SED 432 Interdisciplinary Methods

Instructor:  Jacquelyn Kibbey, Ph.D.	

Course Description:

	This course is intended to provide pre-service secondary teachers
with the ability to teach students about the interrelationship of disciplined
knowledge.  Math, science, social studies, English and foreign language
pre-service teachers will examine the foundations, conceptual overlaps and
areas not addressed by conventional school subjects.  Through a
theme-based approach, groups of pre-service teachers will develop student
learning activities and unit plans which may be implemented in classroom
settings.

Prerequisites:  Completion of SED 310, 411, 412-16.

Course Objectives:

	As a result of this course, students will:
	A. develop interdisciplinary teaching methodology,
	B. encourage scholarship by thinking beyond own content area,
	C. relate specialized subjects to larger holistic goals of education,
	D. recognize that knowledge is not compartmentalized,
	E. reflect on how knowledge is related,
	F. develop materials and strategies relating  content to students'lives.
	G. recognize that any knowledge issue can be approached through numerous disciplines.
	H. identify areas of the school curriculum where conceptuallinking can take place, and
	I. develop learning activities to address conceptual goals of more than
	   one content area.

Course Requirements:
	
	General:

	l. 	Attendance, participation, and attitude in class (More than 3
		absences will result in dropping l letter grade. 
	 	
		Tardiness will be noted by dropping l% of final grade for each lateness.)
	2.  	Reading of textbooks and other assigned materials
	3.  	Preparation of short reports and assignments, either individual or group, to share with the class
	4.  	Preparation and participation, as part of an interdisciplinary team,
		of an interdisciplinary unit, presentation, and accompanying set of lesson plans

	Specific Assignments:

	1. 	Identify an area of interest that you would like to explore to develop
		your knowledge base.  A hot topic in education or an area you feel has not been 	 
		adequately covered in course work previously.   Resolve it through
		research, including reading, interviews, observations etc., resulting in an
		individual 5 page paper with bibliography.  Teach the major components of your topic to 
		the class and provide them with a handout. 

		Topic choices:  Alternative Assessment Strategies, Alternative Schools,
		Study Skills, Self Esteem, Multiple Intelligences, Time Use, Classroom
		Arrangement,Technology use in your Discipline (reserve computer lab and introduce
		class to softward choices.) Conflict Resolution, Action Research, Cultural
		Differences and How They Affect Learning, Serving Special Needs Students in your 
		classroom, International Comparisons of Learning Achievments, Discipline 
		Choices & Classroom Management, Service Learning, Non-Verbal 
		Communication in the Classroom, Urban School Issues, Team Teaching, Parent 
		Conferences, and other topics as approved.
 
	2.  	Design a single concept lesson(s) in the manner of Bruner to introduce a 	 
	    	concept in your discipline.

	3.  	Find and abstract 3 articles in contemporary education journals at the 	 
	     	middle school or high school level, re: interdisciplinary education.

	4. 	As a member of an interdisciplinary team at the Middle School
		level, design and develop an interdisciplinary unit based on Models 4-8
		(Fogarty).  Each team will choose one model and also select a theme for their
		unit that is a  group choice.  The duration of the unit will be 2-4 weeks.
		Submit as a group and in an organized format which includes; individual
		lesson plans, schedules, webs, assessment components, and an assessment of
		the group process.

	5.  	Group presentation of Interdisciplinary Unit to class.

	6.  	Develop a 10 point performance assessment covering an assigned
		chapter of class textbook.  Give the quiz and record grades in
		instructors grade book. Conclude process with a short paper (l page)
		analyzing the data generated by the quiz and evaluating the process in general.

	7.  	Reflection paper, indicating where your thinking currently
		lies regarding the role of interdisciplinary education.  It should be 5-7 pages,
		cite references of influence.  Paper should be typed or word processed.  

	Methods of Instruction:

	1.  Lecture and group discussions
	2.  Video series
	3.  Student and/or teacher presentations
	4.  Guest speakers
	5.  Technology Applications

	Evaluation:
	
	Plus and minus marking will be used.
	Formal and informal assessment techniques will include such things as:
		
	Attendance, participation & attitude			10%			
		
	Research topic pape					10%
		
	Presentation of topic to class				10%
		
	Concept lesson a la Bruner				15%
		
	Abstracts of 3 articles					 5%
		
	Design & development of interdisciplinary unit		10%
	
	Group presentation of unit				10%
		
	Development of quiz					10%
	
	Average of quiz grades					10%
		
	Reflection paper					10%
								_____
							Total	100%