EDF 7191 Course Syllabus, Spring 2008
Educational Foundations: A Psychological Analysis
Instruction:
Instructor :
E-mail address :
Office Hours:
Office:
Appointments
Required Texts:
100% Online
Melanie Deckert Pelton, Ed.D. mdpelton@uwf.edu
Mondays
Tuesdays
7:00 – 1:00
12:00 – 4:00
BLDG 4, Rm. 464
863-6572
Mr. Tom Schwingle, Faculty Coordinator: 863-6584
Fort Walton Beach Campus
Schunk, D.H., Pintrich, P.R. & Meece, J. L. (2008). Motivation in education: Theory, research, and applications (3rd ed.). New Jersey: Merrill Prentice Hall. ISBN 978-0-13-228155-3.
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 5 th Edition (2001). Washington, DC:APA. ISBN:
1557987912.
Supplementary Text:
Galvan, J. L. (1999). Writing literature reviews: A guide for students of the social and behavioral sciences.
Los Angeles,
CA: Pyrczak Publishing. ISBN: 1884585183.
Other Readings and Media
Other readings and media will be made available throughout the semester as needed.
Course Description:
The overall goal for this course is to gain knowledge of and think critically about the theory, research, and application of motivation in education that can be synthesized into usable concepts for the design, development, and delivery of instructional learning environments in any context and that can also be utilized in the study of learning and instruction through empirical research. In this course the student explores the traditional and contemporary theories of cognition as it relates to motivation and merges them with educational practice. Examines the ways theories of cognition, specifically focusing on the impact of motivation, to inform instructional theories and models and informs teaching and learning in specific content areas. Produce a specialist and doctoral level research project that will assist doctoral students in gaining competence in the literature review process, the research process, statistical analyses, effective writing strategies and APA formatting. Prerequisites: EDF 6218, EDF 6481, EDF 7407.
Student Learning Objectives:
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:

Assess and apply current psychological research and theory in everyday motivation and learning situations in the classroom.

Evaluate concepts from human learning, educational research, and statistics and measurement in analyzing and synthesizing current research and application. Use empirical and refereed research as the primary source of

current information and development of knowledge and understanding of motivational constructs and their application.

Organize and evaluate motivational theories and their application in education and training settings, analyzing measures of motivational constructs for use in research, and conducting exhaustive reviews of research on a topic.

Inform and assist colleagues in the application of learning and motivation theories to positive learning or training outcomes.

Synthesize a variety of psychological perspectives into a personal psychological perspective on the role of cognition and motivation in teaching and learning.
Course Assignments:
Written Assignments:
The written assignments will consist of applying the information you glean from the text, discussion forums, and from supplementary readings. These assignments will be posted at least one week prior to the due date in the Content area of the class website. Due dates will be available from the eLearning calendar and will be announced in each assignment posting.
Discussion Forums
Each week students will be expected to participate in the posted discussion to encourage the exchange of ideas from the text and readings. Students are expected to apply the concepts and ideas to their own real life experiences.
Assignment Due Dates and Requirements:
The “week” for this online class will run from each Sunday, 12:01 a.m. to the following Sunday, 9:00 p.m. All due dates for assignments will fall on a Sunday, no later than 9:00 p.m.
All written assignments (not including the discussion forums) are to be written using the APA style of formatting and writing (see the Publication Manual for instructions on APA style). All written assignment grades will depend on the quality of the content as well as the quality of writing (clarity of thought, correct spelling, punctuation and grammar), and adherence to APA format.
Class Participation:
Students will be expected access the course via eLearning on a regular basis, open and read all supplementary readings in addition to the assigned readings from the text, contribute to class discussion forums, and participate in all class assignments. If you cannot submit an assignment on the due date or cannot participate in the learning course, please notify me prior to missing the assignment or , if possible.
This can be accomplished either by email or by calling the
Facult Coordinator’s office and leaving a message. Routine online access, class discussion participation, accessing all course materials, and on time submission of all assignments are worth 25 points of the final grade. eLearning:
The components of the eLearning system will be used throughout the semester. Students can log into their Argus accounts and then should see the courses for which they have registered that are designated eLearning under the “My
Information” tabs. On the right side of the page students will see “My eLearning”. Simply click on the class link and you will be taken to the class website. Under the Content area of the class website students will find links to helpful eLearning information.
Scholarly Ethics:
Students are expected to adhere to the UWF Student and Academic Codes of Conduct. In courses such as this one, we are continually engaged with other people’s ideas; we read them in scholarly sources, hear them in lectures, discuss them in class, and incorporate them into our own writings. As a result, it is very important that credit is given where it is due or

