CULTURAL VALUES IN EDUCATION

1

 

Term:                     Spring 2005

Course Number:   Education 391                                          

Instructor:             Barbara O’Block, Ed.D.

 

Office Phone:        219-473-4294

E-mail:                   boblock@ccsj.edu

Office Hours:        available upon request

 

Course Time:        8:15 AM - Noon           Monday – Thursday

                               5:00 PM to 8:45 PM     Monday - Thursday

                                   

Course Description:

 

The course of study examines the diversity of students (and families) the teacher candidate will meet in the classroom, school, and community. The relationship of these diversities to a student’s self-concept and learning will be explored, as well as, the influences of prejudice, bias, stereotyping, exceptionalities, gender and sexual orientation, and racial/cultural inequities in education. Emphasis is placed on preparing the teacher candidate with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to offer just and equitable educational opportunities to all students. Field experience is required.

 

Learning Outcomes/Competencies:

Students in this course will

 

1.         Understand the role of education in an ever-changing society
  • Examine the reality of social change – including Census and Migration data
  • Define globalization and its effects
  • Compare and contrast the sequence of social change(s) throughout history
  • Compare and contrast among groups - including cultural/religious/ethnic backgrounds
  • Examine the impact as people from different cultures come together

 

2.         Define Diversity, Prejudice, Stereotyping, and Discrimination

  • Recall the history of diversity in the U.S.
  • Record the Legislative landmarks that were agents of social change in our society
  • Discuss famous court cases and the outcomes.
  • Research current court cases, predict their outcomes and how these may affect social change.
 
3.         Describe the learning environment and the influence of motivation
  • Identify types of diversities in the classroom; investigate the commonalities/ differences of each
  • Identify the components of the classroom environment; discuss the importance, use, and impact of each component as it supports student diversity
  • Construct a 2-dimensional classroom listing the components of the classroom environment; weigh the importance of each component and offer a rationale
  • Create and implement appropriate projects, activities, and methodologies that will embrace and promote cultural values throughout the classroom. 

 

4.          Explore the concept of a “learning community”
  • Identify key attributes of different learning styles (including exceptionalities); compare and contrast these
  • Evaluate each learning style for usefulness/effectiveness

§         Identify appropriate/effective methodologies to meet the needs of students with differing needs/learning styles

  • Define direct instruction; cooperative learning; hands-on learning; experiential learning
  • Review the disabilities laws - define and understand the vocabulary associated with disabilities; the process to identify a special education candidate; the teacher’s role in the regular classroom with special needs students; resources that may assist the teacher/student in the regular classroom
  • Review the laws associated with gifted education – define and understand the vocabulary associated with gifted education;  the process  to identify a gifted education candidate; the teacher’s role in the regular classroom with gifted students; resources that may assist the teacher/student in the regular classroom.
  • Compare and contrast the needs of special education and gifted students; examine funding differentials for special education/gifted education; evaluate the rationale for funding disbursements
  • Examine the argument for and appropriateness of values education

 

5.          Identify religious pluralism and its role in the secular classroom
  • Define religion; examine the role of religion in the classroom
  • Define pluralism
  • Explore issues re: separation of Church and State

 

Textbook:

 

Cushner, Kenneth, Averil McClelland, and Phillip Safford (2003). Human Diversity in Education: An Integrated Approach (New York:  The McGraw-Hill Companies, 4th Edition).

 

Assessment:

Activity

 
Total Points

Attendance/Participation

10 points each class

120

Homework

 

Field Experience

8 Assignments (10 points each)

Written report

  80

 

  50

Book Report/ Presentation

Report (100 points)

Presentation (100 points)

200

Special Project

Paper (100 points)

Presentation (100 points)

Project (100 points)

300

 

Position Paper

Paper

100

Summative Assessment

100 pts.

