Independent Studies Course Syllabus

 

Course Number and Name: EDU 914 Elementary Curriculum on the Web

InstructorÕs Name: Bob Jost

Contact Information: Phone/Fax 559-495-1919 | bobjost@gmail.com

Number of Units:     3 Units

 

Course Description

 

Unlike intermediate and secondary educators who usually specialize in teaching a single subject-matter curriculum, elementary educators are expected to teach a broad range of subjects (Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, etc.). Locating appropriate resources to support, enhance and enrich this diverse curricula can be a real challenge for elementary educators. Fortunately, in the past several years, a wide array of resources for all of the elementary subject-matter curriculum has become available on the World Wide Web. This course will introduce elementary educators to this ÒElementary Curriculum on the WebÓ.

 

Course Materials

 

All of the course content for this online course is delivered from the course web site at:

http://www.cotwcourses.net/elementary

The online exploration components of each module of the course links course participants to a wide range of elementary curriculum resources on the web.


http://www.cotwcourses.net/elementary/intro/links.htm

 

Course Requirements

 

á      Course participants will analyze the elementary curriculum content standards for their state.

á      Course participants will identify and select one of their state's elementary content standards as the focal point for their online explorations and projects.

á      Course participants will explore and analyze a wide range of elementary curriculum web resource sites.

á      Course participants will maintain a logbook in which they identify grade level appropriate web resources from each broad category and reflect on how these web resources will be useful in their classroom.

á      Course participants will develop and/or reinforce online research skills that will enable them to locate additional web resources to support their elementary curriculum.

á      Course participants will develop a standard-specific collection of online resources.

á      Course participants will develop a lesson plan or curriculum unit that integrates the online curriculum resources.

 

á      Course participants will submit their logbook, a bookmarks/favorites collection and a lesson plan to the instructor for review upon completion of the course. These documents may be submitted in hard copy or digital format.

 

National Standards / State Content Standards

 

This course focuses directly on the state content standards of each of the course participants. Course participants will begin the course by analyzing their state content standards. They will identify one or more of these state content standards as the focal point of their explorations throughout the course. Their course projects will be developed in alignment with the state content standard that has been selected.

 

Course participants will utilize one or more of these sites to access their stateÕs content standards.

 

Education World: State Standards

http://www.education-world.com/standards/state/index.shtml

 

Developing Educational Standards

http://edStandards.org/Standards.html

 

StateStandards.com

http://www.statestandards.com

 

This course is also in alignment with multiple elements of the ISTE National Technology Standards for Teachers 2000 standards.

 

I. TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS AND CONCEPTS.

 

Teachers demonstrate a sound understanding of technology operations and concepts. Teachers:

 

B. demonstrate continual growth in technology knowledge and skills to stay abreast of current and emerging technologies.

 

II. PLANNING AND DESIGNING LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS AND EXPERIENCES.

 

Teachers plan and design effective learning environments and experiences supported by technology. Teachers:

 

C. identify and locate technology resources and evaluate them for accuracy and suitability.

 

IV. ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION.

 

Teachers apply technology to facilitate a variety of effective assessment and evaluation strategies. Teachers:

 

B. use technology resources to collect and analyze data, interpret results, and communicate findings to improve instructional practice and maximize student learning.

 

V. PRODUCTIVITY AND PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE.

 

Teachers use technology to enhance their productivity and professional practice. Teachers:

 

A. use technology resources to engage in ongoing professional development and lifelong learning.

 

C. apply technology to increase productivity.

 

D. use technology to communicate and collaborate with peers, parents, and the larger community in order to nurture student learning.

 

VI. SOCIAL, ETHICAL, LEGAL, AND HUMAN ISSUES.

 

Teachers understand the social, ethical, legal, and human issues surrounding the use of technology in PK-12 schools and apply those principles in practice. Teachers:

 

A. model and teach legal and ethical practice related to technology use.

 

C. identify and use technology resources that affirm diversity

 

D. promote safe and healthy use of technology resources.

 

E. facilitate equitable access to technology resources for all students.

 

This course is also in alignment with key elements of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards: The Five Core Propositions including:

 

Proposition 2: Teachers Know the Subjects They Teach and How to Teach Those Subjects to Students.

 

á      They are able to use diverse instructional strategies to teach for understanding.

 

Proposition 3: Teachers are Responsible for Managing and Monitoring Student Learning.

 

á      They deliver effective instruction. They move fluently through a range of instructional techniques, keeping students motivated, engaged and focused.