else we are engaging in plagiarism, a form of academic dishonesty. The Student Code of Conduct and the Academic
Dishonesty documents are available in the Content area of the class website.
**PLEASE NOTE: All written assignments must be done individually and while strictly adhering to plagiarism and academic policies. This means that each student must prepare these written assignments and reports independently and in their own words . Papers that reflect plagiarism from any source or any type of academic dishonesty will receive an automatic “F” **
Grading:
Final grades will be based on a combination of three exams, assignments, exercises and class attendance/ participation.
Course work will be weighted as follows:
Short Thematic Paper 1
Short Thematic Paper 2
Short Thematic Paper 3
Research Prospectus
25
25
25
100
Rough Draft Project
Final Project
Participation
100
200
25
Total Course Points = 500 Points
*Late submission of any assignment results in a loss of 10 points per day and no assignments will be accepted more than 5 days beyond the due date UNLESS discussed with me prior to the due date.
Grading Scale (in points)
A = 470-500
A- = 450-469
B+ = 435-449
B = 420-434
B- = 400-419
C+ = 385-399
C = 370-384
C- = 350-369
D+ = 335-349
D = 300-334
F=<300
Additional Information:

If you have gone more than 24 hours without a reply, PLEASE email me again and put in the subject line: Second
Request. You may also call me during my office hours.

All new information and any course updates will be posted on the Home page of the class website. Students will be expected to access the class website frequently to check for updates and new assignments.

Email will also be used to contact students in the event there is important information that needs to get to students more promptly. Please ensure that your UWF student email account is activated and that you check it regularly.
You can call UWF’s ITS Help Desk (850-474-2075) at any time if you have any technical problems with your email account OR eLearning (D2L). All exams, assignments, discussion posting due dates will end at midnight of the assigned day, which for this course will be each Sunday at midnight. If your assignment is not completed and uploaded by 12:00 midnight of the due date, your submission will be considered late.

As noted, the “work week” will end Sunday at midnight and “begin” each Monday. For those students who complete assignments before the due dates, most assignments will be available to access several days early. You

should plan to work on the assignments through the week and weekend and upload your assignments to the appropriate drop box by Sunday, no later than midnight.

I will have a drop box available for each assignment. Follow the directions in the tutorial that is available in the
Content area for assistance in uploading assignments into the appropriate drop box.

Students will be able to follow their progress in the Grades area of the class website.
Readings and Assignment Schedule Begins on Page 5

4
Week
1
Jan 7
2
Jan 14
3
Jan 21
9
Mar 3
10
Mar 10
Jan 28
5
Feb 4
6
Feb 11
7
Feb 18
8
Feb 25
Mar 17
Readings
Syllabus and Course Introduction
Motivation: Intro. & Historical Foundations
Expectancy-Value Theories of Motivation
Attribution Theory
Selected Readings
Social Cognitive Theory
Goals and Goal Orientations
Interest and Affect
Intrinsic and Extrinsic Motivation
Sociocultural Influences
Teacher Influences
Classroom and Social Influences
Writing Literature Reviews
Motivation During Adolescence
Motivation and Health
SPRING BREAK!
Ch 8
Ch 9
Ch 10
Ch 1
Ch 2
Ch 5
Ch 6
Ch 3
Ch 4
Ch 7
Activity
Review syllabus and course requirements
Begin considering topics for final project
Ch 2 STP Due
Ch 3 STP Due
Ch 4 STP Due
Ch 5 STP Due
Research Prospectus Due
Ch 6 STP Due
Ch 7 STP Due
Ch 8 STP Due
Ch 9&10 STP Due

12
Mar 24
13
Apr 3
14
Apr 7
15
Apr 14
16
Apr 21
17
Apr 28
Statistics Review
Motivation in Adults
Gender Differences in Motivation
Motivation and Culture
Under explored Topics in Human Motivation
Freebie Week!!
Final Project Due
Rough Draft Project Due
Continue to work on final research project.
Continue to work on final research project.
Continue to work on final research project.
Continue to work on final research project.
Final Project Due

Short Thematic Papers (STPS)
(See Critical Reading Worksheet in Content area)
Assignments
1) Students will choose three of the eight opportunities to write a “short thematic paper”. At the beginning of the semester, students should review the chapters in the text to determine which chapters might be the most interesting and sign up for those three chapters by adding your name to the appropriate topics in the Discussion section. Each option will be designated as a “forum topic”. No more than 10-11 (depending on the topic) students may sign up for each chapter; so, review the chapters early to ensure you can sign up for the chapters that interest you the most.
2) Think about STPs as one strategy to develop and advance your current thinking about the assigned text and articles readings. It's expected that you will ask questions, to wonder, to critique, to try out new ideas. To write an STP, you’ll n, in addition to helping you decide what type of research project you’d like to undertake. You will need to think deeply about different facet(s) of the readings to help you determine the main area of research.
Often the part of writing an STP that takes the longest is identifying a theme and determining what you want to say about it. Thinking about and deeply processing the information will make it "stick" in ways that will help you recall it and, more importantly, use it in your own work. It doesn't matter if I agree with your position, as long as you support it sufficiently with scholarly ideas and literature, but I will respond to your ideas in my comments.
After reading, talking, and thinking about the readings for each week (see below), jot down some of the ideas you think are most important. Select one on which you want to take a position, and that can be used to relate several readings with your own experiences as a researcher and/or practitioner. For example, you might choose the theme "what can teachers do to shape students' explanations for their successes and failures?" based on the readings and your emerging understanding of theories of motivation. As you write, develop your theme while using:
 Ideas from the readings critically to support or challenge your own position (from at least two reading from each week or even from past readings).
 Your own prior knowledge of motivation experiences (including colleagues’ experiences or ideas and learners you know or have known) to illustrate and support your position.
 In each successive STP, there should be a connection back to something you read earlier in the course.
When you finish, give your paper a title that reflects your theme. (HINT: If you have a difficult time coming up with a title, it may mean you don't have a clear theme.)
I will use these papers to assess your understanding of the readings and ideas and your ability to use them as you think about research and practice and prepare your research project. However, PLEASE keep in mind,
STPs are NOT the traditional "summarize what I read" paper you may be used to. Instead of summarizing, you will take a position on the theme or concept/idea/component and compare it to the positions of the authors you read, as you interpret them. Some authors may support your position or have theories that are consistent with your view while others challenge it – challenge them back! Using the readings critically means that you don't automatically accept the author's position, but instead examine the evidence presented and the assumptions made about learners and other motivated persons.

