University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

Curriculum Proposal Form #3

New Course

Effective Term:

Subject Area - Course Number:EDUINDP 453/653 Cross-listing:

(See Note #1 below)

Course Title:(Limited to 65 characters)Leadership in Early Childhood Education

25-Character Abbreviation: LEADERSHIPEARLYCHILDHOOD

Sponsor(s): Robin Fox, Simone DeVore

Department(s):Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education

College(s):

Consultation took place:NA Yes (list departments and attach consultation sheet)

Departments: Curriculum and Instruction, Special Education

Programs Affected:

Is paperwork complete for those programs? (Use "Form 2" for Catalog & Academic Report updates)

NA Yeswill be at future meeting

Prerequisites:Admission to the Early Childhood Program

Grade Basis:Conventional LetterS/NC or Pass/Fail

Course will be offered:Part of Load Above Load

On CampusOff Campus - Location

College:Dept/Area(s):EDUINDP

Instructor:Simone DeVore or Robin Fox,

Note: If the course is dual-listed, instructor must be a member of Grad Faculty.

Check if the Course is to Meet Any of the Following:

Technological Literacy Requirement Writing Requirement

Diversity General Education Option:

Note: For the Gen Ed option, the proposal should address how this course relates to specific core courses, meets the goals of General Education in providing breadth, and incorporates scholarship in the appropriate field relating to women and gender.

Credit/Contact Hours: (per semester)

Total lab hours:0Total lecture hours:36

Number of credits:2Total contact hours:36

Can course be taken more than once for credit? (Repeatability)

No Yes If "Yes", answer the following questions:

No of times in major:No of credits in major:

No of times in degree:No of credits in degree:

Proposal Information: (Procedures for form #3)

Course justification:

Currently, the students in the Early Childhood Program take a course on program administration. The course repeats information which is offered in other courses and also gives the impression that students are ready to be administrators of Early Childhood programs upon the completion of this program. We feel that it would be more appropriate to no longer require Administration of Preschool Programs and instead offer a leadership course.

Relationship to program assessment objectives:

We want to insure that we are preparing students to be leaders in the field of early childhood education. This course will appear at the end of the students’ program and will pull together content from many courses in relation to leadership in the field.

Budgetary impact:

There is no budgetary impact. We are making several curricular changes to the Early Childhood Program without making a change to the number of credits to degree.

Course description:(50 word limit)

This two credit on-line workshop will examine leadership from three perspectives; the leader within me, leaders in the field and leadership as service. While exploring “the leader within me”, participants will explore the characteristics of and types of leaders in an effort to define their personal leadership style. “Leaders in the field” will be dedicated to exploring the early childhood classroom and the field, and finding ways to advocate for children through assuming leadership roles. And finally, participants will observe and consider the ways leaders serve the greater society through service.

If dual listed, list graduate level requirements for the following:

  1. Content (e.g., What are additional presentation/project requirements?)

In addition to the above projects and expectations, graduate students will be asked to find

one book about leadership (a list of possible books will be provided, and instructor has final approval over selected book). The student will then write a short paper connecting the content of the book to their professional goals as a leader in their own life, in their

classrooms, and/or in their profession and community.

Intensity (e.g., How are the processes and standards of evaluation different for graduates

and undergraduates? )

Please see the syllabus for the differentiation of grades.

  1. Self-Directed (e.g., How are research expectations differ for graduates and undergraduates?) Graduate students will work independently on this project with input from the instructor.

Course objectives and tentative course syllabus: please see attached syllabus

Bibliography: (Key or essential references only. Normally the bibliography should be no more than one or two pages in length.)

Bransford, J.; Brown, A.; & Cocking, R.. (Eds.). (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

Brindley, R; Fleege, P.; & Graves, S. (2002). Preparation never ends: Sustaining a mentorship model in early childhood teacher education. Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education, 23(1), 33-38.

Bruno, Holly E. (2008). Leading on Purpose: Emotionally Intelligent Early Childhood Administration. McGraw Hill: Columbus, OH.

Buysse, V.; Schulte, A.; Pierce, P.; & Terry, D. (1994). Models and styles of consultation: Preferences of professionals in early intervention. Journal of Early Intervention,18(3), 302-310.

Keith, K. (2008). The Case for Servant Leadership. Greenleaf Center for Servant Leadership: Westfield, IN.

Kotter, J. & Cohen D. (2002). The heart of change: Real-life stories of how people change their organizations. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

Lieberman, A. (2001). The professional lives of change agents: What they do and what they know. In Frances O’Connell Rust & Helen Freidus (Eds.), Guiding school change: The role and work of change agents (pp. 155-162). New York: Teachers College Press.

Morgan, G. (2000). The director as a key to quality. In Mary L. Culkin (Ed.), Managing quality in young children's programs: The leader's role (pp. 40-58). New York: Teachers College Press.