á      They know how to engage students to ensure a disciplined learning environment, and how to organize instruction to meet instructional goals.

 

Learning Objectives / Outcomes

 

 

á      Course participants will analyze the elementary curriculum content standards for their state.

á      Course participants will identify one of their state's elementary content standards as the focal point for their online explorations and research projects.

á      Course participants will compare web-based instructional support resources including:

o   Elementary educator support resources

o   Elementary curriculum support resources

o   Elementary curriculum enrichment resources

o   Elementary teacher tools

o   Reference and research resources

á      Course participants will develop and/or reinforce online research skills that will enable them to locate additional web resources to support their elementary curriculum.

á      Course participants will develop a standard-specific collection of online resources

á      Course participants will develop a lesson plan or curriculum unit integrating the web resources that were identified throughout the course.

 

Note: See previous section of the syllabus for standards alignment.

 

Evidence of Learning

 

á      The course instructor will observe understanding of the course objectives as demonstrated through the reflective writing assignments that are submitted via email at the conclusion of each of the ten course modules.

á      Course participants will demonstrate their understanding of the course objectives in the logbook entries analyzing and reflecting on the usefulness of specific web resource sites for each of the broad categories of web resources.

á      Course participants will demonstrate their ability to use online research tools to locate age-appropriate and educationally relevant web resources that support the specific state content standard that they have selected.

á      Course participants will demonstrate their ability to integrate web resources into a lesson plan or unit of study that will be of immediate use in their classroom.

 

Schedule of Topics and Assignments

 

Assignment Submission Key:

á      LB – Logbook Entry – Logbook will be submitted for review upon completion of the course.

á      EM – Email to Instructor – Instructor will respond within 24 hours

á      WBD – Web Discussion Board – Provides an opportunity for course participants to communicate and collaborate with other course participants.

á      Bookmarks/Favorites – Course participantÕs personal collection of standards-based web resources

 

Registration / Initial Contact with Instructor

 

á      Participant registers with Fresno Pacific University Center for Professional Development.

á      Instructor sends an email message to course participant confirming the receipt of registration data, notification that the course materials packet will be mailed the following morning and online course access information.

á      Course participant may begin working on the course immediately.

á      Course support materials mailed to course participant via US Priority Mail.

 

Prior to beginning the course, participants will review:

 

á      Course Introduction

á      Course Overview

á      Course Website Navigation

á      Course Project Overview

á      Course Grading Overview

á      Download and Initialize Course Logbook (LB)

 

Module 1: Online Community

 

á      Introduction

á      Assignment 1: Post Self-Introduction to Course Web Discussion Board (WDB)

á      Assignment 2: Course Listserve (No longer available)

á      Assignment 3: Communicate with Other Course Participants (optional) (WDB)

á      Assignment 4: Course Grade Options - Notify Online Instructor via email (EM)

 

Module 2: Elementary Curriculum Content Standards

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 2e1: Analyze State Content Standards (LB)

á      Reflection 2r1: Identify a Specific State Standard for Research and Projects (EM)

 

Module 3: Educator Support Sites

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 3e1: Compare Educator Support Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 3e2: Compare Professional Organizations (LB)

á      Reflection 3r1: Identify and Reflect on the usefulness of specific Educator Support Sites (EM)

 

Module 4: Elementary Subject Matter Resources

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 4e1: Compare Reading/Language Arts Resource Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 4e2: Compare Math Resource Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 4e3: Compare Science Resource Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 4e4: Compare Social Studies Resource Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 4e5: Compare Art, Music & PE Resource Sites (LB)

á      Exploration 4e6: Compare Lesson Plans Sites (LB)

á      Reflection 4r1: Identify and Reflect on the usefulness of specific Subject Matter Resources (EM)

 

Module 5: Elementary Curriculum Enrichment Resources

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 5e1: Compare Online Museums (LB)

á      Exploration 5e2: Compare Online Libraries (LB)

á      Exploration 5e3: Compare Virtual Field Trips & Exhibitions (LB)

á      Exploration 5e4: Compare Kid-Safe Web Portals (LB)

á      Reflection 5r1: Identify and Reflect on the usefulness of specific Enrichment Resources (EM)

 

Module 6: Teacher Tools

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 6e1: Compare Teacher Tools (LB)

á      Exploration 6e2: Compare Clip Art & Image Collections (LB)

á      Exploration 6e3: Analyze Rubrics & Assessment Tools (LB)

á      Exploration 6e1: Compare Classroom Webpages - optional (LB)

