Class hours: Thursdays, 4:30 – 7:30 pm

Office hours: by appointment

Description

The purpose of this course is to enhance awareness, through a critical examination of both traditional and emergent literature in the field, of the theoretical and conceptual constructs underlying 1) our everyday lives in organizations and 2) the phenomenon of educational leadership. You will be encouraged to develop skills in analyzing academic materials, in scholarly writing, and in interpreting research in order to understand and explain how educational leadership evolved and continues to evolve within wider cultural traditions, meanings, and values. Canadian schools, hospitals, and other institutions will be examined with special attention to issues of class, race, and gender.

Topics associated with administrative concepts and theory include:

- basic philosophic premises underlying administrative leadership;

- the evolving nature of organization theory, from scientific management, through the school of human relations and systems theory, to challenges posed by contemporary "isms", such as feminism and postmodernism;

- the uses and abuses of power in bureaucratic organizations;

- changing concepts of power and authority and their meaning for organizing, leading, and deciding about ourselves and others.

- contemporary features of economic, cultural, and organizational restructuring

Required Texts

1. Ed-D 531 Course pack (available from the University of Victoria bookstore)

2. Morgan, G. (1997). Images of organization (2^nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA:

Sage.

3. Ferguson, K. E. (1984). The feminist case against bureaucracy. Philadelphia:

Temple University Press.

Evaluation

In addition to regular class attendance and participation, and the completion of readings, participants will be required to fulfil written assignments for evaluation:

Short review paper 10%

Presentation on an organisational concept/theory 15%

Mid-term test 15%

Book review 15%

Presentation of a major text 15%

Major paper 30%

General participation: Participants are expected to come to the meetings prepared to discuss the assigned readings, to ask questions, and to demonstrate in their comments that they have reflected upon the course readings, presentations, and material provided by the instructor. Students are expected to participate in discussions in a manner that is respectful of others and demonstrates openness to new ideas — a “spirit of inquiry.”

Short review paper (due first term): Early in the first term, all students will be asked to prepare a three-page (double-spaced) review of an assigned reading. You will be asked to share this paper in discussion groups and with the class as a whole. One week after these discussions you will be asked to hand in your paper, using ideas from the group to revise your paper as appropriate. The purpose of this assignment is to begin sharing ideas and to sharpen writing skills.

Class presentation of a selected concept, theory or theorist: In a 20-minute presentation, you will work individually or with one other person to present a coherent summary of an organizational or leadership theory developed by a particular researcher/theorist. Your source material can be a book (or series of articles) published by a key researcher/theorist, such as, S. Milgram on obedience to authority or F. Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. You should include references to your original source material and to other authors who have expanded upon, or critiqued, the theory. The presentations will be assessed on clarity, organization, timing, and the connections made to course material and contemporary organizational and leadership issues.

Mid-term test (last class in December):

Questions for the mid-term will be distributed a week prior to the test. The questions will require students to make connections between the theories they have studied to date, and their everyday experiences.

Class presentation of a major text: With one other member of the class, prepare a 30-minute overview of an organizational or leadership concept, such as “hierarchy” or “power.” The material will be presented jointly in class with an accompanying hand-out (in prose, no more than 4-pages double-spaced). You should consult with the reading list for this course assignment, but you are also invited to add other material as well. This assignment requires a significant amount of research and should include references to at least five different academic literature sources. The objective of this assignment is to provide an historical overview of the concept and the various theories developed regarding the concept, and then to connect it with contemporary issues. The presentations will be assessed on clarity, organization, timing, and the connections made to course material and contemporary organizational and leadership issues.

Book review: You will write a review of Kathy Ferguson's (1984) critique of bureaucracy. Your review should outline the major theses of the text and identify its most significant points, paying special attention to their contemporary relevance.

Final major paper (due April, 2005): This paper of approximately 3,500 words (12 – 14 pages) is an opportunity for you to conduct a more detailed examination of an organizational and /or leadership topic of personal interest. In writing this paper you should draw extensively (up to 10 sources) from the required and recommended readings listed for the course and readings generated through a library search. Use APA style, which is double-spaced, 12 pt, Times New Roman font, single-sided pages, and margins of 1.5 inches, page numbers in upper right corner, and with headings to delineate sections. APA uses abbreviated parenthetical citations within the text and a complete reference list at the end of the paper. The paper should include:

• an introduction with a clearly defined topic,

• a description of the topic, including context and significance

• an analysis that brings in the relevant literature, weighs evidence, and clarifies understanding of the topic

• a summary conclusion.

• reference list

The major paper will be evaluated on clarity, scope, quality of evidence and analysis, relevance of the literature, and final conclusions. Writing will also be considered, including spelling, grammar, and usage.