Course Syllabus Spring/Fall 2004

REQUIRED MATERIALS:
• Olson, E. (Ed.). (2001)). Readings for CED 340/540. Oswego, NY: Kraftees & College Bookstore.
• Science concentrates need the NYS Mathematics, Science & Technology Learning Standards, available at http://www.emsc.nysed.gov/top/learning.html (download) or on reserve at Penfield Library (photocopy).

RECOMMENDEDMATERIALS Sherwood, E., Williams, R., & Rockwell, R. (1990). More Mudpies to Magnets. Mt. Rainier, MD: Gryphon House.
• VanCleave, J. (1992). 200 Gooey, Slippery, Slimy, Weird & Fun Experiments. New York: Wiley.
• VanCleave, J. (1994). 201 Awesome, Magical, Bizarre, & Incredible Experiments. New York: Wiley. Science Through Children's Literature. Butzow (2000)


LAB FEE: $3 per student in Fall $1 in Spring


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OBJECTIVES (See School of Education Conceptual Framework): As a result of this course, students will:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the holistic, interdisciplinary nature of science, and the role of science in society and daily life (KNOWLEDGE).

2. Demonstrate an understanding of the social, cultural, and psychological factors which influence how diverse children perceive and learn science (KNOWLEDGE); and an awareness of appropriate teaching strategies to foster positive scientific attitudes in all students (SOCIAL JUSTICE, PRACTICE).

3. Demonstrate an understanding of the content knowledge, inquiry/process skills, and science values appropriate to preschool, elementary, and middle school students, with attention to state and national science education reform documents (KNOWLEDGE).

4. Demonstrate an ability to plan, implement, and reflectively evaluate a variety of inquiry-based, inductive teaching strategies as well as direct instruction at the preschool, elementary, and middle school level (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, PRACTICE, REFLECTION).

5. Examine various early childhood, elementary, and middle school curriculum materials and EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES for inquiry-based classroom and laboratory use, and reflectively evaluate their appropriateness from a scientific, psychological, and pedagogical perspective (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE, REFLECTION).

6. Demonstrate an ability to use and reflectively evaluate effective classroom management techniques to establish and maintain environments conducive to learning science (PRACTICE, REFLECTION, AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE).

7. Demonstrate an understanding of diverse formal and informal strategies to assess science content knowledge, inquiry/process skills, and attitudes, for individual students and across science programs (PRACTICE, REFLECTION, SOCIAL JUSTICE).

8. Demonstrate an understanding of the professional and legal obligations of science teaching, including an ability to establish and maintain safety; to use and care for animals in an ethical and appropriate manner; and to be a lifelong learner in science and science teaching (COLLABORATION & LEADERSHIP, KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICE, REFLECTION).

EVALUATION:

About 30% of the course grade is based on a variety of reflective WRITING/DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENTS. Reflective practice will be an essential aspect of your future teaching.  Therefore, practicing this metacognitive skill is an essential inclusion to this course.  About 30% of the course grade is based on a SCIENCE MINI-UNIT assignment. About 30% of the course grade is based on three objective, open-book TESTS.  Finally, about 10% of the course grade is based on CLASS PARTICIPATION/ATTENDANCE. Graduate students are expected to complete an additional 50 point project, negotiated between the student and the instructor to meet individual needs.

GRADING SCALE (based on 210 total points):

PROFESSIONAL WRITING STANDARDS

Teachers are expected to use standard English grammar and spelling when they communicate professionally with students, parents, supervisors, colleagues, and the public (KNOWLEDGE). The faculty of the School of Education is committed to giving you feedback and support to achieve this goal. When you submit written assignments:

Your instructor will read your work to the 5th major non-repeated grammatical or spelling mistake. At the instructor's discretion, she or he will either (1) assign a final grade on the paper based only on the material prior to the 5th mistake, or (2) ask you to resubmit a revised paper at a specified time for grading with a 25% penalty (e.g., a 20 point assignment will receive a maximum of 15 points). A student submitting a second paper (same or different assignment) with 5 mistakes will be required to take the paper(s) to the Office of Learning Support Services Writing Center (203 Swetman) for a documented consultation, with a 50% grading penalty on the assignment. In the unlikely event that subsequent assignments are submitted with 5 mistakes, the 50% penalty will apply immediately. Papers not resubmitted will get a zero grade.
 

EXPECTATIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, POLICIES: Class absences and procrastination will keep you from getting the most out of the course; the course evaluation scheme is designed to reflect this fact. You will do very well in this course if you do six things:

1. COME TO CLASS. Teachers tend to teach as they were taught. Since many of you did not have good elementary science instruction as children, this course is structured to let you experience hands-on, problem-solving elementary science. Absences will defeat this purpose of the course. Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class period; if you arrive after roll is taken, it is your responsibility to make sure your instructor has recorded your presence IMMEDIATELY AFTER CLASS. We will not change your attendance record on a subsequent day. Only documented medical emergencies (for you or a member of your immediate family), absences documented through the Student Advisement Center (501 Culkin, 341-2240), or documented participation in college-sanctioned sporting events will be excused.

