Graduate Course · Faculty of Education · McGill University

EDEM 693

School Improvement Approaches — Fall 2026

A seminar co-created with students to explore school improvement approaches within their local context — reading and discussing research-based articles on creating and leading effective schools, and applying that research to a project-based, constructivist final plan.

"In schools the main problem is not the absence of innovations but the presence of too many disconnected, piecemeal, superficially adorned projects. We are over our heads." Michael Fullan
Course Information

Instructor & Course Details

Instructor
Sam Bruzzese
Term
Fall 2026
Day & Time
Wednesdays
5:35 – 8:25 PM
Location
680 Sherbrooke St. W
Room 1822
Email
sam.bruzzese@mcgill.ca
Bluesky
@sbruzzese.org
Course hashtag #edem693
Office Hours
4:30 – 5:30 PM
By Zoom or appt., before class
Platforms
MyCourses & Perusall
Course Overview

About the Course

This class is designed to help students co-create a seminar on school improvement approaches within their local context: reading and discussing research-based articles on creating and leading effective schools, continuing to develop the expertise required to provide effective leadership in educational settings, and demonstrating understanding of the processes of educational change by applying the readings to the creation of a Calm Waters School improvement plan in a project-based, constructivist learning environment.

There have been thousands of articles and books written on school improvement — understanding change, instructional leadership, success plans, using data, improving student learning, leading effective schools, and more. As this course is co-constructed, some content will be filled in by students during the first two weeks, based on their school setting and expertise. Each week involves roughly 25–30 pages of reading for the lecture and discussion portion of class.

1

Fullan's Six Secrets

Teams of 3–4 research and teach one of Fullan's Six Secrets of Change, checked against the Aldridge & McLure literature review plus a student-selected article.

2

AI Literacy

Time is spent exploring how AI literacy will shape your future career, using the OECD's draft AI Literacy Framework and ISTE Standards.

3

Calm Waters School

The semester-long final project: a school improvement plan grounded in the major research findings covered in the course, incorporating well-being as an essential component of successful schools.

Class Norms & Attendance

Mobile devices are welcome when used for course content — we're modelling the same social media use (Bluesky, LinkedIn, etc.) we'd want from school administrators, and the best way to model it is to use it.

Attendance is required. Students are expected to be present and on time, remain for the full class period, and actively participate. Only valid reasons — medical, family emergencies, observance of holy days, work obligations, intercollegiate athletics — justify missing class, and the instructor should be notified beforehand where possible, with documentation provided. Excessive unavoidable absence may lead to a recommended withdrawal; at the instructor's discretion, unexcused absences may result in a final grade of "J" or "K."

Two rounds of course feedback take place before final course evaluations, so adjustments can be made based on students' needs.

Required Course Readings

For Fall '26, the course draws on Michael Fullan's latest book and a supporting literature review, purchased and hosted on Perusall via MyCourses.

Primary Text

Fullan, M. (2026). The Six Secrets of Change 2.0 (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.

Parts 1–3; students will receive direct links. The book will be purchased on Perusall through the MyCourses link ($20.99 Cdn.).

Literature Review

Aldridge, J. M., & McLure, F. I. (2024). Preparing schools for educational change: Barriers and supports — A systematic literature review.

Leadership and Policy in Schools, 23(3), 486–511, plus Appendix.

Optional

Masters, G. (2023). Building a World-Class Learning System: Insights from Some Top-Performing School Systems.

National Center on Education and the Economy — not required; offered for teams wanting a comparative-systems angle.

Quebec/Canadian context materials are TBD, to be finalized by Week 4.

Learning Outcomes

Objectives

By the end of this course, students who fully participate will:

The course also targets the 2021 Quebec Professional Teacher Competencies.

Weekly Schedule

Fall '26

Please log into the class MyCourses page for detailed info. Readings are posted on MyCourses and accessed through Perusall.

