Course Catalog 2012-2013
Professor Karen Graves, Chair
Professor Karen Graves; Associate Professor Lyn Robertson; Assistant Professor Jerrell Beckham; Instructor Suzanne Baker; Academic Administrative Assistant Brenda Franks
The Department of Education emphasizes the relationship between schooling and society and the analysis of teaching and learning in interdisciplinary terms. The Educational Studies major is designed for students who wish to prepare for a career in education in elementary or secondary schools, or in the broader community. This curriculum introduces students to learning theory and the social foundations of education, and it allows for internships in the field. This curriculum fits well into one's broader liberal arts education and provides time for one to complete a major in another field of study, for example, in the discipline one intends to teach. The Educational Studies major does not lead directly to licensure; however, faculty and staff in the Department of Education assist students in creating individually designed plans for obtaining licensure after graduation through a range of graduate and other programs.
The Educational Studies major consists of nine courses: PSYC 100; EDUC 213; EDUC 249 or EDUC 250; PSYC 200; EDUC 312; EDUC 390; EDUC 421 or two semesters Senior Research; and two 300-level education courses, one of which must be cross-listed with Black Studies, Queer Studies, or Women's Studies.
Please note these prerequisites: PSYC 100 for PSYC 200, EDUC 249, and EDUC 250; EDUC 213 for all 300-level education courses; EDUC 249 or EDUC 250 for EDUC 312; and senior standing for EDUC 421.
In addition to coursework the major includes the following requirements. These are avenues for helping students articulate an understanding of liberal education and the logic of the curriculum. Students should complete a course trajectory plan, educational philosophy, and interview with department faculty before declaring the major; optimally this should occur by the end of the sophomore year. In addition, students must complete an approved internship, in schools or other educational settings.
The Educational Studies minor requires 24 semester hours of course work: PSYC 100; EDUC 213; EDUC 390; and three education electives, one of which must be cross-listed with Black Studies, Queer Studies, or Women's Studies.
Introductory Topics in Education (EDUC-199). A general category used only for the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4
The U.S. Education System (EDUC-213). Students will develop a thorough and systematic understanding of the development of education and schooling in the United States. Relationships between school and society will be analyzed primarily from a historical perspective. Themes include the connection between liberty and literacy, centralized versus local control of schools, expansion of schooling, inequities in schooling, and the differentiated curriculum. 4
Approaches to Environmental Education (EDUC-220). Environmental education is a broad term, encompassing a large array of ideas concerned with the purpose of and approach to engagement with the physical environment that should ultimately lead to environmental stewardship. Approaches to Environmental Education will address the "what" and "how" of environmental education. Students will be exposed to the various definitions and purposes of environmental education as well as the multiple approaches used to achieve these purposes. Through readings and hands-on experiences we will explore multiple practices in the field. Finally, we will develop our own environmental education curriculum based on our experiences in the class. 4
Technology & Learning (EDUC-245). This course will explore a variety of technology (emphasis on multi-media and Web 2.0 tools) so students interested in the field of education will not only become proficient in the practical use of technology, but determine when technology is appropriate, how it can be used to enhance learning and how to assess its usefulness in the academic setting. This course will include a combination of discussion, lecture, video, and hands-on computer work. Attendance at evening lectures may be required. 4
The Learner and the Teacher: Childhood (EDUC-249). This course explores the learning-teaching process in the elementary grades. Topics for the course include learning theories, developmental patterns of the young child, learning profiles, differentiated instruction, and methods of teaching. This course includes a three-hour commitment each week to an area school classroom. The student will complete a variety of activities that focus on the teacher, the learner and the learning-teaching process, using the school experience as a "laboratory" to gather primary sources of information. A fee is required for state-mandated background check. Normally offered Spring semester. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. 4
