Online Master of Education (MEd) in Educational Leadership

This course is designed to provide educators and non-educators with a broad understanding and better perspective of current issues that are faced by educators, trainers, and their learning institutions. The course will focus on a lively discourse and reflection related to contemporary topics and issues relevant to the specific student track. The course will serve as a platform for bridging the gap between goals, principles, theories, philosophies, and methodologies in the educational/training process and the realities of a variety of learning institutions (classrooms, schools, professional training, etc.). The goal of this process is to expand and enlighten the practitioner's outlook, thought processes, understanding, and repertoire of knowledge, attitudes, skills, and strategies when faced with those issues.

Students will become familiar with the role of school leaders in school improvement and learn to use action research to solve instructional problems related to school improvement. Students will also utilize recent research on effective instruction and explore advanced classroom strategies and techniques designed to enhance their effectiveness in meeting the needs of diverse populations of learners. Students will develop expert instructional skills and learn to diagnose and deliver the most appropriate instructional strategies for a variety of learning environments. Focusing on rigor and relevance, students will develop the ability to significantly enhance instructional opportunities for their learners. In this course, students will also begin the initial planning and writing steps of the certification required performance assessment. The student will collaborate with Field Experience (EDU557) university supervisor and on-site supervisor/mentor to review relevant educational data to identify an instructional problem to address through action research. Students will research, design and present an instructional plan for implementation in the appropriate educational environment.

This course is designed to offer a balanced approach to the study of educational leadership. The course examines the theoretical foundations of school organization with a focus on the basic administrative theories, decision making processes and concepts applicable to school leadership at the building level. It explores the multidimensional roles of the administrator as educator, leader, manager, and reflective practitioner. Course content focuses on the importance of the leader as a visionary and guides the prospective school leader through the process of creating a mission and vision. Through this process, prospective school leaders will learn how vision relates to the school culture and the importance of stakeholder communication and involvement. Prospective school leaders will also demonstrate how multiple sources of data are connected to mission, vision, core values and the legal and ethical handling of information. In addition, the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS) Aspiring Leader lessons (treatments) are embedded in this course. Prerequisite: EDU568

This course introduces prospective school leaders to the theories, knowledge, skills, and techniques for school supervision. It focuses on the role of supervision in the improvement of instruction and in the building of positive relationships with staff along with ensuring a culture of mutual support and respect among staff. This course will assist prospective school leaders in knowing how and why analysis of student demographics is used to determine the overall diversity of a school and can explain its impact on the teaching and learning process. The course is also designed to provide the student with the knowledge and skills necessary to function effectively as school leader in the capacity of a program supervisor or principal/administrator in the performance of supervisory and evaluative duties. The Missouri Educator Evaluation System and the recruitment, training, and retaining process will be addressed. Learning methodology will involve both individual and collaborative group activities through case study analysis, discussions, simulation/role-playing, and classroom presentations. In addition, MLDS aspiring leader assignments (treatments) are embedded in this course.

The role of the school leader is multi-faceted and increasingly complex to say the least. Today’s school leader must be skillful in all of the following: creating a safe, functional learning environment; managing fiscal resources; managing human resources; program compliance and legal requirements; all forms of communication; all in addition to being an instructional leader. In the role of the instructional leader, the principal charts the path for continuous improvement and increased student achievement all while focusing on building and retaining positive relationships with students, staff and community. In this course, students will become familiar with all facets of school leadership and have the opportunity to apply skills learned in simulated classroom experiences and course assignments. Prerequisite: EDU568 (or EDU610) and EDU569 (or EDU620)

This course will introduce the student to the content knowledge, performance competencies, implementation strategies, and evaluation criteria needed by school administrators. This course is designed to provide the student with current Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) informational guidelines relative to leadership of a quality curriculum needed for state accreditation. Administrative functions and responsibilities surrounding instructional curriculum; as well as horizontal and vertical alignment issues and their relation to student achievement will also be discussed. Prerequisite: EDU568 (or EDU610) and EDU569 (or EDU620)

This course is designed to help practicing educators understand the role of educational technology in today’s learning environments with a focus on enabling them to become educational technology advocates. Participants will investigate the digital transformation in education and the impact this has on the classroom. You will learn to apply various learning frameworks as you analyze technology needs and innovations. You will develop a technology vision for your school and develop a process to plan and advocate for needed technology integration. A primary focus is upon guiding future administrators and teacher leaders in the process of understanding the changes needed to effectively utilize instructional technologies to build learning environments that focus on 21st century skills as well as providing guidance in utilizing technology to enhance professional practice and effectiveness.

