Dr.

William Allan Kritsonis 281-550-5700 Home Phone

Professor 936-857-4146 Office

Doctor of Philosophy Program in Educational Leadership

Prairie View A&M University

Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling

College of Education
Prairie View, Texas 77446

Office Hours: As Posted/By Appointment – Fall Semester 2006

Office Hours: Important! Please schedule appointments ONLY with Professor Kritsonis
williamkritsonis@yahoo.com - 281-550-5700 (Available 24/7)

EDUL 7253 Ethical Decision Making in Educational Leadership (3-0) Credit 3

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Provides students with the opportunity to apply the concepts of ethical decision making to the
personal and professional aspects of educational leadership. The concepts of reasoning, problem
solving, and critical thinking will be examined.

KNOWLEDGE BASE – REQUIRED TEXTS

TITLE: Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning

AUTHOR: William Allan Kritsonis, PhD
PUBLISHER: Visiting Lecturers 2005, Oxford Round Table
ISBN: 0-9770013-3-4

TITLE: Atlas Shrugged and the book Virtues of Selfishness

AUTHOR: Ayn Rand
PUBLISHER: Numerous Publishers – Bookstore Outlets – Amazon.com
ISBN: Obtain from above

It is suggested that doctoral students purchase a current APA Style Guide if they do not have one.
APA guidelines also available at: www.nationalforum.com

NOTE: Links to journals, research reports, and other sources will be posted on the
class WebCT site, and additional materials may be presented in class. All posted and
distributed materials form part of the knowledge base for the course.

E-FOLD-P (CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK)

Educator as Facilitator of Learning for Diverse Populations

5.0 To prepare beginning administrators as problem solvers, critical thinkers and

decision makers.
6.0 To prepare beginning administrators as facilitators of teacher and student growth
and development through understanding of leadership dimensions.
 7.0 To provide beginning administrators with an awareness of human diversity, a
knowledge of the importance and skills needed for effective community and
parental involvement.
8.0 To prepare beginning administrators to be reflect and continual learners with
knowledge and value of self-appraisal techniques and goal setting for a personal
commitment.

II. LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

a. Comprehend and demonstrate an understanding of ethical decision making in

educational leadership.
b. Comprehend different conceptions of ethical decision making in educational
leadership and the implications of these conceptions for education settings.
c. Comprehend and articulate an understanding of ethical decision making in
society.
d. Comprehend and demonstrate and awareness of the components of ethical
decision making leadership knowledge base expected of educational leaders.
e. Comprehend and engage in reflect practice with respect to administrative and
leadership activities related to making ethical decisions.
f. Comprehend and discuss the concept of the “educated person” and articulate its
implications for ethical decision making in education.
g. Comprehend and explain the historical evaluation of education in the United
States of America, with special emphasis on the development of educational
policies and leadership structures dealing with ethical decision making.
h. Comprehend an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of
centralized and decentralized management structures in relating to ethical
decision making in educational leadership.
i. Comprehend and articulate and demonstrate an awareness of the ethical
components of leadership, especially as these emerge in the context of ethical
.decision making in education

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES AND ASSESSMENTS

GOAL 1: Defining Objectives for Ethical Decision-Making in Educational Leadership.

Learning Outcomes:
1. Identify the benefits of defining clear objectives in the ethical
decision making process.
2. Understand the importance of defining objectives in every decision
making situation.
3. In any decision making situation, be able to define and specify
objectives.
4. Improve objective setting skills through practice in ethical decision
making.

GOAL 2: Establish Factors for Constraining or Affecting the Decision.

1. Appreciate the value of identifying factors constraining and affecting
the options for ethical decision making and using them as a vital part
of the process.
 2. Identify those things that constrain or affect the decision and must be
considered against each option as a principal aid to making the best
ethical decision.
3. Having established which factors affect the decision, be able to classify
them as essential constraints or desirable criteria.
4. Scale desirable factors to give more accurate weight to each one.
5. Improve factor identification and assessment by doing a practical case
research paper.

GOAL 3: Generating Options and Selecting the Best Ethical Decision

1. Derive the benefit which imaginative option generation and selection
give to the process of making the best ethical decision.
2. Access or generate a range of options in any decision making situation
sufficient to make the probability of a good ethical decision likely.
3. Recognize that they must always consider the status quo/no action
option.
4. Recognize the importance of assessing the risk attached to each option.
5. Select the option best likely to meet the objective by screening all the
options through the factors and assessing for risk.
6. Improve option generation, risk assessment and selection of the best
option through doing a research paper.