The Learner and the Teacher: Adolescence (EDUC-250). This course examines the learning-teaching process from psychological perspectives. Theories of behavioral, cognitive and humanistic psychology are addressed. This course includes a three-hour commitment each week to an area school classroom. The student will complete a variety of activities that focus on the teacher, the learner and the learning-teaching process, using the school experience as a "laboratory" to gather primary sources of information. A fee is required for state-mandated background check. Prerequisite: PSYC 100. 4
General Methods Teaching (EDUC-270). Procedures and activities employed in teaching, including planning, instructional strategies, assessment, student groupings and classroom management will be studied. Assignments require students to put course concepts into practice. This course is designed to extend students' understanding of the discipline. Prerequisite: EDUC 249 or EDUC 250. 2
Field Experience (EDUC-280). The student will be assigned to work in a local school, social service agency, or non-profit organization under the supervision of the Department of Education Field Experience Coordinator and an on-site teacher or other supervisor. The student will observe and assist in the setting and confer regularly with the Field Experience Coordinator. A fee is required for state-mandated background check. Prerequisite: EDUC 249 or EDUC 250. 1-2
Intermediate Topics in Education (EDUC-299). A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4
Philosophy of Education (EDUC-300). In this course, students approach the question of how people learn from a philosophical perspective. Class members read primary works of selected educational theorists including Plato, Isocrates, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft, Dewey, and Martin. Students develop a familiarity with the major educational issues of the past and engage current issues and problems in education. Prerequisite: EDUC 213. 4
Literacy and Learning: Theory and Practice (EDUC-312). The purpose of this course is to examine reading and writing development from emergent to mature stages. Emphasis is on theories of reading and writing, approaches for solving problems related to these processes, and teaching students to read and write critically. The course includes a 30-hour commitment to a field experience in an area school classroom. A fee is required for state-mandated background check. Normally offered Fall semester. Prerequisites: EDUC 213; EDUC 249 or 250. 4
Gay and Lesbian Issues in Education (EDUC-330). In this seminar students will examine gay and lesbian issues in what is, arguably, the most central social institution in contemporary American culture. We will begin with an introduction to sexuality, drawing upon scientific and historical scholarship, and collectively delineate critical issues regarding sexuality in U.S. schools. We will study Queer Theory as a foundation for the work to follow and read central texts in the queer history of education. We will read major legal documents regarding sexuality in the United States and secondary literature relating to them. In this section our focus will be on students' rights regarding Gay Straight Alliances, safety, and educators' employment rights. We will discuss gay and lesbian issues in a multicultural education framework in terms of issues identified by the class earlier in the semester. Prerequisites: EDUC 213 or QS 101. 4
Special Problems (EDUC-345). Independent study or seminar work on selected topics under the guidance of staff members. Prerequisite: Consent of chairperson. 4
Special Problems (EDUC-346). Independent study or seminar work on selected topics under the guidance of staff members. Prerequisite: Consent of chairperson. 1-4
History of African American Education (EDUC-360). The goal of this course is to examine the historical experiences of African Americans in education and related aspects of life. Much of the course will focus on Blacks' experiences in schooling in the South from Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. In addition, students will contrast African American schooling experiences with those of Native Americans and others during this period. Students who enjoy and benefit from cooperative and participatory learning environments are encouraged to take this course. Prerequisite: EDUC 213 OR BLST 235. 4
Directed Study (EDUC-361). 1-4
Directed Study (EDUC-362). 1-4
Independent Study (EDUC-363). 1-4
Independent Study (EDUC-364). 1-4
Critical Pedagogy: Gender, Race and Class in U.S Education (EDUC-390). In its examination of current critical issues in U.S. education, the central concern throughout this course is the relationship between school and society. Particular attention is given to critical and feminist pedagogies. Cross-listed with WMST 391. Prerequisite: EDUC 213. 4
Advanced Topics in Education (EDUC-399). A general category used only in the evaluation of transfer credit. 1-4
Senior Seminar (EDUC-421). Students will build upon knowledge and understanding of selected topics developed in previous coursework in education, develop the skills required in the process of doing research and preparing work for presentation or publication, and reflect upon study in the major. Prerequisites: Senior standing in Educational Studies. Normally offered Spring semester. 4