Home | Quality Leadership Matters

CCSSO Offers Excellent New Curriculum Resource--the LumiBook

2013-06-18T12:19:16Z

CCSSO, in collaboration with School Improvement Network, has released an excellent new resource, the InTASC LumiBook, a free interactive online guide to understanding and applying the updated InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers.

The LumiBook platform, developed by the School Improvement Network, is a highly interactive, cloud-based e-reading platform that allows readers to collaborate in an online community centered on the text of a book. Embedded within the InTASC LumiBook, the platform provides resources and social media features that enable educators to explore and improve teaching practices aligned to the InTASC standards. Readers of the LumiBook can engage with the author and with other readers by posting comments, sharing files and ideas, and creating online discussions directly in the text of the book. Through the LumiBook platform, users will have access to video examples of classroom teaching and other resources for each InTASC standard, which can help deepen their understanding of the teaching standards and improve their professional practice.

“We know that effective teachers are critical to ensuring students reach college and careers,” said Chris Minnich, CCSSO Executive Director. “The InTASC LumiBook, is an innovative tool to help teachers collaboratively assess and improve their professional practice.”

To access the new InTASC LumiBook, please go to www.lumi-book.com/intasc (registration is required).

To learn more about the InTASC Model Core Teaching Standards and Learning Progressions for Teachers, please go to www.ccsso.org/intasc or contact Kathleen Paliokas, InTASC Director, at kathleenp@ccsso.org.

IES Pushing for Research Utilization

2013-06-14T12:43:21Z

In a recent report to the National Board for Education Sciences, IES Director John Easton described the institute’s strategy for cutting its research budget in the face of reduced funding brought about by the sequester. Easton reported IES has sought to protect the integrity of existing grants by curtailing new awards. For example, while the National Center for Education Research funded 49 new grants, it would have funded 16 additional meritorious awards if the sequester were not in place.

Regardless, IES is pushing for increased understanding of knowledge utilization and research dissemination. Planning is under way in two IES centers—the National Center for Education Evaluation and the National Center for Education Research—to implement the new requirement that utilization and dissemination be incorporated into the research grant applications. IES’s commitment in this area is most clearly demonstrated by a new competition for a five-year, $5 million national research center to study knowledge utilization in education. Applications for this award are due September 4, 2013.

UCEA considers this welcome news, encourages institutional members to seriously consider this competition, and will continue its efforts in this area.

Award Nominations Are Due June 17!

2013-06-10T18:23:54Z

In order to recognize individuals who have made significant contributions to the educational leadership field and to highlight excellence among university leadership preparation programs, we encourage you to submit nominations for the following international awards. You may access more detailed information on each award by clicking on the name of the award below, or by visiting our website at www.ucea.org and selecting a specific award from the Awards dropdown menu:

▪ NEW THIS YEAR: Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation, given by UCEA to a program within colleges and departments of education that demonstrates exemplary educational leadership preparation. The award is inspired by UCEA’s core mission to advance the preparation and practice of educational leaders for the benefit of all children and schools, and the recipient(s) will be given a significant cash award. The award-winning institution will receive a significant cash award. Please visit the website for more information as the nomination requirements for this award differ from the others listed below.

▪ Edwin M. Bridges Award, given by UCEA annually for original, outstanding work in the area of research and/or development that contributes to our knowledge and understanding of how best to prepare and support future generations of educational leaders.

▪ The Roald F. Campbell Award, given to senior colleague recognizing a lifetime of excellent achievement.

▪ The Jack A. Culbertson Award, given to a professor in the first six years of his or her career for some outstanding accomplishment.

▪ The Master Professor Award, given to an individual faculty member whose record is so distinguished that UCEA must recognize this individual in a significant and timely manner.

▪ The Jay D. Scribner Mentoring Award, given to a educational leadership faculty who have made substantive contribution to the field by mentoring the next generation of students into roles as university research professors, while also recognizing the important role(s) mentors play in supporting and advising junior faculty.

Nominations for these awards are welcome from faculty member(s) of UCEA member institutions and partner institutions and should include electronic copies of all required materials sent to ucea@virginia.edu by June 17, 2013 (please note that the requirements for the “Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation Award” are different and more extensive given the nature of the award, see the web link provided to access the list of these requirements):

▪ the candidate's curriculum vitae;▪ a letter addressing the contributions of the nominee relative to one or more of the selection criteria;▪ support letters from individuals who have been directly mentored by the nominee, and/or individuals who can attest to the nominee's mentoring strengths, are strongly encouraged.

The deadline for submissions is June 17, 2013.

A UCEA committee appointed by Executive Director Michelle Young will review and evaluate the nominees. This committee will reserve the right to present this award to multiple candidates on any given year, or conversely, not to present this award should nominees not fully meet the selection criteria.

