EDF6903

Understanding environments ( 12 points, SCA Band 0, 0.250 EFTSL)

Leader: Dr B Beatty

Offered:
Clayton Second semester 2005 (OCL)

Synopsis: This unit is designed to engage students in local and global networks and communities of practice so as to expand their perspective on the immediate and larger context for their work as school leaders. This Unit will expand the notion of integrated lenses including the following: law, politics and policy; economics; social and cultural challenges and opportunities; ICT mediated learning; participation in professional communities. The unit is to be offered as the required third unit of study in the Master in School Leadership course, usually taken in their third semester of part time study.

Objectives: At the completion of this Unit, students will be able to: 1. Engage in meaningful consideration of the broader issues of school and society as these pertain to school leadership. 2. Use key concepts in social, cultural, philosophical, political, economic and other perspectives as lenses through which to consider their decision making practices. 3. Apply their learning from Module 1) School and Society, and Module 2) Media, Politics Power and Policy in the context of a Network development project that complements their action research project. 4. Demonstrate awareness of unit topics by writing an article suitable for publication on an educational leadership related topic of interest and concern to them. 5. Read with discernment and write appropriately and substantially as a professional/scholarly action researcher in preparation of the ethics application for their projects as a result of further development of their research design.

Assessment: The written work (8000) words will be required across three assignments detailed in the following summary: 1. Write a draft position paper suitable for publication in a professional journal (4000 words): 50% 2. Document, reflect upon and summarize participation in existing networks and the design and initiation of a new network that is aligned with and complementary to the purposes of the student's action research project (3000 words):40% 3. Work self-directedly and collaboratively with lecturers, and unit peers throughout the unit in online discussion forums provided and in particular within a sub-group of shared interest according to action research project topics. Prepare ethics application for submission to Monash Ethics Review Committee (1000 words): 10%.