COLLEGE OF EDUCATION
VALDOSTA STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY, COUNSELING & GUIDANCE

EDUC 2130: EXPLORING TEACHING & LEARNING
Course Syllabus

Instructor:

William G. (Bill) Huitt, Ph.D.
Office Hours: MW 1-5pm; TR 1-2pm, 4-5pm (Yahoo Messenger: ID=billhuitt)
Office: Psychology Building (next to Continuing Education Center on Patterson)
Phone: 333-5613 (Office)
E-Mail: whuitt AT valdosta DOT edu

Required Texts:

• There is no required text. All readings are available on the Internet: http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/exptl/2130_readings.doc

Course Description:

Explore key aspects of learning and teaching through examining your own learning processes and those of others, with the goal of applying your knowledge to enhance the learning of all students in a variety of educational settings and contexts.

NOTE: This is an exploratory course and although the course does not have any prerequisites, students will likely find the course easier if they have already completed ENGL 1102 (Writing and Composition), EDUC 2110 (Issues in Education), and PSYC 2500 (Fundamentals of Psychology) or PSYC 2700 (Human Growth & Development).

College of Education Conceptual Framework: Guiding Principles

The following are adapted from the Georgia Systemic Teacher Education Program Accomplished Teacher Framework

• Dispositions Principle:  Productive dispositions positively affect learners, professional growth, and the learning environment.

• Equity Principle:  All learners deserve high expectations and support. 

• Process Principle:  Learning is a life-long process of development and growth. 

• Ownership Principle:  Professionals are committed to, and assume responsibility for, the future of their disciplines. 

• Support Principle:  Successful engagement in the process of learning requires collaboration among multiple partners.

• Impact Principle:  Effective practice yields evidence of learning.

• Technology Principle:  Technology facilitates teaching, learning, community building, and resource acquisition. 

• Standards Principle:  Evidence-based standards systematically guide professional preparation and development. 

College of Education Conceptual Framework Standards (CFS):

I. CONTENT AND CURRICULUM: Teachers demonstrate a strong content knowledge of content area(s) appropriate for their certification levels.

II. KNOWLEDGE OF STUDENTS AND THEIR LEARNING: Teachers support the intellectual, social, physical, and personal development of all students.

III. LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: Teachers create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.

IV. ASSESSMENT: Teachers understand and use a range of formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous development of all learners.

V.PLANNING AND INSTRUCTION: Teachers design and create instructional experiences based on their knowledge of content and curriculum, students, learning environments, and assessment.

VI. PROFESSIONALISM: Teachers recognize, participate in, and contribute to teaching as a profession.

Course Objectives Stated As Essential Questions:

• What is teaching and learning and how are these impacted by changing social and cultural conditions?
• How is school learning measured and what are some of the major factors that influence it?
• What does it mean to be a professional educator and how can I prepare to become one?
• What are some of the domains of human development that are important for adult success in the 21^st century?
• How have I myself (i.e., the teacher candidate) learned in school, and how do I learn most effectively?
• How do student factors (e.g., motivation, family and cultural background, temperament and learning preferences, prior knowledge and experiences) impact student learning in educational settings?
• What are the major theories of learning and what principles of learning can be derived from each one?
• How do teaching practices and instructional structures impact student learning in educational settings?
• How may I use this knowledge as a future educational professional to inform my professional planning and decision-making so as to maximize learning of all types in all students?

