The intersection of evaluation theory and practice is focused on with an emphasis on the design of thoughtful, ethical evaluation inquiry about problems of practice (POPs) associated with educational programs. The course focuses specifically on developing the knowledge, skills, and understandings regarding evaluation and the collection of information to make judgments about an education initiative or program.

Focus is given to Problems of Practice (POPs) through systematic quantitative inquiry, specifically focusing on survey processes, questions and strategies used to conduct meaningful inquiry in educational settings. The course begins with the process for survey development followed by basic statistical processes and procedures for organizing and analyzing data from surveys. A co-requisite for the class is EDLF 8386: Survey Lab of Practice.

What is the purpose of your education? Why have you devoted so much of your life to it? This class explores opposing ideas about the aims of education. Should schooling prioritize skill-building, creativity, or reflection? Does education only reproduce social norms, or does it have the power to change society? We examine such questions in regard to our own education, philosophical texts, and efforts to promote schooling worldwide.

An overview of current program evaluation approaches, this class is designed to provide an overview of the theories behind and approaches to evaluation as well as to begin to train students in evaluation design and methods. Theoretical, methodological, and empirical readings emphasize the terminology of educational evaluation and the variety of theoretical and design approaches to evaluation. Consideration is also given to the application of evaluation approaches and designs to non-educational settings.

Examines how, as a team, school leaders analyze the relationship of the integration of technologies to teachers' beliefs & practices & to local school culture, structures, & policies. Students will evaluate factors critical for successful implementation of educational technology; identify & deconstruct the distributed leadership of educational technology in a school setting; & plan comprehensively for a system of practice to lead EdTech.

Through research based practices and theoretical framing, students learn to build schools' professional capacity through recruitment, interviewing, induction, professional development, evaluation, and compensation. The process is considered in school and policy contexts with attention to ethical and diversity considerations. Students develop actionable plans for employing, supporting, and retaining professional capacity as a leader.

This course covers the basic principles of engaging families and the community in the life of a school, a fundamental responsibility of school leaders. Topics include communication with the school community and families, community partnerships, crisis communications, and research-based engagement practices. This course will provide tools and resources for building positive relationships with staff, parents, and the community at large.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the basics of multilevel modeling. Topics include random effects ANOVA models, means-as-outcomes models, random coefficients models, intercepts- and slopes-as-outcomes models, contextual models, random effects ANCOVA models, linear growth models, nonlinear growth models and cross-classified models. Prerequisite: EDLF 7420 or equivalent.

Focus is on the generalized linear model (GLM) for cases when variables have specific non-normal conditional distributions, with emphasis on common data analytic challenges that arise in real world settings. Topics include nonlinear relationships, nominal and ordinal outcomes, discrepant data, and bootstrapping methods. Course materials are grounded in applied examples from the social and health sciences.

This course explores laws and policies that shape U.S. public school teaching and learning environments, covering Supreme Court cases and federal legislation. The course introduces legal principles and guidelines for fulfilling leadership duties and protecting the respective rights of student and teacher. Students will be prepared to make fair and ethical decisions, enhancing educational opportunities for all students.