á      Reflection 6r1: Identify and Reflect on the usefulness of Teacher Tools sites (EM)

 

Module 7: Web Reference Resources

 

á      Introduction

á      Exploration 7e1: Compare Educator Web Reference Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e2: Compare Student Web Reference Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e3: Compare Map & Atlas Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e4: Compare State & Country Web Reference Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e5: Compare Ecosystem & Animal Reference Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e6: Compare Astronomy Web Reference Resources (LB)

á      Exploration 7e7: Compare Biography Web Reference Resources (LB)

á      Reflection 7r1: Identify and reflect on the usefulness of specific Reference Resources (EM)

 

Module 8: Online Research

 

á      Introduction

á      Explorations:

 

á      Search Engines Introduction

o   Google

o   Ask

o   Yahoo! Search Direct

o   Other Search Engines

á      Web Indexes Introduction

o   Yahoo! Directory

o   The Open Directory Project

o   Other Web Indexes

á      Parallel Search Engines Introduction

o   Yippy

o   Other Parallel Search Engines

á      Web Directories Introduction

o   The WWW Virtual Library

o   The Internet Public Library

o   InfoMine

o   BUBL Link

 

á      Research and Building a Bookmarks/Favorites List (using your selected standard-specific topic)

á      Google (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      Ask (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      Yahoo! Search Direct (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      Yahoo! Directory (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      The Open Directory Project (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      Yippy (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      The WWW Virtual Library (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      The Internet Public Library (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      InfoMine (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      BUBL Link (Bookmarks/Favorites)

á      Reflection 8r1: Reflection on Online Research (EM)

 

Module 9: Course Projects

 

á      Project 1: Submit Standard-Specific Bookmarks/Favorites Collection (EM)

á      Project 2: Develop and Submit Lesson Plan or Curriculum Unit (EM)

 

Module 10: Course Completion

 

á      Final Reflections on Integrating Web Resources into Existing Elementary Curriculum (EM)

á      Submit Logbook and Triplicate Grade Report Forms to instructor (EM and US Mail)

á      Submit Grade Form via University website

 

 

 

Grading Policies and Rubrics

 

Course assignments will have the following point value:

 

á      Course email, web board and listserve postings: 25 points

á      Logbook: 25 points

á      Project 1 (standard-specific bookmarks/favorites collection): 25 points

á      Project 2 (standard-specific lesson plan or curriculum unit): 25 points

 

Assignments will be evaluated by the instructor and the course participantÕs final grade will be calculated using the following scale:

 

á      90 – 100 points: Letter grade of ÒAÓ

á      75 – 89 points: Letter grade of ÒBÓ or grade of ÒCreditÓ

á      74 points or below: Grade of ÒNo CreditÓ

á      Note: Students who enroll in the course for a letter grade will only earn credit for the course if they achieve a letter grade of ÒAÓ or ÒBÓ.

 

 

Instructor/Student Contact

 

Course participants will maintain an on-going dialog with the online instructor throughout the course and will have the opportunity to request personalized assistance from the instructor if necessary.

 

Course participants will submit their reflection statements to the instructor via email upon completion of each of the ten modules of the course. The instructor will respond with a detailed and personalized email message within 24 hours.

 

Course participants will also have opportunities to communicate and collaborate with other course participants via the course web discussion board and listserve.

 

References

 

The online explorations for each module of this course utilize reputable educational resource web sites, which are continually being revised by their parent organizations. The course web site is updated several times a year to purge defunct links and to add new web resources that have become available.

Policy on Plagiarism

 

The Fresno Pacific University catalog has a policy on Academic Integrity/Honesty. Please note this policy on your syllabus as follows:

 

ÒAll people participating in the educational process at Fresno Pacific University are expected to pursue honesty and integrity in all aspects of their academic work. Academic dishonesty, including plagiarism, will be handled according to the procedures set forth in the Fresno Pacific University Catalogue.Ó

 

University Information

 

The following statement reflects the Desired Student Outcomes as it relates to coursework at Fresno Pacific UniversityÕs Center for Professional Development/Independent Studies.

 

ÒGraduate level course work reflects Fresno Pacific UniversityÕs Desired Student Learning Outcomes as it applies to professional development to demonstrate the following:

á      Oral and written communication in individual and group settings

á      Content knowledge, and application of such knowledge in the studentÕs area of interest to affect change

á      Reflection for personal and professional growth

á      Critical thinking

á      Cultural and global perspectives to understand complex systems

á      Computational/methodological skills to understand and expand disciplines, including an understanding of technological systemsÓ