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1 Macon State College School of Education EDUC : Exploring Learning & Teaching CRN: (3 credit hours) TR 12:30 PM - 2:50 PM Location: WRC3 Room 202 Summer 2012 Instructor Information COMMUNITY SERVICE: 10-HOURS REQUIRED* Contacting the Professor Office Hours: TR 11:00-12:00; 3:00-4:00 Academic Advising 4:00-5:00 David P. Fuller, Ph.D. Class Contacting the Class Office Location: TEB 312 Course Web Site: WebCT Telephone: (478) Online Discussions: WebCT Fax: (478) david.fuller@maconstate.edu WebCT Vista Mail Conceptual Framework The School of Education s philosophy consists of four essential elements that constitute a highly qualified adaptive professional who will contribute to the field and affect the lives of children and communities in positive and meaningful ways. Graduates exiting the MSC program will exemplify these four essential elements, being competent, accountable, reflective, and engaged adaptive professionals in the field. This adaptive professional is one who continuously assesses his or her own instruction and knowledge and makes changes accordingly to ensure that every child in his or her classroom is successful. Teacher candidates will appreciate the value of asking questions of themselves as they develop as teachers, reflecting on their answers in relation to their students outcomes, their communities, the current literature, and other factors.

2 Course Description Explore key aspects of learning and teaching through examining your own learning processes and those of others, with the goal of applying your knowledge to enhance the learning of all students in a variety of educational setting and contexts. *Each student is required to verify that he has done 10 hours of community service by the end of the semester. Essential Questions How have I (i.e., the teacher candidate) learned in school, and how do I learn most effectively? How do student factors (e.g., motivation, family and cultural background, temperament, learning preferences, prior knowledge and experiences) impact student learning in educational settings? How do other factors in the learning environment impact student learning? How is teaching and learning impacted by changing social and cultural conditions? How do teaching practices and instructional structures impact student learning in educational settings? How may this knowledge be used by future educational professionals to inform planning and decision-making in order to maximize learning of all types in all students? Withdrawal Deadline The last day to withdraw from this course with a W is June 28, Course Resources Required Text Eggen, P., & Kauchak, D. P. (2012). Strategies and Models for Teachers: Teaching Content and Thinking Skills (6th ed.). Recommended Text Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (2010), 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Attendance Policy The classroom experience is a vital part of college education. Interaction with instructors and other students is an important element of the learning process. Students should attend all class sessions. Students whose number of absences is more than twice the number of class meetings per week earns a failing grade for the course. Students who have more absences than the number of class meetings per week but less than twice the number of class meetings per week will be penalized at the discretion of the instructor. The final course average is decreased five percentage points for each unexcused absence. A valid doctor s note is required for an absence to be considered as an excused absence. However, this does not automatically qualify an absence as being an excused absence. The student is responsible for informing the professor before an absence or immediately after an absence (no more than 24- hours later). This can be done in person, through , or by voice mail message. If a student arrives to class late and/or leaves class early on more than three occasions during the semester, the student must meet with the professor, develop, and implement an action plan to resolve the situation. COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 2

3 Being late to or absent from a class does not excuse you from any assignment. Responsibility for materials presented in, assignments made for, and quizzes given in regularly scheduled classes rests solely with the student. The student must obtain this information from classmates. Unannounced quizzes and in-class activities may not be made up under any circumstance. When a student is absent and has not made prior arrangements with the professor, the student will automatically earn a 0 on any quiz or in class assignments for that day. Students Rights and Responsibilities and MSC Policies and Procedures Students are responsible for knowing their rights at MSC. Information on your rights can be found in the following documents (these documents are also available on the course WebCT Vista site): Macon State College Academic Catalog Macon State College Student Handbook Statement of Diversity Faculty in the School of Education are committed to prepare students to recognize, appreciate, and support diversity in all forms including ethnic, cultural, religious, gender, economic, physical, and intellectual while striving to provide fair and equitable treatment and consideration for all. Therefore, faculty intends to treat all students fairly and equitably regardless. Any student who believes that she/he has not been treated fairly or equitably for any reason should bring it to the attention of the instructor. Academic Honesty/ Ethics Policy/Plagiarism/Disruptive Behavior As a member of the MSC academic community, The primary expectations of Macon State College students are integrity and civility. (Student Handbook, , p. 34). Each student should approach academic endeavors, relationships, and personal responsibilities with a strong commitment to personal integrity and interpersonal civility. A plagiarism prevention service is used in evaluation of written work submitted for this course. As directed by the instructor, students are expected to submit or have their assignments submitted through the service in order to meet requirements for this course. The papers may be retained by the service for the sole purpose of checking for plagiarized content in future student submissions. Please review the Macon State College Academic Catalog ( ) for additional information regarding academic honesty. It is the responsibility of each student to know and understand established rules of conduct. Lack of awareness is not recognized as a legitimate reason for failure to comply (Student Handbook, , p. 33). Academic Resource Centers (ARC) Tutoring is available for most MSC classes free of charge in the Academic Resource Centers (ARC) on the Macon and Warner Robins campuses. Other services include Academic Success Skills workshops and tutor-led study groups. The centers also have computer workstations with Internet COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 3