WkDateTopic & Readings
1Sept 2 Course Introduction & Overview Team formation (6 teams of ~4); Calm Waters capstone previewed.
  • OECD Education Canada 2026
2Sept 9 Quebec / Canadian Context QEP policy on Educational Success & School Success Plans.
  • OECD Digital Education Outlook 2025
  • Policy on Educational Success (major objectives & outcomes)
  • QEP School Success Plan (infographic)
3Sept 16 Planning for Change The empirical literature on school improvement, 2000–2020.
  • Literature review 2000 to 2020
  • Appendix from lit review (by topic)
  • Video (assigned)
  • Double Helix Approach to School Leadership (Handbook, preface) Optional
Blog #1 due
4Sept 23 Planning for Change, cont'd High school change over three decades.
  • High School Change: Three Decades of Frustration, Struggles and Progress
  • Andy Hargreaves Keynote on Well-Being — full video Optional
5Sept 30 Future Alternatives & Reaching High Performance Prepping for the Six Secrets presentations.
  • Future Alternatives for Educational Leadership (pp. 143–161): Leading large-scale educational change in the 21st century — pre-, during-, and post-pandemic
  • How to Reach High Performance, Leithwood, Harris & Strauss
  • Policy on Educational Success
Blog #2 due · team prep time
6Oct 7 A Secret World Setting the stage for the Six Secrets.
  • Part 1: A Secret World (Fullan's latest book)
  • Framework for Safe and Successful School Environments
  • Handbook of School Improvement — How High-Performing Systems... (Ch. 3, Focusing) Optional
  • OECD Toolkit: Improving School Leadership Optional
—Oct 14 Reading Week — no class
7Oct 21 Team Presentation 1 · Secret One: Love Your Employees — Spirit Work
  • Presentation 1 — Love Your Employees: Spirit Work a Long Way to Go
  • Generative AI for Human Skill & Development (OECD, ch. 2)
  • Leadership Practices in Effective Schools in Disadvantaged Areas in Canada
  • OECD Improving System Leadership Vol. 1: Policy and Practice Optional
  • "Our Teamwork Approach" — Peters K–3 Elementary, full video Optional
Blog #3 due
8Oct 28 Team Presentation 2 · Secret Two: Connect Peers with Purpose — Contextual Literacy
  • Presentation 2 — Connect Peers with Purpose: Contextual Literacy
  • Enhancing Student Learning through Generative AI (OECD, ch. 3 & 4)
  • Power of Play
  • OECD Improving School Leadership Vol. 2: Case Studies on System Leadership Optional
9Nov 4 Team Presentation 3 · Secret Three: Capacity Building Prevails — Connected Autonomy
  • Presentation 3 — Capacity Building Prevails: Connected Autonomy
  • Developing Creativity with Generative AI (OECD, ch. 5 & 6)
  • Teaching to Repair the World
  • What Do We Mean by "Education" and "Technology"? Neil Selwyn (ch. 1)
  • Summit school improvement initiative — sample from McGill class Optional
Blog #4 due
10Nov 11 Team Presentation 4 · Secret Four: Learning Is the Work — Legacy Leaders
  • Presentation 4 — Learning Is the Work: Legacy Leaders
  • Augmenting Teacher Performance with Generative AI (OECD, ch. 7 & 8)
  • Sustainable Leadership
  • A project on restorative justice — possible tie-in with schoolyard behaviour Optional
11Nov 18 Team Presentation 5 · Secret Five: Transparency Rules — Trust & Interact GenAI hands-on lab (Sam's AI Roadmap & The Turing Lectures: What is Generative AI?).
  • Presentation 5 — Transparency Rules: Trust and Interact
  • Generative AI as a Teaching Assistant (OECD, ch. 9 & 10)
  • Building a World Class System
  • High school improvement initiative on tech Optional
Blog #5 due
12Nov 25 Team Presentation 6 · Secret Six: Systems Learn Calm Waters project sharing, Part 1.
  • Presentation 6 — Systems Learn
  • Part 3: Systemness, Change and the Future
  • The Dark Side of Networks
  • Effective Schools Ontario K–12 Optional
  • CEGEP-level example Optional
13Dec 2 Systemness in Action & the Future Calm Waters project sharing, Part 2; course wrap-up.
  • Systemness in Action and the Future (incl. book references and index)
  • Improving System and Institutional Management (OECD, ch. 11–13)
  • AI Framework Optional
  • School Learning Organisation Optional
Final blog due one week later