Topics:

1. Introduction
   1. Purpose and objectives of course
      
   2. Working in the public schools
      
   3. Definitions
      1. Education and schooling
         
      2. Educational psychology
         
      3. Learning
         
      4. Teaching
         
2. Objectives of Schooling
   1. Master basic skills of reading, writing, and arithmetic
   2. Become contributing member of society
   3. Develop individual, unique potential
   4. Others
3. Scientific Investigation
1. Ways of Knowing
   1. Science -- empirical, based on data
   2. Others
2. Types of Studies
1.  Descriptive
2. Correlational
3. Experimental
4. Model of the Teaching/Learning Process
5. Becoming A Professional Educator
6. Human Growth & Development
   1. Becoming A Brilliant Star framework
   2. The Brain & Mind
   3. Personal Identity
   4. Socioemotional Development
7. Theories of Learning
   1. Behavioral -- Operant Conditioning
   2. Cognitive -- Information Processing
   3. Developmental
      1. Cognitive -- Piaget and Bruner
      2. Social -- Dewey and Vygotsky
   4. Humanistic
   5. Social Learning and Social Cognition
8. Classroom Practice
   1. Overview
   2. Planning
      1. Domains of Learning
      2. Selecting Standards and Objectives
   3. Instruction
      1. Direct Instruction -- Teacher-centered
      2. Constructivism -- Student-centered
   4. Using Technology
   5. Management
      1. Setting rules and procedures
      2. Classroom discipline
9. Motivation
   1. Theories of motivation
   2. Increasing student motivation
10. Evaluating Learning
    1. In the classroom
    2. Standardized testing

Field Experience:

A course requirement is that students spend a total of 10 hours observing and working in a school setting. This requirement will be met by being a teacher's aide in a local school and observing videotapes of teachers and students in regular classroom settings which contain black and white students of both sexes. Students will make postings of their interactions and reflections on the WebCT bulletin board.

Ethical Conduct:

Students are expected to abide by the Code of Ethics developed by the Georgia Professional Standards Commission while engaged in all aspects of their teacher training experiences.

Students with Disabilities:

Valdosta State University, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, will make arrangements for students who require special assistance due to a disability. If you require some assistance, do not hesitate to make me aware of it. In addition, if you are not already registered with the Access Office for Students With Disabilities, you must contact the Access Office in Farber Hall, or call 245-2498 (voice) and 219-1348 (tty).

Policy Statement on Plagiarism and Cheating:

• FIRST OFFENSE: The student will earn a “0” on the assignment, test, project, etc.  If plagiarism is detected in a bulletin board posting, all previous postings will be nullified.

• SECOND OFFENSE: The student will earn the letter grade “F” for the course.            

• THIRD OFFENSE: The student will earn the letter grade “F” for the course, and further action involving referral of the matter (with documentation) to the appropriate college (university) officials within the administrative structure will be taken. (Please also see page 43 of the VSU Student Handbook.)

Absences:

Class attendance is expected. A student missing more than 10% of scheduled classes will be subject to a 10 point grade deduction from his or her final average. A student missing more than 20% of scheduled classes will be subject to receiving a failing grade for the course. (See page 84 of the VSU Student Handbook).

Using Cell Phones and Other Communication Devices:

The use of cell phones and other communication devices in the classroom is distracting to the instructor and other students. A student whose cell phone goes off or who uses the cell phone in class will be counted as absent for that class period. Any student who anticipates using a communication device because of a potential emergency should contact the instructor prior to class.

Grading Scale:

A = 90-100; B = 80-89; C = 70 - 79; D =  60 - 69; F = 69 and below

Extra credit:

Up to ten points extra credit may be earned by reading research articles from education or psychology journals or readings in educational psychology; by listening to cassette tapes; viewing videotapes; or reviewing computer software dealing with issues related to the teaching-learning process. A critique is to be typewritten, double-spaced and should include:

Publication citation or tape identification;

Summary of article or tape (1 to 1 1/2 pages);

Your personal opinion about the value of the article or tape (1/2 page).

Each report will be worth a maximum of one point added to one of the quiz grades.

Last updated: January 2009  Return to: | EdPsyc Courses | Homepage |

Dr. William G. (Bill) Huitt
Dept. of Psychology, Counseling & Guidance
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698-0001

Office: (912) 333-5613
FAX: (912) 333-7167
E-mail: whuitt at valdosta dot edu

Copyright (c) 2009 -- Bill Huitt