Course Description and Purpose

Transcription

1 Graduate School of Education University of Massachusetts Lowell Sociocultural Contexts of Education Fall 2009 Wednesday 4:00 6:30 and online Michaela W. Colombo, Ed.D. Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday 2:00 3:30 Monday Friday by and by appointment The conceptual framework that unifies programs at the Graduate School of Education is Education for Transformation. The mission of the University of Massachusetts Lowell is to meet the needs of the Commonwealth today and into the future by supporting the development of sustainable technologies and communities through its teaching research, scholarship and engagement. The Graduate School of Education (GSE) contributes to this mission by educating new teachers and enhancing the professional development of those already in the field so that they may assume leadership roles focused on transforming the lives of children and the vitality of the region. The GSE's commitment to "Education for Transformation" produces graduates who: This course cultivates transformation through the following assignments and activities: demonstrate excellent knowledge, judgment and skills in their professional fields; promote equity of educational opportunity for all learners; Active participation in weekly class discussions focused on sociocultural aspects of education, presentation of a class symposium; submission of literature review paper Equity and educational opportunity are the topics of course discussion, symposia, and papers collaborate with other educators, parents and community representatives to support educational excellence; Interview of a school leader, parent, or community representative who differs from you in race, culture or other important way. use inquiry and research to address educational challenges Review and critique of research articles for biases, and issues of reliability, and validity Description and Purpose This course will examine the wide body of research that focuses on the sociocultural contexts of U.S. schools and school systems. The overarching objective of this class is for participants to gain in depth understanding of the sociocultural forces that have shaped, and continue to shape and influence schools and school systems. Core topics in this course include theory and methodology within sociology of education, the purpose of education in the United States, the structure and ecology of schools, the effects of systemic stratification and structural racism, issues of equity and access, and the role and influence of social capital for improving educational opportunities for children who are considered at risk. Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

2 As professionals in the field of school leadership participants in this course will engage in informed discussions of course reading, engage in research, analyze the methodology and/or underlying theories in research articles, and collaborate with other course members to conduct further research in an area of interest. Specifically, as a participant in this course you will 1. develop and demonstrate understanding of the dominant theories and methodologies in the field of sociology of education; 2. review and critique research and other scholarly papers, identifying underlying theoretical constructs, and analyzing methodologies; 3. develop and demonstrate an understanding of the ecology of schools and communities; 4. explore social stratification and institutional racism as it exists in U.S. schools and systems, and their implications for children who differ from the dominant culture; 5. demonstrate understanding of the role of social capital and network orientations for students who are considered at risk for failure in U.S. schools and suggest ways in which social capital can be developed within schools and school systems; 6. interview a school leader, parent, or community representative who differs from you in race, culture or other important way; and prepare a paper connecting the interview to course content; and 7. in collaboration with members of a small group, expand on a central concept in the class, conduct research in your specific area of interest, prepare an individual paper, and present a symposium with your group. Participation Expectations (15% of total grade) Requirements Collaboration and focused discussion based on the course readings are an important component of this course. Please plan to be in class at 4:00 and prepared to actively contribute to small and large group discussions. Bring 1 2 key points or questions about each chapter we will discuss that week. Please also plan to review the papers of a team mate and provide thoughtful and constructive criticism. There is also an online component to this course. Your timely participation is anticipated. Review and Critique Research Papers and Other Scholarly Papers (20%) The first six chapters of the handbook provide a discussion of theoretical and methodological orientations in the field of Sociology of Education. As you conduct research for your paper and team symposium, you will access many research and scholarly papers. Select four of these and present a critique of each. What are the underlying assumptions, the methodology? Why did you decide to use or reject the paper for your research? Interview (20%) Based on the readings in this course, you will develop questions for a minute interview with a school or community leader to gain her or his perspective on one of the critical issues that we discuss in Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

3 this course. Alternative assignment: Contact the author of one of the course books or another author who writes about issues explored in this course and arrange an interview by telephone or in person. You will submit your interview notes and a formal paper of approximately 10 pages. Paper (25%) Most issues in education can be understood through a sociocultural framework. Explore an area that interests you from a sociocultural perspective, conduct relevant research, and develop a paper of no fewer than 15 and no more than 20 pages. Symposium (20%) In the symposium three to four course members will present their papers based on a common theme. There are two major ways to accomplish this. You may present papers on similar issues that can be understood through different theories of sociology of education, or you may choose a topic from one of the chapters in the handbook and explore different issues through the perspective of this topic. You will prepare and submit a symposium proposal. Once the proposal is accepted, you will prepare a professional presentation, which begins with an introduction, and continues with individual presentations of papers. Your presentation will include handouts for other members in the class and me. You will have the interview paper and segments of the symposium paper critiqued by at least one member of the course prior to submitting the paper to me. I will provide a critique of your draft of your critique of one research paper and the first draft of your symposium paper. These critiques will enable you to revise and edit the paper if needed. Any paper that receives less than a B may be rewritten, and may receive a grade as high as a B. Any paper that is resubmitted must have the original graded paper attached. All assignments must follow APA format or will be returned unread a paper that is returned unread will not receive a grade higher than a B when it is resubmitted. Assignments must be submitted on time. Assignments that are submitted late may lose up to 1/2 point per day. If there is an emergency and you must submit your work beyond the date it is due, please contact me in advance. If you require accommodations, please come and talk with me. Please notify me in writing regarding any potential conflicts between your religious observances and class meetings and assignment due dates. Academic Dishonesty: Students are expected to adhere to UML s policies for Academic Dishonesty. These can be accessed at The university policies apply to online as well as other work. Grade GPA GSE point Comment structure A Work of the highest professional standard demonstrating independent and exemplary performance A Excellent work demonstrating independent and high quality performance. A Very good work, carefully executed, but requiring some Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

4 areas of improvement. B Good work, indicating careful thought and attention to the task, yet requiring several areas of improvement. B Work of graduate standard, but omissions exist or careful analysis is not in evidence. Below Graduate Standard B Effort is evident, but work indicates lack of understanding of the demands of the task C Poor quality work with little attention to detail and the demands of the task. C Work of very poor quality, indicating no understanding of the depth of analysis required. F 0.0 Below 65 Serious neglect or evidence of cheating. Texts Required Halinan, M. T. (Ed.). (2006). Handbook of the sociology of education. New York: Springer. Stanton Stanton Salazar, R.D. (2001). Manufacturing hope and despair: the school and kin support networks of U.S. Mexican youth. New York: Teachers College Press. Conchas, G. (2006). The color of success: Race and high achieving urban youth. New York: Teachers College Press. Recommended Putnam, R. D. (2001). Bowling Alone: The collapse and revival of American community. New York: Simon and Schuster. ISBN Ancess, J. (2003). Beating the odds. New York, Teachers College Press. Epstein (2001). School, family, and community partnerships: Preparing educators and improving schools. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. González, N., Moll, L., & Amanti, C. (Eds.). (2005). Funds of knowledge: Theorizing practices in households, communities, and classrooms. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Putnam, B.P. & Feldstein, L.M. (2003) Better together. New York: Simon & Schuster. Instructional Activities Classes will consist of discussions based upon assigned course readings, video, related interactive activities, lecture and participants written work. The following is an overview of planned course activities, which and may be modified depending upon the specific needs of course participants. Small and large group discussion activities will consist of discussions, debates, and cases. Week One (September 2): Introduction to Class, introductions and research interests, review of syllabus, including course objectives, expectations and assignments Understand how the course Participant introductions 1,3,4,5 readings will connect to meet Presentation of syllabus, objective, objectives 1,3,4,5 expectations and assignments. Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

5 Begin to consider how your research interests fit with course readings Small group discussion, What is the purpose of education and why are so many children failed by the system? Brief presentation regarding methodology. Week Two (September 9): Prior to class, please read the introduction to the Handbook and chapters one and two. 1,2 Discuss the ways in which the theoretical frame that we use influences our assumptions, perspectives and research questions. Discuss the role of school resources and the role of social capital in schools. Small and large group discussion activity: How do our assumptions influence the questions we ask? Presentation Week Three (September 16): Prior to class, please read chapters three and six 1,2,5 Discuss the ways in which the theoretical frame that we use influences our assumptions, perspectives and research questions. Small and large group discussion activities How has the sociological research on race and ethnicity influenced the field of Sociology of Education? Discuss the role of resources and the role of social capital in schools How do educators and policy makers address the tension between individual rights and the common good? What are the results of ability tracking? Discussion of possible interests for the research paper. Prior to class, identify an area of interest for your research paper and contribution to a symposium. Please be as specific as possible. Please bring to class on index card. Week Four (September 23): Prior to class, please read Stanton Stanton Salazar Part I (through p. 78) and Chapter 11 in Handbook 3 5 Small and large group discussion activities Discuss the role of social capital and social networking. Discuss the Neighborhood Ecological Dangers and the Socialization of Urban Low income How does social capital and social networking make a difference for youth considered at risk? Is social capital equally important to other youth? Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

