School Improvement – Thinking Outside the Box is an innovative, self-paced course designed for emerging school leaders transitioning from classroom teaching to roles that shape professional learning across their schools or districts. It is also valuable for current school leaders seeking a fresh perspective and new strategies to drive meaningful improvement in their organizations. Based on principles of adult learning, this course challenges participants to move beyond traditional training models by exploring reflective questions that guide the design and development of impactful, learner-centered professional development. Through a combination of journal reflections and action plan assignments in each module, participants will examine their leadership context, rethink how educators learn best, and generate bold, practical strategies for school improvement that go beyond conventional boundaries.
Number of Units: 3.0 graduate level extension credit(s) in semester hours.
Who Should Attend: Teacher leaders, such as teachers in a department chair role, school improvement role, or anyone who is responsible for level training within a school. Also school leaders such as principals, assistant/vice principals or aspiring school leaders, district leaders and anyone with a role in curriculum leadership, superintendent, school or district improvement.
Course Materials: Text, Improving Schools: Simple Approaches and Understandings to Realize Growth by Kevin Popadines, available at Barnes & Noble, Bloomsbury or at Amazon.com.
Technical Requirements
This 3-unit online self-paced course is designed for emerging school leaders transitioning from classroom teaching to roles that shape professional learning across their schools or districts.
Once you have enrolled in your course, log in to your account to access the course Welcome Letter, which includes directions on how to access the Online Orientation and your online course.
Professional development courses offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education are taught by faculty that possess a depth and breadth of academic and real-world professional experience.
The Professional and Continuing Education program nurtures key partnerships on the local, national, and international level. The goal is to better serve working professionals who seek to enhance or build their careers and help achieve their highest value and potential. Contact us today to learn more.
High-quality, career-building courses to choose from
In-depth, innovative, and relevant topics
Career advancing certificates
Courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that allows you to structure your education to suit your schedule while keeping you on pace toward achieving your educational goals.
Online fixed-date courses are delivered virtually but follow a predetermined schedule, requiring students to complete assignments, participate in discussions, and take assessments by specific deadlines—much like a traditional classroom. The key difference is that while traditional courses are conducted in person at set times and locations, online fixed-date courses allow students to engage remotely, offering more flexibility in where they learn while preserving structure and accountability through fixed timelines. (Note: Any scheduled Zoom sessions will be outlined on the class schedule.) These courses have fixed start and finish dates, but as an online student you will have 24/7 online access to your classroom assignments, syllabus and course resources. Instructor feedback is shared along with the graded assignments.
How is the learning structured? Each online fixed-date course is asynchronous, meaning that you can work on your assignments anytime, although you are required to complete the assignments by specific dates. The course is designed with learning modules where all of the content is grouped into weekly assignments. Each module covers one or more topics. Within each of the learning modules, you can expect the following components:
• Module introduction that outlines what you can expect to learn in the module.
• Required readings (textbook, articles, journals, etc.) and presentations (audio and/or video).
• Assignments with due dates (which may include: written assignments, journal entries, research, blogs, etc.) based on the readings and presentations.
• Discussion forum where you answer prompts from the instructor and interact with your classmates.
• Module conclusion to review the topics and what you should have learned.
Typically, there is a final project, paper, or exam due in the last module that culminates all of the topics covered in each of the learning modules. You’ll find that the design of the learning modules has a rhythm to help you manage your time in the course.
With hundreds of courses across a range of education-related topics, there’s a strong chance we have the ideal class for you!
Small class sizes with real-world educators are an important part of the USD experience.
Our educator courses offer flexible course formats and class times to help you balance your work, USD studies, and family life.