Fall 2008

Course Description:  This course, which may use lecture, workshop, and demonstration formats, has several related components.  It reviews history and social science content, introduces strategies for promoting active learning, and enables the student to integrate both into effective instructional plans.  Students will also develop instructional technology competencies required for professional effectiveness. 

Conceptual Framework:  UNCP is committed to preparing professional educators who are committed, collaborative, and competent.  These educators should be committed to the mission of public schooling, committed to high standards for their students and themselves, and committed to their profession.  They should collaborate with the professional educators with whom they work, collaborate with students’ families, and collaborate with others in the community of learners, such as representatives from businesses, civic organizations, and nonprofit groups.  Finally, this program prepares professional educators who are competent.  They should possess the knowledge, skills, and dispositions needed to perform their entry-level and advanced roles and responsibilities in the public schools effectively.

Relationship of Course to UNCP Master’s Degree Standards:  This course is the first of a two-course sequence for social studies education students in the Master of Arts in Teaching program.  It prepares students to plan and implement instructional activities.  Specifically, this course equips students to meet the following master’s degree standards:  A, B, C, D.

UNCP Master’s Degree Standards: 

A. Instructional Expertise 

The candidate demonstrates instructional expertise by applying the theoretical, philosophical, and research bases for educational practice in P-12 settings to improve student learning.

B. Knowledge of Learners

The candidate incorporates knowledge of the nature of the learner, learning processes, variations in learning abilities and learning styles, and strategies for evaluating learning into the planning, delivery, and evaluation of instruction.

C. Research

The candidate uses research to examine and improve instructional effectiveness and student achievement.

D. Content Knowledge

The candidate demonstrates advanced depth and breadth of knowledge and skills in the academic discipline and in education. 

E. Professional Development and Leadership

The candidate engages in continued professional development and provides leadership at the classroom, school, and community levels, and within the profession.

Course Objectives:  Students will demonstrate knowledge of the history of social studies as a curriculum area, proficiency in each of the content-area competencies required for state licensure, familiarity with adopted texts and supplementary materials, and commitment to continued professional development.  Students will be able to design instruction appropriate for middle school (6-9) and secondary (9-12) courses in the current North Carolina Social Studies Curriculum Framework.

Specific Competencies:  To assist the social studies licensure candidate in learning to become an effective professional teacher, students will:

• Acquire the ability to use facts, concepts, and generalizations from the several social sciences to provide insights into the political, social, and economic behavior of people and the societies they create.
• Develop constructive attitudes toward diversity, change, conflict, and uncertainty.
• Develop the ability to formulate appropriate objectives and use a variety of effective instructional strategies, resources, and assessment techniques for year plans, unit plans, and daily lesson plans.
• Become familiar with a broad range of teaching strategies and develop the ability to select instructional techniques appropriate to the goals and objectives of a given lesson.
• Develop the ability to present a coherent and well-designed lesson to students and to assess the effectiveness of that lesson and the instructional strategies used.
• Develop the ability to locate and use a broad range of resources.
• Acquire the ability to design lessons that develop the skills of inquiry, decision-making, problem-solving, and critical thinking.
• Develop the ability to use various formal and informal evaluative devices, including teacher-made and standardized tests, and to assess the effectiveness of a given body of instruction.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the contemporary place of social studies in the secondary school curriculum, with particular attention to the current North Carolina Social Studies curriculum, and be familiar with recent trends and their significance for social studies educators.
• Develop classroom management skills consistent with current professional standards.
• Exhibit a working knowledge of media, computer hardware, CAI, CMI, authoring programs, and peripheral devices and the ability to make them an integral component of social studies instruction.
• Develop a professional attitude toward the teaching profession, the school, and the community.

Instructional Strategies:  This course will employ a combination of in-class and online teaching methods that may include direct instruction, discussion, cooperative learning, and discovery learning.  Discussion boards on Blackboard will be used extensively as well as in-class teaching demonstrations and self- and peer-evaluations.

Required Text:  Donald R. Cruickshank, Deborah Bainer Jenkins, and Kim K. Metcalf, The Act of Teaching, 5th ed.