Typical Class Format

5:35 – 5:50Observations from previous class; introduction of weekly theme & hands-on activities
5:50 – 6:30Group discussion and reflections on readings
6:30 – 7:30Main topic for the week and/or presentation(s)
7:30 – 8:00Hands-on activities and/or work on major class assignments
8:00 – 8:10Wrap-up

No formal 15–20 minute health break — class typically wraps between 8:05 and 8:10.

Evaluation

Assignments & Grading

Successful students will authentically engage with course content; develop research skills to answer compelling questions about leadership and school improvement initiatives; interpret research from multiple perspectives; make clear, compelling arguments; deepen critical reflection on information, personal experience, and class activities; and communicate effectively in discussion and writing.

1. Weekly Readings & Annotations on Perusall

20%
  • 4–5 annotations with comments, questions, and upvoting for each reading across the semester.
  • Evaluated on relevance to the readings/other students' comments, and on the creativity, thoughtfulness, and insight of the question or perspective.

2. Mini-Class Presentation

20%
  • Six teams of four students present starting in week 7, one secret per week.
  • Each team researches and teaches one of Fullan's Six Secrets, incorporating an empirical check using Aldridge & McLure literature review and also one student-selected outside article.
  • Teams design their own pedagogical approach — suggested formats include case studies, guest speakers, a video with discussion, or role-play.
  • Rubric with full criteria to be shared before presentations begin.

3. Reflective Online Blog (Journal)

20%
  • Six entries due across the semester: Blog #1 (week 3, Sept 16), #2 (week 5, Sept 30), #3 (week 7, Oct 21), #4 (week 9, Nov 4), #5 (week 11, Nov 18), and a final blog due one week after the course ends.
  • Title each entry (e.g., "My Biography ~ Class 1") and relate class discussion, lab activities, and instructor commentary to the course textbook and other readings.
  • Some weeks ask for a reaction to a specific reading — extend that week's entry by a paragraph or two.
  • Rubric: 4.5/5 (90%), 4.25/5 (85%), 4/5 (80%), 3.75/5 (75%) — based on required components present, spelling/grammar, clarity of point, and evidence.

4. Calm Waters School

40%

Semester-long project, worked on individually or with one partner — 30% report plus 10% presentation during classes 12 and 13.

Option A — Six Secrets Framework

Use Fullan's book to help you design and build your ideal/dream school

  • Details and time to work on the project will be explained in our first class

Option B — Traditional School Improvement Plan

Select an issue or challenge a school milieu could face, related to student success and/or achievement. Identify the context (elementary, secondary, adult centre) and describe the issue, then build an action/strategic plan that:

  • Identifies the issue and states the goal(s)/objective(s)
  • Identifies who will be involved and their role(s)
  • Identifies strategies and/or actions to be used, and data to be collected and analyzed
  • Includes a timeline, plus any other elements deemed important
  • Template to help organize your proposal will be posted on MyCourses. Examples of previous student projects will also be shared on Perusall

Feedback provided over the semester via email, Perusall comments, and text messages. Detailed rubric posted on MyCourses after the first class.

Grading

The default mark for this course is a B+ or A- (assuming full attendance and successful completion of required coursework). A's are reserved for work of superior quality. Students in this course may submit written work in English or in French per McGill's Charter of Students' Rights.

Academic integrity, disability accommodations, and course evaluation policies follow standard McGill guidelines — see mcgill.ca/integrity and the Office for Students with Disabilities for details.