Providing democratic and ethical leadership in education in an era of contention is the force driving the New DEEL at the College of Education.

Last week, the third New DEEL conference (Democratic and Ethical Educational Leadership) kicked off with a keynote address by Ann Weaver Hart, president of Temple University; Lisa Staino-Coico, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs; Joan Poliner Shapiro, professor of educational administration; and Laurinda Harman, associate professor and chair of health information management.

The team has authored “Beyond Value-Added: The Development of Moral
Literacy in a Research University,” a research study in progress. This study is moving toward the development of an Applied Ethics Certificate for Temple undergraduates.

“By teaching moral literacy, we equip students with an ethical decision making approach that will make a positive difference not only in their careers and lives, but also in the university community and society as a whole,” said Shapiro.

New DEEL co-founders, professors Steven Jay Gross and Joan Poliner Shapiro of the College of Education, and participants seek to enhance the education of next generation of principals, superintendents and teachers by focusing more on democracy and ethics in leadership and less on accountability and high stakes testing. The New DEEL also emphasizes social justice and social responsibility. Since its founding, the group has produced scholarship as well as innovative curricula.