4 access. To check the schedules for subjects tutored and tutor availability, go to the ARC website at: The Macon ARC is located in the lower level of the Library building on the Macon campus. The WRC ARC is located in room 214 of the Academic Services building on that campus. To schedule an appointment in the Macon ARC, call (478) For an appointment at the WRC ARC, call (478) How to get the most out of a tutoring session: 1. Start right away. Students who begin tutoring from the beginning of the semester typically do better than those who wait. 2. Book your appointments early. During peak times, you may need to book at least a week in advance to get the times you want. 3. Come prepared. Please bring your syllabus, class notes, textbook and specific assignment. Look over the readings and try the problems. If you can, bring a list of specific questions. The more you prepare, the more you will get out of the session. 4. If you miss a class, please get notes from a classmate before your tutoring session. Tutoring is not a substitute for attending class! Students with Disabilities The Disability Support Center coordinates and provides a variety of services for students with physical and learning disabilities. Our aim is to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to all programs offered at Macon State College. If you are in need of a modification(s) or an accommodation(s), please contact the Disability Support Services in the Counseling and Career Center to utilize college-wide student assistance programs and to obtain a certification letter. The phone number is We will work collaboratively to make reasonable accommodations for students who demonstrate a documented problem that interferes with the successful completion of this course. However, it is your responsibility to request a modification(s) and/or accommodation(s) before assignments are due. Technology Statement Successful completion of this course requires the student to have a moderate level of computer literacy (e.g., word processing programs; accessing information via the internet; checking ; scanning). Students should be familiar with these types of technologies prior to taking this course. Students may receive tutorial assistance through the Academic Resource Center located in lower level of the MSC library or in Room 214 Academic Services building on WRC. MSC Policy See the Student Handbook (p. 69) regarding the MSC Student Policy. is an official means of communication within MSC. Therefore, the college has the right to send communications to students via and the right to expect that those communications will be received and read in a timely fashion. Every student is required to have a MSC address. This is a free service. If you do not have a MSC address activated you may go to the Academic Resource Center for assistance. Students are expected to check regularly their MSC accounts for updated classroom information. Student Professional Dispositions Professional dispositions are the values, commitments, and professional ethics that influence behaviors toward students, families, colleagues, and communities, and affect student learning, COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 4

5 motivation, and development as well as the educator s own professional growth. Dispositions are guided by beliefs and attitudes related to values such as caring, fairness, honesty, responsibility, and social justice. For example, they might include a belief that all students can learn, a vision of high and challenging standards, or a commitment to a safe and supportive learning environment. Students will demonstrate professional dispositions by exhibiting the following professional behaviors: Arriving for class at the designated class start time Preparing for class by reading the assigned materials Participating in class discussions in a variety of ways Turning in completed assignments on designated due dates Interacting in a professional manner (verbally and nonverbally) with other students and professor Taking responsibility for his/her professional learning Taking responsibility for contacting the professor via or by phone before an absence and taking responsibility for getting class notes/materials from peers This list of professional behaviors is not limited to only the above professional behaviors -- other professional behaviors may be taken into account by the professor when grading the student at the end of the semester. Please be polite and courteous in your interactions with each other and your professor. Discussion and active participation is always valued, however, rudeness and disruption in any form will not be tolerated. Remember, you must turn off cell phones and other devices (or to a silent mode) before entering the classroom. School of Education Appeal Policy and Procedure The School of Education Student Handbook outlines a grievance process to be used by students in the event that usual processes of communication do not result in the positive resolution of a conflict. This procedure may be used for any grievance except a grade appeal. Students wishing to file a Grade Appeal may do so by following the standard institutional policy as documented in the Academic Catalog and online. (Insert hyperlink for Final Course Grade Appeal Form ( A. Anyone choosing to engage in the Grievance Process must submit in writing: 1. A thorough description of the specific behaviors and actions that created the basis for the grievance. 2. The identity of the person against whom the grievance is being made. 3. A statement documenting the steps the person bringing the grievance has made to resolve the problem up to this point. Such attempts at resolution should involve talking with the person involved about areas of disagreement if possible. B. A copy of this written document must be given to the person against whom the grievance is made and to the Dean of the School of Education. The Dean of the School of Education is charged with expediting the creation of a Grievance Panel and chairing the Panel. A faculty member who is a party to the grievance must remove him- or herself from all deliberations related to the grievance. If the Dean is being grieved against, the grievance procedures will be determined by the Provost of Macon State College. COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 5