Grading Scale: 
A         94-100
A-        90-93
B+       87-89
B         84-86
B-        80-83
C+       77-79
C         74-76
C-        70-73
D+       67-69
D         64-66
D-        60-63
F          0-59

Teaching philosophy 5%
Long-range objectives 5%
Lesson plans 10%
Teacher-made assessments 5%
Classroom management 5%
Microteaching 30%
Participation 40%

Blackboard Discussions, Assignments, and Class Meetings:  Blackboard discussions will be symposia where the assigned readings are discussed and students demonstrate mastery of the skills learned from the literature.  Topics and assignments will be posted no later than Tuesday of each week.  Each student should post a substantive (no less than 200 words) analysis (do not simply summarize the reading) on a topic of interest from each chapter by midnight each Friday.  You should respond to at least two of your classmates’ initial posts no later than noon on the following Monday.  These responses should also be substantive critiques (either positive or negative but always polite and professional) and not simple “I agree” or “I disagree” statements.  Bear in mind that 40 percent of your final grade rests on these online discussions.  I expect them to reflect the type of discussions we would have in a normal face-to-face seminar setting.  I will, from time to time, guide the discussion in a particular direction, post additional observations to which you should respond, and generally moderate the overall content and quality of our conversations.  You, however, are primarily responsible for making online discussions a beneficial part of your learning experience.  You should study the material, analyze the content, and challenge each other with your own observations and experiences.  Class members who do not meet the minimum participation requirements each week will be marked absent.  Having more than one absence may result in a substantial reduction of your final grade.

Students will write a brief (250-500 word) essay describing their teaching philosophy and why they are pursuing a career in education. You will also write instructional objectives, long-range plans, unit plans, and lesson plans using the North Carolina Social Studies Standard Course of Study, along with a variety of instructional strategies. You will demonstrate your ability to assess students, create grading systems, integrate technology into your classrooms, and develop classroom management plans. You will also be required to critique the work of your classmates, offering support and helpful suggestions for improvement.  Students will make field observations in local public schools and will practice critical teaching skills through microteaching exercises. 

The aforementioned writing assignments are the “nuts-and-bolts” exercises that will provide you with a basic foundation for success (or survival) in the classroom.  I feel it is imperative that you follow the instructions for completing these assignments with great precision and to my satisfaction.  Therefore, if you do not complete each assignment to my satisfaction I will return it to you with suggestions for improvement.  You should then make the necessary corrections and resubmit the assignment within 48 hours of my sending it to you.  (In other words, check your email often.)  Each resubmission will result in a ten point reduction in your grade for that exercise.  (For instance, if you submit the assignment correctly the first time you will receive an A.  If I must return the original exercise and you resubmit it once, then you will receive a B.  If I must return it to you again and you submit the assignment a third time, you will receive a grade of C.)  All assignments must be completed—even if they are late.  Any student who does not turn in an assignment will receive a substantial reduction of your final grade.

The class will meet face-to-face three times – during Weeks 6, 8, and 10 – for teaching demonstrations.  Each student will present a lesson to the class, which will be videotaped, and then we will critique each presentation.  It is imperative that you attend each of these sessions in order to receive the full benefit of your classmates’ observations.  Having more than one absence may result in a substantial reduction of your final grade.

Communication Policy:  Be sure to familiarize yourself with all Blackboard functions and let me know if you have trouble with any of them.  All written assignments should be deposited in the Digital Dropbox.  Email, Discussion Boards, and the Announcements section of Blackboard will be the primary means of communication in the course.  Students should regularly check their University email accounts and the Announcements section of Blackboard for information about the course. It is the students’ responsibility to consult these sources and be aware of any announcements or revisions to the course schedule.  You should also send me an email that contains all the pertinent contact information I should have for you (mailing address, phone number, etc.).

Attendance and Make-up Policies:  Please consult the section on Class Attendance Policy in the catalog for official University policy.  Assignments must be completed on the date due. Students may lose ten percentage points for each calendar day the assignment is late.

Students with Documented Disabilities:  Any student with a documented disability needing academic adjustments should speak directly to Disability Support Services and the instructor during the first two weeks of class.  All discussions will remain confidential.  This syllabus is available in alternative formats upon request.  For assistance, please contact Mary Helen Walker, Office of Disability Support Services, D. F. Lowry Building, (910.521.6695) or visit the Office of Disability Support Services website.

Withdrawal from the Course:  The last day you may drop this course with a grade of “W” is two weeks before the last class meeting.

