Spring 2019 - EDUC 813 G032
Organizational Theory and Analyses (5)
Class Number: 8219
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
This course critically examines organizations in which educational leaders work from different theoretical perspectives and in light of research evidence. It also critiques several past and current reform initiatives, and explores specific topics in-depth. A central and pervasive question of the course concerns organizational purposes, especially with respect to learning, and how these purposes are served by organizational structures and processes.
COURSE DETAILS:
Meeting Dates:
January 11, 12, 25, 26, February 8, 9, 22*, 23*, March 1, 2.
Times:
Fridays 4:30 – 9:00 pm and Saturdays 9:00 – 4:00 pm
Location:
SFU Harbour Centre (Vancouver) Campus, Room 2290 (*February 22 and 23 Room 3122)
COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:
This course is part of a two year program in Educational Leadership that is intended to introduce students to insights about leadership, particularly in a K-12 school setting, from theory, research and practice in ways that will:
- Enrich their understanding of leadership and its relationship to the aims of education and the nature of governance, administration, teaching and learning in a formal educational context;
- Enrich their understanding of the challenges, opportunities and enduring dilemmas of leadership in such a context; • Develop their ability to articulate an informed, thoughtful and coherent statement of leadership philosophy grounded in values and aims;
- Develop their leadership dispositions and competencies; and
- Prepare them for ongoing inquiry, learning and professional growth in relation to their understanding and practice of leadership within current and future roles.
- Foster their understanding of key organizational theory concepts and how to apply theoretical ideas in their own organizations;
- Provide insight into major historical factors that underlie the current school context in BC and affect school-level relationships between teachers and administrators; and
- Develop an understanding of literature-based collaborative principles required to create effective organizations and extend their ability to utilize them within their own organizations.
- Describing their personal understanding of effective organizational practices in a school setting in an informed, thoughtful and coherent way that is grounded in the values and aims of education in that setting;
- Analyzing how dialogic approaches can improve individual and collective capacity for constructive discourse, particularly about contentious issues, and showing how such approaches can be utilized within their organizations; and
- Providing a written response to the overall course question: “How has my awareness and understanding changed in relation to creating or extending effective organizations in the BC K-12 school system - be they schools, districts or provincial organizations - and how might this awareness and understanding be applied in my own practice?” utilizing concepts and insights from course readings and discussions.
Grading
- In-Class and On-Line Participation approximately 10%
- In-Class Presentation approximately 25%
- Symposium-Related Analysis approximately 25%
- Final course paper approximately 40%
NOTES:
The students final grade will be based on a holistic assessment of their achievement of the course goals that draws on four demonstrations of learning.
In-Class and On-Line Participation
All students are expected to participate actively in class activities. Active participation involves empathetic listening, sharing of questions and thoughts, responding to and extending others’ questions and thoughts, and respectful turn-taking. Although all students are expected to contribute in an on-going way, it is not the volume but the integrity and thoughtfulness of individual contributions that is desired.
Students will also participate in an on-line forum in order to continue dialogue asynchronously outside of class time.
Student inquiry and insight as demonstrated through in-class and on-line participation will account for approximately 10% of the course grade.
In-Class Presentation
Students will be assigned to a Team to prepare a brief presentation for the class related to a significant aspect of organizational behaviour in a school setting.
The presentation should last no more than 20 minutes with an additional 40 minutes maximum set aside for discussion activities. The Team may use presentation software or other techniques and materials to support the presentation.
The Team presentation and a subsequent critical response will account for approximately 25% of the course grade and will be evaluated in terms of: (a) adherence to time limits, (b) organization, (c) effectiveness ; (d) depth of analysis, and (e) effective facilitation of class discussion.
Symposium-Related Analysis
In support of completing and deepening the understanding of issues related to organizational dynamics in contentious contexts, each student will be assigned to a Team to prepare for, and subsequently reflect upon, participation in the symposium on February 18th.
This collaborative task will account for approximately 25% of the course grade and will be evaluated in terms of: (a) the quality of the analysis of issues related to leadership in contentious contexts, (b) the clarity of the presentation of that analysis, and (c) facilitation of in-class and on-line discussion by class members not on the Team of the issues.
Major Paper
This paper, which must be no more than 5 pages in length, will provide a response to question ‘How has my awareness and understanding changed in relation to creating or extending effective organizations in the BC K-12 school system - be they schools, districts or provincial organizations - and how might this awareness and understanding be applied in my own practice?’ utilizing concepts and insights from course readings and discussions.
The paper will be evaluated in terms its clarity of organization and expression, the sophistication of its discussion of organizational effectiveness, the integrity of its self-analysis and the practical effectiveness of action plan.
The statement will account for approximately 40% of the course grade.
Materials
REQUIRED READING:
There is no required text for this course. A variety of readings will be assigned that are accessible on-line (as linked below) or through the SFU library free of charge, including:
Graduate Studies Notes:
Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.
Registrar Notes:
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS