EDN 200-007: Teacher, School and Society
Student Course Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Eleni Pappamihiel
Office Phone: 962-3192
Office: Education Bldg 259
Home Phone: 791-8873
Office Hours: MTWR 9:30-12:00 or by appointment. On occasion, I may need to cancel my
office hours. In that event, I will send out an email the evening before.
Class meetings: Mondays, Leutze Hall, Room 108, 6:30pm-9:15pm (following EDNL 200-700)
Course Description:
EDN 200 is the introductory course in the Watson School of Education (WSE) teacher education
program and provides a historical, sociological and philosophical perspective on education. The
course introduces students to key ideas of WSE conceptual framework: the development of highly
competent professionals to serve in educational leadership roles. While students are provided with
important knowledge pertaining to the U.S. education system, the course requires students to take an
active part in thinking about the goals and purposes of education. In particular, the course
challenges students to critically reflect on their experiences of education and to base their decisions
about education and the decision to teach on informed and reasoned judgment.
Watson School of Education Conceptual Framework
The Watson School of Education prepares competent professionals to take on leadership positions
in our schools by emphasizing ethnical and professional standards, informed decision making,
reflective practice, pedagogical knowledge, diversity, content knowledge, effective
communications, and technological competence. As a student in this class, you are expected to
demonstrate developing competence in all of these areas.
Course Objectives:
1. Students will describe the nature, problems and complexity of the U.S. system of education.
2. Students will critically examine the relationship between self and society to clarify their
motives and goals for becoming teachers.
3. Students will summarize basic substantive information regarding the social, historical, political,
legal, economic, and philosophical foundations of education.
4. Students will critically analyze the relationship between school and society from both a macroand a micro-level of analysis.
5. Students will critically analyze the effects of race, class and gender on educational
achievement.
6. Students will use technology in completion of the assignments related to this course.
Course Texts & Materials:
1. (Required) Kozol, J. (2005). Shame of a nation: Restoration of apartheid schooling in
America. Crown.
2. (Recommended) Tozer, Violas & Senese. (2003). School and society: Historical and
contemporary perspectives. McGraw Hill.
3. Additional readings will be assigned. These readings will be provided to you as needed.
Course Requirements
1) Attendance is required. Excessive absenteeism may result in a lower grade. If a student misses
more than 3 unexcused hours of class, your final grade can be reduced by one letter grade.
Students who miss more than 6 unexcused hours of class may receive a failing grade. You are
allowed to be late one time without penalty. However, students who arrive more than 10
minutes late to class a second time will be counted as one hour absent for that class. Each
subsequent tardy arrival will count as two hours absence. Excused absences include those
related to sickness, military duty, religious holidays and those noted in the Student Handbook. If
you know you will be absent (excused or not), please notify me so that we can make
arrangements for you to make up missed work if appropriate. Please understand that if you
notify me of a planned absence, my acknowledgment of that absence does not automatically
excuse it.
2) Late assignments. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED UNLESS YOU HAVE MADE
PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS WITH ME.
3) Complete all assignments as detailed in the Assignments section.
4) Adhere strictly to the UNCW Honor Code (See Student Handbook, Code of Student Life)
5) All papers should be word processed and edited for grammatical errors and spelling mistakes. .
Structural or organization errors that consistently interfere with comprehension will results in
points being deducted from that work. Work that consistently does not meet these criteria
may not be accepted. Points will be deducted for poor writing and/or the paper will not be
accepted. The Writing Center, Westside Hall, is available to help you.
http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/writingplace/index.htm
6) All papers should be submitted to me via email as a Microsoft Word attachment on the day that
they are due by 5:00. Some due dates will not fall on class dates.
Grading/Evaluation
Assignment
Daily Reflection Questions
Social Identity Paper
Key Questions/Final Reflection Paper
Percentage
10%
10%
10%
Presentations
10%
Research Project
Kozol Report
Final Exam
20%
20%
20%
Due Date
Every class
Sept. 5th
Key Questions: Sept. 11th
Final Reflection Paper: Dec. 4th
Country Comparisons: Sept. 11th
Kozol Presentation: Oct. 23rd
Research Presentation: Dec. 4th
Diversity Presentation: Oct. 16th
Nov. 20th
Nov. 6th
Dec. 11th
Please see assignment descriptions at the end of this syllabus. If you have any questions regarding
the assignments, it is your responsibility to seek clarification.
Grading Scale:
100-97 = A=
89-87 = B+
79-77= C+
69-65= D
96-94 = A
86-84 = B
76-74 = C
< 65= F
93-90 = A83-80 = B73-70 = C-
A: outstanding work meeting expectations of course that needs no revision. (100-90)
B: excellent work meeting expectations of course that needs some revision (89-80)
C: acceptable work meeting expectations of course-needing extensive revision (79-70)
D: minimal work meeting expectations of course (69-65)
F: work that does not meet expectations of course (65 and below)
Watson School of Education Performance Review Process
Students seeking teacher licensure should be aware that their performance is reviewed
throughout the program. The first review occurs on application to WSE. The performance
review focuses on two main areas 1) Academic Achievement – 2.7 GPA is required and 2)
Professional Behavior. Included in this latter area are attitudes, behaviors and skills related to
becoming a professional educator, such as punctuality and attendance; appropriate attire;
development of positive rapport with students, parents, teachers, and administrators; professional
demeanor; professional interactions with university students, faculty, staff and administrators;
use of standard English in oral and written communications; adherence to school rules and
ethical standards and preparation for field-based assignments. To help students successfully
meet these standards, students will complete an assessment of the WSE Professional
Dispositions.
Professionalism
You are preparing to enter a professional field and you must exhibit those behaviors even
beginning now. Professionalism includes respectful participation in discussions, adherence to
appropriate interactional styles and a professional attitude both in and out of class. Please be
mindful of the difference between contributing to the discussion and kidnapping it. A
professional attitude means that you do not ridicule or unnecessarily criticize others either within
class or outside the class. There is a time and place for constructive criticism and positive
correction, and I encourage you to express your opinion at all times.
Concerns: Any and all concerns should be brought to my attention by email, personal visit or
phone call. Everyone is encouraged to express concerns or make suggestions at any time in the
semester. Anyone who is uncomfortable coming directly to me may contact my Chair, Dr.
Robert Smith, at any time during the semester.
Foundations Portfolio
The Watson School of Education requires that all students enrolled in EDN 200, 203, 301 and/or
303 maintain an active account on TaskStream, a web-based curriculum builder and portfolio
toolset. You are asked to maintain that account for the duration of your program with the Watson
School of Education (www.taskstream.com). Students in these courses will use TaskStream to
maintain a Foundations Portfolio. The Foundations Portfolio is a compilation of selected work
from each of the foundations courses (EDN 200, EDN 203, EDN 301, EDN 303) in the Watson
School of Education. Visit www.uncw.edu/ed/portfolio for instructions on activating a
taskstream account. You may contact Jeff Ertzberger (962-7670) for more information if needed.
TaskStream will be used later in your program to gather evidence of your work in meeting our
performance standards and will be part of your exit requirements from the Watson School of
Education. (Cost for a one year account is $39.00; a two year account is $65.00)
Plagiarism
While plagiarism is not new on college campuses, it is becoming an increasingly large problem
with the popularity of internet sites that encourage this illegal and unethical activity. Having
been a victim of plagiarism when someone else tried to publish my work as their own, I have NO
tolerance for it. Plagiarism is the intentional or unintentional representation of someone else’s
work as your own. Please see the following websites for hints on how to avoid plagiarizing.
http://www.uncw.edu/stuaff/uls/documents/Plagiarism.doc and
http://people.uncw.edu/sherrilld/edn200L/Plagiarism.htm
Assignments
1. Daily Reflection Questions
Every class meeting, you should come to class with a question related to that day’s topic. I’ll take
up the questions at the beginning of class (they should be written on a regular sized index card), and
we’ll use those questions as a jumping off point for class discussions. I’ll also use the cards to
maintain my attendance records, so be sure I get one everyday.
2. Key Questions (3 questions related to class content)
In order to get you engaged in thinking about the course, list 3 key questions you have related to
Schools, Teaching and Learning. You should review the syllabus and the text before finalizing your
questions. Questions might be related to an issue you are already thinking about, a question arising
from the examination of your own school experience, or questions identified from the examination
of the School Report Cards. Avoid factual questions such as “How much $ do teachers make?”, or
“What is the 2nd grade math curriculum?” Final drafts of these questions should be submitted to me
via email.
3. Country Comparisons (20 minute presentations)
In groups of three, you will be assigned another country to investigate. In this investigation, you’ll
research that country’s educational system, finding as much information as you can. After
gathering this information, your group will prepare a comparison between the educational system in
that country and that of the US. Presentations should be about 15 minutes in length.
While you may present any information your group finds interesting, all presentations should
include the following information.
o What was the first form of education in your country?
o What was the first form of public education (if different)?
o Who went to schools? Were there selection criteria? How many years could one attend
school?
o Upon what philosophy was education based (religion, ethic identity, a particular group’s
ideals, science, etc.)?
o What subjects were emphasized? Are any subjects forbidden?
o What have been some major changes/reforms in the education system since its beginning?
o Have there been any major interruptions in the educational system (war, strikes, political
complications, etc.)
Possible Countries
o Japan
o South Africa
o Chad
o China
o India
o Mexico
o Chile
o Kenya
4. Diversity Presentations (30 minute presentations)
In different groups, you will explore how a particular group has done and is doing in our schools.
