EDU 2510: FOUNDATIONS & DEVELOPMENT OF AMERICAN EDUCATION
Fall, 2014 - 2 SEMESTER HOURS
Course will extend through the first ten weeks of the semester.
PROFESSOR: G. Jewell Askins, Ed. D. E-MAIL:
OFFICE: 139 Darden Hall PHONE: (276) 328-0163
OFFICE HOURS: MWF: 12:00-3:00 PM, by appointment after 3 PM; TTh 11:00 AM-12:30 PM, by appointment after 3 PM
I. COURSE TITLE
Foundations & Development of American Education—2 credit hours
II. COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course is essentially a study of American education, including the history of American education and the major philosophical and sociological forces affecting education, with emphasis on contemporary issues, problem, and patterns relative to curriculum design and development in American schools. This course is also an introduction to a teacher’s role in understanding and developing collaborative relationships with their students’ families to support students’ physical, cognitive, and social development. Attention is also given to the legal status of teachers and students with respect to federal and state regulations.
III. MATERIALS
Johnson, J. A., Dupuis, V. L., Musial, D., Hall, G. E., & Gollnick, D. M. (2014). Foundations of American education: Perspectives on education in a changing world. (16th ed.). New York: Pearson.
IV. GENERAL COURSE OBJECTIVES
A. To broaden & enrich students’ understandings of American education;
B. To familiarize the student with the major historical events & developments
that have led to current concepts & practices in American education;
C. To develop in each student an awareness of philosophical & sociological contributions of individuals, groups of people, & movements that have affected & helped shape American education;
D. To develop an awareness & understanding of the cultural diversity in our schools & how to function effectively with diversity;
E. To acquaint each student with some of the current problems, practices, & issues confronting education in America and to explore their causes & possible effects;
F. To provide each student the opportunity to develop & enrich his/her understanding of the role of the different levels of government in terms of their governance & structure, the legal aspects, & the financial support of American education;
G. To provide each prospective teacher the opportunity to learn to appreciate the heritage of the American teacher & the teaching profession & to become a better informed and more thoughtful educator; and
H. To acquaint each student with the responsibilities of teachers to cultivate
collaborative relationships between schools and families in order to understand and support children’s physical, cognitive, emotional, and moral development within the context of family, culture, school, and community.
V. COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A. Visit the websites to learn how to register for PRAXIS I and other required ETS assessments, and the VCLA. Printing and submission of webpage(s) will count as extra credit.
B. Write an essay on “Why I want to teach.” Include in this essay ideas about what makes an effective teacher and how this model motivates a desire to teach. (The Education Department values writing as a competency skill, so if you need assistance, ask someone to proofread your paper and make revisions before submitting your paper to me.) (10 points; 2-3 pages).
C. Write a summary of a current news article about an education issue of interest to you. This news item can appear in print, online, or on television. Please submit the actual article as well as your summary. Additionally, you will present the article to the entire class for discussion purposes. (10 points total)
D. Complete field-based experience—Each student must complete and log twenty (20) hours of a field experience in an appropriate classroom setting. Students must submit signed time sheet/log and a teacher-completed evaluation form to document the field experience; students are also required to write a 1-2 page reflection paper on the experience, including an interview with the observed teacher and documentation of the educational philosophy of teacher(s) with supporting examples. Tutoring of students is encouraged. Documents must be signed by the cooperating teacher after all observations are completed. (25 points)
E. Prepare a creative education history project (using a poster, videotape, audio recording, slide presentation, or some other creative media) dealing with a topic, person, or idea that is of interest to you. You must sign up for a project topic. You will have the opportunity to do a brief presentation of your project. (20 points)
F. Write an essay which discusses your evolving teaching philosophy. This essay must include references and supporting examples from specific philosophies and/or educational theories. (15 points)
G. Complete a final exam; format will be multiple choice from text readings and short essay from class presentations and discussions of current education topics/issues. (20 points).
VI. GRADING SCALE
A+ 98—100 B+ 89—91 C+ 80—82 D+ 71—73
A 95—97 B 86—88 C 77—79 D 68—70
A- 92—94 B- 83—85 C- 74—76 D- 65—67
F 0—64
VII. TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
This course meets MWF for 10 weeks for 50 minutes: section 01 meets from 10:00-10:50 A.M; section 02 meets from 11:00-11:50 A.M. On Monday of each week, we will discuss current education news. During the course, each student must present and turn in a hard copy of a newspaper or magazine articles dealing with current news in education, along with a summary of the article; if you are summarizing a video presentation then documentation of the video clip will suffice for the hard copy. (These will be used for our discussions. You may use articles from the websites at the end of each chapter. Education in the News section in text may provide ideas for searching for articles.)