Effective educational leadership is measured in multiple ways as the aspiring leader completes degree and certification requirements in his/her preparation program. The new prospective leaders must demonstrate competence in vision, instruction, management, relations, and innovation. However, one specific evaluation that is common to all educational administration preparation programs is the use of a performance assessment that focuses on instruction. Prerequisite: Completion of all courses in MED Administration (may enroll concurrently with Field Experience Capstone, but may not be taken prior to FE) Corequisite: EDU597 or EDU697

This course is designed to provide prospective as well as practicing educational leaders, policymakers, and teachers with the legal knowledge that will enable them to conduct and operate school organizations effectively within the boundaries of constitutional, statutory, and case law. The course will focus on the law related to public education to create an equitable education for all students. Relevant constitutional, statutory and case law pertaining to various aspects of education and major legal issues and principles of law surrounding those aspects will be presented and discussed.

This course is designed to acquaint learners with the complex issues related to assessment and to provide first-hand experience in the development of high-quality assessments, including the incorporation of a variety of technology tools in the assessment process. The course will investigate the purposes and application of assessment; the relationship between instructional outcomes and assessment; the development and implementation process for various types of assessments; the collection, analysis, and use of assessment data; as well as various scoring and grading methodologies. Participants will investigate the uses and limitations formative assessment, summative assessment, and diagnostic assessment.

This culminating course is designed to provide the student with the opportunity to practice those attitudes, skills, and behaviors necessary to provide positive leadership in school administration. Opportunities to present and demonstrate their understanding of the leadership standards and domains, as well as presentation of the performance assessment steps including peer review feedback. In addition, students will prepare for the principal certification assessments, including both the performance and content assessments. A capstone reflection paper will demonstrate the students’ competencies throughout the entire program. Prerequisite: 500,585,568,569,572,573,557 (3),570,580 & 590 Corequisite: EDU583

FLD 501 is the first of three I credit hour field experience courses structured to support the engagement of the aspiring school leader in relevant, leadership development activities. Cumulatively, in the three credit hours of field experience, students will document engagement in a minimum of 300 hours specifically distributed across the 5 leadership domains (Managerial, Visionary, Instructional, Relational, and Innovative) of the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS). Additionally, field experience hours will reflect a minimum of 200 hours in the student’s selected major area (elementary or secondary), 50 hours in the student’s selected minor area (elementary or secondary), and 50 discretionary hours. Collaboratively, the field experience instructor and the selected on-site supervisor will guide and provide support through this process. (FLD501 is a pass/fail course)

FLD 502 is the second of three I credit hour field experience courses structured to support the engagement of the aspiring school leader in relevant, leadership development activities. Cumulatively, in the three credit hours of field experience, students will document engagement in a minimum of 300 hours specifically distributed across the 5 leadership domains (Managerial, Visionary, Instructional, Relational, and Innovative) of the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS). Additionally, field experience hours will reflect a minimum of 200 hours in the student’s selected major area (elementary or secondary), 50 hours in the student’s selected minor area (elementary or secondary), and 50 discretionary hours. Collaboratively, the field experience instructor and the selected on-site supervisor will guide and provide support through this process. (FLD502 is a pass/fail course) Prerequisite: FLD501

FLD 503 is the last of three I credit hour field experience courses structured to support the engagement of the aspiring school leader in relevant, leadership development activities. Cumulatively, in the three credit hours of field experience, students will document engagement in a minimum of 300 hours specifically distributed across the 5 leadership domains (Managerial, Visionary, Instructional, Relational, and Innovative) of the Missouri Leadership Development System (MLDS). Additionally, field experience hours will reflect a minimum of 200 hours in the student’s selected major area (elementary or secondary), 50 hours in the student’s selected minor area (elementary or secondary), and 50 discretionary hours. Collaboratively, the field experience instructor and the selected on-site supervisor will guide and provide support through this process. The field experience will conclude with the completion of a Summative Reflection Paper over the entire 3 semesters of field experience and final clinical log. (FLD503 is a pass/fail course) Prerequisite: FLD502