PEN 803 Guided Studies: Theory
Fall 2015, 3 credits
Prerequisities: PEN 801, PEN 802, and PhD Qualifying Exams
Professor: TBA
Office Hours: TBA
VP/Phone: TBA
Email: TBA
Office Location: TBA
Class Time/Location/Date: TBA
Syllabus prepared by L.A. Petitto
Course Description: In this third
of a three-part sequence of
intensive guided study courses (in
class and field experience), Guided
Studies (III): Theory (PEN 803),
students advance their knowledge
knowledge, critical analysis, and
independent scholarship in one
select domain of Educational
Neuroscience of the student’s
choice. Through a combination of
course work and “field
experience” as independent library
scholarship, students will advance
to writing a paper in research grant proposal format in which they identify a research
question of important contemporary scientific and educational significance in
Educational Neuroscience, along with an in depth and detailed literature review. The
student will also provide a presentation of this work at the end of the course. In addition,
the grant proposal and presentation constitute the student’s Comprehensive Examination,
and is also separately presented at the end of the semester to the student’s Comprehensive
Examination Committee.
Course Learning Objectives: The three Guided Studies Courses in this PEN PhD
program have similar overarching learning objectives that include gaining specific handson knowledge in topics at the core of the PEN PhD program mission. Guided Studies (I):
Translation (Clerc Center and Two-Way Translation) provides hands-on opportunities to
understand the meaningful, principled two-way marriage that is possible between science
and education and education and science. Guided Studies (II): Research provides handson opportunities to advance in the core research tools and methods of Educational
Neuroscience so that the student gains knowledge in how to do meaningful science with
translational impact. Guided Studies (III): Theory provides hands-on opportunities to
advance in the specific core domain in which the student will become an expert in the
field of Educational Neuroscience (e.g., how young children and the visual learner learns
math, language, or reading, and the like). In this Guided Studies (III) course, students
will hone in on a specific domain within Educational Neuroscience of their choice, which
may also serve as the basis for their doctoral dissertation’s literature review, and the
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upcoming research proposal/research to be advanced in the spring course 898. This
course will provide a solid balance between structure (in setting clear goals to narrow in
on a specific domain and question that will facilitate students’ “next steps”) and
independence in one’s professional/academic future career (learning through
strengthening the capacity to complete tasks based on independent library scholarship),
which will prove vital to the execution of an independent dissertation study and to the
writing of a dissertation document. Thus, this course is intentionally “step-wise” in its
design and will naturally bring the student to identify a dissertation domain and question
in preparation for the next semester’s course, PEN 898, Dissertation Proposal.
Student Learning Outcomes (See below for a complete chart of SLOs, learning
opportunities, assessment methods, and alignment with program objectives.)
1) The student will identify a specific domain within Educational Neuroscience of
great interest (one that they may decide to focus on in their dissertation research
and dissertation)
2) The student will learn the key components of the domain, including the prevailing
questions and methods
3) The student will identify an important research question for additional study and
learn its unique salience to education and science, as well as its translational
significance
4) The student will identify key background literature and will situate their unique
research question in this literature (what has come before, what remains
unanswered, what would we know if we had the answer to this specific question,
as well as its translational/educational significance)
5) The student will write his/her ideas in a persuasive and compelling manner that
culminates in a research paper written in APA Grant Proposal Format and
presentation (effectively, the written/oral Comprehensive Examinations)
Ph.D. Program Student Learning Outcomes (SLOS)
1) The students will acquire a foundational knowledge of the educational, neurological,
behavioral and cognitive determinants, and sociocultural practices that impact all human learning,
especially learning in the young deaf visual learner.
2) The students will be exposed to a range of specialized topics and principles and scientific
methods and understand the ethical principles of research conducted with participants.
3) The students will develop knowledge of the meaningful and principled, mutually beneficial,
two-way means and methods to translate scientific discoveries to education and education to
science.
4) The students will develop research skills and critical thinking by demonstrating the ability to
conduct independent research leading to dissertation and publication.
5) The students will develop professional communication and technology skills.
6) The students will demonstrate increasing independence throughout the training period, and
show a readiness for entry-level faculty research positions.
