Decision Making Syllabus
EDLE 5083 Analytical Decision Making
General Course Information
Description
This course covers the science behind effective decision making
Description
This course covers the science behind effective decision making
Purpose of the Course
This course prepares educational leaders to create and sustain an environment of effective and transparent decision making. Students will:
Develop a deeper understanding of prominent theories about how people make decisions
Practice applying decision making theory towards leadership practices that encourage a positive decision making culture
Reflect on their own dominant approaches to making decisions under different conditions
Academic Honesty: The University of Arkansas Academic Honesty Policy for Graduate Students can be found on the left sidebar of my website.
Written Work: All written assignments must be typed, double-spaced, and adhere to the 6th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.
Inclement Weather Policy: The general policy regarding inclement weather is that the University typically stays open regardless of bad weather. In the event of weather disrupting an online class I will do my best to post a notification on the course website.
Accommodations: Information about the Center for Educational Access can be found at www.cea.uark.edu. Please do not hesitate to contact the center or me with questions or concerns about the services available to you.
Course Assignments and Grading
Required readings
We will use Dan Ariely’s book Predictably Irrational in this course and other materials provided by the instructor.
Missed assignments, make-up policy
Late work will be accepted with a credit deduction of 10% for each day (not class meeting) late. If you are unavailable the day an assignment is due, please make arrangements to email it to me by the due date to ensure full credit. Please see me individually if you have special concerns or circumstances.
Major Assignments: In order to receive a passing grade for the course, you need to complete all the assignments in a satisfactory manner.
The daily journals (found in blackboard) are a regular product you will create this semester. These will be based on the readings and other materials covered throughout the semester. There are three primary questions that should guide your daily journals:
As I reflect on the course materials so far this semester, what new insights do I have about how I process information and make personal decisions?
Do these insights indicate to me that I should make any changes in my approach to making decisions and if so how would I practically execute these changes? (answering this question by saying that you must simply "do better" is not helpful in the same way it would not be helpful for a doctor to tell their patient to simply "feel better" - you have to understand the root causes for your own behavior to develop a plan for doing something about it)
How do I apply what I have learned so far to my future context as a leader? In other words, how does this knowledge inform your understanding of how other people you might be working with make decisions and as a leader how can you use this information to create a system, climate, and culture where there is consistently more healthy and productive decision making?
Hiring and Orientation Assignment:
Arrange to observe two different facets of the hiring and/or orientation functions of human resource management (e.g., a recruitment fair, hiring interview, orientation/induction session) and conduct a follow-up interview (30 minutes) with a participant and the person who coordinated or led the activity to discuss the goals of the activity, how it is organized, benefits to the school, and recommendations for improvement.
Write and submit a 4-5 page summary of your observations and reflections (including recommendations for improvement), giving them equal weight, on the activity. Attach your interview protocol to the paper. A full transcript of the interview is not necessary but quotes can be used effectively to make key points.
Grades will be determined on the following basis using a 100 point scale:
A 90-100 C 70-79 F below 65
B 80-89 D 65-69
Standards in the Arkansas Leader Excellence and Development System (LEADS) 2.0 are embedded into the content, which address the following domains and sub-domains. Domains in bold print will be specifically addressed in this course.
Domain 1: School Organization & Management
A. Organizational Focus
B. School Plan
C. Time Management
D. School Resource Management
E. Shared Leadership & Responsibility
Domain 2: School Culture & Climate
A. Safe & Orderly
B. Equitable & Culturally Responsive
C. School Discipline System
D. Family & Community Engagement
E. Collaborative Teaming
Domain 3: Teaching & Learning
A. Curriculum
B. Instruction
C. Observations & Ratings
D. Appropriate Instructional Support for ALL Students
E. Effective Instructional Change Leadership
Domain 4: Human Capital Management
A. Personal Professional Practice
B. Personnel Management
C. Educator Professional Capital
D. School Advocacy
E. Contributions to the Profession
You can find the current LEADS Principal rubric in its entirety at the link below: