Course Syllabus

Course Information
Assessment
Course Expectations
Policies

Course Information

Course Description

This course examines educational opportunities for students considering a career in the fields of Teaching at the Elementary/High School/Junior College levels, or in Educational Policy and Administration.

Education and Teaching are more complex than we generally understand them to be. Education has broad implications in its social context with respect to promoting democracy and social justice. In this course, you will explore the history of American education, its aim and purpose. Specifically, you will examine how educational objectives have changed since the Industrial Revolution, and as a result of the current Information Revolution, how technology is changing the design of curriculum and establishing new education requirements for teachers in the classroom. In addition, you will explore how education is expected to impact the global community in future generations and why there is the need for a new perspective on educational systems.

You will become familiar with requirements for traditional teacher certification processes as well as alternative methods of certification. You will learn how to use the SNL program to meet different State requirements for Teacher Certification, post BA degree. You will learn how to apply coursework to the Competence Grid as you progress through the SNL Bachelor of Arts program and about the procedures and processes necessary to become a certified teacher in your state.

Course Learning Goals

After completing this course, you will be able to:

Course Resources

To buy your books, go tohttp://depaul-loop.bncollege.com

Required Texts

Dewey, John, Democracy and Education: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Education. New York: Free Press, 1916.

Tyack, David B., The One Best System: A History of American Urban Education. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1974.

Recommended Texts

Dewey, John, Experience and Education. New York: Macmillan, 1938.

Dewey, John, The School and Society and, The Child and the Curriculum: A Centennial Edition. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1990.

Freire, Paulo, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum, c2000.

Greene, Maxine, The Dialectic of Freedom. New York: Teachers College, Columbia University, c1988

Goodlad, John I. & McMannon, Timothy J., Ed. The Public Purpose of Education and Schooling. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, c1997.

Heisinger, Karen, Marie, Lynne, & Rominger, Marie, Your First Year as an Elementary School Teacher. Roseville, CA: Prima Communications, Inc., 2001

Kaestle, Carl F., Pillars of the Republic: Common Schools and American Society, 1780-1860. New York: Hill and Wang, 1983.

Kozol, Jonathan, Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools. New York: HarperPerennial, 1992.

Noddings, Nel, The Challenge to Care in Schools: An Alternative Approach to Education. Advances in contemporary educational thought series; v. 8. New York: Teachers College Press, 1992.

Pribus, Marilyn, Williamson, Bonnie, Ed. A First-Year Teacher's Guidebook: An Educational Recipe Book for Success. Sacramento, CA: Dynamic Teaching Company, 1998

Rippa, S. Alexander, Education in a Free Society; an American History. New York: McKay, 1971

Web Sites

http://www.nea.org/

http://www.nasbe.org/

http://www.aera.net/

http://www.uky.edu/Education/TEP/usacert.html

http://www.recruitingteachers.com/

http://www.nbpts.org/

http://www.ncei.com/

http://plato.stanford.edu/

Magazines

Education Week
Instructor
Teaching Pre K-8

Journals

American Educational Research Journal
History of Education Quarterly

Associations

American Educational Research Associations

Course Competences

In this course, you will develop the following competences:

CompetenceCompetence Statement
H1X Can describe and explain the roles of individuals groups, societies or states in history
H2A Can explain the development, roles, and maintenance of social institutions
H3X Can analyze the impact of social institutions on individual human development
FX Focus Area-student will design competence statement with Assistance of instructor
Relationship of this course to the competence statements

H1X --- Can describe and explain the roles of individuals groups, societies or states in history
In this course you will be reading and discussing the roles that you, as an individual, play in the world of education in the United States. You will be able to distinguish the different roles that groups in society have played in the history of education. At the end of the course you will be able to see yourself as an informed individual with the ability to make necessary changes in the educational system.

H2A -- Can explain the development, roles, and maintenance of social institutions
Through the readings and discussions in this course you will gain insight into how the educational systems of the United States evolved and how society maintains these systems through political means.

H3X -- Can analyze the impact of social institutions on individual human development
Through an understanding of education as a social institution you will read and learn about how humans are affected by it and what choices you, as an individual have, to effect change in the system. You will also learn how to analyze the education system in order to make the best use of it in attaining your teaching certification.

FX -- To be determined in collaboration with student and instructor.

Assessment Criteria for each Competence

Each student must demonstrate the understanding of each competence chosen for this course by:

Course Structure

This course consists of 10 modules. Each module is broken into Readings, Assignments and Online Discussions. The estimated time to complete each module is 1 week. At least 9-10 hours a week are needed to complete the course successfully.

Week,  Module # and Title

Readings

Assignments

Week 1, Module 1:

Getting Started

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get acquainted with the course

 

 

 

1.1 Introductions Discussion

Week 2, Module 2:

History, Philosophy, and Aims of Education

 

 

 

 

 

Read Dewey's, Democracy and Education, chapters 1, 2, and 3

2.1 Introduction to Education

2.2 Experience and Education Discussion

Week 3, Module 3:

Growth and Learning

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Dewey's, Democracy and Education, Chapters 3, 4, and 5

Reflect on educational theories and teaching methods

3.1 Experience and Learning

3.2 Journal Question 1

3.3 Growth and Learning Discussion

Week 4, Module 4:

Historical Concepts in Education

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Tyack's, The One Best System, Chapters 1, 2, and 3

Reflect on early education in America


4.1 Importance of History

4.2 Journal Entry 2

4.3 History - Cause and Effect Discussion



Week 5, Module 5:

State Requirements for Teaching and Administration and the SNL Program

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Module 5 additional reading

Find certification requirements from state websites

Compare SNL courses with state requirements

State Requirements for Teaching and Administration

The SNL Program

Read the attached Module 5 additional reading. (54.31 Kb)



5.1 National Requirements

5.2 Determing Policy Requirements Discussion

Week 6, Module 6:

Concentration Area and Process

 

 

 

Read Module 6 additional reading.

Examine options for concentration area

Determine requirements for concentration area

Compare two options --
*masters degree with certification and
*alternative certification options

Read the attached Module 6 additional reading (51.732 Kb)

Students' particular state/district website


6.1 Coursework Application to SNL Program Structure

6.2 Journal Question 3

6.3 Challenges in the Teaching Profession Discussion

 

Week 7, Module 7:

Education and Society – Aims and Perspectives

 

 

 

Read Dewey's, Democracy and Education, Chapters 7 and 8

7.1 Principles and Aims of Education

7.2 The Institute of Education Discussion

Week 8, Module 8:

Models of Education

 

Read Tyack's, The One Best System, Parts 3 and 4

Reflect on politics and education

 

8.1 Reading Reflection

8.2 Journal Question 4

8.3 Political Influence in Educational Policies Discussion

Week 9, Module 9:

Teaching, Learning, and Education

 

 

Read Dewey's Democracy and Education - Chapters 22 and 24

Read Tyack's The One Best System, Part V

9.1 Public Education-Democracy-Philosophy

9.2 Journal Question 5

9.3 Public Education and Controversies Discussion

Week 10, Module 10:

Summary and Wrap-Up

 

 

Review readings, assignments, learning journal notes and discussions

Reflect on the course

10.1 Learning Outcomes

10.2 Final Paper

10.3 Becoming a Teacher or Administrator Discussion

 

To view the course schedule, click on the Schedule link on the left-hand navigation bar. This page contains the most recently updated listing of the topics and assignments due for each week of the course.

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Assessment

Assessment Criteria for Online Discussion Participation

The following are criteria for receiving a passing grade. The criteria for passing require that:

IMPORTANT:

More Ideas on how to participate in the online discussions

Your participation and understanding of concepts and competencies will be assessed in the weekly discussions.

You should contribute your responses to the particular assignment for that particular discussion heading which will be posted. Directions are provided with each assignment. They must be followed according to the due dates given.

Principles of good practice for participating in online discussions should be adhered to when it comes to responding to the contributions of other people in the class.

Participation is essential, so please connect to the course every day or at least every second day.

Post your response to the online discussion assignments in the first part of the week, in the second part of the week post comments to the other students.

Please accept the challenge to work with others to construct knowledge in negotiation with others. Working individually on the assignments and just posting them might not lead to significant knowledge and skills.

NOTE: Some difficulties at the beginning of an online course are quite normal. Solving them is part of every distance learning experience. You will have the first week to acquaint yourself with Blackboard where all the discussions take place.

Assessment Criteria for your Final Paper(s)

It is important that your final paper:

In each final paper, you will address and shape your paper according to the competence statement(s). You are also encouraged to use the ideas that were developed in your group discussions.

Each paper will address the competence statement(s) for the competence(s) being taken. In all papers, please consider the Course Objectives/Goals and address them throughout the paper.

The paper should be a personal and individualized expression of your philosophy on teaching and education, addressing the specific competence. Your paper should include your conclusions from the:

The paper(s) will be evaluated on the following elements:

Course Grading Scale

For graded courses – this is the DePaul standard.

A = 95 to 100 A- = 91 to 94 B+ = 88 to 90
B = 85 to 87 B- = 81 to 84 C+ = 77 to 80
C = 73 to 76 C- = 69 to 72 D+ = 65 to 68
D = 61 to 64 F = 60 or below INC

  Please note: Grades lower than a C- do not earn credit or competence in the School for New Learning.

Total Number of Points

If you are taking the course for one (1) competence:

Nine Assignments 5 points each 45 points
Nine discussions 2 points each 18 points
Five Learning Journal Questions 2 points for each response 10 points
One five-page final paper   27 points
TOTAL   100 points

If you are taking the course for two (2) competencies:

Nine Assignments 5 points each 45 points
Nine discussions 2 points each 18 points
Five Learning Journal Questions 2 points for each response 10 points
One ten-page final paper   27 points
TOTAL   100 points
The Learning Journal

A Learning Journal, by nature, does not have to follow any particular form or structure. It is a spontaneous activity of coming up with ideas; it is creative and stream of consciousness. The Journal does not have to be written in complete sentences – many journals contain quickly written thoughts on readings, assignments, and your own concepts and understanding. It is intended to aid in the reflective process – to help you understand your changing perceptions and how you are connecting your experience to new learning. It is helpful to reach some conclusions on how the reflection is increasing your understanding and insight.

Learning Journal Questions

These questions are designed to stimulate your thinking and reflection on teaching and education. These questions will be dispersed at different intervals within the course. You will submit your thoughts to your instructor in the assignments area of the course. Look for the Weekly Learning Journal Question.

Discussion Forums

Discussion Forums are an important component of your online experience. This course contains discussion forums related to the topics you are studying each week. For requirements on your participation in the Discussion Forums, please see "Course Expectations" in the syllabus.

A Course Q & A discussion forum has also been established to manage necessary, ongoing social and administrative activities. This is where the management and administrative tasks of the course are conducted, and where you can ask 'process' questions and receive answers throughout the course. Please feel free to answer any question if you feel you know the answer; this sharing of information is valuable to other students.

Group Discussions

The purpose of the group discussions in this course:

IMPORTANT: In your final paper you must demonstrate that you have competence in the competence(s) you have chosen for this course. Therefore, you can use the group discussions to keep yourself and your classmates on task throughout the course.

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Course Expectations

Time Management and Attendance

SNL's online courses are not self-paced and require a regular time commitment EACH week throughout the quarter.

You are required to log in to your course at least four times a week so that you can participate in the ongoing course discussions.

Online courses are no less time consuming than "face to face" courses. You will have to dedicate some time every day or at least every second day to your studies. A typical four credit hour "face to face" course at SNL involves three hours of classroom meeting per week, plus at least three to six hours of study and homework per week.

This course will require at least the same time commitment, but your learning activities will be spread out through the week. If you have any problems with your technology, or if you need to improve your reading or writing skills, it may take even longer.

The instructor should be notified if your life events do not allow you to participate in the course and the online discussions for more than one week. This is particularly important when there are group discussions or you are working as part of a team.

If you find yourself getting behind, please contact the instructor immediately.

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Your Instructor's Role

Your instructor's role in this course is that of a discussion facilitator and learning advisor. It is not their responsibility to make sure you log in regularly and submit your assignments. As instructor, s/he will read all postings to the general discussion forums on a daily basis but may not choose to respond to each posting. You will receive feedback to assignments.

The instructor may choose to designate "office hours" when s/he will be online and available and will immediately respond to questions. Depending on the instructor, this response may be by e-mail, instant messenger or telephone. Otherwise, you will generally receive a response to emailed or posted queries within 48 hours.

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Your Role as a Student

As an online student, you will be taking a proactive approach to your learning. As the course instructor's role is that of a learning guide, your role is that of the leader in your own learning.

You will be managing your own time so that you can complete the readings, activities and assignments for the course, and you will also be expected to take a more active role in peer learning.

Please also note that this is a course offered by DePaul University's School for New Learning (SNL), a college for undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students 24 years and older. SNL welcomes the perspectives and encourages the participation of all DePaul students, and students who take this course should respect and be mindful of SNL's mission in supporting a diverse and inclusive environment. More information about SNL can be found here.

View this brief demo Taking SNL Online courses in D2L to learn how to navigate through your course.

If you’re new to SNL Online see additional resources on the course home page under Student Resources/Getting Started.

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Course Netiquette

Online discussions are an important part of your course experience. To ensure a positive learning environment, please follow the following minimum expectations. Use your common sense, as not all situations can be covered:

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Policies

Academic Integrity

DePaul University is a learning community that fosters the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas within a context that emphasizes a sense of responsibility for oneself, for others and for society at large. Violations of academic integrity, in any of their forms, are, therefore, detrimental to the values of DePaul, to the students' own development as responsible members of society, and to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas.

Violations include but are not limited to the following categories: cheating; plagiarism; fabrication; falsification or sabotage of research data; destruction or misuse of the university's academic resources; alteration or falsification of academic records; and academic misconduct. Conduct that is punishable under the Academic Integrity Policy could result in additional disciplinary actions by other university officials and possible civil or criminal prosecution. Please refer to your Student Handbook for further details.

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Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a major form of academic dishonesty involving the presentation of the work of another as one's own. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to the following:

Plagiarism, like other forms of academic dishonesty, is always a serious matter. If an instructor finds that a student has plagiarized, the appropriate penalty is at the instructor's discretion.

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DePaul University Incomplete Policy

The intent of the Incomplete grade is to allow students extra time to complete their final assignments. This need arises because, in the closing weeks of the course, they have an event of significant magnitude that adversely affects their ability to complete the course, e.g. serious illness, death in the family, overseas deployment, or natural disaster.

You must request an incomplete grade in writing two weeks before the end of the quarter. Incomplete grades will be considered only after you have satisfactorily completed at least 75 percent of the coursework, and you have such an unexpected, uncontrollable event that prevents you from completing your course. Do not assume that you will qualify for an incomplete. Students who are failing the course at the point where they request an incomplete will not receive one, nor will they be granted after the end of the quarter. Incomplete grades are given at the discretion of the instructor.

If you do receive permission from the instructor to take an incomplete in the course, you will be required to complete a contract with the instructor, specifying how you will finish the missing work within the next two quarters (excluding summer). See the Incomplete Grade Contract Form.

Undergraduate and graduate students will have up to two quarters to complete an incomplete. At the end of the second quarter (excluding summer) following the term in which the incomplete grade was assigned, remaining incompletes will automatically convert to "F" grades. Ordinarily no incomplete grade may be completed after the grace period has expired. Instructors may not change incomplete grades after the end of the grace period without the permission of a college-based Exceptions Committee. This policy applies to undergraduate, graduate and professional programs. NOTE: In the case of a student who has applied for graduation and who has been approved for an Incomplete in his or her final term, the incomplete must be resolved within the four-week grace period before final degree certification.

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Description of Pass/Fail Grading Options

Students have the option of taking all SNL undergraduate courses as Pass/Fail even if a class is initially structured for a letter grade assessment. In these cases a Pass is awarded when competence is demonstrated at a level that would otherwise earn a grade of C- or higher.

In deciding to select Pass/Fail grading students should be aware that competencies assessed in a course as Pass will earn credit hours toward degree completion but will not be included in computing grade point averages. Attempted competence demonstration assessed within a class as Fail will not only be recorded as credit hours attempted but will also be included in computing a student's grade point average.

For SNL students, competencies awarded for Independent Learning Pursuits and in the Lifelong Learning Domain do not count toward the university's specification that only twenty credit hours may be earned through the Pass/Fail assessment option.

Please note:There are three SNL courses within the BA curriculum that are always assessed on a Pass/Fail basis: Foundations of Adult Learning (course number LL 250; competences L-2 and F-1), Advanced Project (course number FA 303; competences F-11 and F-12) and Summit Seminar (course number LL 390; competence L-12). These classes may not be taken for a letter grade assessment. Therefore, work that might otherwise be assessed at grades A through C- will earn a Pass in these classes.

There are an additional five SNL courses within the Lifelong Learning Area of the BA curriculum for which instructors regularly use a Pass/Fail grading system that may instead be taken for a letter grade assessment if this is a student's preference. These classes are: Independent Learning Seminar (course number LL 103; competence L1); Writing for Competence (course number LL 260; competence L-4), Critical Thinking (course number LL 270; competence L-5), Research Seminar (course number LL 300; competences L-8 and L-9), and Externship (course number LL 302; competences L-10 and L-11). In addition, SNL's undergraduate Writing Workshop (course number LL 140; competence H-3-J) regularly uses Pass/Fail, although students may request a letter grade assessment. In these instances SNL offers undergraduate students the opportunity to request a letter grade assessment from their instructor. Students who need a letter grade for tuition reimbursement may wish to consider this option, as well as those who wish to raise their GPA. Students planning to attend graduate school may also prefer letter grades to Pass/Fail assessments.

If a student wants to switch the method of assessment, either to or from the Pass/Fail option, this must be requested from the instructor in writing by the beginning of the third week of the quarter. For courses that meet fewer than ten weeks of the quarter, this request must be made by the beginning of the third week of the course. The grading basis may not be changed after these deadlines, with no exceptions.

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For Students Who Need Accommodations Based on the Impact of a Disability

Students seeking disability-related accommodations are required to register with DePaul's Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) enabling you to access accommodations and support services to assist your success. There are two office locations:

Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD)
Loop Campus: Lewis Center 1420. (312) 362-8002
Lincoln Park Campus: Student Center 370. (773) 325-1677
csd@depaul.edu

Students are also invited to contact their instructor privately to discuss your challenges and how the instructor may assist in facilitating the accommodations you will use in this course. This is best done early in the term and the conversation will remain confidential.

Dean of Students Office

The Dean of Students Office (DOS) helps students in navigating the university, particularly during difficult situations, such as personal, financial, medical, and/or family crises. Absence Notifications to faculty, Late Withdrawals, and Community Resource Referrals, support students both in and outside of the classroom. Additionally we have resources and programs to support health and wellness, violence prevention, substance abuse and drug prevention, and LGBTQ student services. We are committed to your success as a DePaul student. Please feel free to contact us.

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Protection of Human Subjects

For more information see: http://research.depaul.edu/

Demonstrating the acquisition of competencies in this course can involve "interactions"—interviewing and or observing other people—discussing those interviews or observations with other class members and writing them up in one or more final report(s). As such, these activities qualify as "research" with "human subjects" and are subject to University and Federal guidelines. Because it takes place in the context of this course, your research is exempt from approval by the School for New Learning's Local Review Board only under the following conditions:

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Copyright and Student Privacy

In accordance with DePaul’s Acceptable Use Policy, commentary and materials within SNL Online classes shall not be copied, reproduced or published elsewhere without the express written consent of individuals involved.

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Credits

This course was designed and produced by Jean Racine and staff at SNL Online of the School for New Learning of DePaul University.

© 2004-5 School for New Learning, DePaul University. All Rights Reserved by SNL during contractual interval with the author.

Printed in the USA.

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