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Course
Description
This
course is designed to engage students in thinking about ways to apply learning
and developmental theories from the field of educational psychology to
school settings. It addresses the processes and methods of learning and
teaching, including the study of learner’s growth, individual differences,
and the task of evaluating pupil progress.
This course takes the perspective of a particular
theory of learning called Constructivism (Fosnot, 1989, 1995; Brooks &
Brooks, 1993), which posits that learning is socially constructed through
collaborative discourse, requires the active engagement of the learner,
and demands serious reflection on the personal beliefs and prior experiences
that everyone brings to the learning process. My hope for you is that you
will become an “empowered educator” -- one who is a reflective decision
maker, who finds joy in learning and investigating the teaching/learning
process, and one who views learning as the construction of knowledge and
teaching as a process of facilitation that enhances and enriches students’
development (Fosnot, 1989, p. xi).
Course
Objectives
Upon completion of this course, students will:
1. Understand the complexity and classroom implications
of the various theories of learning, development, and teaching that serve
as psychological foundations in educational settings.
2. Learn the meaning of basic educational psychology terminology
and jargon.
3. Make use of online resources for learning about topics
in educational psychology and for discussion of the required readings with
peers.
4. Engage in group and individual activities that stimulate
reflection, critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making related
to the ways theories of learning and teaching apply to you as a learner
and as a prospective teacher. Toward this end, you will engage in a variety
of learning opportunities including brief lectures, assigned readings,
online discussions, written case analyses and case discussions, and research
to develop expert topic papers and presentations.
5. Become an “expert” on a self-selected topic related
to education psychology and share this knowledge with your peers.
Required Readings/Resources
(1) Ormrod, J.E. (2000). Educational Psychology: Developing Learners.
3rd edition (multimedia edition). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
(2) Primis Casebook from McGraw-Hill for CUI 669 - Educational
Psychology
Both books are available at the UNCG Bookstore.
Course
Assignments
1. Online Threaded Discussion –
You will participate regularly in online discussions by adding at least
250-words each week to the conversation. Your postings should include your
reactions to and questions about the required readings and responses to
other students’ remarks in the online discussion. You will be evaluated
on the thoughtfulness, quality of analysis, ability to warrant, accuracy,
and tone of you contributions. In addition, you will participate on a team
that has responsibility for moderating the online discussion for one chapter
in the text. Moderating the discussion includes preparing and posting questions
for discussion, moderating the discussion during the week, and synthesizing
the content of the discussion at the end of the week. Please turn in copies
of all contributions you have made to the online discussions during the
semester with a copy of this rubric on the top on April 25, 2001. A one-page
written reflection about the value of these discussions for your understanding
of the material in this course and about your team’s efforts to moderate
the discussion for one chapter is also due at this time. This assignment
counts for 40 % of your grade. See details of this assignment
and the grading
rubric, which are attached.
2. Expert topic paper and oral presentation
–
As an individual, or with a partner or two, you will select a topic related
to Educational Psychology that you are interested in learning more about.
You will do research both online and in the library about your topic and
write a 10-12 page paper about this topic. Part of you Bibliography/Webliography
must include 5- 10 web addresses with annotations for valuable resources
that you locate on the WWW related to your topic. A one-page handout
for the class and a 10-15 minute oral presentation about your topic are
also a required. The paper should be a balance of the theory, research,
and the practical application of your topic to teaching students. A one-page
individual reflection about what you learned from this project and how
you will use this knowledge in the classroom is also required. If you worked
in a group you should also delineate your contribution to the group. Please
turn in a copy of this rubric, two copies of your handout, and two copies
of your final paper at the time you make your oral presentation. One copy
of the handout and the paper will be returned to you with your grade for
this assignment a week after your presentation. This assignment counts
for 25% of your grade. See grading
rubric attached.
3. Midterm and Final Exams – There
will be a midterm and a final examination in this class based on the content
of the required readings. A portion of each exam will consist of two in-class
essays (30 minutes each) based on PRAXIS-like questions. The remainder
of each exam will be a take-home that requires in-depth analysis of a case
based on required course readings. Each exam counts for 15% of your grade.
The assignments in this course that may be
useful in preparing various portfolios that you complete as a part of your
M.Ed. degree, as shown in the following table:
Correlation of Major Course Assignments in CUI
669 with Advanced Licensure Core Competencies, INTASC Standards,
Advanced Technology Competencies, and
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards
(NBPTS) Core Propositions
| Assignment |
Advanced Licensure Core Competencies |
INTASC Standards |
Technology Competencies |
NBPTS Core Propositions |
| Contributions to Online Threaded Discussion |
1, 4, 5 |
6, 9 |
12.3, 14.3 |
2, 4, 5 |
| Expert topic paper and oral presentation |
1, 3, 4, 5 |
1, 9 (and perhaps others depending on your topic) |
10.3, 12.3 |
1, 2, 4 |
| Midterm and Final Exams |
1, 3 |
1, 9 |
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Grading/Evaluation
Attendance, preparation for, and participation
in this class are expected and account for 5% of your grade. More than
one excused absence will affect your grade in this course. Arriving late
or leaving early more than twice will also affect your grade in this course.
Preparation for this class includes completing
all assigned readings in time to participate wholeheartedly in the online
discussions of each chapter.
Participation in class includes active participation
in all discussions and in-class activities.
All work for this course should be thorough,
thoughtful, and warranted by the readings and ideas presented and discussed
in this course. All work for this course must be submitted on time.
All written work must be word processed and
printed clearly. Use APA style for all references. Please write grammatically
and use a spell checker.
UNCG Official
Graduate Grading System
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