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2012-2013 Academic Catalog and Handbook

Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership

Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership

(EdS degree)

Purpose

The Education Specialist (EdS) in Instructional Leadership equips teachers who want to extend themselves to serve in teacher-leader roles, both formal and informal, and apply their knowledge and skills to best serve the common good in their school or district. The program supports the development of educational leaders who can critically evaluate and apply current research, analyze educational trends, gather and use evidence appropriately, and know how to promote and guide best practices in student and adult learning.

The EdS in Instructional Leadership develops servant leaders who are masters of their speciality but also masters of the big picture so they will improve the system and the lives of students. The 32-credit program can be completed in two to three years and offers the following specialty options:

  • Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment concentration specifically designed for current or aspiring Instructional Coaches, Mentors, and Teachers on Special Assignment.
  • Reading/Literacy which meets TSPC requirements for the Reading Specialist Endorsement along with passing the Reading Praxis exam.
  • English as a Second Language/Bilingual which meets TSPC requirements for the ESOL Endorsement along with passing the ESOL ORELA. Students can add the Bilingual category to the ESOL Endorsement by reflecting that aspect in their practicum and passing an additional Content Knowledge and Productive Language Skills test.
  • Library Media which meets TSPC requirements for the Library Media Endorsement along with passing the Library Media Praxis exam.

Program Objectives

Educational objectives

To enable students to:

  • Understand and be able to articulate the personal relevance of the six “lenses” provided by the EDFL Conceptual Framework (Think Critically, Transform Practice, Promote Justice) and Professional Dispositions (Commitment to Courage, Integrity, and Seeking Multiple Perspectives)
  • Develop expertise in a specialty area
  • Use analysis of organizations, educational initiatives, and processes to promote and guide effective action
  • Use technology to solve problems
  • Use research tools to investigate questions and apply educational research to problems of practice
  • Understand measures of student achievement and know how to gather and use evidence appropriately
Professional Objectives

To enable students to:

  • Attain professional endorsement related to a specialty area
  • Apply that area of expertise as a servant leader in a collaborative leadership context
  • Create and sustain collaborative, collegial learning organizations
  • Enact just leadership that provides effective, reasoned solutions to problems encountered in the process of meeting valued institutional and community goals
  • Integrate personal faith commitments into professional practice

Admission Requirements

Applicants seeking admission to the EdS program must show evidence of a master's degree in education or related field from a regionally accredited university with a minimum GPA of 3.0. In addition, applicants must complete the following to be considered for admission to the program:

  • Education Specialist application form and application fee
  • Personal essay as described in the application
  • Evidence of scholarly work (master's thesis, term paper, publication, etc.)*
  • One official transcript from all colleges or universities attended
  • Three professional references comprised of both a written letter and the Graduate Programs Reference Forms
  • Evidence of at least five years of full-time teaching experience. (Exceptions may be granted based upon GFU faculty recommendation.)
  • A current professional résumé
  • Verification of valid Oregon teaching or administrative license or the equivalent
  • Completed Teachers Standards and Practices Character Questionnaire
  • Signed State of Oregon Guide to the Ethical Educator
  • Applicants must be available for an interview (in person or by phone) if deemed necessary for the admission process

*Students who do not have sufficient preparation in research will take EDFL 703 Bibliographic Research and Writing (2 hours) in addition to their program requirements.

Transfer Credit

Transfer credit is not typically accepted for the Education Specialist program; however, limited exceptions may be made based upon approval.

Residence Requirements

All work leading to the Education Specialist in Instructional Leadership must be completed within five years from the time of matriculation. Extension of this limit requires approval of the Educational Foundations and Leadership (EDFL) Faculty. However, only one such extension may be considered due to special circumstances, such as ill health. Reinstatement to the program after withdrawal requires Admissions Committee action and may subject the student to additional requirements for the degree.

Course Requirements

The Education Specialist program is generally 2-3 years in length with 32 semester hours of course work required as a minimum for graduation. Of those hours, 18 hours are in an area of specialization and 14 hours are in the EdS Integration and Application Core, which includes a 4-hour capstone project.