6 Latino Youth. Discuss possible commonalities with other populations. Review (or present) Bronfenbrenner s theory of development How do the ecological dangers of the neighborhood shape the experiences of lowincome urban youth? Presentation and discussion Network to share and discuss areas of interest for paper and discuss possibilities for symposium partners. For Week Five, please bring one research article and your review of this article. (Bring at least four copies of your review and one copy of the article to submit at the end of the class.) I will provide you with feedback regarding your review. Week Five (September 30): Prior to class, please read Stanton Stanton Salazar Part II (through p. 157) and Chapter 12 in handbook 3 5 Discuss the role of immigrant parents as sources of social and institutional support (comparative perspectives and constraints). Small and large group discussion What are the strengths of the parents who Stanton Salazar describes? What constraints do they experience, and how do these impact their children? Discuss the theory of overlapping spheres of influence, the role of schools, and directions for future research. Why are partnerships critical and what are the possible roles that school leaders can play in establishing and sustaining these partnerships? Please post a description of the person you will interview and a draft of interview questions in Week Six Discussion Space no later than Monday October 5 and bring a copy for each person on your team to class on October 7. Please read each team member s questions prior to coming to class. Week Six (October 7): Prior to class, please read Stanton Stanton Salazar Part III and team interview questions 3 5 Discuss the role of schools in providing social and institutional supports for students who are considered at risk. Small and large group discussion activities Is it possible to institutionalize social supports? If so, is it the role of schools to do so? Review and critique of interview questions Interview Questions are due for final review in class October 14. Please also upload to drop box prior to class on October 14 Week Seven (October 14): Prior to class, please read the Handbook, Chapter 13 Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

7 3 5 Discuss the Construction of Educational Risk and the overrepresentation of minorities in special education. Explore the possible benefits and concerns of full inclusion for all students. Small and large group discussion activities Presentation of data minorities in special education Video What is So Special about Special Education? Research Review paper is due in Drop Box by October 21. Week Eight (October 21): Prior to class, please read Conchas, chapters one and two and the appendix, p. 125 (recommended, but not required, Handbook, Chapter 16) 1 6 Compare Conchas s description of the framework of urban schools to that of Stanton Salazar and descriptions found in the handbook. Small and large group discussion activities. Discuss the ways in which the focus on the interpretation of youth is important to understanding factors for success. Discuss Conchas s description of his subjectivity, how it affects his research, and why it is important for Conchas to acknowledge. Discussion and presentation of Cambodian American Youth study the interpretation of youth Discussion Discuss interview questions and interview protocol. Small group work review and provide constructive feedback for interview questions. Interview Assignment is due in team discussion section prior to Monday, October 28. Please include specific directions what do you see as a specific strength of your paper, what areas may need revision, etc. Sign up for Symposium date during Week Nine s class (pending approval of proposal) Week Nine (October 28): Prior to class, please read Conchas, pp , interview assignment of one team member 3 7 Compare and contrast the perceptions and self reported experiences of the populations of students presented. Group discussion activities What are the implications of Conchas s findings for other populations considered at risk? What are the implications for school Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

8 leaders and policy makers? Discuss the consistency or inconsistency between their perspectives and the discussion of NCLB in the forward of this book. What is equity? How do we balance accountability with the experiences encountered by youth who live in circumstances similar to those described by Conchas and Stanton Salazar? Team discussion time for critique of papers Review form and format for symposia proposals. In small groups, discuss symposium proposal and develop a plan of action for completing and submitting proposal. A copy of symposium proposal is due in drop box prior to class on November 4. Please bring specific questions regarding the symposium to class on November 4. Week Ten (November 4): Prior to class, please read Conchas, pp Discuss the role of social capital in Conchas study. Synthesize across readings to discuss the relative importance of social capital, and the role of schools and school leaders in developing social capital. Team discussion: How does social capital contribute to the educational well being and success of youth? Develop an action plan to increasing social capital in the case school district. Using the case provided, collaborate in small groups to develop a plan of action for increasing social capital. Q&A Symposia Upload a section of your paper to the team discussion section no later than November 16 with specific instructions to the reviewer. (Is this a completed section? A draft? What is working well? What are you struggling with? What support do you need?) Week Eleven (November 18): Prior to class, please read your team mate s paper and be prepared to provide constructive criticism. 1 7 Review and critique papers using framework provided. Present overview and discuss the process of submitting proposals for papers and presenting papers Small group work on papers and team meetings with instructor. Doctoral student guest speakers presenting at conferences Presentation of various research organizations and their requirements sample paper review and Q&A Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education

9 Week Twelve is an online discussion to be used to prepare symposia and provide feedback on sections of paper. Week Twelve (November 25): Online focused team work on paper reviews and symposia. 1 7 Participants will engage in scholarly collaboration to provide constructive criticism on paper sections and to prepare symposia Online discussions and chats Participants will dedicate 2.5 hours to participation in online discussions and chats. It is anticipated that each participant will log into Week Twelve s class on Wednesday, November 25 to arrange a mutually convenient time to chat during the week of November 25 December 1. Draft papers are due in drop box prior to December 1 Week Thirteen (December 2): Prior to class, please read 1 7 Review, expansion, and discussion of course content. Time dedicated to online discussions and chat should equal time normally spent in class. Teams 1 and 2 will present symposia These will be followed by discussant s comments and questions and answers Week Fourteen (December 9): Prior to class, please read 3 6 Review, expansion, and discussion of course content. Teams 3 and 4 will present symposia These will be followed by discussant s comments and questions and answers Final papers are due in drop box by December 11. Colombo Syllabus Sociocultural Contexts of Education