Introduction to Computers in Education
Education 301
Fall 1999: Wednesdays, 4:15-6:45
South Campus Computer Building (SCB) 200A
Joe
Polman, Ph.D.
Office Hours: Tuesdays 4-6pm, Thursdays 4-5:15pm, or by appointment
Marillac 216
Phone: 516-7210
Email: polman@umsl.edu
Course Web Wizard Site: http://www.umsl.edu/cww/student/Educ301.E01.fall.1999/
Overview and Goals | Required
Activities | Grading | Class
Readings | Class Schedule
This is an interactive, activity-oriented
seminar course designed to introduce students to the computer as an
instructional tool. The course will emphasize the meaningful integration of
technology across the curriculum. We will consider the use of (1) content-area
software, (2) writing tools (3) Internet tools, (4) multimedia tools, (5)
multimedia projects, (6) data analysis tools, (7) computer-mediated
communication tools, and (8) ethical issues. Students will become familiar with
theories of learning and practical realities relevant to understanding
computers and associated technologies as tools in learning environments.
There are four main activities associated
with the course:
1) Attending class weekly and actively participating.
These sessions will be devoted to discussion of assigned readings, short
presentations by students on readings, and activities and projects on the
computer, led by the professor and students. You should notify me before class
if you know you will not be able to attend, and as soon as possible if
something unexpected arises. Missing more than two class meetings will result
in required makeup work.
2) Weekly participation in an online
discussion group.
You are expected to post at least two messages per week to the discussion group
available online at http://www.umsl.edu/cww/student/Educ301.E01.fall.1999/index.html.
One post must be made before class on Wednesday in response to a
discussion topic related to the readings for that class. A second post must be
made after class on Wednesday, and will be a follow-up to that class. You are
encouraged to post more messages as you have relevant input to the discussion.
3) Working in groups of 2-4 to lead the
class in activities relevant to a specific class meeting and associated topic
in the second half of the semester. You will form groups and sign up for a time
slot a few weeks into the semester.
4) Completing a project motivating and
detailing the design of an educational activity using computers as a tool. A
project proposal will be reviewed and approved by Week 10, and the printed or
hypermedia project will be due in lieu of a final exam. The design should be
motivated by concepts from class readings (with citations where appropriate)
and discussion.
Grades for the course will be based on work
in class and out as follows:
Grabe, M., &
Grabe, C. (1998) Integrating Technology for meaningful learning (2nd
Ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Selected readings
on the World Wide Web (see below).
Week 1: August 23-27
Wednesday,
Aug 25: Introduction and Orientation, Design of Learning Environments
Assignment,
due Wednesday, Sept. 1: 3 page paper on your most memorable learning
experiences in school, one involving computers and one not. The experiences can
be memorable for how valuable they were or frustrating they were. If you have
none with computers, discuss a positive and negative experience not involving
computers. For all experiences, discuss briefly what you think made them
memorable to you, and successful or not. Please write about experiences that
you will be willing to discuss in class on September 8.
Week 2: August 30-September 3
Wednesday, Sep 1:
Pros and Cons of Computers in Education (Broad and Personal)
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 2-22
•
The class will be split into two groups, to divide reading "The Pros and Cons
of Technology in the Classroom".
Half will read
Pea’s speech, http://www.tappedin.org/info/teachers/debate.html
Half will read Cuban’s, http://www.tappedin.org/info/teachers/debate2.html
• Optional historical overview (Cuban) can be found at http://www.nyu.edu/classes/murfin/techhist.txt
Week 3: September 6-10
Wednesday, Sep 8:
Learning Theory and Practice
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 22-75
Week 4: September 13-17
Wednesday, Sep 15:
Computer Software in Content Areas and for Practice (Simulations and Drill and
Practice)
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 78-122
Week 5: September 20-24
Wednesday, Sep 22:
Beyond Simulations: Goal-Based Scenarios
• Read the sections on Goal-Based Scenarios in "Engines for Education" by Schank & Cleary. It begins at http://www.ils.nwu.edu/~e_for_e/nodes/NODE-227-pg.html and ends at "GBSs Tie Together Different Subjects".
Week 6: September 27- October 1
Wednesday, Sep 29:
Computers and the Internet for Research
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 188-193, 199, 201-221
Week 7: October 4-8
Wednesday, Oct 6:
Process writing and newsletter production
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 152-172
Week 8: October 11-15
Wednesday, Oct 6:
Multimedia & Hypermedia Use
•
Grabe & Grabe Ch. 7, pp. 222-264
Week 9: October 18-22
Wednesday, Oct 20:
Multimedia and Hypermedia Projects I
•
Grabe & Grabe Ch. 8, pp. 265-298
Week 10: October 25-29
Wednesday, Oct 27:
Multimedia and Hypermedia Projects II
•
Grabe & Grabe Ch. 10, pp. 334-381
Final
project proposals due next week. You can work alone or in groups (2 or 3).
Week 11: November 1-5
Wednesday, Nov 3:
Data Collection and Analysis (Spreadsheets, Databases, MBLs, Visualization)
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 172-185
• Scientific Visualization: http://www.covis.nwu.edu/sciviz/sciviz.html
Final
project proposals due today.
Week 12: November 8-12
Wednesday, Nov 10:
Computer-Mediated Communication I (email, lists, mentoring, ask an expert,
virtual field trips, distributed data sharing)
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 194-201
•
Additional Web reading to be determined
Week 13: November 15-19
Wednesday, Nov 17:
Computer-Mediated Communication II (knowledge building with CSILE/Knowledge
Forum)
• Overview at http://csile.oise.utoronto.ca/intro.html
•
Supporting knowledge building through the synthesis of CSILE, FCL & Jasper,
http://csile.oise.utoronto.ca/abstracts/kn_build/
Week 14: November 22-26
No Class–Thanksgiving
Break.
Week 15: November 29-December 3
Wednesday, Dec 1:
Ethical and Critical Issues
•
Grabe & Grabe pp. 389-404
• The Computer Delusion by Todd Oppenheimer (http://www.theatlantic.com/issues/97jul/computer.htm)
Time
will be given to work on projects. You are encouraged to seek feedback on
drafts/plans.
Week 16: December 6-8
Wednesday, Dec 8:
Student Presentations and Wrapup (last day of class)
•
Each group will give a 10-15 minute presentation of their project to the class.
Final version of project due in my office
(216 Marillac) on Monday, December 13, by 5:30pm (the time the exam would have
been scheduled).