Shaw University

Department of Education

EDU 112: Foundations of Education Field Lab I

Spring 2008

 

           

Instructor:  Prof. Joyce Richardson                                            Telephone: (919) 546-8534

Office:         TOS 304                                                               

Email: jric8530@shawu.edu

Office Hours: M: 2:00-4:00; T: 11:00-1:00;                                Time: Thursday 1:00-1:50

           W: 1:00-4:00; Th: 11:00-2:00;

                       

Conceptual Framework Theme

 

The theme/purpose of the conceptual framework undergirding the Department of Education's programs is:  To produce graduates who are critical-thinking problem solvers with the knowledge, pedagogical and technological skills, and professional dispositions needed to function as effective teachers in a diverse world.

 

Department of Education Mission Statement

 

The Shaw University Department of Education builds on the knowledge, skills, and values that students acquire through their liberal arts and science foundations.  Candidates graduating from the department will have the specialty area knowledge, professional skills, and experiences that will enable them to function as competent and effective teachers who think critically and demonstrate effective problem-solving skills.

 

Departmental majors may choose a specific concentration from four different specialty areas.  Each student is encouraged to choose one of the specialty areas listed below by the end of his/her sophomore year.

 

Birth through Kindergarten Education (B-K)

Elementary Education (K-6)

 

Graduate students may pursue a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Early Childhood Education.

 

[The Secondary English Education (9-12) and Secondary Mathematics Education (9-12) programs are housed in the content areas.  The University suspended the Special Education: General Curriculum (K-12) Program, effective in fall 2006.]

 

Department of Education Goals

           

The goals of the Department of Education are:

 

1.       to align the institutional mission and goals with state, regional, national, and departmental  standards and requirements; 

 

2.       to prepare candidates to work in schools as teachers who know and can demonstrate the content, pedagogical, and professional knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all P-12 students learn;

 

3.       to implement an assessment system that collects and analyzes data on applicant qualifications, candidate and graduate performance, and unit operations to evaluate and improve the unit and its programs;

 

4.       to collaborate with school partners to design, implement, and evaluate field experiences and clinical practice so that teacher candidates develop and demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn;

 

5.       to design, implement, and evaluate curriculum and experiences for candidates to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to help all students learn;

 

6.       to maintain a qualified faculty that models best professional practices in scholarship, service, and teaching; and

 

7.       to maintain the leadership, authority, budget, personnel, facilities, and resources for the preparation of candidates to meet professional, state, and institutional standards.

 

NOTE: The mission statement and goals of the Department of Education are aligned with the mission statement and goals of each of its programs.

 

Required Web Portfolio

 

LiveText

 

General Course Description   

 

This course includes a 20-hour field lab that provides opportunities for the prospective teacher to observe the dynamics of the classroom and school environment.

 

Student Learning Outcomes

           

At the successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

 

1.                   Observe, tutor students, and assist teachers or school personnel in a variety of settings prior to the clinical practice.

 

2.                   Reflect on observations of the dynamics of the classroom with their supervisors and fellow candidates.

 

3                     Interact with students and teachers from diverse cultures and abilities.

 

4                     Demonstrate use of technology to conduct computer- assisted searches of library resources.

 

            5.         Demonstrate knowledge of the Code of Professional Practice and Conduct for                                             North Carolina Educators (pp. 24-25 of G.S., General Statute, 115C-295.3).

 

NCDPI/NCATE Standards

 

Core Standards and Indicators (Professional Dispositions)

 

3.1               Teachers demonstrate their belief that diversity in the classroom, in the school, and in the society is strength.

3.2               Teachers treat students as individuals.

6.0               Teaches respect and care about students.

6.1               Teachers enjoy spending time in the company of children and young adults.

6.3         Teachers maintain the dignity of each student.

 

Technology Standard

 

1.0   Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts.

 

Diversity Standard

 

1.0        Teachers understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) they teach and can create classroom environments and learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter accessible, meaningful and culturally relevant for diverse learners.