100

Total

 

950

 

Grading Scale:

 

A: 940-950   A-: 935-939   B+:  930-934     B: 920-929      B-:  915-919    C+: 910-914

C: 900-909   C-: 895-899    D+:  885-894    D: 875-884      D-:  870-874    F: 896 & below

 

Homework Assignments:

1.      Chapter readings

2.      Introductions – creating a personal cultural “flag”

3.      Stereotypes – presenting and interpreting a Parable or Fable

4.      Diversity Time-Line

5.      The two-dimensional classroom

6.      Observation rubric

7.      Book Report presentation

8.      Presentation of special project

9.      Class debates: bilingual education/medicating children (e.g. Ritalin)/gender and sexuality issues/IDEA/others of interest

10.  Field experience

11.  Movie review(s)

12.  Presentation of position and defense of position

 

 

Book Reports/Oral Presentations:     Select a book on a topic related to this course.  Books are not to be stories about fictitious characters and situations but actual studies or biographies of people or about work that has occurred in the field of cultural diversity.  Books that support or expand upon the topics in the course syllabus (racism, prejudice, stereotyping, cultural differences, various exceptionalities, sex and gender issues, methods of handling racial and cultural differences in the classroom, and/or how cultural/gender and or sexual or racial differences affect a student’s educational progress) are acceptable.

 

Book reports should be typed, double spaced, no more than five pages and no less than three full pages in length and published within the past seven years.  The report must contain:

&   An introduction

&   Information about the contents of the book

&   Your thoughts about the book

&   Reference page

 

Oral presentations of the book report are conducted within a 5 minute time frame. 

       

Field Experience:       The classroom observation(s) includes a summary of the specifics of the visit; a description of the diversity of the students; the lesson presented; instructional and motivational strategies observed; a reflection of how the environment and instruction did or did not support student diversity. The report is no less than three full double-spaced, typed pages but no more than five pages.

 

Special Project:       The special project must relate to diversity/multicultural education.  The project can be an activity you present to the class or a research you conduct in an educational setting.  All projects are presented in written form.  Each is no less than three full double-spaced, typed pages but no more than five pages.  Projects are interactive and presented to the class orally.  The report contains:

Ø      An introduction telling what the focus of the project

Ø      How the project was designed and implemented

Ø      The results of the project

Ø      A lesson plan

Ø      The personal/professional impact the project had on you.

 

Oral presentations are conducted within a 15 minute time frame, the last 3 – 5 minutes are allowed for questions and answers, copies of the project are provided to the class.                                   

           

Position Paper:    Take a position for or against this statement:  Instruction should be bicultural and bilingual. Support your position with the research of three (3) authors/writers, two of which support your ideas and one who does not support your ideas.  One of the three authors/writers can be a person that you know personally and who is qualified to speak on the subject.  Papers must not exceed five pages in length and be no less than three full double-spaced typed pages.  Be prepared to defend your position in a round-table discussion.

 

Portfolio:

As of the 1996-97 academic year, the Education Program of CCSJ is requiring teacher candidates to develop a professional portfolio prior to the student teaching course.  This portfolio should contain examples of professional development from various courses and activities.  Many of the projects connected with this course would make appropriate additions to such a portfolio.

 

Format for Written Assignments:

The professional Education and Psychology communities have adopted the standards delineated in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.  The current work is the Fourth Edition, 1994, available in the bookstore and the library. Plagiarism is a serious unprofessional practice.  Please consult the CCSJ Student Handbook as well as the APA Publication Manual for a) a description of plagiarism and b) how to avoid it.

 

 

INTASC Principles:  The reading, assignments, and projects in this class should be related to an appropriate INTASC principle.  This correlation should be noted in the written assignments.  Artifacts submitted for a grade may later be included in the Professional Portfolio.

 

 Center for Academic Excellence:

Tutoring assistance is free to all students of Calumet College of St. Joseph. Call the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), to make an appointment at 473-4287. The Center has experienced and well-trained tutors in most subject areas to help students who are struggling in a course or who are doing well and would like to do better. Regular weekly tutoring sessions are likely to improve your grade.

 

Statement of Plagiarism:

If an instructor or other Calumet College of St. Joseph personnel find 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 CCSJ handbook that addresses student grievances.

 

Citation Guidelines: Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as prescribed by the particular discipline (i.e., MLA, APA, Chicago Manual of Style or Turabian.).  All of these guidelines are available in the Calumet College of St. Joseph library or bookstore.  These texts outline how to cite references from a variety of sources, including electronic media.

 

Withdrawal from Classes Policy:

After the last day for class changes has passed (see College calendar), students may withdraw from a course in which they are 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 transcript. Dropping a course without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).