Quinn, R. (2004). Building the bridge as you walk on it: A guide for leading change. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Rust, F.; Ely, M.; Krasnow, M.; & Miller, L. (2001). Professional development of change agents: Swimming with and against the currents. In Frances O’Connell Rust & Helen Freidus (Eds.), Guiding school change: The role and work of change agents (pp. 16-36). New York: Teachers College Press.

Sparks, D. (2007). Leading for results: Transforming teaching, learning, and relationships in schools (2nd d.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Notes:

  1. Contact the Registrar's Office (x1570) for available course numbers. See Subject Areas listing (on page 14)
  2. The 15 and 25 character abbreviations may be edited for consistency and clarity.
  3. Please submit electronically when approved at the college level - signature sheet to follow in hard copy.

Course Syllabus for EDUINDP 453/653

Leadership in Early Childhood Education

Instructor:

Office Hours:

College of Education Conceptual Framework

Our conceptual framework, The Teacher is a Reflective Facilitator, is the underlying structure in our teacher preparation program at UW-Whitewater that gives conceptual meanings through an articulated rationale to our operation. It also provides direction for our licensure programs, courses, teaching, candidate performance, faculty scholarship and service, and unit accountability. In short, our teacher education program is committed to reflection upon practice; to facilitation of creative learning experiences for pupils; to constructivism in that all learners must take an active role in their own learning; to information and technology literacy; to diversity; and to inquiry (research/scholarship) and assessment. Therefore, all syllabi pertaining to courses required for licensure reflect commitment to these underlying principles.

Course Description

This two credit on-line course will explore leadership development, with an emphasis on becoming emotionally intelligent leaders who focus on building relationships with children, families and the communities in which they work and live. As an on-line course, students are expected to be fully engaged in the learning process (reading, reflecting, discussing, writing, thinking and problem solving both individually and as an active group member).

Participation

Your participation grade is based on a total of 50 points, which you will receive throughout the semester. There are 10 discussion forums during the course in which you are required to participate (5 points each). You will be able to download information on the discussion forums (the topic of discussion and the question you will discuss). Again, participation grades are based on quality, not quantity. I usually find that a well-prepared paragraph is adequate. Be sure to spend time on your comments before you post them in the discussion forum. Your participation/discussion grade will be based on the following:

  1. Frequency of your comments to my question and your response to classmates (you should enter discussions whenever they are requested).
  2. Timing of your comments (earlier in the discussion period will be considered better than later).
  3. Quality and originality of your comments (carefully considered, insightful comments). The quality of the comments and significance will be left entirely to the discretion of the instructor. At a minimum the comments must be relevant to the topic that we are discussing and must further the discussion in some way.

Overall, I will evaluate you in terms of your relative performance as compared to classmates. Remember that you must also respond to one of your classmates’ postings in each lesson. In addition, you must post your answer to the discussion question. Thus, you will be making two (2) postings in every discussion forum.

Attendance

In an online course, you are not required to show-up in at a particular location and at a particular time. However, you are expected to show-up online.

This course is designed to be an active and interactive course in which you contribute and respond to the contributions of others. You should plan to log on and participate in the course at least 3-5 times each week. I will measure this by recording the date of each entry you make to the system--a response to an assignment, an entry into the threaded discussion, submission of an assignment, or participation in group work.

Please do not "drop out" for a period of time and then expect to "drop back in." If your business/personal obligations or illness require you to be absent for a week, please contact me and arrange to make up the work you will miss. Since you can access this online course from anywhere in the world, there should be little likelihood "absence."

Required Text and Readings

Marotz, L. Y Lawson, A. 2007. Motivational Leadership in Early Childhood Education. Thompson Delmar Learning: Clifton Park, NY.

Ren-Etta Sullivan, D. 2003. Learning to Lead: Effective Leadership Skills for Teachers of Young Children. Redleaf Press: St. Paul, MN.

Intended Learner Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  1. compare and contrast their personal leadership style with leadership theory (WTS #9, NAEYC #10A)
  2. examine their vision of self in contrast with their actual self, and develop a leadership learning plan to bring them closer to their ideal (WTS #9, NAEYC #10A)
  3. analyze case studies and develop solutions based upon theory as well as personal experiences (WTS #10 & #6, NAEYC #10F)
  4. apply pedagogical knowledge and personal leadership style to create environments supportive of interaction, engagement and motivation toward learning (WTS #5)
  5. foster relationships with community resources to support student learning and leadership of organization (WTS #10, NAEYC #10B)
  6. consider the role of advocacy in the life of leaders (NAEYC #10A, WTS #9)

Discussion Basics

This course uses online discussion extensively. The Discussions area, which can be accessed from the Navigation Bar, is divided into two forum areas.

