Ed
Psy/Tch Ed 6030: Instruction, Learning, and Assessment
Wednesdays,
5:30-8:10pm, 110 South Campus Classroom Building
Instructor: Joseph L.
Polman, Ph.D.
Office: E. Desmond Lee
Technology & Learning Ctr (100 Marillac Hall)
Office Hours: Mondays
3-5pm or by appointment
Phone: 516-4804, Email:
polman@umsl.edu
Web: http://www.umsl.edu/~edujpolm
This syllabus is subject
to change based on the needs of the class as a learning community. Adjustments
will be made that generally benefit the group's learning opportunities.
This course uses learning as
the basis for the design of classroom instruction. By applying learning
theories, teachers can improve their own unit development, lessons plans,
assessment strategies, and the use of technology for effective teaching. This
course will deal with the impact of cognitive educational research on the
subject content and what is known about how people learn. Teachers will learn
to critically evaluate and improve their own educational practices, design
principled and appropriate assessments based on their instructional goals, and
to assess their own professional development.
Objectives
1.
Develop bridges between
instruction and learning theory. How does theory explain instructional
outcomes? What does it imply for instructional design?
2.
Critique and evaluate
case studies of instructional activity and outcomes to improve instruction,
assessment, and use of technology.
3.
Examine the subject
matter domains one teaches (for instance reading, writing, mathematics,
history, science), and what it means to be expert at different levels.
4.
Develop one's own
perspective on how people learn and its relation to instructional strategies
and models.
5.
Demonstrate ability to
integrate technology meaningfully in instructional plans.
6.
Demonstrate ability to
design principled, appropriate assessments based on learning goals.
7.
Critique, evaluate and
improve one's own educational practices—including uses of teaching strategies,
use of technology and assessment practices—based on what we know about how
people learn.
Readings
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A.
L., and Cocking, R. R. (Eds.) (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind,
experience, and school. Washington,
DC: National Academy Press.
Wiggins, G., and McTighe,
J. (2005). Understanding by design (Expanded
2nd Edition). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Online and electronic
articles as detailed within the schedule below.
There are 3 main activities
associated with the course (% of final grade is included in parentheses;
incremental grading will be used for final grades):
a) Attending class weekly and actively participating
in hands-on activities and discussion, as well as occasional online discussions
between classes. (10%)
b) Completion
of 4 written assignments.
#1: Analysis
of Understandings in Jasper Woodbury (20%)
#2: Concept
Map related to your teaching domain (15%)
#3: Analysis
of the design of an enacted curriculum—science, math, literacy, or social
studies (15%)
#4: Unit Plan
(25%)
c) An in-class exam on readings and course concepts
during week 11 (15%)
Note
If anyone has a
health condition or disability, which may require accommodations in order to effectively
participate in this class, please contact me privately as well as the
Disability Access Services Office in 144 Millennium Student Center at 516-6554.
Information about your disability will be regarded as confidential.
Jan 18
Week 1. Introductory
Class:
Class Activity
·
Intros
& Goals
·
Syllabus
review
·
MyGateway
·
Overview/Review
of cognitive theory related to education
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
·
Hand
out and discuss Assignment #1: Analysis of Understandings in Jasper Woodbury
·
Conduct
Adventures of Jasper Woodbury "Rescue at Boone's Meadow" as a group in class,
keeping track of your experience as directed in Assignment #1
Week 3. Knowledge and
understanding
Feb 1
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 1 (What is Backwards
Design?) and Ch 2 (Understanding Understanding) and Ch 3 (Gaining Clarity on
Our Goals)
·
Complete
Assignment #1: Analysis of Understandings in Jasper Woodbury
Class Activity
·
Discuss
analysis of Jasper Woodbury Experience
·
Discuss
readings about understanding
·
Hand
out Assignment #2: Concept Map
·
Introduction
to concept maps, including construction of a concept map of understandings in
Jasper Woodbury
Week 4. Knowledge and
teaching
Feb 8
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Readings
on concept maps, e.g., Novak, J. The theory underlying concept maps and how to
construct them. Available: http://cmap.coginst.uwf.edu/info/printer.html
·
Begin
Assignment #2 by developing draft ideas for a concept map in a knowledge
domain of your choice. Bring your notes/sketches to class.
