Fall+2015+EDC+102+Schedule

EDC 102 Schedule Fall 2015

Class Schedule and Assignments
Please remember that each week you will be assigned at least one new article or book chapter on a contemporary or historical topic that impacts public education. As some of these may not yet have been published, they were not listed on this schedule at the beginning of the semester. The updated article assignments will appear at least one week before they are due. Article links will also be provided on the home page.

9/14 || * Introductions **Do**:
 * Date || Topics of Class || Preparation for Class (Listed readings and assignments are to be completed before this class) ||
 * #1 –
 * Syllabus Review
 * Introduction to wiki
 * Active critical reading and annotation
 * What do we already know about public education?
 * Discussion: What are the characteristics of a “good” school? A "good" teacher? ||  ||
 * #2 – 9/21 || * Instruction/rubric and assignments for Context Statement
 * //Savage Inequalities/Ravitch// seminar
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Group brainstorm questions about schools, communities, districts
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Developing a policy issues database
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Discussion: Are American Schools in crisis?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Share Expertise Statements || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Read**:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 1: Teaching in a Challenging World
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Savage Inequalities// Chapter 1
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Linked article
 * Choose 6 significant passages from //Savage Inequalities// and prepare to explain you choices. Prepare three open-ended discussion questions prompted by your reading.
 * Print linked article and bring to class. Be prepared to question/comment and consider //SI// in the context of Ravitch's assertions.
 * Explore Rhode Island schools you may want to research. Bring the names of two or three to class.
 * Prepare an Expertise Statement: Describe something you know well and how you learned it (1+ pages; print out and bring to class). Post to wiki.

**Link:** ====<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 15px;">[|American Schools in Crisis] ==== ||
 * #3 – 9/28 || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">We will meet in the Curriculum Materials Library for this class.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Workshop:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">How do we use evidence to describe a school or community?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">How do we distinguish credible and appropriate sources?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">How do we add statistics to our Context Statements?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Gathering/sharing evidence about our schools || **Read**:
 * FAE Chapter 2: The Early History of Education in a Changing World
 * //Savage Inequalities// Chapter 2
 * Linked article(s)

**Do:**
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Prepare a one-page reflection on your own experiences at the grade level you have chosen for your Context Statement. Compare your school experiences to those of the students in //SI.// Post to wiki.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Investigate the district of the school you have chosen and be prepared to share an overview of the city/town in which your school is located.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Link:**

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">[|Are We Asking Too Much From Our Teachers?]

||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#4 – 10/05 || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">We will meet in the Curriculum Materials Library for this class.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Do:**
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Sociological perspectives: Addressing socioeconomic inequities in the classroom then and now
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Residual effects of historical American educational decisions, practices, and policies
 * <span style="font-family: Times New Roman,Times,serif;">Workshop continued || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Read: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 3: Historical Perspectives of Education
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Prepare a one-page reflection on FAE Chapters 2 and 3. What did you find most surprising, interesting, or relevant to today's educational contexts? Post to wiki. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#5 – 10/12 || * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Share reflections on the essence of education
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What about the Panopticon is relevant to today's educational contexts? Irrelevant? Is it a matter of opinion or perspective?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Context Statement check-in: What obstacles are you encountering as you conduct your investigation? How can we help?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">The perfect school || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Read: **
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 4: Philosophy: Reflections on the Essence of Education
 * //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Savage Inequalities //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;"> Chapter 3
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Linked article
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Write a brief (1/2-1 page) reflection on FAE Chapter 4. What did you find most surprising, interesting, or relevant to today's educational contexts? Post to wiki.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Continue to work on Context Statement
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Prepare to discuss "The Educational Panopticon"

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Link:**

<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">The Educational Panopticon

<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 110%;">note: Open Court is mentioned several times in this essay. If you are interested, here is a link to the program. This link is provided simply as background knowledge:

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">http://opencourtreading.com || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">10/19 || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Last class before freshman midterm grades
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#6


