ESA513 Leading Learning (8)

This subject focuses upon issues related to the context and purpose of leadership in schools. It takes a central premise that the core purpose of school leadership should be leadership for development, that is, the attainment of enhanced social and academic outcomes for all students through improved pedagogical and classroom assessment practices. It examines leadership in its broadest sense, as encompassing the informal as well as formal practices of those in a range of roles within schools, including teachers, school administrators, students and the school community. The subject requires students to interrogate their own leadership practices in relation to research into leadership for learning within schools, through a range of different models and the building of learning communities.

Availability

Session 3 (90)
Online
Bathurst Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: ESA513. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Education

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to analyse the importance of the role of teachers and administrators in building a culture of learning partnerships as a means of enhancing student learning;
  • be able to evaluate effective leadership for learning strategies in relation to the alignment of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment within a school in order to enhance student learning;
  • be able to show an understanding of the key role played by administrators in fostering teacher leadership, ongoing professional development, collaborative dialogue, and the alignment of all resources within a school, in order to achieve the aim of focusing schools upon teaching and learning as their key functions;
  • be able to critically analyse and deconstruct key research findings in relation to leadership for learning models and strategies;
  • be able to thoughtfully and critically apply democratic, inclusive and effective leadership strategies which nurture administrative, teacher, student and local community capacity, in relation to the fostering of student learning;
  • be able to critically apply leadership for learning concepts to a specific task of enhancing student learning through a collaborative staff effort within the students' school/educational setting; and
  • be able to apply leadership for learning concepts to broader contexts in regard to the enhancement of student learning via school/educational leadership, as well as to the students and their schools' own leadership for learning practices.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • Contextualizing 'Leading Learning' and defining terms such as leadership for learning. Examining the impact of broader policy and system contexts such as globalisation and the positioning of education as an economic good, upon the tasks of formal school leadership which influences leadership in terms curriculum, assessment and pedagogical functions. School leaders will be supported to assess and critique the impact, benefits and constraints of the range of contemporary educational policy responses to these broader contexts. Contemporary responses may include (but are not limited to): outcomes based education, standardisation, productive pedagogies, data driven instruction, differentiated instruction and learning, multiliteracies, assistive technologies and ICT, character education, etc
  • Does leadership matter and if so, for whom and how? Examining the research in regard to the links between formal school leadership and administration, teacher leadership, school practices and enhanced student learning
  • Analysing a range of leadership for learning strategies and organisational models which can foster and enhance leadership for learning practices and capacity building within schools, such as teacher learning communities; pedagogical/instructional/educative leadership; democratic and distributed leadership; and the effective use of a diverse range of student data to inform pedagogy and foster improved learning and social outcomes
  • Localising school leadership. Analysing local contexts and factors which may impact upon school leadership practices in relation to the enhancement of students' learning in a range of sites, including, in particular, challenging schools
  • Translating theory into action: A learning task, based on an authentic situation in regard to the enhancement of students' learning (academic or social outcomes) which students identify that they are currently facing as teachers or administrators, will be identified by the students, applied to their work setting and evaluated

Indicative Assessment

The following table summarises the assessment tasks for the online offering of ESA513 in Session 3 2021. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated and can also differ to suit the mode of study (online or on campus).

Item Number
Title
Value %
1
Case study analysis
50
2
Analysis of proposed intervention
50

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2022. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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