Knowledge Base

Leadership

Unit beliefs are anchored by the idea that learners’ knowledge, skills and dispositions are enhanced when educational leaders create a common culture of high expectations, foster productive relationships within the organization, and hold the organization accountable (Fullan & Scott, 2009). The educational leader is able to advance the key objective of equity when that leader engages in the practice of reflective discourse and a process of critical assessment of all prior assumptions. To become a transformative, translational, and transnational educational leader, that leader must demonstrate a high level of creativity and a strong degree of entrepreneurism. By thinking “outside the box” and becoming a tempered radical (Meyerson, 2001), the true educational leader is innovative and considers diverse pathways and multiple perspectives embedded in diverse cultural contexts (Bensimon & Neuman, 1993). A strong educational leader must possess the ability to advocate for each and every learner. Through this advocacy, the educational leader advances equity by effectively communicating with individuals who hold positions in critical interest groups (Kezar, 2009). Leaders engage in adaptive flexibility and are accessible to multiple constituencies (Heifitz & Linsky, 2002) and develop high educational expectations for all members of the learning community.

Learning

At the USC Rossier School of Education, we believe that learning and motivation involve a complex reciprocal relationship between individual, contextual and cultural influences (Bandura, 1986, 1997). We believe that in addition to content knowledge, learning includes the acquisition of metacognitive and self-regulatory skills related to goal setting, problem solving, critical thinking and self-reflection (Flavell, Miller & Miller, 2002; Locke & Latham, 1990; Zimmerman, 2008). We believe that knowledge is constructed through our interactions with others, and that effective learning environments are social and collaborative in nature (Vygotsky, 1978). Our instructional practices model and advocate student-centered and meaningfully contextualized learning environments that foster student mastery of both domain content and skills in socio-emotional development (Mayer, 2008; Midgley et al., 1998). Our curriculum draws from a theoretically grounded framework that culminates in our candidates being able to flexibly address common problems of practice related to learning and motivation, especially those found in urban settings (Clark & Estes, 2008).

Accountability

Accountability addresses indictors of success such as system coherence and support, evidence-based practices, processes of continual improvement, and organizational learning. Heim (1996) defines accountability as “the responsibility that goes with the authority to do something…to use authority justifiably and credibly.” First and foremost, we are accountable to our students. Education is improved by professional and personal accountability to learners, parents, peers, and high standards of practice, which are responsive to the individual differences and needs of all learners. Through adherence to the principles of ethics and ethical professional practice, we strive to educate our candidates in an environment that promises them equity and justice (Sockett, 1993; Darling- Hammond, 1989). Proficient in data-driven decision-making and goal-directed professional practice, we respond to the needs of our students in a manner that is consistent in practice and effective in outcome (Gregory & Kuzmich, 2004). Accountability demands the application of authentic assessment, involving both formative and summative assessments that are both valid and reliable (Darling-Hammond, Ancess, & Falk, 1995). We believe in organizational accountability responsive to both internal and external accountability demands. While demonstrating our professional and personal accountability to our peers, parents and the community with transparent and verifiable practice and research, we strive to exceed established state and national standards (Ladson-Billings, 1995).

Diversity

The USC Rossier School of Education strives to promote the understanding of the specific strengths and needs of learners who differ in race, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, age, physical or intellectual abilities, religious, personal, and political beliefs. This focus includes an analysis of the distribution of power and how it impacts equity and access to educational and other forms of opportunity; the policies, practices, and beliefs that create barriers for learners and the ways in which these barriers may be personally and collectively navigated (Reynolds & Pope, 1991). Our concept of diversity encompasses acceptance and respect, and fosters the understanding that each individual is unique and that differences and similarities within and between groups are important factors to consider when addressing issues in education (Bennett, 2001). Rossier’s curriculum reflects our deliberate efforts to model, foster, and develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to move beyond tolerance toward embracing and celebrating the rich dimensions of diversity and creating equitable learning environments for all students (Gallagher, et al., 2012).

Our goal is to provide Rossier students with the conceptual foundation and analytic skills needed to apply various competing and complimentary theories, propositions, variables, definitions, research evidence, assumptions, and application to educational practice. Understanding diversity empowers educators to recognize that ideas surrounding difference are socially constructed and that cultural biases can be overcome through the development of appropriate professional dispositions. Our academic programs aim to help Rossier students explore, develop and apply useful strategies for assertively addressing educational issues related to diverse populations and to reconstruct learning environments to meet the needs of all learners.

Read the complete USC Rossier School of Education Conceptual Framework.