Main Content
Syllabus
The information contained on this page is designed to give students a representative example of material covered in the course. Any information related to course assignments, dates, or course materials is illustrative only. For a definitive list of materials, please check the online catalog 3-4 weeks before the course start date.
EDLDR 568: The Principalship
(3 credits): Principles and practices of administration of elementary and secondary schools.
Overview | Objectives | Materials | Library | Technical Requirements | Course Requirements and Grading | Course Schedule | Academic Integrity | Policies
Overview
The course is intended to help you gain theoretical and practical insight into what it means to be an effective principal. EDLDR 568 is not a “how to” course; that is, it makes no effort to explicitly lay out rules, procedures, “best practices,” or techniques associated with being a principal. Rather, the course calls on you to read, think, write about, and discuss the following questions.
- What do we mean by management? By leadership? What's the difference?
- Which social and political factors help shape the principal's organizational role and behavior?
- How can principals acquire and maintain power and authority? And what is the difference between these two concepts?
- How do different school social contexts influence principal effectiveness?
- What do we mean by school culture and climate? How do these relate to effectiveness?
- How do principals become “instructional leaders?” When should they?
- How should student performance be evaluated? Teacher performance?
- What legal issues do principals need to be aware of?
Course Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you should be able to
- describe the various leadership and management roles and responsibilities of elementary and secondary school principals;
- connect leadership, organizational, and standards-based systems theories to the practice of school administration;
- construct schemas for understanding how to effectively establish and forward an organizational vision, foster a culture of continuous improvement, and facilitate change;
- analyze data in order to assess organizational effectiveness and to provide appropriate, relevant recommendations for improvement;
- demonstrate methods of fostering and sustaining positive school-community relationships; and
- assess personal leadership strengths and areas for continued growth.
Required Course Materials
Most World Campus courses require that students purchase materials (e.g., textbooks, specific software, etc.). To learn about how to order materials, please see the Course Materials page. You should check LionPATH approximately 3–4 weeks before the course begins for a list of required materials.
Library Reserves (e-Reserves)
This course requires that you access Penn State library materials specifically reserved for this course. You can access these materials by selecting Library Resources in your course navigation, or by accessing the Library E-Reserves Search and search for your instructor's last name.
Library Resources
Many of the University Libraries resources can be utilized from a distance. Through the Libraries website, you can
- access magazine, journal, and newspaper articles online using library databases;
- borrow materials and have them delivered to your doorstep—or even your desktop;
- get research help via email, chat, or phone using the Ask a Librarian service; and
- much more.
You must have an active Penn State Access Account to take full advantage of the Libraries' resources and service. The Off-Campus Users page has additional information about these free services.
Technical Requirements
| Operating System | Canvas, Penn State's Learning Management System (LMS), supports most recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Apple Mac operating systems. To determine if your operating system is supported, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
|---|---|
| Browser | Canvas supports the last two versions of every major browser release. It is highly recommended that you update to the newest version of whatever browser you are using. Note: Cookies must be enabled, and pop-up blockers should be configured to permit new windows from Penn State websites. |
| Additional Canvas Requirements | For a list of software, hardware, and computer settings specifically required by the Canvas LMS, please review Canvas' computer specifications. |
| Additional Software | All Penn State students have access to Microsoft Office 365, including Microsoft Office applications such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. |
| Hardware | Monitor: Monitor capable of at least 1024 x 768 resolution |
| Mobile Device (optional) | The Canvas mobile app is available for versions of iOS and Android. To determine if your device is capable of using the Canvas Mobile App, please review the Canvas Mobile App Requirements. |
Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ)
During the semester you will receive information for completing the Student Education Experience Questionnaire (SEEQ). Your participation is an opportunity to provide anonymous feedback on your learning experience. Your feedback is important because it allows us to understand your experience in this course and make changes to improve the learning experiences of future students. Please monitor email and course communications for links and availability dates.
If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the Service Desk.
For registration, advising, disability services, help with materials, exams, general problem solving, visit World Campus Student Services!
