Calumet College of St. Joseph
Education 311: Foundations of Education
Term: Day Cohort – February/March, 2005
Course Number: Educ 311 Z
Instructor: John M. Shields, Ph.D.
Office Phone: (219) 473-4262
Email Address: jshields@ccsj.edu
Office Hours: T.B.A.
Or By Appointment
Instructor’s Background:
Educational: Presently a Ph.D. Candidate in Constructive Theology at Loyola University of Chicago; M.A. in Theology from the University of Notre Dame (1999); Ph.D. and M.Ed. in Educational Administration and Supervision from Loyola University of Chicago (1987 and 1976 respectively); B.A. in Philosophy from Tolentine College (1972).
Professional: Served as Adjunct Professor at both Loyola University of Chicago and Calumet College of St. Joseph; Superintendent of Schools for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Gary (1992-1999); Principal of Bishop Noll Institute (1987-1992); and Educator/Administrator at Mendel Catholic High School (1973-1987).
Course Time and Location: M-R, 5:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Course Description: The course provides an overview of the historical basis of the present educational system as well as its social impact and future implications. Cultural, ethnic, and minority expectations of school; the legal rights and responsibilities of students and teachers; and philosophies and theories of education are highlighted. Field experience is required.
Prerequisites: Educ 200
Textbook: Foundations of Education by Robert F. McNergney and Joanne M. McNergney (New York: Allyn & Bacon, 2004).
This is an expensive book and filled with much information (and many reader friendly charts, bullets, etc.). While we will not read every page/chapter of the text, the book is worthwhile having as a quick and ready resource on the various aspects of Educational Foundations. Throughout the course, we will also read “primary” reading selections as handouts when appropriate.
Learning Outcomes/Competencies:
When one engages in the art and science which teaching is, one does so from within the context of a history and a culture. This is inevitable since all human beings belong to a community steeped in a history in which ideas, values, and beliefs are shared, challenged, transformed, and transmitted over time. Thus, what we teach, why we teach, and how we teach are always informed, either implicitly or explicitly (and for better or for worse), by the philosophical, historical, social, and political foundations which serve as the underpinnings for our professional actions as educators. This course will, therefore, serve to facilitate a clearer, and thus more explicit, understanding of those foundations.
Our goal then is twofold: to come to a greater understanding of the philosophical, historical, social, and political foundations of American education, and to come to evaluate those foundations with a view towards developing our own personal self-reflective philosophy of education. Thus, while this course will offer the student the opportunity to appropriate the relevant historical, philosophical, social, and political (legal) facts/concepts available in a “foundations” course in American education, the primary goal of this course is to facilitate the critically reflective development of a coherent philosophy of education.
Thus, students in this course will:
Come to understand the key philosophical stances over time that have come to influence what, why, and how American educators have come to teach and to demonstrate that understanding by the development of teaching strategies which reflect those various stances.
Come to understand the major factors and themes that have and continue to inform the historical project which American education is and to make a critical evaluative judgment of those themes.
Come to understand the various sociological factors/theories which have and continue to influence the delivery of American education for better or for worse and to come to develop the critical ability to evaluate the validity, significance, and transformative power of those factors/theories.
Come to understand the political/legal nature of the project of American education. This will require an understanding the key facts/concepts inherent in a political/legal understanding of the American educational system(s).
Come to synthesize and critically appropriate foundational understandings into a personal philosophy of education.
Learning Strategies:
As one may note from above, the overarching goal of the course is to explore – in a communal, sharing fashion – those facts, concepts, themes, ideas, etc. which have and continue to influence our educational decisions concerning what, why, and how we teach. In the very fact that we ask the “what,” “why,” and “how” questions, we are asking “foundational” questions, questions which demand the articulation of a philosophy of education. Thus, the facts and concepts which we will uncover – via lectures, presentations, observations, an interview field experience, and evaluative discussions – will all, hopefully, serve to support our final outcome – the development of a personal philosophy of education. Given my own belief that adults learn best in dialogue, in conversation that can be informative, challenging, and potentially transformative, I encourage active participation in the class. Moreover, given the “compact” nature of both the cohort class and the weekly traditional evening class, I greatly discourage absence from class except in the case of dire emergency. Students absent from class more than three days (either full or partial) will have their final grades lowered by one grade level.
