Learn to Lead a Professional Learning Community

An innovative New Offering for Educators and School Systems Committed to Improving the Quality of Learning at their Schools through Reflective Practice

UMass Lowell's Graduate School of Education is offering an innovative new course for educators who are leading professional learning communities or contemplating
doing so. This special summer/fall course, entitled "Leadership & Learning: Professional Learning Communities," will provide strategies, practical training, and the intellectual foundation necessary to enable confident, thoughtful leadership.

This summer/fall graduate institute is offered in a “blended” format, combining a mix of online and on-campus sessions.

The course commences with a week-long summer session held on campus at UMass Lowell, which will be highly interactive with plenty of opportunity for individuals to network with colleagues in neighboring school districts as well as their own. During the fall, continuing instruction, coaching, and support will be provided online during three separate weeks of online sessions. The program concludes with an on-campus weekend component held at UMass Lowell in early November, which brings all participants together for a follow-up workshop and reunion. Individuals will be invited to participate in a research study as part of the program.

Course Number: 05.630-041; ISIS Class Nbr: 1074; Term #1850 (Trimester '09)
ONE WEEK On Campus Sessions	THREE ONLINE Learning Sessions	ONE WEEKEND On Campus Workshop
Monday-Friday, July 6-10, 2009 from 9:00am-3:00pm, concluding Friday at noon.	Each weekly session will include a one-hour live chat and discussions on work in progress. Online sessions will meet during the following weeks: • Sept. 13-19, 2009 • Oct. 4-10, 2009 • Oct. 25-31, 2009	Friday, Nov. 6, 2009 from 5:00pm-9:00pm and Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009 from 9:00am-noon.

Earn 3 Graduate Credits Towards a Degree...
This 3-credit graduate course can be counted towards an M.Ed. or C.A.G.S. in Curriculum and Instruction. It may also be applied to the Ed.D. in Leadership in Schooling after consultation with and permission of an advisor.

Assignments
Assignments are intended to directly support participants in developing plans and materials they will use in leading their own professional learning communities. There are two major assignments, each of which spans the length of the course

1) Leading and Learning Journal

2) Leading and Learning Project: Each student develops a
workplace embedded initiative to advance the ideas and strategies of the course

Note: The assignments also serve as the basis of the research

Readings
Readings will include selections from:

McDonald, Power of Protocols
Isaacs, Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together
Schon, The Reflective Practitioner
Dewey, How We Think
Hord, Professional Learning Communities
Dufour & Eaker, Professional Learning Communities
Lewin, Action Research
Argyris, Putnam, and Smith, Action Science
Boudett, DataWise
Von Frank, Finding Time for Professional Learning

To Register
Current UML Students - Register online at http://isis.uml.edu.
New students - Register by completing the New Student Registration Form (pdf) and faxing it to Karen von Sneidern at 978-934-2028 (fax).

Contact Info
For questions regarding registration for this course, please contact Karen von Sneidern at (978) 934-2473 or email Karen_vonSneidern@uml.edu

For more information on the course/institute content and requirements, contact Professor James Nehring at James_Nehring@uml.edu