William Allan Kritsonis, PhD

Professor
PhD Program in Educational Leadership
Prairie View A&M University
Department of Educational Leadership and Counseling
College of Education
Prairie View, Texas 77446

936-857-4146
williamkritsonis@yahoo.com
Office Hours: As Posted/By Appointment

EDUL 7003 Fundamental Components of Strategic Thinking (3-0) Credit 3

I. COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Designed to help students understand the process of strategic thinking, visioning and
the establishment and achievement of organizational goals and objectives.

KNOWLEDGE BASE – REQUIRED TEXTS

TITLE: The Fifth Discipline

AUTHOR: Peter M. Senge
PUBLISHER: Doubleday/Currency
ISBN: 0-385-260946

It is suggested that doctoral students purchase a current APA Style guide if they do not
have one.

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
knowedge and value of self-appraisal techniques and goal setting for a
personal commitment.
II. LEARNING GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Comprehend the essentials of strategic thinking..

2. Comprehend the principles and practices in strategic thinking.
3. Comprehend employee benefits of using strategic thinking in employer and
employee relationships.
4. Comprehend the importance of strategic thinking as it relates to morale and
motivation.
5. Comprehend knowledge of those fundamental components of strategic thinking
principles and practices that have been proved sound in the light of research and
practice.
6. Comprehend the importance of using practical and useful sources of information
in the function of strategic thinking in all aspects of educational leadership.
7. Comprehend the responsibility of management for implementing fundamental
components of strategic thinking for areas of management within the
organization.
8. Comprehend the responsibility for management of human resources within the
organization.
9. Comprehend the importance of selecting competent educational leaders with the
talent to implement strategic thinking as it relates to school improvement.

III. LEARNING OUTCOMES, ACTIVITIES, AND ASSESSMENTS

Outline of Topics

1. Introduction to the fundamental components of strategic thinking in the

management and supervision of people
2. Areas of responsibilities for the implementation of strategic thinking within the
organization
3. Discussion of theories and practices related to strategic thinking.
4. The importance of strategic thinking in building relationships within the formal
and informal organization impacting school improvement initiatives.
5. Implementing fundamental components of strategic thinking with styles of
educational leadership and completing administrative tasks.
6. Methods of using strategic thinking in manpower planning and staffing
7. Current practices of using strategic thinking in employee appraisals.
8. Employment practices using the guiding principles of strategic thinking.
9. Training and development of employees in the principles, practices, and
techniques of implementing strategic thinking in the organization.
10. Management’s role in the professional development and improvement of
employees in the area of strategic thinking.
11. Strategic thinking for evaluating employment relationships, policies, attitudes
and morale.
IV. STRUCTURED EXTERNAL ASSIGNMENT – STRATEGIC THINKING

Analyze the fundamental components of strategic thinking as it relates to school

improvement. The research paper should be based on a practice or plan that can be
studied based upon first hand experience. A statement of the “problem” and a
tentative outline of the research paper must be submitted to Dr. Kritsonis to review
for approval by session three.

Guidelines for the Research Paper:

The research paper should be 15-20 pages including an abstract and bibliography.
The specific tasks for this assignment include the following:

a. 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.

b. 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 (due
not later than session three).

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

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

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

e. 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

H = 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.
P = This research paper has most of the requirements to receive an “H”, but falls
short in one or more areas. Spelling and grammatical errors, no matter how minor,
usually result in the grade of a “P” even if all other indices have been met.
LP = 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.
F = 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. There are many
spelling, grammatical or syntactical errors in the paper.

IV. METHODOLOGY – APPLICATION OF ADULT LEARNING THEORY

The perspective of this course is that doctoral students are adults and they learn best
when they can …
1. Direct their own learning.
2. Influence and participate in meaningful decision making.
3. Focus on problems relevant to practice.
4. Use their own, rich experiential backgrounds.
5. Build strong relationships with peers.
6. Exercise some control over both the content and the process of learning.
7. Influence activities and topic format of discussions.
8. Develop goals, design and implement activities, and evaluate outcomes.
9. Feel a sense of ownership.

Course requirements, the classroom environment, learning activities, and assessment

strategies will reflect the above principles.

V. ASSESSMENT FOR DETERMINING GRADES

100 Points – First Examination

100 Points – Second Examination
100 Points – Comprehensive Examination
100 Points – Research Paper
150 Points – Classroom Participation
550 Total Points

484 – 550 = A
377 – 483 = B
310 – 376 = C
 243 – 309 = D
Below 242 = F

VI. 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.

VII. 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.

VIII. 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.
IX. 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.

X. 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.

Professorial Roles

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.
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.