EDCURRIC 718 : Special Topic: Leadership for Learning

Education and Social Work

2021 Semester One (1213) (30 POINTS)

Course Prescription

Extending teachers’ curricular and pedagogical expertise will enable them to assume a curriculum leadership role. Participants focus on effective leadership, collaborative problem solving, and curricular and teaching innovations that impact students’ engagement and learning. Influencing the capacities of others to effect and sustain organisational renewal within schools or early childhood centres will be emphasised.

Course Overview

This course is specially designed for teachers who want to grow their leadership knowledge and competencies, particularly non-positional teacher leaders.  Every organisation, including centres, schools, agencies, community organisations, have positional leaders with titles (e.g., principal, department head, director, coordinator, curriculum leader, etc.) AND non-positional leaders (teachers, staff, members, etc.).  Non-positional leaders have the potential to influence worthwhile change.  Positional teacher leaders have also found the course valuable.

Participants choose one area of curriculum and pedagogical expertise as their focus for the course. Early childhood teachers use Te Whariki as their curriculum guide.

Engagement and learning of all children and youth is the priority for impact in the focal area of choice.

All means all. Inclusive thinking and approaches are integral to all aspects of the course.





Course Requirements

No pre-requisites or restrictions

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 1: Disciplinary Knowledge and Practice
Capability 2: Critical Thinking
Capability 3: Solution Seeking
Capability 4: Communication and Engagement

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Demonstrate an understanding of collaborative leadership and its effect on student engagement and learning outcomes in a local setting relative to a specific area of curriculum and pedagogy. (Capability 1, 2 and 3)
  2. Engage networks (i.e., colleagues, parents, whãnau and other community members) in generative, problem-solving conversations to effect and sustain positive outcomes for students’ learning. (Capability 3 and 4)
  3. Collaborate with colleagues in ways that build teaching capacity. (Capability 1 and 4)
  4. Identify and use factors associated with organizational structures (e.g., schools, early childhood centres) and cultures to facilitate innovation, system transformation, and the momentum and depth of student progress. (Capability 1, 2, 3 and 4)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Assignment #1 10% Individual Coursework
Assignment #2 20% Individual Coursework
Assignment #3 Part 1 20% Individual Coursework
Assignment #3 Part 2 40% Individual Coursework
Assignment #4 10% Individual Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Assignment #1
Assignment #2
Assignment #3 Part 1
Assignment #3 Part 2
Assignment #4

Workload Expectations

This course is a 30-point course delivered in an online format. Students are expected to spend 20 hours per week involved in each 30-point course in which they are enrolled.

For this course, you can expect 10 hours per week of reading, thinking and reflecting on the content relative to your experience and work context and 10 hours of work on assignments and engagement in online Canvas discussions. 

Students will have the option of participating in one-hour, weekly Zoom discussions on a day/time agreed upon by participants.

Delivery Mode

Online

Online

The course will include weekly, live online discussions. Participation in online discussions is optional. Audio recordings will be uploaded to Canvas.

Readings, professional resources and assignments will be available at course commencement.

The course content is organised by critical issues that are introduced each week. Readings, resources, reflections and provocations for online discussions pertinent to the critical issue will be posted in Canvas each week.  Thus, the materials are rolled out weekly to build on the prior content. The graduated building of the content facilitates pacing the work across the semester and allows a flexible approach to respond to participants' priorities and projects.

This course runs to the University semester timetable, and all the associated completion dates and deadlines will apply.

Learning Resources

Recommended (not required) as a storied introduction to leadership: [loan copies provided by lecturer]
Fickett, L., & Ficket, J. (2006). The collaborative way: A story about engaging the mind and spirit of a company. Bayfield, CO: LF&A.


Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Students appreciated the usefulness of the course readings and the application of the content and assignments to their respective contexts. Those who participated in the one-hour, online (optional) Zoom discussions valued the content and collaboration with peers.

Digital Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. This requirement also applies to sources on the internet. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against online source material using computerised detection mechanisms.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

I have experience in teaching a wide-range of students in tertiary education and am eager to create work arounds that support all students' competencies and successful outcomes.

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.

Published on 30/11/2020 08:52 a.m.