SYLLABUS FOR CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

 

Term: Fall, 1999 (991) August 30 – December 11, 1999

Course Number: EDU 342

Instructor: Dr. Samuel Wright

Office: Room # 509

Office Phone: (219) 473-4263

E-mail: swright@ccsj.edu

Home Phone: (optional)

Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 – 4:30

Course Time: Thursday 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Course Description:

This comprehensive course, including an historical, sociological, philosophical, and psychological analysis of school curriculum as well as an examination of theories, trends, and methods of curriculum construction, prepares the teacher candidate to work with individual students and groups through the study of the teaching/learning process, evaluation of learning needs, lesson planning for both individuals and groups, and choice and use of instruction media. Field experience is included as a part of this course.

Prerequisites:

EDU 100,200, 300, and 311

Textbooks: Posner, George J. (1995). Analyzing The Curriculum (2nd Edition). New York: McGraw Hill.

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.

Calumet College of St. Joseph adheres to citation guidelines as written in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Fourth Edition. A copy is available from the Calumet College of St. Joseph bookstore. This text outlines 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 ourse without written permission automatically incurs an "F" grade for the course (see Refund Schedule).

Class Policy on Attendance:

Students are expected to be present and on time for all classes. You cannot "make-up" missed classes so please make arrangements to be there.

Class Policy For Assignments:

Quizzes and assignments are usually announced in advance and will typically cover readings assigned for class that day. There are no make-ups.

Course Objectives:

Students in this course will:

  1. Students will study and be able to explain the relationship between educational theory and practice
  2. Students will study major historical developments in educational thought and practices regarding curriculum development.
  3. Students will identify, discuss, and evaluate current curriculum theories, issues, and trends regarding curriculum design, development, implementation, and evaluation.
  4. Students will interview a curriculum specialist as part of an evaluation of current curriculum theories and practices.
  5. Students will visit a school to observe school curriculum and to develop their clinical observation and comparison skills.
  6. Students will read and evaluate periodical literature regarding current curriculum issues. This can be done on the Internet.
  7. Students will evaluate public and private educational curriculum.
  8. Students will develop an "ideal" curriculum in their content area, using original and current understandings of educational philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology, finance, and law.
  9. Students will participate in the group process on a regular basis in class and will consider the value of collaborative learning as a main part of curriculum design.
  10. Students will select learning needs, develop learning objectives, and write and evaluate lesson plans.

 

 Assessment:

Each student will be graded using the following percentages:

10% Presentation 1

10% Presentation II (Technology demonstration)

15% Curriculum Paper Regarding Field Experiences

15% Interdisciplinary Curriculum Project (unit Plan) and Presentation

15% Midterm

15% Final

10% Quizzes and Assignments

10% Class Attendance/Participation

Grading Scale:

A 90 – 100%

B 89 – 80%

C 79 – 70%

D 69 – 60%

F 59% & below.

Format for Written Assignments:

Please use the standards outlined in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 4th Edition, Washington, 1994. This publication is available in the bookstore and in the library.

Class Participation:

Class Participation can be difficult to assess. This course, therefore, will link ATTENDANCE to this area of evaluation. That is, if the students are in attendance for an entire class period, it will be assumed they are participating. Students are expected to be present and on time for all classes. Class interaction is invaluable – and cannot be "made-up" individually.

 

Course Requirements/Major Assignments:

  1. Reading assignments from the textbook are listed in this syllabus Part IV. As a minimum preparation for class discussion and participation, students must read the chapters to be discussed that day.
  2. Supplemental reading assignments will be provided throughout the course. Students need to be familiar with this material as well in order to participate in class.
  3. Each student is required to make two presentations to the class of materials covered in two chapters of the textbook. Student – presenters should assume that the entire class has read the assigned material: reading from the text and/or a recitation of major ideas is, therefore, unnecessary and inappropriate. In other words, no lectures should be attempted.

The second presentation should incorporate a type of technology into the class presentation. Students are required to demonstrate their skill at using an overhead, slide/movie/opaque projector, the Internet, video, or computer in your presentation. Your presentation may involve more than one technology. It is acceptable to video tape your presentation in advance of class.