GOAL 4: Selecting Your Optimal Ethical Decision –Making Styles

1. Benefit from awareness of one’s own preferred ethical decision making
style.
2. Learn how to develop more flexibility in one’s own preferred decision
making style in order to get decisions implemented.
3. Learn how to identify the various decision making styles.
4. Identify which style is most likely to be effective in decision making
situations.
5. Check their own preferred style in decision making situations.
6. Increase their flexibility by extending the scope of styles used.

IV. STRUCTURED EXTERNAL ASSIGNMENT – ETHICAL DECISION MAKING IN

EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP – Research Paper

Analyze ethical decision making practices in educational leadership as it relates to school

improvement. The research paper should be on a practice or plan that can be studied from first
hand experience and how the implementation of ethical decision making can improve schooling. A
statement of the “problem” and a tentative outline of the paper must be submitted to Dr. Kritsonis to
review for approval by session three.

Guidelines for the Research Paper: Due: November 17, 2006 - Friday

The research paper should be 25 pages including an abstract and references. The specific
tasks for this assignment include the following:
 Choose a work environment that you are reasonably familiar –
either your own or some other organization. You may focus on a
particular unit, department, school, or the system as a whole.

a. Based upon a review of the literature and your own analysis

of the organization’s/unit’s strengths and weaknesses,
identify the need for potential change in your outline.
Provide a brief outline of the issue to be analyzed and the
way you intend to investigate potential improvements.

b. If possible, include interviews with the leader of the unit

before the study and an exit interview with your conclusions
and recommendations.

c. You may revise your position as you deem appropriate.

d. Include in your research paper the following elements: The

work environment, key provisions of the current
organizational practice, the concerns or deficiencies with the
current practice, the evidence upon which this judgment was
based (literature, interviews, personal experience, etc.),
proposed changes, rationale for the changes, interview
reactions if applicable, and the final revisions you made with
the reasons for the revisions.

Evaluation of Research Papers

A (90-100 pts) - This research paper has a clear beginning, middle, and an end
delineating the line of argument/analysis developed by the candidate. This is clearly
original, superior work product with no spelling or grammatical errors. The
arguments are compelling and supported. The paper has a conclusion that is
supported by the evidence. This paper conforms to the articles published in the
DOCTORAL FORUM – www.nationalforum.com.
B (80-89 pts) - This research paper has most of the requirements to receive an “A”,
but falls short in one or more areas. Spelling and grammatical errors, no matter how
minor, usually result in the grade of a “B” even if all other indices have been met.
C (70-79 pts) - This research paper fails to meet one or more of the above
requirements and contains many spelling, grammatical or syntactical errors. The line
of argument is not clear or not supportable. The paper is a superficial treatment and
not very original.
D (60 – 69) - This research paper is unacceptable. It fails to develop a coherent line
of argument or analysis. What points are made are not supported logically and show
no real understanding of the premises. The connections are not clear.
F (59 and below) - This research paper is unacceptable. In addition to the
above errors, there are many spelling, grammatical or syntactical errors in this
paper.

V. METHODOLOGY – APPLICATION OF ADULT LEARNING THEORY

 The perspective of this course is that doctoral students are adults and they learn best
when they can …
a. Direct their own learning.
b. Influence and participate in meaningful decision making.
c. Focus on problems relevant to practice.
d. Use their own, rich experiential backgrounds.
e. Build strong relationships with peers.
f. Exercise some control over both the content and the process of learning.
g. Influence activities and topic format of discussions.
h. Develop goals, design and implement activities, and evaluate outcomes.
i. Feel a sense of ownership.
Course requirements, the classroom environment, learning activities, and
assessment strategies will reflect the above principles.

VI. ASSESSMENT FOR DETERMINING GRADES - Assignments

100 Points – First Examination – September 29, 2006 – Friday

(Essay Title: How to Implement the Ways of Knowing Through the
Realms
of Meaning as a Ethical Decision Making Process to Improve Academic
Achievement – Ten Recommendations - 15 pgs., including 5 references, APA
format and DOCTORAL FORUM style) Submit two hard copies.

100 Points – Second Examination – October 6, 2006 – Friday

(Essay Title: Implementing the Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of
Meaning for the Improvement of Ethical Conduct – Ten Recommendations.
– 15 pgs., including 5 references, APA format and DOCTORAL FORUM style)
Submit two hard copies.