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Course Requirements
Attendance: Attendance and participation in the scheduled classes are mandatory. Conducting
scheduled field experience (library scholarship) is mandatory. Absences must be excused by the
instructor prior to the missed scheduled responsibilities. Two unexcused absences will result in
lowering the final grade by half a letter grade for the course. Four unexcused absences will result
in lowering the final grade by a full letter grade for the course.
Coursework: Students are responsible for completing all major requirements of the course as
indentified in the syllabus, including (1) attendance, completion of the readings assigned by the
instructor as demonstrated through rich in-class participation and discussion (critical analysis,
synthesis of ideas, linking concepts), (2) weekly writing thought-theory blog/portfolio entries, (3)
identification of domain selected in Educational Neuroscience to focus on (including the
domain’s prevailing questions and methods) and identification of your specific research question,
using the “Thinking Rubric” as your guide in preparation of writing a Grant Proposal (see below),
identification of specific research question to focus on in selected domain and (4) list of 15
research articles to read, and upload research articles on Blackboard, (5) annotated bibliography
of 15 articles, (6) draft research report written in APA Grant Proposal Format, (7) final research
report written in APA Grant Proposal Format, (8) Presentation of the final written work, plus lead
question period.
Required Readings: A reading list will be provided to students by the instructor at the onset of the
course and students are required to complete these readings. The instructor will provide a list of
scheduled dates for the student’s submission of their own list of 15 additional readings, annotated
bibliography, etc. At the same time when the student hands in their list of 15 readings (mid term),
the student must also upload them on the course’s Blackboard.
Grading
Course: Instructor
Instructor assesses and assigns final course grade (see program rubrics below)
Comprehensive Exam
Written Research Report and Presentation
Independent assessment by student’s Comprehensive Exam Committee (see program rubrics
below)
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1. Attendance, Participation, Discussion
2. Weekly writing thought-theory blog/portfolio
entries
3. (a) Identification of domain selected in
Educational Neuroscience to focus on (including
the domain’s prevailing questions and methods),
and (b) Identification of your specific research
question, using the “Thinking Rubric” as your
guide in preparation of writing a Grant Proposal
4. List of 15 research articles to read; upload
research articles on Blackboard
5. Annotated Bibliography of 15 articles
6. Draft of research report Written in APA Grant
Proposal Format
7. Final research report Written in APA Grant
Proposal Format
8. Presentation of the final written work, plus
lead question period
Grading Scale
A+
97-100
A
94-96
A90-93
B+
B
B-
20 points
10 points
5 points
5 points
10 points
10 points
20 points
20 points
87-89
84-86
80-83
C+
C
F
77-79
74-76
73 and below
Incomplete grades are reserved for extraordinary circumstances. A student must be passing the
course and have no more than 25% of the grade remaining before the possibility of an incomplete
will be considered.
Changes to the Syllabus
This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Assignments may be added or
modified as the semester progresses. The instructor will notify students of all changes in class and
in writing.
Blackboard and Required Readings
(1) The course will be supported by the blackboard website. All readings provided by the
instructor are required and will be placed on Blackboard at the onset of the course. The 15
specific readings that each student is required provide and read must be placed on Blackboard by
the student for the instructor to examine (e.g., to assess in relation to the student’s annotated
bibliography).
(2) Students will also use Blackboard to submit their thought-theory blogs/portfolio entries of
their library scholarship field experience.
University Policies
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to complete all coursework in keeping with Gallaudet University’s policy
on academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is a very serious offense. It will be treated
accordingly and will not be tolerated. If a student is involved in unethical practices in connection
with coursework or examinations, the professor has full discretion to give a failing grade for the
particular assignments, a failing graduate for the course, and/or recommend dismissal. The policy
published in the Graduate School Catalog will be adhered to. The policy can be found on-line in
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Graduate School Catalog at http://aaweb.gallaudet.edu/Documents/Academic/GSPP/catalog/0809/gradcatalog_08_09.pdf beginning on page 27.
Office for Students with Disabilities (OSWD) & Americans with Disabilities Act
Gallaudet University is committed to providing all students equal access to learning
opportunities. The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSWD) is the campus unit that works
with students who have disabilities to provide and/or arrange reasonable accommodations.