Research Project
Additional information and direction for completing the final project will be forthcoming and will be found in the Content area)
Because this is a doctoral level course, there will be expectations for high levels of scholarly performance. One way to ensure that the learning objectives are being met is by requiring a final research project. The final project will provide students with many of the skills necessary to complete a dissertation. The final project will consist of several components that students will turn in throughout the semester: (a) Research Prospectus, (b) Rough
Draft Project, and (c) Final Research Project; these first two components will assist students in creating the final project as well as give everyone a feel for what is expected for each assignment regarding the quality of ideas and writing, APA formatting, and adherence to the assignment requirements. Students will choose one project, however, from the following list:
(a) A proposal for research--especially good for students planning on doing research and who have had coursework or experience in research design (requires a minimum of 20 pages of a literature review).*
(b) A case study of a person or group with a motivation problem which analyzes and proposes a solutions for the problem from different theoretical perspectives--especially good for practitioners who have had coursework in design and analysis (requires a minimum of 15 pages of a literature review).*
(c) A literature review exploring some focused question or problem (requires a minimum of 25 pages).
(d) An empirical research study—a report of an empirical study that uses either quantitative or qualitative (or mixed) methods on some topic in motivation that would ultimately be suitable for submission to a journal or for presentation at a national conference – also good for students planning a dissertation and who have had coursework or experience in research design and analysis (requires a minimum of 15 pages of a literature review)
(e) Other formats suitable to both your question and my need to assess your understanding (these need to be negotiated with me).
(*Please note: Any student conducting a study for this course should submit to me an IRB packet. They are relatively simple to complete, so please do not let this deter you from conducting research. Furthermore, once you receive a Human Subjects Training certificate, it is good for one year-especially helpful to anyone nearing their dissertation). There will be more information concerning this aspect of your study forthcoming).
Each student will select a question or problem related to one of the motivation topics discovered throughout the course for further study. Projects will vary depending on your interests and skills, but in general they must demonstrate that you have understood the theories and issues discussed in this course well enough to use some of them to explore your question(s).
.
You will fill out a Project Prospectus which will be due in a few weeks; a Rough Draft will be due approximately 3 weeks later (see schedule for dates see the course calendar and syllabus). The prospectus and rough draft are required; you must turn them in for feedback before I will accept your final project .
Please note that all papers should be prepared following the APA style manual . In addition to these formal collections of your work in progress, I will be happy to give you oral or written feedback on your projects at any time during the term.

The following guidelines and informational sheets will be available in the Content area:

Project Prospectus Form

Rough Draft requirements and checklist

Institutional Review Board packet

General guidelines for term projects - how to write a lit review, research proposal, or case study

Scoring rubric for term projects - very useful for self-checking during the writing process

Student Guidelines
PLEASE HIGHLIGHT, BOLD, OR OTHERWISE MARK EACH SENTENCE TO
VERIFY THAT YOU HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND EACH STUDENT GUIDELINE
AND SUBMIT TO THE DROPBOX NLT JAN 14TH. o When extra credit is offered, it will be offered only to the entire class. No individual extra credit will be offered or allowed during or after the semester. o If I am concerned about my performance in the class OR if there is an ongoing problem in my personal/professional life that I feel is impacting my performance in this course, I should contact the instructor as soon as possible. (Instructor’s Note: Please
Do Not wait until the last week of class. I have found that when students are proactive about any potential “grade buster” issues, there is a much greater chance of success than if a student waits until all is almost lost before he or she addresses the issue with me. In addition, I follow University policy with regard to Incompletes. Therefore, students must have completed 70% of the required course work to be considered for an Incomplete grade). o I understand that IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY to routinely access the class website to get any existing information and/or any new material or information that has been added. o I understand that late submission of assignments will result in the loss of some or all points for that assignment, in addition to having a negative impact on my participation grade. o The scoring procedure is shown in this syllabus and I understand how my performance in this course will be assessed. o I understand the class rules for academic dishonesty and that academic dishonesty will not be tolerated . Anyone who is caught engaging in plagiarism or academic dishonesty will incur consequences in accordance with the policies and procedures of UWF and that I should review the UWF Student Handbook for further information about academic dishonesty.
I have read the entire syllabus for EDF 7191 and fully understand the course, the grading requirements and the class rules, as well as the assignment schedule set forth for this course.
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