100 Points – Third Examination – November 17, 2006 – Friday

Part Three: Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning –
True/False

100 Points – Research Paper – (See IV. Above) – November 17, 2006 Friday

Ayn Rand’s basic philosophy is as follows:

“My philosophy in essence,” she said, “is the concept of man as a heroic being, with
his own happiness as the moral purpose of his life, with productive achievement as
his noblest activity, and reason as his only absolute.”

In your doctoral program, you are required to read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn
Rand. Atlas Shrugged presents many challenges and opportunities that humankind
must face during his/her existence relative to life, ethics, morals, values, and
spirituality.
Select a title for your essay. In your essay, discuss ten of the most salient or
penetrating ideas presented in Atlas Shrugged that impact people’s lives. In addition,
incorporate the key ideas of Ayn Rand’s book, Virtues of Selfishness. Be original in
your analysis. In your discussion, make certain to discuss the contributions of John
 Galt and Galt’s Gulch. – 25 pgs., APA format and DOCTORAL FORUM style.
Submit two hard copies.

100 Points – Power Point Presentation on Ethical Decision Making (40 minutes)
(Two members per group)
Submit CD and two hard copies of presentation to Dr. Kritsonis.
Send cohort members copies of your presentation.

150 Points – Class Participation - (Grade shall be lowered for lack of participation)
650 Total Points
584 – 650 = A
477 – 453 = B
410 – 476 = C
343 – 409 = D
Below 342 = F
Out-of-class/independent writing assignment on September 22, 2006 - Friday

VII. CLASS ATENDANCE POLICY

Prairie View A&M University (Member of the Texas A&M University System)
requires regular class attendance. Attending all classes supports full academic
development of each learner whether classes are taught with the instructor physically
present or via distance learning technologies such as interactive video. Excessive
absenteeism, whether excused or unexcused, may result in a student’s course grade
being reduced or in assignment of a grade of “F”. Absences are accumulated
beginning with the first day of class during regular semesters and summer terms.
Each faculty member will include the University’s attendance policy in each course
syllabus.

VIII. DISABILITY STATEMENT

Students with disabilities, including learning disabilities, who wish to require

accommodations in class should register with the Services for Students with
Disabilities (SSD) or Office of Disability Services early in the semester so that
appropriate arrangements may be made. In accordance with federal laws, a student
requesting special accommodations must provide documentation of their disability to
the SSD coordinator.

IX. ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

You are expected to practice academic honesty in every aspect of this course and all
other courses. Make sure you are familiar with your Student Handbook, especially
the second on academic misconduct,. Students who engage in academic misconduct
are subject to university disciplinary procedures.

Forms of academic dishonesty:

1. Cheating: deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has
mastered information on an academic exercise that he/she has not mastered;
 giving or receiving aid unauthorized by the instructor on assignments or
examinations.
2. Academic misconduct: tampering with grades or taking part in obtaining or
distributing any part of a scheduled test.
3. Fabrication: use of invented information or falsified research.
4. Plagiarism: unacknowledged quotation and/or paraphrase of someone else’s
words, ideas, or data as one’s own in work submitted for credit. Failure to
identify information or essays from the Internet and submitting them as one’s
own work also constitutes plagiarism.
5. Submitting another person’s work for them because of being absent.

X. NONACADEMIC MISCONDUCT

The university respects the rights of instructors to teach and students to learn.
Maintenance of these rights requires conditions that do not impede their exercise.
Campus behavior that interferes with either (1) the instructor’s ability to conduct the
class, (2) the inability of other students to profit from the instructional program, or
(3) campus behavior that interferes with the rights of others will not be tolerated. An
individual engaging in such disruptive behavior may be subject to disciplinary action.
Such incidents will be adjudicated by the Dean of Students under nonacademic
procedures.

XI. SEXUAL MISCONDUCT

Sexual harassment of students and employers at Prairie View A&M University

(Member of the Texas A&M University System) is unacceptable and will not be
tolerated. Any member of the university community violating this policy will be
subject to disciplinary action.

William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

In 2005, Dr. William Allan Kritsonis lectured at the Oxford Round Table at
Oriel College in the University of Oxford, Oxford, England. His lecture was
entitled Ways of Knowing Through the Realms of Meaning.