Academic Honesty:  Academic misconduct in any form will not be tolerated.  It is your responsibility to recognize and understand the various types of academic misconduct, including plagiarism.  Please consult the Academic Honor Code in the Student Handbook or at UNCP’s Division of Student Affairs website for official guidelines regarding the definition and handling of academic misconduct.  You may also consult the following websites for more information regarding plagiarism:

http://www.uncp.edu/tlc/plagiarism/index.htm

http://www.historians.org/governance/pd/Curriculum/plagiarism_intro.htm

http://plagiarismtest.org/

Grade Notification:  To protect the confidentiality of student records, I will not discuss grades via the telephone or email.  Please see me personally or consult Braveweb or Blackboard if you wish to know your grades.

Course Schedule:

Please note: This class will not meet face-to-face until Week Six. Please consult blackboard for specific instructions for each assignment.

Week 1 (August 26/27)
Topic: Effective Teachers
Readings: chapters 1, 10, 11
Assignment: teaching philosophy due; discussion board

Week 2 (September 2/3)
Topic: Classroom Management
Readings: chapter 12; James S. Cangelosi, “Thinking About Teaching Students to Cooperate,” in Classroom Management Strategies: Gaining and Maintaining Students’ Cooperation (New York: Longman, Inc., 1988), pp. 14-41.
Assignment: classroom management plan due; field observations; discussion board

Week 3 (September 9/10)
Topic: Long-range Planning
Readings: chapters 4, 6
Assignment: long-range objectives and plans due; discussion board

Week 4 (September 16/17)
Topic: The Students We Teach
Readings: chapters 2, 3, 5
Assignment: field observations; discussion board

Week 5 (September 23/24)
Topic: Instructional Alternatives: Presentation/Direct Instruction, Independent Study, and Individualized Instruction
Readings: chapters 7, 8
Assignment: lesson plans for presentation/direct instruction, independent study, and individualized instruction due; discussion board

Week 6 (September 30/October 1)
Topic: Teaching Demonstrations
Assignment: present a five- to seven-minute introduction of presentation/direct instruction for teaching demonstration

Week 7 (October 7/8)
Topic: Instructional Alternatives: Discussion, Cooperative Learning, Discovery Learning/Constructivism
Readings: chapters 7, 8
Assignment: lesson plans for discussion, cooperative learning, and discovery learning/constructivism due; discussion board

Week 8 (October 14/15)
Topic: Teaching Demonstrations
Assignment: present a seven- to ten-minute lesson that builds on the previous teaching demonstration

Week 9 (October 21/22)
Topic: Evaluating Student Learning
Readings: chapter 9
Assignment: teacher-made assessments due; discussion board

Week 10 (October 28/29)
Topic: Teaching Demonstrations
Assignment: present a ten- to twelve-minute lesson using one of the following instructional alternatives: discussion, cooperative learning, or discovery learning/constructivism

Bibliography of Relevant Readings:

Airasian, P. W. (2001).  Classroom Assessment.  New York: McGraw-Hill.

Canter, L. (1996).  First, the Rapport—Then, the Rules.  Learning, 24(5), 12-14.

Cruickshank, D. (1990).  Research that Informs Teachers and Teacher Educators.  Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa.

Ehrenberg, R., Goldhaber, D., and Brewer, D.  (1995, April).  Industrial and Labor Relations Review, 48(3), 547-561.

Ellis, A. (2001).  Teaching, Learning and Assessment Together: The Reflective Classroom.  Larchmont, NY: Eye on Education.

Haertel. E. (1999).  Performance Assessment and Education Reform.  Phi Delta Kappan, 80(9), 662-667.

Sharp, V. (2005).  Computer Education for Teachers.  Boston: McGraw-Hill.

Slavin, R. E. (2002).  Educational Psychology: Theory into Practice.  Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

Wagner, T. (2001, December 5).  The case for “New Village Schools”: Education Week, 21(14), 42, 56.

Werner, E. E., and Smith, R. S. (1994).  Overcoming the Odds: High-Risk Children from birth to Adulthood.  Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.

Woolfolk, A. (2003).  Educational Psychology.  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Publishers.

Zahorik, J. (9187).  The Effects of Planning on Teaching.  The Elementary School Journal, 71, 143-151.