Professional Learning and Growth Leadership

Purpose: to help other instructors teaching the same course

Course name/number: EDL 650        
CSU Instructor Open Textbook Adoption Portrait
Abstract:  This affordable learning resource is being utilized in an Education and Leadership course for graduate students in the Educational Administration program by Dr. Cory Buckband at California State University Monterey Bay. The affordable resource chosen for this course provides a reflective examination of how school leaders can intentionally develop ethical visions, lead based on their values, and support teacher growth to positively impact student learning. This title emphasizes the importance of critical reflection and a growth mindset to continually explore new avenues for advancing equity in schools.  The main motivation to adopt an affordable resource is to help students save money on costly textbooks. Students can access this library-licensed resource via CSU OneSearch/CSUMB Library.  

Course Title and Number - Professional Learning and Growth Leadership - EDL 650 
Brief Description of course highlights:  Provides school leaders with preparation in skills for providing purpose and direction for individuals and groups, shaping school culture and values, facilitating the development of shared strategic vision for the school, formulating goals and planning change efforts with staff, and setting priorities for one’s school in the context of community and district priorities for student and staff needs.  Course Catalog Link:  https://catalog.csumb.edu/content.php?filter%5B27%5D=EDL&filter%5B29%5D=650&filter%5Bcourse_type%5D=-1&filter%5Bkeyword%5D=&filter%5B32%5D=1&filter%5Bcpage%5D=1&cur_cat_oid=12&expand=&navoid=631&search_database=Filter#acalog_template_course_filter

Student population: Graduate students who have 5+ years of experience teaching PK-12 classes in California. They are commonly majors from education, liberal studies, and other social sciences backgrounds, yet some students may have backgrounds in specific disciplines such as English, Spanish, biology/chemistry, history, and other topics. They typically come into the course with knowledge about pedagogy, educational structures and systems, and general inequities that schools face in U.S. society. Many students who take this course work full-time teaching or in other school leadership positions; many also have children and families, and I am always helping students navigate their courses along with other important responsibilities outside of the classroom.

Learning or student outcomes: The following Master of Education Learning Outcomes are addressed in this course:
MAE LO 1: Research – Evaluate, design, and implement ethical educational research to bring change and promote equitable outcomes for schools and communities with diverse needs. (ILO: 1, ILO 2; ILO: 3, ILO: 4)
MAE LO 2: Advanced Learning Theory - Analyze and apply advanced learning theory in education. Evaluate and apply critical research to effectively implement evidence- based practices for diverse learners. (ILO: 1, ILO: 3)
MAE LO 3: Advanced Instruction, Assessment and Curriculum - Evaluate and apply critical research and ethical practices on culturally sustaining pedagogical, assessment and curricular approaches to effectively implement evidence-based practices and promote social justice. (ILO: 1, ILO 2; ILO: 3, ILO: 4)

MAE LO 4: Leadership – Analyze, evaluate, and apply current research and professional and legal guidelines to leadership models, concepts, and theory in educational organizations to lead effectively and equitably. (ILO: 1, ILO 2; ILO: 3, ILO: 4) 

Challenges and Solutions: I am working to revise the materials for this course more broadly as a new faculty member. Before classes had yet begun, I recognized that the overall cost of the 3 textbooks for this course was over $120 and knew that this was likely a barrier for my students. Many students are parents and have other important responsibilities that make me acutely attentive to cost-saving issues for them. After exploring the CSU OneSearch platform, I found an updated version of the Spiller & Power book, which was available for free to students as an eBook. I also spoke with the lecturers who teach other courses in the Educational Administration program, such as EDL 610 and MAE 611, to identify any areas of overlap and address them to keep our course content more unique and relevant to our particular areas of focus. These conversations led me to exclude the Faddis (2020) book from this course, which was mostly covered in another course taught by a different faculty member. Now, the students have to purchase only one book, and the other is available to them for free. I am also integrating these texts alongside supplementary material that I have curated from well-regarded and reliable internet resources, such as integrating scholarly research (previously there was none in this course) along with blogs and webinars from scholars and school leadership organizations.

Assigned Textbook:  There were 3 previously required textbooks for EDL 650: 
- DeWitt, P. (2017). Collaborative leadership: Six influences that matter most. Corwin. ($42)
- Faddis, T. (2020). The Ethical Line: 10 leadership strategies for effective decision making. Corwin. ($37.95)
-  Spiller, J. & Power, K. (2019). Leading with intention: 8 areas for reflection and planning in your PLC at work. Solution Tree. ($42) 

Textbook Title:  Leading beyond intention: 6 areas to deepen reflection and planning in your PLC at work  

Brief Description: This book is framed as a solutions-focused guide that helps educational leaders dive deep into personal leadership skills by weaving intentionality into their daily practices. It focuses on the ways that students, as emerging education leaders, can use Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) and other strategies to build staff capacity as they find inner courage through meaningful, action-oriented content. By exploring six core principles of leadership, students will learn to lead from within, reflect on their personal journeys, and develop customized plans of action that are related to projects they engage in at their respective school sites. Additionally, the book provides useful templates, tools, and real-world strategies from fellow leaders to help navigate both professional successes and difficulties. The book’s pedagogical approach is very student-centered, growth-oriented, and grounded in helping students develop their own values as leaders.