Please send nominations electronically to ucea@virginia.edu. Questions? Please call UCEA Headquarters at (434) 243-1041 or email us at ucea@virginia.edu

All 2013 Convention Proposal Submitters:

2013-06-03T12:59:58Z

If you submitted a proposal for this year's convention, please make sure to login and check your reviewer assignments with the email address you originally used to submit.

All reviews are due today

If you have any questions, please call (434) 924-0861 or email us at uceaconvention@gmail.com.

Thank you

MOOCs, What Are They Good For?

2013-05-27T14:12:22Z

It's an understatement to say that there is a lot of interest in higher education about the potential of MOOCs: Massively Open Online Courses. Questions, such as whether they should be used, how they might be used, and what purposes they serve, are on the minds of many higher education stakeholders. For those mulling over the issue, the May 24th edition of the Chronicle of Higher Education opens with two articles on MOOCs. The first focused on plans by Georgia Tech to offer a MOOC-like Masters degree in computer science and the second focused on the perspective of "hard-core" MOOC students (i.e., individuals who have completed 10-20 MOOCs or more). The articles mull over what makes a MOOC work for students as well as the importance of offering highly rigorous MOOCs for students on the degree track.

Many UCEA institutions already offer MOOCs, though not in the education field. The more I learn about them, the less certain I am that they are appropriate for developing individuals for highly skilled professions like educaitonal leadership. They appear an appropriate means for sharing information about a subject, but high quality educational leadership programs do much more than share information. University-based, educational leadership preparation develops the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to lead goal-oriented educational organizations and people. Can this be done within a Massively Open Online Course?

For a more philosophical debate on this issue, I refer readers to a chronicle.com article that appeared a few days previous.

To All Reviewers:

2013-05-24T15:20:05Z

This is a reminder that all reviews are due in two weeks on June 3rd. Please complete and submit your assigned reviews by the deadline to ensure that acceptance/rejection letters are sent out in a timely manner.

Should you have any questions regarding your role as a reviewer, guidelines are available here.

Email us at uceaconvention@gmail.com for further questions.

Attention all Reviewers:

2013-05-15T19:35:33Z

Reviewer assignments have been posted. Please check your email for your respective assignments. Should you have any questions regarding your role as a reviewer, guidelines are available here.

Reviews are due June 3rd

Thank you to all who signed up to review proposals!

Email us at uceaconvention@gmail.com for further questions.

New UCEA Award Focused on Quality Preparation Programs

2013-05-15T18:47:35Z

UCEA is pleased to announce a new award focused on exemplary educational leadership preparation programs.

Purpose of the Recognition Program

Quality leaders are influenced by the quality of their leadership preparation and development. A growing body of research demonstrates that how candidates are prepared directly influences their leadership career, practices and school improvement efforts. Further research shows that exemplary programs have outstanding, relevant content, learning experiences and field experiences. To celebrate exemplary programs and encourage their development, UCEA has established an Award for Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation (note: this name is a placeholder). This award, which is supported by a grant from the Wallace Foundation, compliments UCEA’s core mission to advance the preparation and practice of educational leaders for the benefit of all children and schools.

Leadership educators are invited to nominate their programs for recognition at the 2013 UCEA Conference. The program or programs (up to three) judged as most worthy of recognition will receive a significant cash award. In addition, the award winning program(s) will be recognized at a session during the 2013 UCEA Convention, on the UCEA website, and through a case-study publication, Exemplary Programs in Educational Leadership.

This award will be made to programs within colleges and department of education. For example, university-based programs preparing leaders to lead in elementary, middle or high schools, or programs focusing on the development of district level leadership are eligible for recognition. More than one program within a department, school or college of education may apply.

Award Criteria

Contributions will be judged on the extent to which the program: 1) reflects current research on the features, content, and experiences associated with effective leadership preparation, and 2) has demonstrated evidence of program effectiveness. A UCEA Committee appointed by the UCEA Executive Director will review and evaluate the nominees. Selection committee members will be individuals with strong expertise in educational leadership preparation.

The Application

Applications are welcome from any university-based program that prepares leaders to lead in elementary, middle or high schools, or programs focusing on the development of district level leadership. More than one program within a department, school or college of education may apply. Applications will be submitted electronically, and must include the following information:

1. School, College or Department of Education of which the Program is a Part

2. Program Name and Mission

3. Program Description

The program description should be no more than 25 pages, and must include information addressing the following key program issues and questions:

a. Program Focus: What kind of leader does the program claim to prepare and how is that type of leadership reflected in the various dimensions of the program (e.g., recruitment, curriculum, practical experiences, and assessment)?

b. Recruitment: What strategies are used to recruit candidates? What perspectives, priorities and data inform the development of recruitment materials? Who participates in the recruitment process and why?

c. Selection: What strategies, information and criteria are used to select candidates for participation in the preparation program? How is the selection criteria and process integral to the program’s goals and approach? Who participants in candidate selection and how? Does the student body reflect the diversity of the area served by the program?