Graduation Requirements

In order to graduate with the EdS degree students must:

  • Satisfactorily complete a minimum of 32 semester hours with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above.
  • Achieve no grade lower than a B in all core courses. If a grade of a B- or lower is received in a designated course, that course must be retaken (for more specific information, please refer to the student handbook).

Curriculum Plan

Integration and Application Core (14 hours)
EDFL 681 Foundations of Servant Leadership 2
(must be taken during the first semester in program)
EDFL 652 Leadership for Instructional Improvement: Using Research and Data 2
EDFL 657 Leadership for Organizational Change 2
EDFL 658 Leadership for Organizational Learning 2
EDFL 659 Leadership for Instructional Equity 2
EDFL 676 EdS Capstone Project I 1
EDFL 677 EdS Capstone Project II 1
EDFL 678 EdS Capstone Project III 1
EDFL 679 EdS Capstone Project IV 1

Specialization (18 hours-select one)
Curriculum, Instruction, & Assessment
EDFL 503 Classroom Assessment 3
EDFL 506 Research in Effective Teaching 3
EDFL 508 Learning and Cognition 3
EDFL 534 Issues and Application of Literacy Instruction 2
EDFL 626 Implementing Technology in Educational Organizations 2
EDFL 631 Implementing Inclusion in the Regular Classroom 2
EDFL 636 Mentoring Leadership in the School 3
Reading/Literacy
EDFL 530 History and Foundations of Literacy Learning 2
(must be taken in the first two semesters of the program)
EDFL 531 Analysis of Reading and Writing Assessment 2
EDFL 532 Advanced Strategies in Literacy Instruction 2
EDFL 534 Issues and Applications of Literacy Instruction 2
EDFL 538 Organization of Reading Programs 3
EDFL 636 Mentoring Leadership in the School 3
 
Early Childhood/Elementary Authorization Courses
EDFL 537 Emergent Literacy 2
EDFL 539 Early Childhood/Elementary Reading Practicum 2
 
Elementary/Middle Level Authorization Courses
 EDFL 540 Elementary/Middle Level Reading Practicum 2
Students must choose one of the following courses:  
EDFL 536 Reading and Writing in the Content Areas 2
EDFL 537 Emergent Literacy 2
 
Middle Level/High School Authorization Courses
EDFL 536 Reading and Writing in the Content Area 2
EDFL 541 Middle Level/High School Reading Practicum 2
English as a Second Language/Bilingual
EDFL 570 Applied English Linguistics: Oral and Literacy Focus 3
EDFL 571 Second Language Acquisition and Development 2
EDFL 572 Intercultural Communication in the ESOL/Bilingual Context 2
EDFL 573 Planning and Managing ESOL/Bilingual Curriculum and Instruction 3
EDFL 574 Assessing ESOL/Bilingual Student Learning and Language Proficiency 3
EDFL 636 Mentoring Leadership in the School 3
 
Students must select at least one of the following ESOL Practica:†
EDFL 578 ESOL/Bilingual Practicum - Early Childhood/Elementary 2
EDFL 579 ESOL/Bilingual Practicum - Middle/High School 2
 
†Students choose one or both of the practica depending on their interests. Enrollment in either practicum requires successful completion of EDFL 570, EDFL 571, EDFL 572, EDFL 573, and EDFL 574, and an application to the ESOL advisor the semester prior to the practicum. Current fingerprints and a PA-1 form are required for individuals not currently licensed and teaching in an Oregon public school.
Library Media
EDFL 533 Advanced Studies in Children's and Adolescent Literature 2
EDFL 550 The Dynamic School Library Media Program 3
EDFL 552 Information Literacy in the K-12 Curriculum 3
EDFL 554 Core Collection Development 3
EDFL 556 Resource Management 3
EDFL 567 Library Media Practicum I - Early Childhood/Elementary 2
EDFL 569 Library Media Practicum II - Middle School/High School 2
 
Oregon TSPC standards require two practica for the Library Media Endorsement, one at the elementary level and one at either a middle school or high school. Enrollment in either practicum requires successful completion of EDFL 550, EDFL 552, EDFL 554, EDFL 556, and EDFL 533; a copy of a current Oregon teaching license; and an application to the library media coordinator the semester prior to the practicum. The practica can be taken in any order.
EDFL Course Descriptions
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