6 Person First Language During your enrollment in this class, it is expected that you will reference students with disabilities using person-first language. Person-first language refers to identifying an individual as a human being first, who possesses a disability second. Person-first language maintains the dignity and worth of an individual who faces a cognitive and/or physical disability. I will not accept labels such as, SPED students, disabled students, and MR students. Please address individuals with disabilities using person-first language during class participation and in all written assignments. Written Assignment Criteria All written material submitted should be typed, double-spaced, and when appropriate, submitted in American Psychological Association (APA) sixth edition format. If you have difficulty in the area of written communication skills, please ask for my assistance. When constructing your written materials, special attention MUST be given to the following: Grammar, punctuation, spelling Sentence and paragraph structure Organization, neatness, and content knowledge Write clearly and concisely Crediting sources Grading Policy Grading Scale 100%-90%=A 89%-80%=B 79%-70%=C 69%-60%=D 59%-0%=F Course Requirements The following requirements are expected of each student: (1) Course Preparation Activities (20%) Learning is not a spectator sport. Fundamentally, the responsibility to learn is yours and yours alone. For learning to happen in any course, you must take an active role in the process. For our class, you are expected to come to class prepared and ready to learn, which requires you to read and study the assigned reading before you come to class. Being prepared for class enables you to construct a knowledge base on which subsequent learning rests. During our class, we don t cover content, which means I talk less to get you to talk about what you are learning. You will be engaging in Learning Tasks (out of class and in class) that require you to (a) use a variety of reasoning strategies to address issues and problems, and (b) write reflectively about what you are learning, how it relates to what you already know about the content, and how it relates to your life. Learning Tasks cannot be made up and late Learning Tasks are not accepted. (2) Exams (50%) There will be three (3) in-class evaluations of your learning (including the comprehensive final exam), which may combine multiple choice, true/false, short answers, and long answers. (3) Group Presentation (20%) You will be randomly assigned to a group to focus on a particular educational theorist. The group COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 6

7 will explore the theorists theory and how it relates to teaching and learning today. A brief report (no more than10 pages) on the topic will be due at the beginning of the 20-minute presentation. (4) Contribution to the Learning Environment (10%) You will be randomly assigned to a group to focus on a particular educational theorist. The group will explore the theorists theory and how it relates to teaching and learning today. A brief report (no more than10 pages) on the topic will be due at the beginning of the 20-minute presentation. Course Requirement/Methods of Evaluation: Field Hours P/F Field Hours This is a state-required course in teacher education program. In addition, it is a requirement that all students will be expected to participate in field experiences. Each student is required to complete ten-hours of volunteering hours spread across the semester, in settings such as after school programs, boys- and girls-clubs; etc. with the approval of the instructor. Failure to complete all the field experience hours will result in an automatic fail of this class, regardless of your grades/average on all other assignments. (Instructors have to provide a list of some community organizations where students can do field hours. These field hours should be completed outside a school setting). Final Exam Schedule The Final Examination will be held on July 31, 2012, from 1:00-3:00 PM. COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 7

8 Tentative Course Calendar June 5 June 7 Date June 12 June 14 June 19 Introductions and Syllabus Overview Topics, Readings, and Assignments Perspectives on learning (learning, cognition, and memory) Chapter 1-3 Out-of-Class Work Perspectives on learning (learning, cognition, and memory), continued Motivation and Affect Complex cognitive processes (metacognition, self-regulation, transfer, problem solving, critical thinking) June 21 Examination #1 June 26 June 28 July 3 Student-Student Interaction Strategies Guided Discovery Concept Attainment Model July 5 Examination #2 July 10 July 12 July 17 July 19 July 24 July 31 Problem-based Learning Direct Instruction Presentations SUMMER LEARNING FESTIVAL Presentations Final Examination This syllabus may be modified at the discretion of the instructor. Any changes will be discussed in class and/or via . COURSE SYLLABUS PAGE 8