments, suggest directions for inquiry, or communicate announcements. It will be necessary to check your e-mail account, Go-Post and the course website. You are encouraged to contact me via e-mail, or the phone number listed at the beginning of the syllabus if questions or concerns arise.

Course website: http://courses.washington.edu/edlps570/index.html

Course Go-Post: https://catalysttools.washington.edu/gopost/board/bportin/9061/

ASSIGNMENTS:

1. Leadership reflection and/or discussion prompt

The purpose of this individual assignment is to prepare a brief contribution to the theoretical development of the course. You have a number of choices for this assignment, including such things as:

a.      Provide a critical response to one of the assigned readings.
b.      Contribute another reading, including a brief summary and its link to the course content.
c.      Introduce a conceptual model that links the ideas for one of the weeks.
d.      Other response as negotiated with the instructor (creativity welcomed!)

This assignment will all be submitted via Go-Post.

Length of written product: 1-3 pages.

Assignment 1 due no later than Session 9, March 5

2. Paper proposal: (see "Call for Papers"). Non-graded, formative, collegial feedback provided.
You will have two obligations with the proposal—to prepare your own and to provide substantive feedback to two colleagues.

Assignment 2 due date: Session 5, February 5


3. Final Paper: (see "Call for Papers").

General notes regarding assignment content:

Owing to the nature of the course content, there is no one single model for how the final paper should be constructed. However, I would expect in reading your paper that the follow would be addressed or represented:

•      Significant grounding in the readings of the course. The course readings are meant to be a common starting point for our mutual inquiry in-class, as well as your individual integration in your paper.

•      Extensions to the literature (minimum of 4 sources beyond the required course readings). One opportunity of graduate scholarship is the freedom to pursue theoretical and practical extensions to the course readings. As the quarter progresses, I hope that you will find connections with other bodies of literature, as well as with central problems of practice and/or inquiry that direct your graduate study.

•      Analytic integrity. Careful weighing of the literature we use should be represented in your course contributions. This means, minimally, a three-pronged approach to idea interrogation:

      a. What does the author say?
      b. What do you believe the author means?
      c. Then, your own critique of the author's contribution (remembering that critique includes identifying contributions, as well as potential weaknesses or inconsistencies).

•      Personal application. At some point in your paper, I would hope to hear how this paper connects with your ongoing line of graduate study and personal preparation for leadership.

Assignment Format:

•      Expectations for general structure and format is found at the course website. See, "A Writer's Guide to Graduate Writing."

•      Your paper should be referenced using APA format (or alternative format if used by another other school or department; i.e., be consistent). A reference list should be included at the end.

•      References may be taken from the course readings (required and recommended), however, it is expected that further sources (minimum 4 beyond required readings) will be cited. Relevance supersedes quantity in evaluation of reference use.

•      Length: Approximately 5000-8000 words (12-18 pages, 1.5 spacing, 12 pt.)

•      Drafts of the paper, or sections of the paper, may be submitted for feedback before the final version is turned in.

Evaluative Criteria:

•      Introduction to paper (clear articulation of purpose, domain of review, rationale)

•      Discussion of specific theoretical perspectives (clarity, depth of coverage for purposes of paper, evidence of writer understanding)

•      Integration of content of course (evidence of relating the topic of the paper to central themes and concepts of the course)

•      Analytic strength (ability to integrate the viewpoints and theoretical perspectives into a cogent and compelling narrative, articulation of strengths, weaknesses, alternative perspectives)

•      Unique aspects of paper as appropriate (i.e. supporting documentation, development of new models, compelling arguments, creative organization, links to your on-going inquiry plans)

•      Use of supporting references (references cited beyond course readings, relevance of references cited)

•      Organizational and graduate writing aspects outlined in handout, "A Writer's Guide to Graduate Writing," provided by the instructor.

Assignment 3 Final Paper due date: Session 10, March 12

GRADING:

Course requirements will be weighted as follows:

Participation component:                         (15%)
      • in class discussion
      • prepared with readings
      • collegial review of proposals
Leadership reflection and/or discussion prompt            (15%)
Proposal:                                    (Credit/no credit)
Final Paper:                                     (70%)
                                          100%

To request academic accommodations due to a disability, please contact Disabled Student Services, 448 Schmitz Hall, 206-543-8924 (Voice) 206-543-8925 (TTY). If you have a letter from Disabled Student Services indicating you have a disability that requires academic accommodations, please present the letter to me so we can discuss the accommodations you might need for class.


NB: Please contact me should there be any other circumstance or aspect of the course for which you might need assistance.