 

Assignments

 

1.                   Students are required to develop a portfolio and place it on Livetext. It must contain:

 

A.      Five journal article reviews related to current school policies, laws, rules, environment, parent involvement, classroom management, diversity, assessments, use of instructional technology, etc. (CS 1,2, DS 1, 2, 3, 4, TS 1,2,3)

B.      School profile (includes classroom profile) (CS5)

C.      Your philosophy of education (1 page minimum)

D.      Interview of teacher (include question and teacher responses in complete sentences), principal (optional)  (CS 5)

E.       Pictures of the school, classroom, etc. (CS 5)

F.       Log of daily activities providing details of (CS 5):

·          Observations of school policies enforced (CS 5)

·          Reflections of your observations of teachers’ and your display of professional dispositions (CS 5)

·          Instructional strategies used by teacher (CS 5)

·          Reflections and descriptions of outcomes of your activities while working with student(s) including work samples (CS 5)

·          Reflections and descriptions of activities done with diverse populations (CS 5)

·          Description of activities in which you observed or used instructional      

 technology with students (CS 5)

·          Use of critical thinking/problem solving activities while working with students

·          Reflections and descriptions of activities in which you were involved with working with families or parents.

G.       Teacher log of your daily activities. You should describe the activity that you participated in, supply the date, and have the teacher initial each day that you attend the class. ( CS 5)

H.      Professional dispositions – Discuss the meaning of professional dispositions

and discuss how you will be able to demonstrate professional dispositions and ethical practices while in the school to which you are assigned. This assignment must be one page typewritten and included in your portfolio both hard copy and on Livetext.(Department’s Conceptual Framework)

 

Note: A diskette of the electronic portfolio must also be submitted and the portfolio must be placed on Livetext..

 

2.                   Obtain information from the library and report on five current journal articles using the Shaw University Department of Education format:

 

A.                  Title of Article, Date

B.                  Author

C.                  Journal

D.                  Synopsis (Summary in your own words, at least ½ page in length)

E.                   Subjects (People involved in study, ex. fifty ten year old boys)

F.                   Instrument (Kind of test, survey, etc. used to collect data)

G.                  Findings (outcome)

H.                  Implications/Applications (How will this information be used)

I.                    Reflection (Use the Dept.’s Conceptual Framework to describe whether the study addressed use of professional dispositions, use of instructional technology, strategies necessary for working with diverse populations, critical thinking, problem solving, activities to improve student learning, etc. and how used) (CS 5, DS 1, DS 4, TS1)

 

All journal article abstracts must be attached to the article. You should make a template of your article review and keep a backup on diskette. Be sure to include your name, date, title of course, and the instructor’s name on each abstract.

 

Topical Course Outline

 

 

Topic/Activity

Week of January 11

Orientation, review of syllabus

Week of January 18

Presentation of abstracts (Abstracts 1 and 2 due) and on Livetext

Week of January 25

Presentation of abstracts, (Philosophy of education and placed on Livetext; Abstracts 3 and 4 due)

Week of February 1

Presentation of abstracts, (Abstract 5 due); Professional dispositions’assignment due

Week of February 8

Presentation of abstracts, Discussion of placement, logistics, etc., Field Lab begins

Week of February 15

Field lab

Week of February 22

Field lab; Class meets

Week of March 1

Field lab

Week of March 8

Field lab

Week of March 15

Field lab, Class meets - Observations of school due and placed on Livetext

Week of March 22

Field lab

Week of March 29

Field Lab

Week of April 2-6

Wake Co. Schools’ Spring Break

Week of April 6-15

Shaw Univ. Spring Break

 

Week of April 19

Class meets. Teacher Interview and portfolio due in hard copy and completed on Livetext

 

Course Evaluation: 

 

Grading Scale:               A:         90-100              (Target)

                                    B:         89-89                (Acceptable)

                                    C:         70-79                (Acceptable)

                                    D          60-69                (Unacceptable)

                                    F           Below 60           (Unacceptable)

                                   

For the purpose of determining your final grade:

 

Journal Abstracts and other assignments                                      20%

                        Portfolio, hard copy and placement on Livetext                             20%

                        Attendance and participation                                                       10%

