Abstract
The purpose of this study focuses on innovative initiatives to redesign a school administrator preparation program at the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, USA. The initiatives include the creation of Interactive learning objects (ILOs), differentiation of curricula, standardization of syllabi to address school administrator competencies, accessible course templates for the learning management system, and the HyFlex course delivery model for both in-person and Zoom instruction. We revised our program to meet the needs of diverse student populations better. Therefore, each course received an in-depth Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) curriculum audit from a university DEI fellow. We also hired two subject matter experts to work with all faculty to provide appropriate lessons and resources to address the needs of Catholic, public, and public charter schools in Minnesota, USA. The redesign team worked closely with instructional designers to implement the digital innovation. Specifically, ILOs refer to micro-learning modules in which students engage in a digital learning module to achieve specific learning outcomes. Embedding more interactive ways to engage students virtually helped strengthen the learning outcomes. We used a template in the learning management system (Canvas) to provide a consistent look for all online courses to increase the accessibility of course content for students. In this paper, we showcase all new features and reflect on the successes and challenges related to the program redesign.
Presenters
Aura Wharton BeckAssociate Professor, School of Education, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, United States Chientzu Candace Chou
Professor, Educational Leadership, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Educational Organization and Leadership
KEYWORDS
Digital, Innovations
