Leadership and Policy Studies: Curr Mgmt in Ed & Soc Srv Org

Approaches to coordinating and managing curriculum or programs at the classroom, department, or organizational level; examination of factors effecting design and delivery of curriculum; developing curriculum guides and assessment methods. Prerequisite: Eighteen hours of education and related areas or appropriate professional certification.

Synchronous Mondays and Thursdays, otherwise asynchronous

This course is designed to develop students’ expertise in leadership for teaching and learning in their professional contexts. The course is designed using principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and equity by design, enabling students to consider a broad spectrum of learning stages (early childhood through adult learners) and environments (formal, informal, out-of-school, afterschool, etc). The course will explicitly consider educational in/equity, diversity, inclusion, and social justice (DEIJ) in curriculum and instruction in diverse political contexts. Class will be structured as an advanced doctoral seminar, including lectures, discussions, and applied methods workshops. We will begin the semester developing shared understanding of pedagogical approaches relevant to different stages of learners and different learning environments. We will explore different forms of learning assessments, and backwards mapping designs for curriculum. We will also study differentiation in curriculum to facilitate equitable inclusion of all learners. Finally, we will investigate leadership for curriculum implementation and management. Class assignments are designed to be relevant and transferable for each student’s professional setting.

The 3 credit, graduate level course has three main learning objectives for students that address theoretical and conceptual knowledge, applied practices, and writing/communication. 1. Students will develop understanding of the theoretical foundations and approaches of curriculum design, as relevant to Early Childhood – Adult Learners in informal and formal learning environments. This will include: a. Pedagogy and instructional practices b. Assessment and evaluation of learning c. Backwards mapping and curriculum designs d. Differentiation and diverse learning needs e. Educational equity and social justice curriculum designs in varied political climates Students will develop these skills through course readings, class discussions, and personal reflections. 2. Students will develop and apply skills in curriculum design and management, including designing curriculum for a professional setting, designing assessment tools for key curricular outcomes, constructing course syllabi and communication for learners, and/or developing a teaching philosophy statement. We will develop these skills through workshops in class, as well as collaborative work (e.g., thought partners, research teams) to refine research designs and further mastery of core concepts. 3. Students will refine practical and academic writing skills to ensure work is understandable to a broad array of readers. We will refine writing through structured assignments, class mini-lectures, detailed feedback from faculty, and practice revising and refining final submissions.

Assignments align with students' professional goals, and may include development of professional teaching statements, syllabi or course design, presentations, and workshop development. Assignments will be differentiated for student needs and interests, and will be evaluated using assessment principles from course readings.