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Content Related to Cultural Diversity in Programs
Issues linked to courses: Generated by EDA Faculty
(From focus group conversations beginning in 2003; revisited in 2008)
Department of Educational Leadership
University of Dayton
Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership
EDA 505 Educational Leadership
 Leadership is not male/female, leaders exhibit personality differences
 Inventory (Meyers Briggs) self assessment
 Teach students to “read” differences among their peers
 Teaching appreciation of communication differences
 Self reflective journals to improve self-awareness and self identity
 Simulations- incorporate different dispositions/behaviors in interpersonal
situations; critiqued by peers/professor
 Diversity goes beyond skin color
 Emphasize needs and values are different
 Simulations such as situations where there are Muslims who need to pray during
the school day- What would you do as a school leader
EDA 507 Internship I
 On-line students (507) select from a list of experiences and must select 1
experience that is focused on diversity
EDA 509 Supervision & Professional Development
 In-box follow supervisor re: activities classroom managements, e.g. many (at least
4) are focused on issues of diversity
 Supervision- one size doesn’t fit all
o Take demographics/profiles of staff into account
o Use simulations/cases
 Research on adult learning (EDA 505) staff development take demographic
profile into account
 Nine questions in text- students write on 2 (many related to diversity)
 Emphasis on individual differences; treating people as individuals
 Accommodating the best approach for individuals- that is good leadership
EDA 510 Instructional Leadership
 Differences in learning styles and implications for teachers and principals in
helping students
 Textbook: learning styles associated with ethnic cultures and gender
 Brain research and multiple intelligences
 How to address MI as teachers and principals
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Diversity in teaching models
EDA 511 Curriculum
 Race and gender- critical reflection activity (written/oral presentation assignment)
 Critical book review (written)
 Group work on current real world issues in real schools
 Social reconstructionist theorist of curriculum
 Postmodern theories (race, gender, social class, LGBT)
 Equity of funding
 Assess students with special needs
 Alternative forms of assessment
 Group work which requires students to experience diversity in productive
collaboration
 Videos
o Women
o Freedom Writers – Erin Gruwell
o Visit St. Mel Prov. (Chicago)
EDA 515 School Law
 Religion
 Desegregation
 Gender
 Title IX
 Hiring – Title VII
 Special Education Laws
 Curriculum issues emanating from cultural diversity
EDA 551 Research
o Role of the researcher and self reflection on one’s own identity
 Researcher biases and their self awareness
 Ethics related to fair treatment
 Unbiased data
 Inclusive language related to research demographics
 Application of research: examples from studies on diverse school environments
EDA 555 Community Relations
 Cultural barriers to communication
 Changing nature of communities (projected future of increasingly diverse schools
and communities)
 Equality and fraternity as guiding values for education policy
 Diversity and the Communicative View of School Reform
 Effective Multicultural PR
o Social makeup of the school’s publics including cultural/ethnic groupings
(e.g., sociological inventory)
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Custom and traditions
Political structures
Economic conditions
Communication channels
Relevant history
EDA 556 Leadership in Diverse Communities
o Social class differences
 Race
 Ethnicity
 Religion
 Disability
 Gender
 Sexual Orientation (LGBT)
 White privilege
 Watch the movie “The Pianist” with reflection: How would this situation affect
you?
 “Eyes on the Prize” PBS series on USA civil rights movement; & reflection
 Students visit the gay/lesbian section of the bookstore; reflect on experience
 Prepare in-service program addressing race
 How students deal/prepare to deal with diversity issues
 Case studies
o Students address issues (writing)
 Disrupt students’ comfort levels by using videos that challenge student’s beliefs
 Discuss culture of school
 Reflection paper on students’ cultural formation
 Cultural Proficiency continuum of school leaders (Lindsey, Robins, & Terrell,
2003) Students assess themselves on the Cultural Proficiency Self Assessment
instrument
 Cultural interview- What influence has your differences had on your schooling
experience
o Discovery of self/others is crucial to diversity
 Guest Scholars addressing religion, sexual orientation, gender dynamics, poverty,
race
 Achievement gap based on race
EDA 557 School Finance
 Issues of equity in school finance
Principal Licensure
EDA 611 Assessment & Instruction for School Improvement
 Data on academic performance of minority students and majority students
 Impact of high-stakes testing on groups of students (including special needs)
Curriculum case analysis, involving diverse cultures
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Personalized from point of view of students enrolled (small N)
K-12 curriculum-analyze and assess diversity relationships
Diverse ideologies and impact on practice re: curriculum
Create a curriculum- diverse perspectives
o Result- critique from diverse framework- including special needs
EDA 607 Internship II
 EDA607 – two administrative tasks involve issues of diversity
EDA 626 Staff Personnel
 Affirmative Action
 Equal Opportunity Act
 Recruitment of diverse population
 Sexual harassment
 Selection of personnel
EDA 607 Internship
 Must address all ELCC standards including diversity (2 administrative tasks
which involve issues of diversity are required)
EDA 655 Principalship
 Built on ELCC standards (modules deal with standards)
 Relating each ELCC standard to other standards
 Symposium at the end of the term that requires students to deal with issues of
diversity- students assume role “The Principal of the Day”
Superintendent
EDA718 Superintendency
 Female superintendents
 Minority superintendents
 Communicating in diverse districts
EDA 755 Legal Issues in School Leadership
 Title 9
 Gender
 Employment
 Discrimination
 Religion
EDA 757/857 Decision making
 Ethical and moral decision-making paradigms (applied to forms of diversity)
 Emotion, prejudice, and bias in decision making
 Political dynamics of group decision making
 Diversity as a contextual variable
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EDA 758 The Politics of Educational Leadership
Addresses constituencies in diverse communities
EDA 759 The Law of Special Education
 All Special Education Law
Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development
EDA 710 Curriculum Evaluation and Instruction
EDA 711 Curriculum Development and Leadership
EDA 712, 812 Program and Staff Development
 Different approaches/models to staff development personalized to enrolled
students
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All Courses in All Programs
Marianist Traditions (e.g., building community, social justice)
Professional and ethical obligations
Efficacy
Enhancement
Empowerment
Diagnosis of situations- making appropriate decisions for unique situations and
offer prescriptions
Conscious of good theory and good research and how to put it to leadership
practice
o Who am I?-self knowledge
o How do I lead?- knowledge of schools, theory, praxis