Class Activity
·
Working
on and collaborating on concept map in groups
·
Discuss
readings
Feb 15
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read
Stodolsky, S. S. & Grossman, P. A. (1995). The impact of subject matter on
curricular activity: An analysis of five academic subjects, American
Educational Research Journal, 32 (2), 227-249.
·
Read Understanding by Design Ch 4 (The Six Facets of Understanding)
Class Activity
·
Working
on and collaborating on concept map in groups
·
Discuss
readings
Feb 22
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Bereiter, C. Beyond
Bloom's taxonomy
·
Read
"Interaction between learning and development," from Vygotsky, L. S.
(1978). Mind in society. Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press
·
Finalize
Assignment #2 (concept map and description) –bring a paper copy to class, and
turn in an electronic copy in the Digital Drop Box (if you did the map
digitally, save it as a JPEG image; if not, just turn in the description
digitally)
·
Write
out and bring to class a question about one of the readings: question the
author or the ideas in it
Class Activity
·
Discuss
metaphors for learning
·
Discuss
readings
·
Present
and discuss your concept maps
Mar 1
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Brown, J. S.,
Collins, A., & Duguid, P. (1989). Situated cognition and the culture of
learning. Educational Researcher,
January-February, 32-42. Available: http://www.exploratorium.edu/IFI/resources/museumeducation/situated.html
·
Read Cole, M. and Wertsch, J. (1996). Beyond
the individual-social antinomy in discussions of Piaget and Vygotsky. Human
Development, 39 (5), 250-256.
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
·
In-class
debate on characterizations of knowledge and learning
Week 8. Assessment: What
is evidence of learning?
Mar 8
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 5 (Essential Questions) 6
(Crafting Understanding) and 7 (Thinking Like an Assessor)
·
Hand
out Assignment #3 (Analysis of the design
of an enacted curriculum)
·
Participate
in online discussion
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
PART THREE: What is
teaching?
Week 9. Teaching as the
Design of Learning Environments
Mar 15
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read How People Learn Ch 6 (The Design of Learning Environments) and Ch 7 (Effective Teaching: Examples in History, Mathematics, and
Science).
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
·
Introduction
to learning environments: BGuILE (Biology Guided Inquiry Learning Environment -
Science). Making Weighty Decisions (Math), Sourcer's Apprentice (History), Say
Say Oh Playmate (early literacy)
Week 10.
Mar 22
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 9 (Planning for Learning)
·
Read
Savery, J. R., and Duffy, T. M. (1995). Problem based learning: An
instructional model and its constructivist framework. Educational
Technology, 35,
31-38.
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
·
Introduction
to learning environments: BGuILE (Biology Guided Inquiry Learning Environment -
Science). Making Weighty Decisions (Math), Sourcer's Apprentice (History), Say
Say Oh Playmate (early literacy)
Week 11.
Apr 5
Assignments
to be completed before class this week
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 10 (Teaching for
Understanding)
Class
Activity
·
In-class exam on course
readings and concepts from Weeks 2-10
Week 12.
Apr 12
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Work on Assignment #3
(Analysis of the design of an enacted curriculum)
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 11 (The Design Process) and
Ch 12 (UbD as Curriculum Framework)
Class Activity
·
Discuss
readings
·
Discuss
Assignment #3
·
Distribute and discuss
Assignment #4: Unit Plan
·
Work in groups (of
similar content areas) on Assignment #4 by generating ideas for "Desired
Results" in your Unit Plan
Week 13.
Apr 19
Assignments to be completed
before class this week
·
Complete Assignment #3
(Analysis of the design of an enacted curriculum)
·
(Optional: Read Understanding
by Design Ch 8: Criteria and
Validity)
·
Work on Final Project by
generating ideas for " Acceptable Evidence" in your unit plan
Class Activity
·
Work in groups (of
similar content areas) on "Acceptable Evidence" for your unit plan,
and raise issues for the whole class
Week 14.
Apr 26
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Read Understanding by
Design Ch 13: Yes, but …), and note
any other "Yes, but …" issues you would like to raise.
Class Activity
·
Discussion
of "Yes, but …" chapter, and other pragmatic issues.
·
Work
in groups (of similar content areas) on "Learning Experiences and
Instruction" for your unit plan, and raise issues for the whole class
·
Begin summarizing
discussion using Inspiration
Week 15.
May 3 Final Class Meeting
Assignments to be
completed before class this
week
·
Complete
Final Project
Class Activity
·
Evaluations.
·
Present
and discuss project