2. PUT IN THE TIME. A rule of thumb for college courses is that for every ONE HOUR IN CLASS, you should expect to spend about TWO HOURS WORKING OUTSIDE OF CLASS. CED 340/540 is an upper division course; it is not a freshman/sophomore general education course. Education is your major; you should be very interested in your major courses and enjoy working a hard on them.

3. KEEP UP WITH THE ASSIGNMENTS. Many general education courses favor "quick-study" students who are good at processing large quantities of knowledge right before the midterm and final. In contrast, this upper-division course in your education major emphasizes "teacher values" -- continuous high quality effort and continuous reflection on ideas and experience.

4. DO THE ASSIGNED READINGS BEFORE CLASS. Most of our limited class time will be devoted to doing science and discussing science teaching, rather than lecture. The readings will form an important framework for both activities. Doing the readings on time will allow class activities to reinforce your learning and vice versa.

5. GET UP TO SPEED WITH EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY. All assignments must be WORD-PROCESSED (double-spaced with 2.5 cm margins) and legibly printed. If you rely on campus printers, make sure your software is compatible and plan for delays. You must have and use an individual or family EMAIL ACCOUNT. You must have access to and use the INTERNET, including the class web site (http://www.oswego.edu/~olson). The Instructional Computing Center (http://www.oswego.edu/icc/) in 8B Snygg Hall will help you establish a free computer account and access to computers and printer. ICC provides many services for beginners, such as workshops, a telephone help line, and individual assistance in the many campus computer labs.

6. DON'T CHEAT. Prospective teachers should value their own learning. We respect the college policies on cheating/plagiarism (see current college catalog), and we expect our students to do so. If you cheat, you can expect to fail this course.
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COURSE OUTLINE

I. Nature of science (KNOWLEDGE, SOCIAL JUSTICE)

A. Science as product, process, and values
B. Characteristics -- Empirical, creative, developmental, parsimonious, unified, and amoral
C. Science as human and historical endeavor
D. Science and technology in daily life

II. How students learn science (KNOWLEDGE, AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE)

A. Cognitive development in science (Piaget, Gagne, Ausubel) -- Similarities, differences, and transitions between preschool, elementary, and middle school students
B. Constructivism and students' misconceptions
C. Learning styles and multiple intelligences in science

III. Teaching science at the preschool, elementary, and middle school levels (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, PRACTICE, REFLECTION, KNOWLEDGE, COLLABORATION & LEADERSHIP)

A. Science content knowledge, inquiry/process skills, and attitudes -- New York State Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science & technology and the Elementary Science Syllabus; National Research Council's National Science Education Standards; AAAS Science for All Americans & Benchmarks for Science Literacy (KNOWLEDGE)

B. Constructivism and research-based lesson/unit planning and teaching strategies (PRACTICE, AUTHENTIC LEARNING)
1. Direct instruction and deductive problem-solving
2. Inductive inquiry teaching -- Learning Cycle

C. Exemplary early childhood, elementary, and middle school curricula & EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGIES for classroom and laboratory use (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, PRACTICE, REFLECTION)

D. Integrating science across the elementary and middle school curriculum and with the real world (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, PRACTICE)

1. Thematic interdisciplinary instruction
2. STS (Science/Technology/Society)

E. Individualizing science instruction (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE)

1. Gender issues
2. Multicultural perspectives
3. Physically, intellectually or emotionally handicapped children
4. Gifted and talented children
F. Management of science instruction in the classroom and laboratory (PRACTICE, COLLABORATION & LEADERSHIP)

G. Monitoring and assessing science learning objectives -- content, inquiry/process skills, and attitudes -- using a variety of embedded formal and informal strategies (AUTHENTIC LEARNING, SOCIAL JUSTICE, PRACTICE)

1. Pencil-and-paper tests
2. Performance tests, observations, graded discussions
3. Learning logs, journals, portfolios
H. Becoming a teacher of science -- Professional and legal obligations (KNOWLEDGE, REFLECTION, COLLABORATION & LEADERSHIP)

1. Safety in the science classroom -- supervising students, informing students of safety hazards, and maintaining safe equipment and working environments
2. Using and caring for animals in early childhood, elementary, and middle school instructions (NYS Education Law Section 809)
3. Keeping current in science and science teaching -- Role of school districts and science teacher organization in promoting continuing professional development of teachers of science.

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Barba, R.H. (1998). Science in the multicultural classroom: A guide to teaching and learning. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Hein, G. E. (1994). Active assessment for active science: A guide for elementary teachers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Marek, E.A., & Cavallo, A.M.L. (1997). The learning cycle: Elementary science and beyond. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

National Assessment for Educational Progress (NAEP). (1999). The nation's report card: Focus on science [On-line]. Available: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/science/science.asp

Shymansky, J. A., Hedges, L. V., & Woodworth, G. (1990). A reassessment of the effects of inquiry-based science curricula of the '60s on student performance. Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 27, 127-144.

Youngdahl, K. (1998). Teaching science with the internet: Internet lesson plans and classroom activities (Grades K-6, 7-12). El Segundo, CA: Classroom Connect. [Online]. http://twi.classroom.com/science/k6 and http://twi.classroom.com/science/712

 

Site Revised April 19, 2004
©2004 - Dr. Eric Olson & Matthew Brooks