Assessment:
1. 20% of Grade - Field Experience: Interview & Reflective Essay
2. 20% of Grade - Major Class Presentation on one from below:
a. Educational Philosopher
b. Educational Leader/Theorist
c. Significant Court Case on Education
3. 40% of Grade - Final Exam – Synthesis Essays
4. 20% of Grade - Presentation of One’s Philosophy of Education
Please note that all assignments will be due on the days specified on the calendar below. There will be no exceptions – given again the compacted nature of the cohort class and the need to adhere strictly to the schedule. All written assignments are to be typed and double spaced – properly checked in advance for any grammatical and spelling errors. Teachers must be models of the exemplary use of the English language!
Grading will be according to the standard scale:
A: 90-100 B: 80-89 C: 70-79 D: 60-69 F: 59 and below.
Calendar:
Day One Introduction: Goals and Tasks
(2/28) Video Presentation: Dead Poets Society
Day Two Reflection on video in relation to a Philosophy of Education
(3/01) Introduction to Philosophies of Education – Sample Handouts
Day Three Philosophies of Education continued
(3/02) Summary of Major Philosophical Schools
Day Four Introduction to the History of American Education
(3/03) Videos of School: The Story of American Public Education, 1&2
Day Five Blackboard Assignment – Research and Post: A comprehensive
(3/07) report on a major educational philosopher, leader, or educationally related court case
Day Six Student Reports: Key Educational Philosophers and Leaders
(3/08) Synthesis on the History of American Education: The Kaestle Thesis
Day Seven Introduction to the Legal Foundations of American Education
(3/09) Process Handout on Government Roles
School: The Story of American Public Education, 3
Day Eight Student Reports: Court Cases related to American Education
(3/10) Synthesis on Legal Foundations of American Education
Day Nine Released Time for Field Experience
(3/14) Visit and Interview a public or non-public educator
Purpose: To discover her/his philosophy of education
Day Ten Student Reports: Reflective Essay on Field Experience
(3/15) View Jonathan Kozol video: Hearts of Children and the Obligation of the Nation’s Schools
Day Eleven Student Presentations of Personal Philosophies of Education
(3/16)
Day Twelve Final Exam distribution and explanation of the task
(3/17)
The Final exam is due to Dr. Shields on Monday, March 28th. No Exceptions!
Sample Student Report Topics:
Philosophers: Plato
Aristotle
Descartes
Locke
Rousseau
Dewey
Educational Leaders: Quintillian
Pestalozzi
Froebel
Mann
Catherine Beecher
Cubberley
Piaget
Montessori
Friere
Kozol
Court Cases: Pickering v. Board of Education
Tinker v. Des Moines
Goss v. Lopez
Ingraham v. Wright
New Jersey v. T.L.O.
Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier
Abington Twp. V. Schempp & Engel v. Vitale
Bethel School District v. Fraser
Cochran v. Louisiana
Lemon V. Kurtzman
Brown v. Board of Education (and Brown II)
Lau v. Nichols
Board of Education (Pottowattomie) v. Earls
Zelman v. Simmons-Harris
Report Formats/Rubrics:
For Philosophers and Educational Leaders/Theorists:
a. Identify his/her historical context
b. Identify her/his central tenets
c. Evaluate his/her position
d. Applying her/his position to a classroom setting.
For Court Cases:
a. Provide appropriate case/historical background
b. Provide a summary brief of the decision (as handout to all)
c. Clearly explain the decision and its implications for education
d. Identify a practical example of the decision’s effect on a school.
For Philosophies of Education:
Ensure the presence of the key components of a philosophy of education in your presentation, i.e., metaphysics, axiology; and epistemology: What? Why? and How? From your personal but critically reflective perspective.
Statement Regarding Plagiarism:
If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel finds that a student has plagiarized or been involved in another form of academic dishonesty, the instructor or other personnel may elect to bring the matter up for judicial review. The maximum penalty for any form of academic dishonesty is dismissal from the College. The procedures for judicial review are listed under the section of the CCSJ Handbook which addresses student grievances. (Academic Planner).
Withdrawal From Class Policy:
After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), a student may withdraw from a course in which she/he is registered with permission from the faculty member conducting the course. A written request detailing the reason(s) for the withdrawal must be filed with the Registrar. Written request for withdrawal must be received by the Registrar by the last day of classes prior to the final examination dates specified in the Catalogue. Written requests may be mailed to the Registrar or faxed to the College fax number, 219-473-4259. Students are to make note of the refund schedule when withdrawing from courses. The request is forwarded to the faculty member, who makes the final determination to accept or deny the request. If the request is honored, the student will receive notification of official withdrawal; if denied, the notification will indicate why the withdrawal is disallowed. Note: Degree Completion Division (DCD) students should consult the DCD Student Handbook for information on DCD withdrawals.
An official withdrawal is recorded as a “W” grade on the student’s transcripts. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an “F” grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).