Course Requirements and Grading
Assignments
| Activity | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Course Participation
You are expected to complete all assigned readings on time and to be an active participant in the course. Active participation includes completion of all course activities, meaningful and timely involvement in discussion forums, thoughtful responses to peers' posts, accurate and relevant answers to “exit ticket” questions, submission of various “participation assignments,” etc. Note regarding Participation Assignments: The primary goal of the participation assignments is for you to become familiar with various school or district documents relevant to the principalship. You are encouraged to work with your building principal or the principal you are shadowing to determine how/where to locate each document and how it is used. The process of learning about each document's application to the principal's role is of greater importance than the document itself. |
30% |
| Data-Informed Instructional Leadership Presentation
Assume you are a building principal. You have just received and analyzed your school's most recent assessment results (ex. PSSA). You are now expected to summarize the data in a ten-minute PowerPoint and Video presentation for the Board of Directors. Your presentation should include the achievements and concerns which you have identified from the data along with your relevant plan(s) for further supporting student learning through professional development, curricular review/revision, new pedagogical strategies, etc. Note: Your presentation should focus on only your school rather than on the district as a whole and be presented as if you are the principal.You will use Zoom for this presentation. If you are not directly connected to a school, select a school of your choice and use publicly available data regarding the school's performance for your analysis and presentation. In Pennsylvania, publicly available data can be found at:
|
15% |
| School-Community Communication Assignment
You have just been hired for a principal position, and the school year is about to begin. Create a welcome-back-to-school communication (newsletter, Back-to-School Night presentation, letter, podcast, pamphlet, electronic video, etc.) for students, families, and/or staff members. Introduce yourself, share your vision and goals for the school, reference assessment results (from your data presentation), provide any relevant details about school procedures or upcoming events, and communicate your enthusiasm for the school year. Remember: This communication will serve as one of your first actions in setting the tone for your school year and for your principalship. Many school-community members' first impressions of you will be established through your message and its appearance. |
15% |
| Cover Letter & Resume
Locate and review some advertisements for principal positions. Select one or create one for the school/district to which you wish to apply. Develop an applicable cover letter along with an appropriate, current resume as if you were applying for the position. Please also include a copy of the advertisement for the position. One potential source for principalship advertisements, would be the PSBA website (locate the “PSBA Administrator Search” link and then select “Current PA Education Vacancies”). |
10% |
|
Role of the Principal—Field Experience Observation For this assignment, you will engage in a field experience with a principal or assistant principal in an authentic school setting. You will observe the cooperating principal/assistant principal in practice, and together, you will engage in discussion about various administrative principles and practices. You are encouraged, but not required, to observe a principal from another building or district other than your own in order to gain a broader perspective on the principalship. The field experience observation should take place over the course of at least one full 6-hour day. Alternatively, you may break your field experience into shorter periods of time over multiple days. In total, you are expected to complete a minimum of six hours of field experience. Submit the name and e-mail address of the principal who has agreed to serve as your cooperating principal/assistant principal by uploading the information to the appropriate assignment in your course environment. Use the Role of the Principal—Field Experience Discussion Protocol (detailed within the assignment) to guide discussion(s) with your cooperating principal/assistant principal. Alternate Assignment to Replace the Shadowing Assignment for Course Participants with No Access to a School This assignment should only be selected if you have no means of shadowing a school administrator. In that event, the assignment will still focus on the application of the six ELCC standards to real-world situations, but will be described through tasks, decisions, etc. discussed or studied. Your completed paper should open by communicating your initial understanding of the role of the principal (from our first class session) as well as your interest in the principalship. The body of the paper should include a minimum of six descriptive entries–one for each ELCC Standard–summarizing your knowledge, experiences, and readings in relation to the given standard. Finally, the paper should close with a synthesis of your new understanding of the principal's role (incorporating the six ELCC Standards) and with a discussion of the implications of your new understanding for the direction of your career path and professional development. The length of the paper is expected to be no less than 15 pages and no more than 20 (for example, one page for the introductory section, two pages EACH for the six descriptive entries focusing on the ELCC Standards, and two pages for the closing section to achieve the minimum 15-page requirement). Although the overall paper is intended to be a reflective work, it is expected that your reflections and descriptions of new learnings will be connected to course readings and discussions and will be appropriately cited. In addition to citing assigned texts from this course, at least six hours of outside research and reading related to the ELCC standards should be completed and appropriately referenced throughout the paper. Thus, your paper should serve as a synthesis of your learning from this course with additional research to support and expand your learning. |
30% |
| Total | 100% |
Assignment Completion
Each and every assignment is due on the date listed on the syllabus and on the World Campus course page. Keep in mind that you are responsible for getting assignments completed on time. Should you need additional time for a given assignment, you must contact the instructor ahead of the due date explaining the need for extra time. It is at the instructor’s discretion whether or not to allow additional time for assignment completion. Ten (10) points will be deducted from any late assignment unless you have been given permission from the instructor to turn the assignment in late. Assignments that are not turned in at all within a week from the due date will receive zero (0) points unless a time extension has been granted.