As future educators, students should consider this an opportunity to try creative (and fun?) ways to engage the class in processing and personalizing the ideas in the assigned materials. This can include leading discussions, directing role playing, making a demonstration, providing supplemental material, and so on. The exercise is to give each student important professional practice,
    1. examine materials to be learned,
    2. setting learning objectives,
    3. planning appropriate strategies to involve other students in the learning process,
    4. implementing those strategies, and evaluating whether the learning outcomes have been achieved.

Students will be assessed as follows:

20% Demonstrating an understanding of the material being covered;

20% Providing an appropriate written lesson plan to each student prior to the presentation

20% Using appropriate strategies to facilitate an effective learning environment;

20% Adequately covering most or all of the assigned material (as opposed to simply targeting one topic);

10% Use of supplemental materials (additional resources); and

10% Providing evidence that learning has occurred.

In the event that there are more students than chapters, several works from the attached bibliography will be recommended by the instructor for a class presentation.

Presentations should last approximately 20 minutes.
  1. Students are to complete a RESEARCH PAPER regarding classroom field experiences made during the semester. As a minimum, each student should visit a classroom for a minimum of twenty hours total for the semester. Acceptable classroom activities include:
    1. Classroom observations;
    2. Assisting a teacher with grading papers or other classroom assistance;
    3. Assisting students as needed and directed by the teacher;
    4. a short report (five doubled space, typed pages)
    1. documenting items a, b, and c above
    2. offering your observations and opinions on the field experiences.

The project report should follow the APA format. It should, therefore,

include:
    1. a standard title page
    2. a body of doubled-space, typed text including APA citations at least one from the literature reviewed and one for the interview being reported and headers with page numbers, and
    3. a reference page (following APA citation specifications).

A suggested outline for the body of the paper would include:

  1. an introduction;
  2. a paragraph identifying and summarizing the school and community;
  3. a paragraph describing the teacher, students, and classroom;
  4. a paragraph summarizing your observations and field experiences; and
  5. a paragraph explaining the curriculum theory being used and your evaluation.

The paper should have five pages:

  1. a title page;
  2. approximately three pages of narrative text, and
  3. a reference page.

The project will be assessed according to:

30% Your reflections, observations, and evaluations;

30% Description of field experiences;

15% Verified attendance (20 hours for the semester)

15% Clear, succinct, professional writing (unity, coherence, and sound writing mechanics); and;

10% Adherence to the American Psychological Association (APA) format.

Students will be asked to share their field experiences with the class.

  1. Students are to complete an INTERDISCIPLINARY CURRICULUM PROJECT (UNIT PLAN) which presents a developed unit (approximately five to ten days) in their specific subject areas – and incorporating another content area. Students should include (a) an introduction indicating which content areas are being presented (and why); (b) the general theory that informs their curriculum design (one page); (c) the learning objectives for their unit (unit plan); (d) an outline (day-to-day) of the daily objectives, instructional methods, needed materials, (daily lesson plan).

The paper should consider areas discussed in class, including, but not limited to, philosophy, politics, psychology, sociology, law, educational theory, curriculum design, state standards, implementation, and assessment. The theory that drives or informs the design of the curriculum unit should be discussed before the proposed unit is actually described. Unless the theory and proposed curriculum are original, it is appropriate to provide references for the theories and curriculum models discussed. Thus, the paper will have a reference page. References of no more than ten years old are appropriate; the textbook can be one reference. In addition, students are then to PRESENT to the class one day of the UNIT PLAN; a QUIZ assessing class learning must be given.

The presentation must be limited to 20 minutes. Teacher candidate presenters are responsible for providing each student and the instructor with a LESSON PLAN BEFORE their presentations.

The project will be assessed according to;

10% Demonstration of sound educational thinking (theory)

10% Basing practice on the theory presented;

30% Selection of appropriate learning objectives; based on state standards, instructional methods, and assessment strategies;

10% clear writing (unity, coherence, and sound writing mechanics);

10% Adherence to the APA format;

30% Quality of class presentation (including QUIZ).

The paper should have at least:
    1. a title page;
    2. an introduction;
    3. a brief discussion of educational theory;
    4. a unit plan;
    5. daily lesson plan;
    6. a reference page.
  1. A MIDTERM covering:
    1. assigned readings in the textbook;
    2. supplemental readings provided in class;
    3. additional information presented during class by students, faculty, or guests will be given in class approximately half-way through the course. There are no make-up midterms.
  1. A FINAL EXAM covering the entire course – including students’ outside reading, interviewing, observations, and theory – will be given during exam week. There are no mak-up final exams.