d. Learning Experiences: What is the point of view about learning in the program? How does teaching reflect this perspective? What kinds of learning experiences are integrated into the program?

e. Knowledge and Skills: Is the program anchored to a set of nationally recognized leadership standards? How does the program integrate research and professional knowledge with leadership practice? In what ways are issues related to leading diverse and/or low-income student populations dealt with?

f. Internship: How does the internship support leadership development? How is it supervised and by whom? What does it involve and how is it funded?

g. Supportive Structures: What program structures (e.g., cohorts, mentoring, coaching) are provided to support communities of practice?

h. Partnerships: What kinds of partnerships inform the program? How have district personnel influenced and/or informed the program?

i. Candidate Assessment: How do you know that candidates’ are gaining the intended knowledge, skills and dispositions? How are candidate assessments used by to support candidate growth?

j. Program Improvement: How are candidate and program assessments used to promote program improvement?

k. Faculty: How many faculty teach in this program? Do program faculty represent expertise from the research and practice communities? How does the program ensure that its faculty have the capabilities to prepare effective educational leaders? How do faculty members work together to design, improve and deliver the program?

4. Course Content

Please provide syllabi for core courses in the program.

5. Field Work

Please provide a field work guide describing field work requirements, documentation and assessments.

6. Program Effectiveness

Evidence of program effectiveness can include one or more of the following sources of information; however, please do not exceed 10 pages of evidence:

· Key findings from follow-up studies of graduates

· Summary of NCATE/TEAC evaluations/reviews

· Other evidence

7. Faculty Vitae

Please provide a curriculum vitae for each faculty member who participates in the delivery of the program.

Submitting Your Application

Please submit your application electronically, via email, to ucea@virginia.edu including the phrase “Exemplary Educational Leadership Preparation Award” in the subject line. Applications must be received by June 17, 2013 to be eligible for consideration.

The application should have the support of the program head, department chair and dean as appropriate. The cash awards will go to support the programs being recognized.

Thank You to All Who Submitted Proposals!

2013-05-11T21:55:39Z

UCEA's proposal submission site is closed. Thank you to all who have submitted proposals.

Your proposal will be reviewed over the next two to three weeks, and you will be notified shortly after of its respective acceptance or rejection.

Should you have any questions, please email us at uceaconvention@gmail.com.

How are You Preparing Aspiring Leaders for the Common Core?

2013-05-10T01:55:58Z

How familiar are you with the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS)? It is asserted that these news standards are dramatically different. Have you reviewed them? It is claimed that teaching under the new CCSS will need to change, and, as a result, instructional supervision and human capital development will need to transform. Do you have an image in your mind of what CCSS teaching will look like or how it is different from how you taught or how you were taught as a k-12 student?

I’m attending the annual SREB Leadership Forum in Atlanta today and tomorrow, and two speakers this morning (Kenna Barger and Elanor Dougherty) focused on the CCSS. Here are some examples they shared during their presentation:

Literacy assignment before CCSS: “Choose one of the following stems to write a three paragraph essay.”
After CCSS: “After reading and discussing the excerpt from funeral oration and the Gettysburg address, write an essay that compares the speeches and argues which leader (Pericles or Lincoln) delivers the most rhetorically compelling argument about democracy. Be able to support your position with examples.”
Math assignment before CCSS: “solve the following problem: 1/3 divided by 4/5”
After CCSS: “draw a picture of what 1/3 of a pie would look like if divided by 4/5. How much of the pie would you have to eat?”

The two sets of assignments are parallel, but in the second post-CCSS assignment students are asked to engage with the material in a much more concrete level. The students engaged in the post-CCSS assignment aren’t merely covering an essential element, they are engaging in an intellectual experience.

Have you considered the implications of the new standards and the changes in practice they should foster for your leadership preparation programs? If not, you should. We all know how important leadership is, and what a difference quality leadership preparation makes. If schools are going to successfully make this shift in teaching and learning, then leaders must be prepared to foster and support the shift.

The implications for leadership preparation are broad. They involve more than supervision and human capital development. Those are certainly important areas, but there are also implications for how time is used in schools, schedules for classes, teacher collaboration and planning. There are also implications for resources, writing labs, library resources, learning spaces, allocation of teachers and support staff. Finally, just as we need to be familiar with the new CCSS in order to do our work, we need to ensure that leaders are familiar with the new CCSS in order to do their work and to facilitate the understanding of CCSS among school staff.

As you and your colleagues consider the changes needed in your programs, UCEA’s “Designing Purposeful and Coherent Leadership Preparation Curriculum: A Curriculum Mapping Guide,” will prove very useful. The guide, which can be downloaded from the UCEA Website (www.ucea.org), is designed to facilitate curriculum mapping or curriculum auditing for program development, review, and continuous improvement. It outlines both a process and set of tools to aid program faculty in articulating and aligning leadership expectations and their program content and fostering program coherence.