Teaching
I have taught 21 separate courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels and in the Professional Development Program within the Faculty of Education, as well as one interdisciplinary course offered through the SFU Dean of Graduate Studies. I have taught at three of SFU’s campuses (Harbour Centre, Surrey, and Burnaby), as well as at multiple, off- campus locations (Langley, Prince George, Surrey, Victoria, and Whitehorse in the Yukon territory). I’ve developed or codeveloped five courses and contributed to multiple program redesigns of the graduate program in educational leadership.
Current Courses
This instructor is currently not teaching any courses.
COURSES TAUGHT AT SFU
Undergraduate Programs Faculty of Education * New courses developed |
EDUC 358 Foundations of Educational Technology |
| EDUC 376 Educational Leadership* | |
| EDUC 392 Special Topics: Educational Leadership* | |
| EDUC 471 Curriculum Development | |
| EDUC 490 Directed Studies | |
| PDP (Professional Development Program) Faculty of Education | EDUC 401/402 Theory & Practice |
Graduate Programs Faculty of Education * New courses developed ** New courses co-developed |
EDUC 710 Special Topics: Scholarship in Educational Leadership** EDUC 719 Research Approaches in Educational Leadership |
| EDUC 809 Graduate Seminar | |
| EDUC 811, 812, and 904 Fieldwork | |
| EDUC 815 Administrative Processes | |
| EDUC 817 Policy Processes | |
| EDUC 818 Leadership Studies | |
| EDUC 822 Evaluation of Education Programs | |
| EDUC 864 Research Designs in Education | |
| EDUC 883 MEd Comprehensive Exam | |
| EDUC 908 Selected Topics: Policy and Evaluation* | |
| EDUC 950 Approaches to Educational Research | |
| EDUC 962 Leadership, Accountability and the Public Interest | |
Special Arrangement Courses, Dean of Graduate Studies ** new courses co-developed |
SAR 897 President's Dream Colloquium on Making Knowledge Public** |
Workshops and Teaching Presentations
Workshops
Laitsch, D. (2009, November 14). Assessment, high stakes, and alternative visions: Appropriate use of the right tools to leverage improvement. Workshop presented to the 2009 Public Education Conference, British Columbia Teachers Federation. Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel and Conference Centre.
Laitsch, D., & Amundsen, C. (2007, April 16–19). Technology Module. Trinidad & Tobago MEd. SFU and University of the West Indies (UWI) partnership.
Laitsch, D. (2006, October 28). Assessment, high stakes, and alternative visions: Appropriate use of the right tools to leverage improvement. Workshop presented to the 2006 meeting of the British Columbia Teachers Federation: What really counts! Rethinking accountability. Delta Vancouver Airport Hotel and Conference Centre.
Laitsch, D., Pool, C., Scherer, M., & Willis, S. (2004). Communicating Your Research to Practicing Educators: Writing for Publication. Mini–course presentation to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, California.
Guest Teaching Lectures
Laitsch, D. (2005, October 15). From knowledge use, to knowledge control: The blurring border between scholarship and advocacy in an electronic age. Presentation at the 2005 Education With/Out Borders Conference, Simon Fraser University.
Laitsch, D. (2004, February 19). Scientifically Based Research and the No Child Left Behind Act. Guest Lecture. Education Politics and Public Policy: the University of Virginia, Northern Virginia Center.
Laitsch, D. (2003, October 21). No Child Left Behind and implications for Scientifically Based Research. Guest Lecture. Education Politics and Public Policy: the University of Virginia, Northern Virginia Center.
Laitsch, D. (2003, January 16 & 23). Federal involvement in elementary and secondary education: A current perspective with historical undertones. Guest Lecture. Education Politics and Public Policy: the University of Virginia, Northern Virginia Center.
Laitsch, D. (2000, December). Internet research issues. Guest lecture before an education policy professional development class, U. S. Department of Education.
Laitsch, D. (2000, March 23). AACTE and education policy. Guest lecture. The Washington Semester: the American University.
Laitsch, D. (1999, October 20). Vouchers, choice and privatization. Guest Lecture. Education and Public Policy: the University of Virginia.
Laitsch, D. (1999, April 23). Internet Issues: HTML, coding and web site image control issues. Guest Lecture. Basic Digital Imaging: the American University.
Previous Experience
Adjunct Faculty
University of Virginia: School of Continuing and Professional Studies/Curry School of Education, Northern Virginia Center: 2004. Design, evaluate, and teach a graduate course on education policy, Politics, ethics, and standards in education.
Senior Policy Analyst
Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development: 10/2002–12/2004. State and Federal policy analysis on education issues. Developed and maintained ResearchBrief—a web–based research dissemination system to help practitioners adjust instruction through application of research–based practices and findings. Authored and edited InfoBrief, a quarterly policy publication of ASCD; and EDPolicy Update, a monthly web-based column examining education policy issues. Represented the association at policy related meetings and conferences, and engaged in governmental relations and issue advocacy.
Associate Director – State Issues
American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education: 6/2000–9/2002. State level policy analysis and research on teacher quality and teacher preparation issues. Development, implementation, maintenance and expansion of an Internet based program to disseminate education policy information (AACTE Education Policy Clearinghouse). Production of two weekly information e–mail bulletins and Policy Perspectives, a subscription based bimonthly education policy publication. Assisted with the Combined Committee on Governmental Relations and the Committee for Global and International Teacher Education. 11/97–6/2000—Program Associate.
Curriculum Specialist
Fairfax County Public Schools: 1997. Co‑authored curriculum material for the oral language strand of the Fairfax County Program of Studies.
Academic Coordinator
The Enterprise School (Fairfax County Alternatives Schools): 1996–97. Staff leadership, academic supervision and evaluation, budget preparation.
Teacher of English
Summer school at Stuart High School, Fairfax County: 6/96–8/96. Preparation, administration, and evaluation of curriculum and lessons for a tenth grade English class.
Teacher of English
The Enterprise School (Fairfax County Alternative Schools): 1994–97. Preparation, administration, and evaluation of curriculum and lessons for students in grades 9–12.
Assistant Teacher of English
Anan‑machi Board of Education, Anan‑machi, Japan: 1993–94. Co‑taught English classes at two junior high schools in Anan town, Nagano, Japan. Led adult English education classes. Community / international relations.
Teacher of English
The Enterprise School (Fairfax County Alternative Schools): 1990–93. Preparation, administration, and evaluation of curriculum and lessons for students in grades 9–12.