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What are some of the educational policy issues that have developed from competing philosophical orientations?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What are the implications of divergent philosophies on classroom practice?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Activity: What is my theoretical orientation? || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Read: *** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 5: Building an Educational Philosophy in a Changing World
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Linked articles. Be prepared to discuss.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Work on Context Statement
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Choose two or three educational philosophers/schools of thought that appeal to you or match your own feelings about sc hooling. Prepare a two-page explanation to share with the class. Print articles and be prepared to discuss. Post to wiki.
 * Links: **

[|Short Careers By Choice]

__[|Reign of Error (excerpt)]__ || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Link: ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#7 – 10/26 || ======<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Context Statement due before class. Post to the wiki. Bring laptop to class for peer editing. ======
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">What is the role of school in society and how do particular interest groups perceive this differently?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Developing a policy position on an educational issue
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Group dynamics N,S,E,W
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Group policy assignments
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Peer review/editing Context Statements || **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Read: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 6: The Place of Schools in Society
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Savage Inequalities// Chapter 4
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">· Context Statement complete first draft. Post to wiki.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#8 – 11/2 || ======<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 1.06em;">Final version of Context Statement due. Post to wiki. ======


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Share diversity reflections
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Mini-project
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Group policy project preparation for CML workshop: Developing research questions

|| **<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Read: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapters 7 and 8: Diversity in School and Society/Students and Their Families
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">//Savage Inequalities// Chapter 5
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Do: **
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Context Statement
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Prepare a brief (1/2-1 page) narrative of an experience with diversity in your own educational life. Post to wiki. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#9 – 11/9 || ======<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 1.06em;">We will meet in the Curriculum Materials Library for this class. ======
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Continuing to develop group and individual research questions
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Determining credibility of sources
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Supported online research
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Independent online research

|| **Read:**
 * · FAE Chapter 9: Organizing and Paying for Education ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">11/16 || ====<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">We will meet in the Curriculum Materials Library for this class. ====

<span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 14px;">Prepare for for final SI Discussion. Bring 6 questions you have and 6 passages that you found provocative, confusing, enlightening, or otherwise important. Be prepared to explain the significance of each. Your discussion should also be informed by the video below:
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Final project preparation and workshop || **Read:**
 * · FAE Chapter 10:Organizing /Legal Perspectives on Education
 * //Savage Inequalities// Chapter 6 ||
 * #11 – 11/23 || * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Kozol overview and discussion
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Education in the media: What's trending? What are the competing agendas dominating the discourse? How do you think this will affect teachers and students - or will it?
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Perspectives on accountabiity
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Policy project workshop and last minute questions/practice/issues
 * || **Read:**
 * Find two articles presenting differing viewpoints on a current issue related to education from a reputable newspaper or magazine (online or print). Read carefully, bring to class, and be prepared to take a stand on the issue.
 * FAE Chapter 11: Standards, Assessment, and Accountability
 * Linked article
 * Watch linked video
 * Do: **

[|Not Bill Gates]
 * Links: **

**//[|The Shame of the Nation]//**

. || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Educational issues presentations || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Read: <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">**Do:** <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">12/21 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Final examination ||  || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">This schedule is for planning purposes only. Assignments are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor to meet developing student strengths and needs. Changes will be added to this schedule as soon as possible and practical; however, it is up to the student to ensure that he or she has up-to-date information on assignments that may be given in class or posted on the home page of this wiki.
 * #11 – 11/30 || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Annotated bibliographies due today. Post to wiki.
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">FAE Chapter 12: Designing Programs for Learners in Challenging Times: Curriculum and Instruction
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Prepare for presentations
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Write a brief synopsis of your group's lesson and reference curricular/instructional strategies (with page numbers) from this chapter. ||
 * #12 –12/7 || <span style="color: #0000ff; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Educational issues presentations || **Read**:
 * FAE Chapter 13: Becoming a High-Quality Teacher in a Changing World
 * Do: **
 * Synthesize what you learned from this chapter and the course in general to describe the term "high-quality teacher." Use specific details. Post to wiki. ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">#13 – 12/14 || <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Reading Day ||  ||
 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">#14