You can report on demographic data, assessment data or other types of information. Your group is
expected to give us an outline of the status of that particular group in our schools. You will choose a
group to be in on Sept. 11th.
o Women
o African Americans
o Deaf and/or Blind students
o Asian students
o Students with learning disabilities
o American Indians
5. Social Identity Paper (3-4 pages, double-spaced)
This assignment requires you to explore the development of your own social/cultural identity as a
way to better understand how race, class, and gender affect people's lives. You are to
1) Describe your experience of growing up and specifically what you were told about who you
are (in terms of race, social class and gender) and what you were told about people who are different
than yourself. Include all three categories of race, class and gender in your paper. Examine the
messages that you received from groups such as your family, school, peer group, religious
experiences and work. Include only the most important groups.
2) Describe your response to what you were taught making sure to include your current beliefs.
3) Include examples of any incidents you experienced or tensions you observed that caused you
to reflect on the beliefs you were taught.
6. Kozol Reports (3-4 pages)
On October 23rd, we’ll do a recap of the Kozol book in class. From that discussion, we’ll identify
several themes that are addressed in the book. In groups of your choice (3-4 people), you’ll be
expected to further investigate that theme using whatever materials or resources your group chooses
to. The only caveat is that the resources must be valid and generally accepted by the academic
community as reliable. For example, Wikipedia would not count. Your group will submit one
paper.
7. Kozol Presentations (30 minute presentations)
Your group will present the information that you’ve gathered. At least 10 minutes of this time
should include a whole-class discussion that your group will moderate.
8. Research Paper & Presentation (5-7 pages & 10 minute presentation)
Research papers will be written individually. The primary purpose of the research paper is to
provide you with an opportunity to explore an educational topic of significance. You must submit a
research proposal for approval prior to beginning the research. Research topics must fit the focus of
the course.
There are many issues and questions of general professional interest that may be pursued in this
paper. You may also have legitimate educational questions that do not fit comfortably within a
research paper format. Questions of school discipline or prayer in schools fit into the latter category
and are best pursued in some other fashion than this research paper. It is important that you talk with
me about your research question prior to beginning. Please complete the Research Paper Proposal
(at the end of this syllabus) form no later than October 16th.
1. Introduction. Tell the reader (in a paragraph) what it is you intend to undertake in the paper.
Your next task is to describe the issue, problem or question that you intend to investigate. This
description should be brief (i.e., to the point) and complete (so that your audience knows how to
view the issue). You should also describe why the issue is of professional interest and what
factors limit easy identification of a solution. This part of the paper will involve a review of
literature and description of the situation. Finally, give your best judgment about the
significance of the problem.
2. Your second task is methodological: to find information and data to address your research
question. For example, if you do a literature review, describe your search strategy (e.g., what
key words from ERIC did you use, how many sources were found, how many were used, what
criteria did you use for selecting sources to use, etc.). If you gather interview or survey data
describe how you selected informants, how they were contacted and how data was collected;
describe the instruments you used or developed to gather data.
3. Once you have collected information you need to present your findings in an organized fashion.
It is generally desirable to summarize your findings and then have a longer prose section
describing in detail what was presented. A table or chart may be a useful way to summarize
your findings.
4. Your fourth task is a section called discussion or implications in which you describe how the
information collected addresses your research question. An important part of the discussion
section is to describe the PEI analytic framework and apply it along with your information and
data to the problem. In this section you may wish to make evaluative judgments about existing
school practices or suggest strategies for educational reform or transformation.
5. The last section is References in which you include the full citation of any works referred to in
your paper.
Your paper should include section headings and adopt the structure outlined above: Introduction,
Methods, Findings, Discussion/Implications, and References. Your paper should be typed, doublespaced; include a title page; staple in upper left corner. The paper should not exceed seven pages
including bibliography.
10. Final Reflective paper (3-4 double-spaced pages)
This should be a brief statement in which you address the following issues. Use section headings
in writing this report.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Identify the questions you have asked and what you have learned in relation to those
questions. Briefly explain why these things are important. (You may want to review and
refer to your other papers in producing this part of the report. If the questions you
originally asked were not appropriate or were revised, describe the questions you have
engaged in the course.)
Explain how your thinking about schooling and education has changed over the course of
the semester. (Present evidence of these changes as revealed through papers and class
discussions etc.)
Describe any connections you can see between your own socialization in terms of race,
class and gender and the views or reactions to the issues discussed in the course. Include
examples of ways in which your thinking has changed or else how your thinking has been
reinforced.
Indicate the classroom activities from this class that were most useful to you in meeting
your personal interests and expectations, and indicate things you may have learned
through these experiences that were unexpected. Explain why/how these activities were
useful (e.g., how do they match your preferred learning style; how did an activity
contribute to a sense of interest, ownership and commitment). In addition, make
suggestions (these may be additions or substitutions) of instructional activities that may
be more useful for you than those adopted this semester.
11. Final Exam
The final exam will be given during finals week and will consist of multiple choice and short
response types of questions. It will be cumulative, and a review sheet will be provided.
Research Paper Proposal
Name: _________________________________________________________
Research
Question:________________________________________________________________________
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Rationale for Question:_______________________________________________________
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Data Collection Strategy:____________________________________________________
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List Tasks to be Accomplished; Due Date for Tasks:
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Additional Comments: ________________________________________________________
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