Education Curricula for Higher Education

The Draft Model refers to a revised model of the current Educational Administration, Masters in Education (EDEA MEd) in Higher Education curriculum. I am proposing modifications to the EDEA MEd curriculum. Currently, the University of Hawaii at Manoa offers five different pathways or programs in Educational Administration. Three of these five pathways are PhD programs, and two are Masters tracks. The PhD programs include Educational Foundations and Educational Policy Studies, Educational Administration in Higher Education, and Educational Administration in K-12. The Masters programs include MEd in Educational Administration of Higher Education, and MEd in Educational Administration of K-12.
The Masters programs are geared towards students and professionals interested in middle management positions and include coursework in “leadership, policy and finance, legal issues, organizational theory, curriculum, students, and research,” (University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2017). To accommodate adult students and professionals, courses are offered at night. Although the curriculum is generally sound, I believe further instruction in public policy analysis, political philosophy, human resources, leadership, and administration would be helpful. More importantly, two areas of interest seem noticeably absent: the use of technology in education, and the importance of diversity and cross-cultural communications.
Some of these courses can and should be elective, to account for different student interests in applying their degree to the educational sector. Public policy impacts education, and political philosophies in turn impact public policy. Understanding the context of education, and how to apply big picture analysis will help future education administrators contribute more fully to the discourse. I also believe that more research-oriented approaches will help ground educational policy in evidence rather than relying on assumptions and norms. Also, my draft model will include elective coursework in financial administration given that many education administrators will be developing budgets for their institutions. Finally, mandatory courses in educational technologies and cultural literacy or cultural competency will help the administrators of the future.
Draft Model: Informal Paper
For the MEd in Educational Administration (both K-12 and Higher Education), a minimum of 36 credits is required, including the following course domains:
· EDEA 657 Introduction to Higher Education
· EDEA 602 Research in Educational Administration
· One additional research course (EDEA 604 or 629)
· One 700 level EDEA seminar
· At least one course in higher education institutions (e.g., EDEA 646, 650, 662)
· At least two courses in leadership (e.g., EDEA 642, 660, 661, 663)
· At least one course in legal/fiscal issues (e.g., EDEA 620HE, 630HE)
· Up to two elective courses from a related field (approved by advisor) or additional units in EDEA as needed
· Plan A thesis (6 units) or Plan B project (3 units)

Proposed Changes:
1. Retain the introductory course, but add introductory courses in Policy, Administrative Finance, and the Political Philosophy of Education. A broad and multidisciplinary approach will appeal to EDEA students who are interested in different dimensions of education. Some students will opt to pursue careers in educational policy at the state or federal level. Others will pursue middle management positions in an institution of their choice. The differences between the public education systems and private or for-profit institutions will also be addressed in introductory courses.
2. Mandatory coursework in cultural literacy. The program needs to include cultural literacy or cultural communications because of the increased need for diversity awareness at the level of administration. Cultural literacy can include coursework related to different attitudes towards education and different models of education in different countries. Administrators will be managing groups of international educators and international students. Both international educators and international students will have an easier time coping and achieving their goals when the administrators understand their unique needs. Attitudes towards educational attainment, authority figures, and curricula can be addressed, as well as the need to develop special programs and services for international students. Cross-cultural awareness can also help future administrators develop school-based programs and services such as English language supports, English language writing instruction, and counseling.
3. Mandatory coursework in educational technology. As Bates & Poole (2003) point out, administrators need to maintain strong technology literacy so that they can help keep their institutions up-to-date, and enable the effective delivery of educational tools, resources, and curricula. Ideally, the University of Hawaii at Manoa will offer additional coursework in educational technologies to help EDEA students to understand what technologies are currently out there, what emerging technologies look most promising for specific types of educational settings, and how to resolve conflicts related to technology such as system architecture, system integration and coordination, and budgeting for technology.
4. Reduce the required number of leadership courses to one. Leadership is a nebulous issue, and the core principles of good leadership can be disseminated in one good course. Freeing up the curricula, the EDEA students will be better off with additional coursework in either elective or required areas such as public policy, curriculum development, or technology.
5. Expand elective options to include philosophy and psychology. Philosophy options could include the history of educational philosophy, as well as ethics in education. Psychology options may include social psychology or the psychology of motivation.
6. Expand opportunities for elective coursework for EDEA students interested in human resources development. Some EDEA students in the MEd path will become human resources managers in educational institutions. It is important to learn how to motivate and retain educators and create a stable, harmonious, and positive work environment.
7. Offer work-study and internship for credit opportunities. Many EDEA students will benefit from options for formal work-study or internships that offer course credit. Hands-on experience in an educational institution can be tremendously helpful when integrated into the curriculum, and many students at the University of Hawaii will already be working professionals seeking to upgrade their skills.
8. Research and evidence-based practice need to be integrated into the curricula formally. Although the PhD programs are more likely to support student empirical and experimental research, the MEd students should also be offered the option to perform independent, faculty-supervised educational research in a specific field of interest. Participating in research will help the EDEA students contribute to their professions and develop a professional identity.



References

Bates, A.W. & Poole, G. (2003). Effective teaching with technology in higher education. Indianapolis: Wiley.
Conrad, C. F., & Johnson, J. (eds.). (2012). College & university curriculum: Placing learning at the epicenter of courses, programs and institutions. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Pearson Custom publishing.
University of Hawaii at Manoa (2017). Educational administration (EDEA). Retrieved online: https://coe.hawaii.edu/academics/educational-administration