Motivation to Teach Social Action:
I am deeply interested in participating in this course development program for two reasons. First, it is timely as my colleagues and I are developing a new master's program in Education Administration and Social Justice; this experience will directly inform the design of courses that integrate social action theory and practice. Second, it offers an opportunity to deepen my own pedagogical approach to teaching leadership through a social action lens. Learning new frameworks for guiding students from reflection to community engagement will enhance how I prepare future educators to lead meaningful, inclusive change.
Course Description:
The coexistence of diverse perspectives, identities, and values shapes leadership, collaboration, and change across P–12 and higher education systems. Students explore how leaders can transform understanding into action by engaging multiple viewpoints to address shared educational challenges. Through the study of theory, policy, and practice, the course investigates how reflective and adaptive leaders foster dialogue, build coalitions, and mobilize communities toward inclusive and sustainable improvement. Students will integrate theory with practice through dialogue-based inquiry and an applied social action project that responds to a real-world challenge within an educational organization or community.
Taught By:
Sonya Okoli
Assistant Professor
Educational Leadership
Clark Atlanta University
Read profile here.