                        Midterm evaluation                                                                     25%

                        Final evaluation                                                                          25%

 

 

References

 

American Educational Research Journal

Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School

Principals (NASSP)

Encyclopedia of Educational Research

Educational Leadership

Journal of Educational Psychology

Journal of Educational Research

Journal of School Psychology

Phi Delta Kappan

Psychological Review

Review of Educational Research

School Board Journal

 

Class Rules/Expectations:

 

1.                   Attendance: Students are expected to comply with the University Attendance Policy.  It is your responsibility to explain to your instructor any absence, reason for tardiness, or early departure from class at the earliest possible time. You are expected to notify your cooperating immediately of an impending absence. You are required to make up any time missed from the field experience.

Students will have one week from the day of the absence to present your supervisor with a university excuse.

 

2.                  Electronic portfolios and other assignments are late after the due date. All assignments must be saved on a diskette or cd, and on Livetext.

 

3.         The final evaluation of this experience is based upon satisfactory completion of the course assignments and evaluations conducted by the cooperating teacher and the Department’s Coordinator of Field Experiences. A rubric will be used to measure performance of the student as it relates to the completion of the electronic portfolio and to the observation experience. Attendance, tardiness, class participation and other professional dispositions will be used to measure performance.

 

 

4.         Students are required to conduct themselves in an orderly, professional manner at all times. Students are required to dress in a professional manner, refraining from wearing any garment or item (s) that will draw attention away from classroom activities.

Students are allowed as many unexcused absences as the number of times the course meets per week.

 

 

5.                   Policy on Plagiarism

 

Plagiarism is presenting other people’s work as your won. Using another person’s idea, words, or work is theft. As members of the academic community, students must be mindful of other people’s property. Failure to respect such property rights is considered a serious and punishable violation of appropriate conduct at Shaw University.

 

A student who plagiarizes an assignment can expect that he or she will receive a zero for the assignment and that the plagiarism incident will be reported to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.

 

A second incident of plagiarism by the same student in the same class will result in automatic expulsion from the class and a grade of “F” in the course. The reason for the “F” will be documented in the grade report to the Registrar. A record of students expelled from classes will be forwarded to the Vice President for Academic Affairs at the end of each semester.

 

Three incidents of plagiarism in a student’s college career will be cause for additional disciplinary action by the Vice President for Academic Affairs up to and including suspension.

 

6.            Classroom Decorum Expectations

 

To enhance the learning atmosphere of the classroom, students are expected to dress and behave in a fashion conducive to learning in the classroom. More specifically, students will refrain from disruptive classroom behavior (i.e., talking to classmates, disrespectful responses to teacher instructions; swearing; wearing clothes that impede academic learning such as but not limited to, wearing body-revealing clothing and excessively baggy pants; hats/caps, and/or headdress. Students will turn off telephones prior to entering the classroom. Students who exhibit the behaviors described above, or similar behaviors will immediately dismissed from class at the third documented offense. The student will be readmitted to class only following a decision by the department chair. The student may appeal the decision of the department chair to the Dean of the College offering the course, and, subsequently, to the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs, and then to the President of Shaw University. The decision of the President will be final. Failure to follow the procedures herein outlined will result in termination of the appeal, and revert to the decision of the department chair.

 

Special Dates:

 

January 22                    Last day to drop/add

February 7                     Last day to withdraw from University and receive a partial refund

March 22                       Last day to withdraw from a course

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Appendix

 

Required Professional Ethics and Dispositions in the Education Environment

 

Dress

 

Professional dispositions and ethics are determined by the profession, community standards, grade taught, activities, and school climate.

 

Attendance

 

Know time you are to be there and be on time. Call the school immediately and notify the cooperating teacher of your impending absence and that you will make up your time. Call the Department’s Coordinator of Field Experiences with the same information. Failure to do so will affect your final grade.

 

School system and school policy

 

Acquaint yourself with them and abide by them.

 

Gossip

 

Avoid school gossip.

 

Your personal life

 

It becomes “their” business when it invades the school environment, affects performance, or if you break the law

 

Hands Off

 

Don’t touch the students.