Please provide a link to the resource:  https://csu-mb.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/01CALS_UMB/1i01t4c/alma991078794968602901

Authors:  Jeanne Spiller & Karen Power

Student access:  CSUMB Library and CSU OneSearch to locate the eBook.  

Supplemental resources:  None are provided outside of the book, but the book does have interactive resources (such as guided reflection activities) to help students structure their thoughts and practices as they work through the content.  

Provide the cost savings from that of a traditional textbook.  By adopting the library-licensed eBook for EDL 650 and removing the expectation of purchasing another text which may be required from another class, the total cost savings for each student is $79 ($121-$42). This is a ~65% decrease in the cost. The three total textbooks required for EDL 650 used to be estimated at over $120 total for students. Now, the single textbook to be purchased (Collaborative Leadership by Peter M. DeWitt) makes the total cost for the course only $42.

License*: Copyrighted 

OER/Low-Cost Adoption Process

Provide an explanation or what motivated you to use this textbook or OER/Low-Cost option.  My main motivation in adopting this material was to save students money, since they are also working adults with families who may be heavily impacted by the rising cost of living. I also feel that this has improved the learning materials by (1) providing more updated content for students, including leadership during and after the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) exposing students to a more thoughtful and equity-oriented approach to school leadership in the context of Leading Beyond Intention, which goes deeper into the inter-personal nature of leadership; and (3) providing an electronic option to improve accessibility for students who may use a screen reader or other adaptive technology that could not be used with a physical textbook.  

Resource Selection Process: I searched for the authors of the previous book version because I had wanted to learn more about their backgrounds and experience, which has helped guide my broader evaluation and re-design of the course. As I did this, I found the new textbook, and I read through it to explore its alignment with the content in the first book. Though it does not perfectly align – it is an extension of the first book and not simply an updated version – the content was very similar in its focus on helping students develop an ethical orientation as leaders, and to act on that in their daily work.

Best Practices: I am a new faculty just getting started with OER, but I have always included open-access research articles and other media materials (e.g., TedX talks, podcasts) for students in my courses. I always keep student success and growth at the center of my curriculum and teaching decisions, and I would suggest taking a similar approach to other faculty who are interested in expanding the accessibility of their resources. In addition to integrating relevant academic sources such as peer-reviewed research articles, I recommend reaching out to your wonderful campus librarians to identify and engage in professional development opportunities around the different sources and platforms to find open educational resources.  

Challenges and Lessons Learned: One key challenge was carefully and thoughtfully aligning the new textbook with the previous textbook, so that the material was still in close alignment with the expected standards and learning outcomes for the course. This involved thorough investigation into the chapters’ content, and how the materials were used in Canvas assignments, to make sure that there were no contradictions, repetitions, or gaps. I am excited to be able to share with my students that they only have to purchase one book for the course instead of 3, and I believe that students appreciate the effort that faculty put in when making decisions to provide more equity and affordability in their education.  

Instructor Name - Dr. Cory Buckband 
Asst Professor of Education and Leadership in the College of Education at Cal State University, Monterey Bay. 
Please provide a link to your university page.
https://researchprofiles.csumb.edu/en/persons/cory-buckband/
Please describe the courses/course numbers that you teach.  I teach a wide range of courses and subjects, mostly focused on equity-centered educational leadership, education policy, family engagement in schools, methods for teaching social studies, multilingual learners, and research methods. My research explores how teachers and school leaders navigate and resist education policies at federal, state, and local levels as they advocate for access and equity in bilingual and trilingual schools.  

Describe your teaching philosophy and any research interests related to your discipline or teaching. Inspired by the wisdom of bell hooks and Paolo Freire, I view education as a liberatory practice rooted in the cultivation of critical consciousness and compassion. I create teaching and mentoring spaces where students and I jointly construct knowledge grounded in their cultural wealth and lived experiences. Extending from my belief that education is an instrument of liberation and equity, I embed culturally sustaining and critically reflective practices into my teaching and mentorship that prepare students to navigate and challenge the politics of education policy and leadership. Drawing on my own experience as a secondary social studies teacher, I design constructive and inclusive learning spaces in which pre-service and in-service educators collaboratively develop and evaluate culturally responsive and adaptive approaches to instruction, assessment, and leadership. This perspective is directly aligned with courses I teach in educational administration, education policy, and critical pedagogy for K-12 educators.

Research Interests: My scholarship advances equity-centered bilingual and trilingual education by partnering with K-12 administrators, teachers, and families to investigate how educational language policy and School Choice reforms shape dual-language program development. I am also interested in exploring how scenario-based leadership and teacher preparation activities (e.g., case study reflections and story completion methodologies) can cultivate educators’ capacity to design and implement justice-oriented policies and practices in bi/multilingual schools and classrooms. Additionally, my methodological training in critical ethnography, discourse analysis, geospatial information systems (GIS), and mixed methods research further strengthen my ability to mentor undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented backgrounds as they pursue social justice-oriented education research. This advances CSUMB’s transformative mission to serve diverse communities through equity-focused educational leadership and developing the next generation of education researchers.