Grading
Your final course grade will be determined using the following scale:
| Points | Letter Grade |
|---|---|
| 94–100 | A |
| 90–93.9 | A- |
| 87–89.9 | B+ |
| 84–86.9 | B |
| 80–83.9 | B- |
| 77–79.9 | C+ |
| 70–76.9 | C |
| 60–69.9 | D |
| < 59.9 | F |
Please refer to the University Grading Policy for Graduate Courses for additional information about University grading policies.
Course Schedule
Note: All due dates reflect North American eastern time (ET).
Note: Assignments are due by 11:59 pm ET, Sunday night of the week.
identifies readings that are available on E-Reserves through the library.
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Activities: |
|
| Readings: |
|
|---|---|
| Viewings: | |
| Activities: |
|
Note: If you are planning to graduate this semester, please communicate your intent to graduate to your instructor. This will alert your instructor to the need to submit your final grade in time to meet the published graduation deadlines. For more information about graduation policies and deadlines, please go to the Graduation Information on the My Penn State Online Student Portal.
Formal instruction will end on the last day of class. Provided that you have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password, you will continue to be able to access the course materials for one year, starting from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered (with the exception of library reserves and other external resources that may have a shorter archival period). After one year, you might be able to access the course based on the policies of the program or department offering the course material, up to a maximum of three years from the end date of the academic semester in which the course was offered. For more information, please review the University Course Archival Policy.
Academic Integrity
According to Penn State policy G-9: Academic Integrity , an academic integrity violation is “an intentional, unintentional, or attempted violation of course or assessment policies to gain an academic advantage or to advantage or disadvantage another student academically.” Unless your instructor tells you otherwise, you must complete all course work entirely on your own, using only sources that have been permitted by your instructor, and you may not assist other students with papers, quizzes, exams, or other assessments. If your instructor allows you to use ideas, images, or word phrases created by another person (e.g., from Course Hero or Chegg) or by generative technology, such as ChatGPT, you must identify their source. You may not submit false or fabricated information, use the same academic work for credit in multiple courses, or share instructional content. Students with questions about academic integrity should ask their instructor before submitting work.
Students facing allegations of academic misconduct may not drop/withdraw from the affected course unless they are cleared of wrongdoing (see G-9: Academic Integrity ). Attempted drops will be prevented or reversed, and students will be expected to complete course work and meet course deadlines. Students who are found responsible for academic integrity violations face academic outcomes, which can be severe, and put themselves at jeopardy for other outcomes which may include ineligibility for Dean’s List, pass/fail elections, and grade forgiveness. Students may also face consequences from their home/major program and/or The Schreyer Honors College.
How Academic Integrity Violations Are Handled
World Campus students are expected to act with civility and
personal integrity; respect other students' dignity, rights, and
property; and help create and maintain an environment in which all
can succeed through the fruits of their own efforts. An environment
of academic integrity is requisite to respect for oneself and
others, as well as a civil community.
In cases where academic integrity is questioned, the Policy on Academic Integrity indicates that procedure requires an instructor to inform the student of the allegation. Procedures allow a student to accept or contest a charge. If a student chooses to contest a charge, the case will then be managed by the respective college or campus Academic Integrity Committee. If that committee recommends an administrative sanction (Formal Warning, Conduct Probation, Suspension, Expulsion), the claim will be referred to the Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
All Penn State colleges abide by this Penn State policy, but review procedures may vary by college when academic dishonesty is suspected. Information about Penn State's academic integrity policy and college review procedures is included in the information that students receive upon enrolling in a course. To obtain that information in advance of enrolling in a course, please contact us by going to the Contacts & Help page .
