Course Syllabus
Contact Information
Course Details
For a list of course activities, scroll to the bottom of this page.
Course Delivery
This is a multi-modal course. Much of your learning will take place online and asynchronously within Canvas. You will also have synchronous learning opportunities with the instructor and your peers during the weekly Live Sessions via Zoom.
This doctoral-level seminar emphasizes reading, presentation, and discussion utilizing a case-study approach in a collegial and reciprocal learning environment. Students are expected to attend class, be current with the issues facing higher education, and actively engage in course discussions.
Course Materials
- Bastego, M.N. (Ed.) (2012). The organization of higher education: Managing colleges for a new era. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins Press. [Referred in this course as “Bastedo.”]
-
Bess, J.L., & Dee, J.R. (2007). Understanding college and university organization: Theories for effective policy and practice. [Referred in this course as “Bess & Dee.”]
- Volume I: The State of the System [2007], Reprint Edition [2012] is also acceptable
- Volume II: Dynamics of the System [2012]
- Volume I: The State of the System [2007], Reprint Edition [2012] is also acceptable
- Additional required readings and videos will be posted via Canvas. See the "Resources" page in each module for the necessary materials.
Program Learning Outcomes (PLO)
- Graduates will demonstrate a firm understanding of core educational leadership theories, models, and concepts. They will be able to analyze and apply these theories to on-the-ground challenges in schools.
- Graduates will be equipped with the skills to make informed and effective decisions in complex educational settings. This involves the ability to identify problems, gather relevant information, and develop strategic solutions. Graduates should be capable of developing and implementing strategic plans that drive positive change and innovation in educational organizations.
- Students will apply principles of effective organizational management and leadership to educational institutions. This includes understanding human resources management, financial management, and organizational behavior.
- Graduates will develop research skills, enabling them to design and conduct rigorous educational research, including qualitative and quantitative design, analysis, and appraisal.
- Graduates will be grounded in ethical standards in educational leadership, demonstrating integrity, fairness, and professionalism in their interactions and decisions. The program will equip graduates with the skills to navigate diverse educational environments and promote cultural competence, understanding cultural differences, safeguarding civil rights, and equal educational opportunity for all students.
- Graduates will be able to engage in reflective practice, assessing their own leadership work and continuously seeking opportunities for growth.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLO) Alignment
| CLO | Description | PLO |
|---|---|---|
| A | Foster appreciation for organizational theory by understanding the key aspects of university administration, particularly leadership, change, decision-making, and problem-solving. | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
| B |
Understand the complexity of colleges and universities as organizations by:
|
1, 2, 3, 5 |
| C | Identify and apply appropriate organizational theory in analyzing and understanding institutional problems, situations, and solutions. | 1, 2, 3, 5 |
| D | Evaluate foundational knowledge of organizational analysis that may guide future works, such as thesis, comprehensive exams, and dissertations. | 1, 2, 3, 4 |
| E | Analyze and synthesize prior studies and other relevant information and articulate them in a succinct and professional manner. | 1, 4 |
| F | Articulate what colleges must offer in view of changing environments, expectations, and critiques. | 1, 2, 5 |
Grades
Breakdown
| Activity | Description | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Attendance & Participation |
|
10% |
| Discussion |
|
20% |
| Article Presentation |
|
10% |
| Mid-Term/Self-Critique Public Policy Paper |
|
25% |
| Final Scholarly Paper/ Presentations |
|
25% |
| Dissertation Assignments |
|
10% |
| Total | 100% |
Scale
| Percentage | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 90–100% | A |
| 80–89% | B |
| 70–79% | C |
| 60–69% | D |
| Below 60% | F |
Course Components
Attendance and Participation
Students are expected to “attend class” online by engaging in various activities, including online discussion and assignment submission and the weekly Live Sessions via Zoom. Students should be active participants, prepared and forthcoming in sharing their own ideas and thoughts, and inviting and considerate of the thoughts and ideas shared by others.
Discussion
For each week with assigned readings, you must write a brief reflection guided by the instructor's discussion prompts. These reflections should be structured and thoughtful, avoiding a disorganized list of ideas or mere summaries of the readings. In addition to your initial post, you must also write a brief response to at least three classmates' posts.
During the week leading up to your group's article presentation (see below), group members are excused from that week's discussion board assignment.
Article Presentation
In groups of 3 to 4 students, you will be responsible for presenting two articles that support or counter course readings. The article presentation is a student-led activity intended to enrich our understanding of the possible applications of the works we are reading. Each group will prepare a 20-minute presentation to be delivered during a scheduled Live Session.
