KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE PROPOSAL OR REVISION,
Cover Sheet (10/02/2002)
Course Number/Program Name ECE 8360 Current Trends in Elementary Education
Department Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Degree Title (if applicable) Education Doctorate (Ed.D.)
Proposed Effective Date Fall 2006
Check one or more of the following and complete the appropriate sections:
x
New Course Proposal
Course Title Change
Course Number Change
Course Credit Change
Course Prerequisite Change
Course Description Change
Sections to be Completed
II, III, IV, V, VII
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
I, II, III
Notes:
If proposed changes to an existing course are substantial (credit hours, title, and description), a new course with a
new number should be proposed.
A new Course Proposal (Sections II, III, IV, V, VII) is required for each new course proposed as part of a new
program. Current catalog information (Section I) is required for each existing course incorporated into the
program.
Minor changes to a course can use the simplified E-Z Course Change Form.
Submitted by:
Faculty Member
Approved
_____
Date
Not Approved
Department Curriculum Committee Date
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Approved
Not Approved
Department Chair
Date
School Curriculum Committee
Date
School Dean
Date
GPCC Chair
Date
Dean, Graduate Studies
Date
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Not Approved
Vice President for Academic Affairs Date
Approved
Not Approved
President
Date
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KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY
GRADUATE COURSE/CONCENTRATION/PROGRAM CHANGE
I.
Current Information (Fill in for changes)
Page Number in Current Catalog
Course Prefix and Number
Course Title
Credit Hours
Prerequisites
Description (or Current Degree Requirements)
II.
Proposed Information (Fill in for changes and new courses)
Course Prefix and Number ECE 8360 _____________________
Course Title _Current Trends in Elementary Education
Credit Hours 3
Prerequisites Acceptance to the Ed.D. program
Description (or Proposed Degree Requirements)
This course will focus on the identification and analysis of current issues in the teaching
profession. The analysis will include critical examination of efforts to deal with these
issues. Knowledge gained through this course will help prepare teachers to manage these
issues as well as any which arise in the context of the teaching profession.
III.
Justification
Each school day thousands of early childhood and elementary teachers begin their mornings by completing
routine tasks, answering an unknown number of unrelated questions and organizing their thoughts as well
as their class before they can begin instruction time and manage transition times for the remaining 6-7 hours
of the day which are then followed by another 2 to 3 hours of meetings, grading papers and preparing for
the next day. It should come as little surprise that early childhood and elementary teachers are often
unaware of the current issues that influence their teaching until a “rule is handed down from above.” To be
a part of change in education, teacher must be aware of the current issues when they are being
discussed—not when they are being enacted. This course is intended to help teacher develop ways to
become informed of current issues and have a voice in the decisions about change.
IV.
Additional Information (for New Courses only)
Instructor: to be assigned
Text:
Noll, J.W. (Ed.). (2005)Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial educational issues
(13th edition). Dubuque, IA: McGraw Hill/Dushkin.
Selected readings on current issues
Prerequisites:
Admission to the Ed.D. program
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Objectives:
Course objective
Read, analyze, and synthesize materials on current
issues.
Doctoral
KSDs
1a, 3b, 4a,
Conduct an in-depth investigation of an educational
issue and present findings and recommendations in
oral and written form
1b, 2c, 5a
Participate in in-class debates and discussions on
current educational issues showing an
understanding of alternative perspectives regarding
key issues in education.
1b, 3a, 4a,
5c
Develop an annotated bibliography on selected
educational issues
1a, 6b, 6c,
6d
Distributed School
Leadership Roles*
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader,
Change Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Relationship
Development
Leader, Performance
Leader, Data
Analysis Leader,
Process
Improvement Leader
PSC/NCATE
Standard
1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.4, 1.5, 1.6,
1.7, 1.8
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader, Performance
Leader, Operations
Leader,
Relationship
Development Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader, Relationship
Development Leader
1.1, 1.2,1.3,
1.4, 1.5, 1.6,
1.7, 1.8
1.1, 1.3, 1.4,
1.5, 1.6, 1.7
1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.4, 1.5,
Instructional Method
Instructional methods will include group discussions, lectures, online coursework,
workshops, seminars, research, and individual and group assignments.
The assignments for this course include the following:
1. Keep a journal of responses to class readings and discussions/debates.
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2. Participate in on-line discussion of current issues in education
3. Write a paper and prepare an oral presentation an a selected issue in education
4. Participate in two (2) in-class debates on assigned educational issues
5. Develop an annotated bibliography on selected educational issues
Method of Evaluation
Each assignment will be graded with a rubric. Each assignment = 100 points
Grades will be assigned as follows:
92 – 100
84 – 91
76 – 83
Below 76
V.
A
B
C
F
Resources and Funding Required (New Courses only)
*Course funding is addressed in a comprehensive manner in the comprehensive proposal for the umbrella
Ed.D degree for the Bagwell College of Education.
Resource
Amount
Faculty
Other Personnel
Equipment
Supplies
Travel
New Books
New Journals
Other (Specify)
TOTAL
Funding Required Beyond
Normal Departmental Growth
VI. COURSE MASTER FORM
This form will be completed by the requesting department and will be sent to the Office of the
Registrar once the course has been approved by the Office of the President.
The form is required for all new courses.
DISCIPLINE
COURSE NUMBER
COURSE TITLE FOR LABEL
(Note: Limit 16 spaces)
EECE
ECE 8360
Trends in ECE
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CLASS-LAB-CREDIT HOURS
Approval, Effective Term
Grades Allowed (Regular or S/U)
If course used to satisfy CPC, what areas?
Learning Support Programs courses which are
required as prerequisites
3
Fall 2006
Regular
APPROVED:
________________________________________________
Vice President for Academic Affairs or Designee
VII Attach Syllabus
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Kennesaw State University
Bagwell College of Education
Current Trends in Education
ECE 8360 Syllabus
I.
ECE 8360 Current Trends in Education
Elementary and Early Childhood Education
Kennesaw State University
II.
INSTRUCTOR:
III.
CLASS MEETING:
IV.
TEXTS:
Noll, J.W. (Ed.). (2005)Taking sides: Clashing views on controversial educational issues (13 th edition).
Dubuque, IA: McGraw Hill/Dushkin.
Selected readings on current issues
V.
Catalog Description:
This course will focus on the identification and analysis of current issues in the teaching profession. The
analysis will include critical examination of efforts to deal with these issues. Knowledge gained through this
course will help prepare teachers to manage these issues as well as any which arise in the context of the
teaching profession.
VI. Purpose/Rationale/Justification
Each school day thousands of early childhood and elementary teachers begin their mornings by completing
routine tasks, answering an unknown number of unrelated questions and organizing their thoughts as well
as their class before they can begin instruction time and manage transition times for the remaining 6-7 hours
of the day which are then followed by another 2 to 3 hours of meetings, grading papers and preparing for
the next day. It should come as little surprise that early childhood and elementary teachers are often
unaware of the current issues that influence their teaching until a “rule is handed down from above.” To be
a part of change in education, teacher must be aware of the current issues when they are being
discussed—not when they are being enacted. This course is intended to help teacher develop ways to
become informed of current issues and have a voice in the decisions about change.
KENNESAW STATE UNIVERSITY’S CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK:
Collaborative development of expertise in teaching and learning
The Professional Teacher Education Unit (PTEU) at Kennesaw State University is committed to developing expertise
among candidates in initial and advanced programs as teachers and leaders who possess the capability, intent and
expertise to facilitate high levels of learning in all of their students through effective, research-based practices in
classroom instruction, and who enhance the structures that support all learning. To that end, the PTEU fosters the
development of candidates as they progress through stages of growth from novice to proficient to expert and leader.
Within the PTEU conceptual framework, expertise is viewed as a process of continued development, not an end-
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state. To be effective, teachers and educational leaders must embrace the notion that teaching and learning are
entwined and that only through the implementation of validated practices can all students construct meaning and
reach high levels of learning. In that way, candidates at the doctoral level develop into leaders for learning and
facilitators of the teaching and learning process. Finally, the PTEU recognizes, values and demonstrates
collaborative practices across the college and university and extends collaboration to the community-at-large.
Through this collaboration with professionals in the university, the public and private schools, parents and other
professional partners, the PTEU meets the ultimate goal of assisting Georgia schools in bringing all students to high
levels of learning.
Knowledge Base
Teacher development is generally recognized as a continuum that includes four phases: preservice, induction, inservice, renewal (Odell, Huling, and Sweeny, 2000). Just as Sternberg (1996) believes that the concept of expertise
is central to analyzing the teaching-learning process, the teacher education faculty at KSU believe that the concept of
expertise is central to preparing effective classroom teachers and teacher leaders. Researchers describe how during
the continuum phases teachers progress from being Novices learning to survive in classrooms toward becoming
Experts who have achieved elegance in their teaching. We, like Sternberg (1998), believe that expertise is not an
end-state but a process of continued development.
Use of Technology : Technology Standards for Educators are required by the Professional Standards Commission.
Telecommunication and information technologies will be integrated throughout the master teacher preparation
program, and all candidates must be able to use technology to improve student learning and meet Georgia
Technology Standards for Educators. During the courses, candidates will be provided with opportunities to explore
and use instructional media. They will master use of productivity tools, such as multimedia facilities, local-net and
Internet, and feel confident to design multimedia instructional materials, and create WWW resources.
XII.
Goals and Objectives:
Course objective
Read, analyze, and synthesize materials on current
issues.
Conduct an in-depth investigation of an educational
issue and present findings and recommendations in
oral and written form
Doctoral
KSDs
1a, 3b, 4a,
1b, 2c, 5a
Distributed School
Leadership Roles*
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader,
Change Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Relationship
PSC/NCATE
Standard
1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.4, 1.5, 1.6,
1.7, 1.8
1.1, 1.3, 1.4,
1.5, 1.6, 1.7
Page 7 of 10
Development
Leader, Performance
Leader, Data
Analysis Leader,
Process
Improvement Leader
Participate in in-class debates and discussions on
current educational issues showing an
understanding of alternative perspectives regarding
key issues in education.
1b, 3a, 4a,
5c
Develop an annotated bibliography on selected
educational issues
1a, 6b, 6c,
6d
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader, Performance
Leader, Operations
Leader,
Relationship
Development Leader
Curriculum,
Instruction &
Assessment Leader,
Learning &
Development
Leader, Change
Leader, Relationship
Development Leader
1.1, 1.2,1.3,
1.4, 1.5, 1.6,
1.7, 1.8
1.1, 1.2, 1.3,
1.4, 1.5,
Course Requirements/Assignments
Instructional methods will include group discussions, lectures, online coursework, workshops, seminars,
research, and individual and group assignments.
The assignments for this course include the following:
1. Keep a journal of responses to class readings and discussions/debates.
2. Participate in on-line discussion of current issues in education
3. Write a paper and prepare an oral presentation an a selected issue in education
4. Participate in two (2) in-class debates on assigned educational issues
5. Develop an annotated bibliography on selected educational issues
Page 8 of 10
VIII
Evaluation and Grading
Each assignment will be graded with a rubric. Each assignment = 100 points
Grades will be assigned as follows:
92 – 100
84 – 91
76 – 83
Below 76
A
B
C
F
IX. Policies
Diversity: A variety of materials and instructional strategies will be employed to meet the needs of the different
learning styles of diverse learners in class. Candidates will gain knowledge as well as an understanding of
differentiated strategies and curricula for providing effective instruction and assessment within multicultural
classrooms. One element of course work is raising candidate awareness of critical multicultural issues. A second
element is to cause candidates to explore how multiple attributes of multicultural populations influence decisions in
employing specific methods and materials for every student. Among these attributes are age, disability, ethnicity,
family structure, gender, geographic region, giftedness, language, race, religion, sexual orientation, and
socioeconomic status. An emphasis on cognitive style differences provides a background for the consideration of
cultural context.
Kennesaw State University provides program accessibility and accommodations for persons defined as disabled
under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A number of
services are available to support students with disabilities within their academic program. In order to make
arrangements for special services, students must visit the Office of Disabled Student Support Services (ext. 6443)
and develop an individual assistance plan. In some cases, certification of disability is required.
Please be aware there are other support/mentor groups on the campus of Kennesaw State University that address
each of the multicultural variables outlined above.
Professionalism- Academic Honesty: KSU expects that graduate students will pursue their academic programs in
an ethical, professional manner. Faculty of the EdS and EdD programs abide by the policies and guidelines
established by the university in their expectations for candidates’ work. Candidates are responsible for knowing and
adhering to the guidelines of academic honesty as stated in the graduate catalog. Any candidate who is found to
have violated these guidelines will be subject to disciplinary action consistent with university policy. For example,
plagiarism or other violations of the University’s Academic Honesty policies could result in a grade of “F” in the
course and a formal hearing before the Judiciary Committee.
Professionalism- Participation and Attendance: Part of your success in this class is related to your ability to
provide peer reviews and feedback to your editing groups regarding their research and their writing. Furthermore,
responding effectively and appropriately to feedback from your peers and the professor is another measure of one’s
Page 9 of 10
professionalism. In addition, since each class meeting represents a week of instruction/learning, failure to attend
class will likely impact your performance on assignments and final exams. Please be prepared with all readings
completed prior to class. We depend on one another to ask pertinent and insightful questions.
X.
References/Bibliography
Good, T.L. & Brophy, J.E. (2002). Looking in classrooms. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Sadker, M.P., & Sadker, D.M. (2000). Techers, schools and society (5th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill College.
Stainback, W. & Stainback, S. (1996). Controversial issues confronting special education: Divergent perspectives (2nd
ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Boyer, E.L. (1995). The basic school: A community for learning. Princeton, NJ: The Carnegie Foundation for the
Advancement of Teaching.
Fader, D. (1996) The naked children. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Goodlad, J.I. (1990). Teachers for our nation’s schools. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Higher Education Series.
Holt, J. (1995). What do I do on Monday? Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Moffett, J. (1988). Storm in the mountains: A case study of censorship, conflict, and consciousness. Carbondale, IL:
Southern Illinois University Press.
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