Shaw University

Department of Education

EDU 251: Curriculum and Development for a

Community of Learners Field Lab II

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; W: 1:00-4:00

Th: 11:00-12:00, 2:00-4:00

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 Portfolio Text

LiveText

Course Description

This course includes a thirty-hour field lab that provides students with an emphasis on instructional methodology and teacher-student interaction.

Student Learning Outcomes

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

1. Observe, share selected teaching duties and to discover the various roles, tools and responsibilities of the of the classroom teacher.

2. Conduct mini lessons with small groups or the entire class, assist with record keeping, prepare bulletin boards, etc., and to apply critical thinking, problem solving, and education technology skills.

3. Demonstrate their knowledge and skills as relates to working with students with diverse needs and from diverse ethnic, racial, gender, and socioeconomic backgrounds in classrooms.

4. 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)

Students will demonstrate that they meet the following NCDPI/NCATE STANDARDS AND INDICATORS:

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 a strength.

3.2 Teachers treat students as individuals.

6.0 Teachers 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.

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.

Technology Standard

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

Assignments

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

A. Ten journal article reviews related to current school policies, laws, rules, environment, parent involvement, classroom management, diversity, assessments, use of instructional technology, professionalism in the classroom, teacher quality, school violence, classroom instruction, academic achievement gap, 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 which contains the electronic portfolio must be submitted.

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

2. Library Component: The librarian from the Curriculum Materials Center will assist students with library skills necessary for searching databases to locate sources necessary for development of journal abstracts. Students must report on ten current journal articles using the Shaw University Department of Education format:

A. Title of Article

B. Author

C. Journal, Date

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 or can this information be used or applied?)

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 reviews 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 and title of course and the instructor’s name on each review. Points will be subtracted for misspellings, incorrect grammar, and failure to address the area correctly. An example of addressing the area might be failure to discuss the actual subjects or implications for use of the findings.

Note: All written assignments must be typed and double-spaced using a 12-point font. All assignments should include a cover page with the student’s name, date, assignment title, course number, and semester. All assignments should be proofread and free of grammatical errors.

3. Class Participation: Students are expected to participate actively in class and make meaningful contributions to class. All assignments should be submitted in Livetext. Common rubrics, stored in Livetext will be used to assess each assignment.

Topical Course Outline

	Topic/Activity
Week of January 15	Orientation, review of syllabus
Week of January 22	Presentation of abstracts (Abstracts 1 and 2, and 3 due); Discussion of professional dispositions.
Week of January 29	Presentation of abstracts, (Philosophy of education and Abstracts 4,5, and 6 due)
Week of February 5	Presentation of abstracts, (Abstracts 7,8,9 and 10 due); Logistics, School Placements, etc. Begin field experience, Class meets; Professional dispositions’ assignment due
Week of February 12	Field experience
Week of February 19	Field experience; Class meets; Teacher Workday, Feb. 19
Week of February 26	Field experience
Week of March 4	Field experience; midterm progress reports due
Week of March 11	Field experience; *Class meets* - observations of school presented and submitted
Week of March 18	Field experience
Week of March 21-28	Spring break (Shaw Univ.)
Week of April 1	Spring break (Wake Co. Schools)
Week of April 8	Field experience
Week April 15	Field experience
Week of April 22	Field experience; *Class meets*- Teacher interviews presented and portfolios due in hard copy and 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 20%

Attendance and classroom participation 10%

Midterm evaluation 25%

Final evaluation 25%

The final evaluation of this experience is based upon satisfactory completion of the course assignments and evaluations conducted by the cooperating teacher and the University supervisor. 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. The rubric can be accessed via Livetext.

References

American Educational Research Journal

Bulletin of the National Association of Secondary School

Encyclopedia of Educational Research

Educational Leadership

Journal of Educational Psychology

Journal of Educational Research

Journal of Experimental Educational Training Program

Journal of School Psychology

Phi Delta Kappan

Psychological Review

Review of Educational Research

Class Rules/Expectations

1. Attendance:

Candidates 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 and the university supervisor of field experiences immediately of an impending absence. You are required to make up any time missed from the field experience. You will have one week from the day of the absence to present your supervisor with a university excuse. Candidates are allowed as many unexcused absences as the number of times the course meets per week.

2. All assignments are late after the due date. Points will be subtracted based on the date of submission. Two points will be subtracted for each day that the assignment is late. All assignments must be saved electronically on a diskette 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 University supervisor. 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. Demonstration of Professional Dispositions

Candidates are required to conduct themselves in an orderly, professional manner at all times. Candidates 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 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. 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.

6. 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.

Special Dates:

January 22 Last day to drop/add

February 6 Last day to withdraw from University and receive a partial refund

March 21 Last day to withdraw from a course