The General Forum is set up for you to ask technical questions, get to know your fellow students, or ask general questions about the course.

The Course Forum is set up for Discussion Assignments for the course. Make sure you read the instructions for each forum topic carefully before submitting your posts.Follow the timeline for each discussion topic as well.

The following criteria will be used to assess your discussion posts:

5 Points: Response clearly addressed questions asked and utilized information from previous class discussions, readings and D2L content. Student participated in discussion board in by both posting their own ideas and responding to others. Response showed original thought and creative application and was not just reiterated from the book or other materials.
3-4 Points: Response mostly addressed questions asked and utilized information from previous class discussions, readings and D2L content. Student participated in discussion board in by both posting their own ideas and responding to others. Response showed some evidence of original thought and creative application though some seemed reiterated from the book or other material.
2 Points: Response somewhat addressed questions asked and utilized some information from previous class discussions, readings and D2L content. Student participated in discussion board in by both posting their own ideas and responding to others. Response showed little original thought.
1 Point: Response did not address questions asked. Little or no information from previous class discussions, readings and D2L content were provided.
0 Points: No posts or responses were submitted.

Online Group Work

In this course you will be required to collaborate on projects with a Work Group. Your instructor will assign you to a work group. Your work group assignment will be posted in the Announcements. You will be a member of the same work group for the entire course, for group activities as well as discussions.

  1. Your work group will be assigned a number. Your group will share a Locker where you can post and review each other's work, and a Work Group Discussion Forum for you to share thoughts and ideas. Only members of your group (and your instructor) can access what's posted in these areas.
  2. Be sure to take time to review the Profiles of other members of your work group. (This is a good time to make sure your profile is completely filled out.) Email a greeting and letter of introduction to your work group members. Indicate the best way and time to reach you.
  3. When you are assigned to work on a project collaboratively, post any documents you are sharing to your group's locker. Use your group's discussion area to post comments. Use email to contact each other as well.You may find that you want to exchange your work for peer feedback even when it is not part of the assignment. Your group’s locker space is yours to use!
  4. After your group has completed an assignment, make sure yousubmit it using the Dropbox folder set up for your group. Only one person in your group needs to submit a copy of your group assignment.

For groups to work together effectively, it is essential that you respond to your email and discussion postings from group members within 24 hours. This is a short and accelerated class – and deadlines will come up quickly and frequently. If you have difficulty working with a member of your group, please contact me.

Creating a Learning Environment at Home

What makes a particular setting or space a good place to learn? Think about classrooms or training rooms that have worked well for you. Chances are they provided good lighting, comfortable seating, ample workspace, good ventilation and a comfortable temperature, minimal distractions, and content-related visual or audio cues.

When you attend class in a classroom, the school and your instructor create a good learning environment. When attend class online, you need to create a good learning environment for yourself-most likely in your home. Don't underestimate the importance of your study surroundings. The time you spend creating surroundings that support learning will be well invested.

Here are some tips to help you get started:

  • Select a space in which you can set up your computer (with access to your internet connection) and your tools for learning (books, papers, pencils and pens, calendar) and (if possible) leave them undisturbed between sessions.
  • Keep the area well ventilated and at a temperature that works for you-cool enough so that you don't feel sleepy, but warm enough so that you are comfortable.
  • Provide yourself with a comfortable desk or work chair (preferably adjustable; not an easy chair) and ample work surface (table space) at a comfortable height.
  • Ensure that you have good lighting that does not cause a glare on your computer screen, but still allows you to read comfortably.
  • Keep your study space as free from distractions as possible (television, distracting music, conversations, ringing phones).
  • Add props to make your learning space more interesting and to help you focus on the subject matter. You might use posters, pictures, mind maps, geographic maps, drawings, charts, etc. that are related to the subject matter you are studying.
  • Play music that enhances learning. Research shows that classical music written by classical composers, such as Bach, Brahms, Handel, Mozart, Vivaldi, Mendelssohn, Haydn, Tschaikovsky, and Corelli, can enhance the ability of many students to concentrate and think. You can purchase classical music CDs or tapes very reasonably at any music store, many book story chains, and online.
  • Have fresh drinking water and nutritious snacks nearby.

Submitting Assignments

Assignments for the course must be turned in using the Dropbox feature in D2L. You can find the Dropbox tool on the Navigation Bar on the top banner of the course. Papers need to be completed in Microsoft Word or rich text format (name of file.rtf). The assignment file(s) need to be uploaded to the appropriate Dropbox Folder by midnight on the day they are due. Late projects will be reduced by 5 points for each day they are late, including weekends. Missed course work is the responsibility of the student. For your protection, you are expected to keep a photocopy/disk copy of all assignments submitted to the instructor.