Dr. Kritsonis Recognized as Distinguished Alumnus

In 2004, Dr. Kritsonis was recognized as the Central Washington

University Alumni Association Distinguished Alumnus for the College of
Education and Professional Studies. Final selection was made by the
Alumni Association Board of Directors. Recipients are CWU graduates of 20
years or more and are recognized for achievement in their professional field
and have a positive contribution to society. For the second consecutive year,
U.S. News and World Report placed Central Washington University among
the top elite public institutions in the west. CWU was 12th on the list in the
2006 On-Line Education of “America’s Best Colleges.”
 Educational Background

Dr. Kritsonis earned his BA in 1969 from Central Washington University,

Ellensburg, Washington. In 1971, he earned his M.Ed. from Seattle Pacific
University. In 1976, he earned his PhD from the University of Iowa. In 1981,
he served as a Visiting Scholar at Teachers College, Columbia University,
New York, and in 1987 was a Visiting Scholar at Stanford University, Palo
Alto, California.

Professional Experience

Dr. Kritsonis began his career as a teacher. He has served education as a

principal, superintendent of schools, director of field experiences and student
teaching, consultant, invited guest professor, author, editor, and publisher. He
has earned tenure at the highest academic rank as a professor at two major
universities.

Founder of National FORUM Journals – Over 4,000 Professors Published

Dr. Kritsonis is founder of NATIONAL FORUM JOURNALS. These

periodicals represent a group of highly respected academic professional
journals. Over 4,000 authors in higher education have been published in these
refereed, peer-evaluated, blind-reviewed, juried academic scholarly journals.
In 1983, he founded the National FORUM of Educational Administration
and Supervision Journal recognized by many as the United States’ leading
nationally recognized scholarly academic refereed journal in educational
administration and supervision.
In 1987, Dr. Kritsonis founded the National FORUM of Applied
Educational Research Journal (National FORUM AERJ) whose aim is to
conjoin the efforts of researchers worldwide with those of practitioners. In
subsequent years he founded the National FORUM of Teacher Education
Journal, National FORUM of Special Education Journal, National
FORUM Multicultural Issues Journal, International Journal of Scholarly
Academic Intellectual Diversity. In 2005 he established the International
Journal of Management, Business, and Administration, and the
DOCTORAL FORUM – National Journal for Publishing and Mentoring
Doctoral Student Research. The DOCTORAL FORUM is the only
refereed journal in America committed to publishing doctoral students while
they are completing course work in their doctoral programs. In 1997, he
established the Online Journal Division of NATONAL FORUM
JOURNALS that publishes articles daily following the completion of a
rigorous national refereeing process. Over 500 professors have published
online. Over 250,000 readers visit the website yearly at:
www.nationalforum.com.
 Books – Articles – Lecturers – Workshops

Dr. Kritsonis lectures and conducts workshops and seminars on a variety of

topics. He conducts workshops on writing for professional publication in
refereed journals in education. He is author or coauthor of more than 500
articles in professional journals and several books. His popular book
SCHOOL DISCIPLINE: The Art of Survival is now scheduled for its fourth
edition. His textbook William Kritsonis, PhD on SCHOOLING is used by
many colleagues at colleges and universities throughout the nation.
In 2007, Dr. Kritsonis’ version of the book of Ways of Knowing Through
the Realms of Meaning (858 pages) was published in the United States of
America in cooperation with partial financial support of Visiting Lecturers,
Oxford Round Table (2005). The book is the product of a collaborative
twenty-four year effort started in 1978 with Dr. Philip H. Phenix. Dr.
Kritosnis was in continuous communication with Dr. Phenix until his death in
2002.
In 2006, Dr. Kritsonis published two articles in the Two-Volume Set of the
Encyclopedia of Educational Leadership and Administration published by
SAGE Publications, Thousand Oaks, California. He is a National Reviewer
for the Journal of Research on Leadership, University Council for Educational
Administration (UCEA).
In 2007, Dr. Kritsonis has been invited to write a history and philosophy of
education for the ABC-CLIO Encyclopedia of World History.

International Travel

Dr. Kritsonis has traveled internationally. Some recent international tours

include Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Turkey, Italy, Greece, Monte
Carlo, Spain, England, Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia,
Poland, Germany, and many more.

University Teaching Experiences

Dr. Kritsonis has served in professorial roles at Central Washington

University, Washington; Salisbury State University, Maryland; Northwestern
State University, Louisiana; McNeese State University, Louisiana; Wright
State University, Ohio; and Louisiana State University (LSU) at Baton Rouge,
Louisiana in the Department of Administrative and Foundational Services.
Currently, Dr. Kritsonis is Professor of Educational Leadership at Prairie
View A&M University a Member of the Texas A&M University System. He
teaches in the newly established Doctor of Philosophy Program in Educational
Leadership. Dr. Kritsonis taught the Inaugural class session in the PhD
program at the start of the fall 2004 academic year. He lives in Houston,
Texas.