University Policies
- Accommodating Disabilities:
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has resources for students with disabilities. The Student Disability Resources (SDR) website provides contacts for disability services at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the SDR website.
In order to apply for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability resources office at the campus where you are officially enrolled, participate in an intake interview, and provide documentation based on the documentation guidelines. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus's disability resources office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
- Counseling and Psychological Services:
If you have a crisis or safety concern, mental health services are available to you as a Penn State student. Crisis and emergency contacts are available, no matter where you are located:
- Anywhere in the United States: Call the Penn State Crisis Line at 1-877-229-6400 or text LIONS to 741741. You can also contact your local crisis services or hospital for emergencies.
- Outside the United States: Please contact emergency services in your current location. You can also use the International Crisis and Emergency Services listings.
- At University Park: Assistance is available at Counseling & Psychological Services (CAPS) locations on campus.
- At a Penn State branch campus: You can search for counseling information at your campus.
- Additional Policies:
For information about additional policies regarding Penn State Access Accounts; credit by examination; course tuition, fees, and refund schedules; and drops and withdrawals, please see the World Campus Student Center website.
- Deferred Grades:
If, for reasons beyond the student's control, a student is prevented from completing a course within the prescribed time, the grade in that course may be deferred with the concurrence of the instructor. The symbol DF appears on the student's transcript until the course has been completed. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested by the student before the beginning of the final examination period. In an emergency situation, an instructor can approve a deferred grade after the final exam period has started. Under emergency conditions during which the instructor is unavailable, authorization is required from one of the following: the dean of the college in which the candidate is enrolled; the executive director of the Division of Undergraduate Studies if the student is enrolled in that division or is a provisional student; or the campus chancellor of the student's associated Penn State campus.
For additional information please refer to the Deferring a Grade page. - Military Students:
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or dependents with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
- Privacy Notice:
In order to protect your privacy, course access is limited to those individuals who have direct responsibility for the quality of your educational experience. In addition to the instructor, a teaching assistant or college administrator may be provided access in order to ensure optimal faculty availability and access. World Campus technical staff may also be given access in order to resolve technical support issues.
- Student Responsibilities and Conduct:
- Students are responsible for online course content, taking notes, obtaining other materials provided by the instructor, taking tests (if applicable), and completing assignments as scheduled by the instructor. As a general rule, students should plan on logging into the course at least three times per week and spending at least three hours per course credit per week on the course, e.g., if the course is three credits, the student should plan on spending at least 9-12 hours per week on the course, just as they would in a residence course.
- Students are responsible for keeping track of changes in the course syllabus made by the instructor throughout the semester.
- Students are responsible for monitoring their grades.
-
Students must contact their instructor (and teammates when working on any collaborative learning assignments) as soon as possible if they anticipate missing long periods of online time due to events such as chronic illnesses, death in the family, business travel, or other appropriate events. The instructor will determine the minimal log on time and participation required in order to meet course responsibilities. In the event of other unforeseen conflicts, the instructor and student will arrive at a solution together.
- Requests for taking exams or submitting assignments after the due dates require documentation of events such as illness, family emergency, or a business-sanctioned activity.
- Conflicts with dates on which examinations or assignments are scheduled must be discussed with the instructor or TA prior to the date of the examination or assignment.
- Students are responsible for following appropriate netiquette (network etiquette) when communicating with their instructor and classmates. For reference, see the Academic Success Kit.
- Behaviors that disrupt other students’ learning are not acceptable and will be addressed by the instructor.
-
For severe and chronic problems with student disruptive behavior, the following will be applied for resolution:
- Senate Committee on Student Life policy on managing classroom disruptions: Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response.
- Penn State Principles
- Report Bias:
Penn State takes great pride to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated and can be reported through Educational Equity via the Report Bias webpage.
Disclaimer: Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus are subject to change, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. Your instructor will notify you of any changes.