Group members will be randomly assigned and your instructor will assign the presentation dates during the first weeks of class.
During the week leading up to your group's article presentation, group members are excused from that week's discussion board assignment.
Mid-Term/Self-Critique Public Policy Paper
Each student will prepare a thoroughly researched paper on a Department of Education, Public Policy, Legislative Bill, Executive Order, Supreme Court or Local Court ruling, or Local County Governance rules or mandate that are currently impacting the Higher Education landscape.
Final Scholarly Paper/ Presentations
Working in your same assigned groups, students will prepare a thoroughly researched paper focusing on a particular event that is relevant for a single or group of organizations (e.g., the power struggle between state colleges and the state government, donor interference with academic affairs, the political and global landscape impacting higher education, etc.).
Each group is expected to produce a well-written research paper based on the final criteria. Each paper and PowerPoint presentation should summarize institutional contexts and the issue addressed in the final paper and should describe the theoretical frameworks employed, findings, and potential implications.
You will present your paper to other class members. Those in the audience are expected to actively engage with the presenter by providing constructive feedback through comments and questions. Each presentation will occur via Zoom and will be recorded.
During the Presentation Week, we will not hold our regularly scheduled Live Session. Instead, the instructor will assign the presentation dates (around week 4) in which each group will hold their own session to share their final presentation.
Dissertation Assignments
You will complete three dissertation components throughout this course:
-
Empathy Interviews
- An empathy interview is a technique researchers use for phenomenological research – a qualitative research design. In this assignment, you will conduct three empathy interviews (including one decision-maker) to understand a problem of practice from an interviewee’s perspective and prepare a summary report of your findings.
-
Initial Fishbone Diagram
-
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is a visual tool used to identify the underlying or root causes of a problem, with the view to proffering solutions. In this assignment, you will identify a problem and the causes of the problem, explain its major and subcategories, and prepare a fishbone diagram depicting the identified areas. You will integrate insights from your initial literature search and empathy interviews to identify 4 to 6 root causes of the problem of practice, displayed in a fishbone diagram.
-
A fishbone (Ishikawa) diagram is a visual tool used to identify the underlying or root causes of a problem, with the view to proffering solutions. In this assignment, you will identify a problem and the causes of the problem, explain its major and subcategories, and prepare a fishbone diagram depicting the identified areas. You will integrate insights from your initial literature search and empathy interviews to identify 4 to 6 root causes of the problem of practice, displayed in a fishbone diagram.
-
Refine Introductory Chapter Draft
- Integrating new learning from this course and feedback from previous courses, continue to build out your PoP statement in a draft introductory chapter of your dissertation.
Course Policies
Communication
If you have any general questions about assignments, class logistics, due dates, etc., please post a question in the Course Help Board in the Start Here Module. You can post questions about the course to the Course Help Board throughout the semester. Your classmates may be able to answer your questions.
For any other questions, students should use their OU e-mail or Canvas to communicate with the instructor. They can expect a response usually within 48-72 hours. Professional communication is an expectation.
Feedback
I will do my best to enter grades and provide feedback in Canvas within a week of the assignment’s submission date.
Late Policy
Students are expected to adhere to all assignment deadlines as outlined in the course syllabus and are encouraged to proactively manage their time and workload to minimize the likelihood of missed deadlines. In the event of unforeseen circumstances that may prevent meeting a deadline, students should promptly communicate with me as soon as possible, providing a clear explanation of the situation. Early communication allows for a potential extension to be discussed and arranged.
Late assignments may not be eligible for full credit and may not be accepted in some cases. In circumstances where late work will be accepted, students must turn in a working draft before the due date and inform the instructor of a reason(s) for the late submission.
Group Work
Group work is a part of this learning experience. Students must develop and hold each other accountable by setting group expectations and guidelines for completing group work on time. If an issue emerges that cannot be resolved amongst the group, the professor is available for consultation.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the most common form of academic misconduct at OU. There is no college-level assignment that can be satisfactorily completed by copying. OU's basic assumption about writing is that all written assignments show the student's own understanding in the student's own words. That means all writing assignments, in class or out, are assumed to be composed entirely of words generated (not simply found) by the student, except where words written by someone else are specifically marked as such with proper citation. Including other people's words in your paper is helpful when you do it honestly and correctly. When you don't, it's plagiarism.
For more information about plagiarism, watch this video and then take this short course offered by University Libraries.
University Academic Policies and Student Support
Access the University Academic Policies Document.
Course Summary:
| Date | Details | Due |
|---|---|---|