We will meet for the first ten weeks of the semester on a regular MWF schedule. The exam for the course will be given at the final class meeting. You should try to begin your 20 hours of field experience as soon as possible with a goal of completion by the final class meeting; however, if you cannot complete the field experience by that date, you may submit documentation of completion before the scheduled day for exam if this course were a three-credit hour course.
First class meeting is August 20, 2014, to review the syllabus and to sign up for field experience placements.
SYLLABUS
Weeks Topics/Assignments
Weeks 1-3 The Teaching Profession (Ch. 1) pp. 1-25
VOCABULARY: mentoring, high-need areas/teaching field shortages, teacher dispositions, education research, accreditation programs, State certification, UVa-Wise TEP, INTASC principles, PRAXIS Series and other licensure assessments, NBPTS, salaries, etc.
C. Article presentations begin on Week 3 and will continue throughout course
UVa-Wise TEP Requirements
A. Extra Credit: Praxis and VCLA Website (Due by end of week 3)
B. Essay (Why I Want to Teach) (Due by end of week 2)
Weeks 4-7 The Early History of Education in a Changing World (Ch. 2) pp 26-51
Historical Perspectives of Education (Ch. 3) pp. 52-73
PBS Videos
VOCABULARY: Instructor will provide handout of key vocabulary.
E. Creative Project on History of Education Topic--Due date will be set during course
Weeks 8-9 Philosophy: Reflections on the Essence of Education
(Ch 4) pp.74-99
Building an Educational Philosophy in a Changing World Ch 5) pp. 100-137
VOCABULARY: metaphysics, epistemology, axiology, Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, Existentialism, Essentialism, Behaviorism, Positivism, Progressivism, Humanism, Constructivism
F. Education Philosophy Paper due date will be set during course
Week 10 Organizing and Paying for Education (Ch. 9) pp 225-257
Legal Perspectives on Education (Ch. 10) pp 258-293
G. Exam on last day of class during 10th week
D. Observation Hours and Essay due on actual or scheduled exam day
VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT
Such learner dispositions as attendance and punctuality are especially important for the student preparing to become a teacher. Regular attendance in class is a vital part of the educational process. Students should inform the instructor in a timely manner regarding anticipated absences. Absences traditionally meriting an “excused from class attendance” include hospitalization, other serious illness, death in the family, observed religious holidays, and authorized university activities. Students can receive a grade deduction of one letter grade beginning with the fifth absence from class—regardless of the reason, unless the professor determines that the extenuating circumstance is worthy of more leniency. Additional absences may result in further grade penalties and a grade of “F” (according to college policy) if over 50% of class is missed.
If we need to modify the class meeting time during the semester, it will be the student's responsibility to check his/her college email to be aware of the updated schedule.
Additionally, all assignments are to be completed on time. If an assignment and/or exam is missed due to absence, the missed assignment and/or exam must be made up within one week; if the work is not completed in a timely manner, the student will receive a “0” for that assignment/exam. Late assignments will not be accepted except in cases of extreme circumstances and with the permission of the instructor.
If you need course adaptation or accommodation because of a documented disability or if you have emergency medical information to share with me, please make an appointment to talk with me as soon as possible. To make inquiries regarding disability services, please contact Whitney Wells, ADA Coordinator, at 276-328-0265 or , or visit Academic Support Services in Zehmer Hall.
IX. RIGHTS OF THE INSTRUCTOR
The instructor has the right to adapt (or revise) assignments to meet the specific instructional and professional needs of each student with respect to each student’s major and the area of teaching endorsement the student is pursuing. The instructor also has the right to revise the syllabus during the semester to make adjustments for missed class meetings or other events that may arise.
X. PROFESSIONAL DISPOSITIONS POLICY
Students preparing to become teachers should be aware of and practice traditionally recognized professional dispositions of effective teaching/teachers. These dispositions include
• Regular and punctual classroom attendance;
• Responsibility for timely completion of assignments;
• Responsibility for following stated standards of classroom performance;
• Participation in and contribution to class discussion;
• Demonstration of interest in course content;
• Use of effective and acceptable language standards in communication, both orally and in writing;
• Demonstration of respect for others and their ideas;
• Demonstration of a positive attitude toward teaching and learning/the teaching profession; and
• Modeling of good hygiene and appropriate care in personal appearance.
Serious failure to demonstrate these dispositions will be documented by the instructor and discussed with the student. Students are urged to read the policy on professional dispositions in the Education Department section of the UVa-Wise College Catalog.
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