Students registered with OSWD, who have a letter requesting accommodations, are encouraged to
contact the professor early in the semester. Ideally, this should be done by the end of the first
week of classes, but no later than the end of the fifth week of classes. Accommodations may only
be provided from the time the professor receives documentation until the end of the course.
Students who have, or think they may have, a disability (e.g. psychiatric, attention, learning,
vision, physical, or systemic), are invited to contact OSWD for a confidential discussion at (202)
651-5256 (V/TTY) or at oswd@gallaudet.edu. OSWD is located in the Student Academic Center,
room 1220. Additional information is available at the OSWD website
http://OSWD@gallaudet.edu.
Course Schedule (Subject to change)
Prior to Library Scholarship field experience
• Wk 1-Wk 3 Introduction to Contemporary Theoretical Issues in Educational Neuroscience I, II,
III
Topics and Discussion Goals: New issues in Education, e.g., “Maleability,” and new issues in
Educational Neuroscience. How can the discipline of Educational Neuroscience contribute to
contemporary discussion in Education?
Criterion for judging whether to do research or not in education: New driving emphasis on
“maleability.” The construct of something (a behavior, an ability, a capacity, a trait) being
“maleability,” and, thus, being worthy of education (and educating). Criterion to identify
what is maleable in human development? The extent to which a particular attribute
(behavior, ability, capacity, trait), which has been deemed to have “educational relevance,”
is maleable. New Questions: If a characteristic is maleabile, how could education use its
maleability to improve education?
What about learning and maleability across diverse populations and cultures?
What is the impact of ethnicity, culture, social-emotional factors on education?
What is “core knowledge” and its relationship to “maleability?” Where have we encountered
these concepts before? (Is there anything “new under the sun?”)
The categorization of a bilingual child as being an “at risk” child in USA contemporary
education (US Department of Education), and new assessments of this child’s “maleability.”
Readings: Instructor assigns specific readings that are relevant to immediate contemporary issues
within in Educational Neuroscience at large, and are available on the course’s Blackboard site.
Student Actions
• Begin assigned readings
• Begin weekly thought-theory blog/portfolio entries now and continue throughout the semester.
• Solidify now library scholarship/field experience schedule and hand in to instructor. This is the
library scholarship/field experience schedule that you will keep for the entire semester.
• Begin identifying specific domain within Educational Neuroscience that you wish to focus on
(most highly likely to be the domain of your dissertation)
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• Begin identifying your specific domain’s overarching questions and methods.
• Begin exploration of a specific question (within your domain) that you wish to ask/study
through research (most highly likely to be the question of your doctoral dissertation proposal,
research, and written dissertation).
• Include in your library scholarship the reading of successful grant proposals; go on NSF and
NIH websites and read instructions to writing a grant proposal; see attached “Thinking Rubric”
for things to think about when preparing to write your literature review in grant proposal format.
• Immediately begin identification of 15 relevant readings that you deem important to read.
During Library Scholarship field experience
Note: During the weeks that the student is in scheduled library scholarship/field experience, it is
expected that students will be in their library scholarship/field experience a minimum of 3 hours
per week.
• Wk 4-Wk12 Intensive scheduled library scholarship/field experience begins and proceeds.
Students continue to submit weekly thought-theory blogs to instructor via Blackboard site
(portfolio entries)
• WK 4: Student Actions
Student identifies 15 readings (above and beyond those provided by the instructor at the onset of
the course). Hand in typed list to instructor today via Blackboard.
Student uploads 15 articles on Blackboard today.
• Wk 5: Student Actions
(a) Students identify domain selected in Educational Neuroscience to focus on (including the
domain’s questions and methods),
(b) Students identify Research Question (Why? Motivate. What would we know if we had the
answer to this question? What is the significance in/to education? What is the translational
significance of the question? How will the answers to this question pertain to the young deaf
visual learner?) For (a) and (b), be sure to write in APA Grant Proposal Format. Use attached
“Thinking Rubric” for things to think about when preparing to write in grant proposal format
Hand In: For (a) and (b) above hand in (upload) typed (10 pages maximum, double-space) today
via Blackboard.
• Wk 6 Full class meeting with students and instructor
Topics and Discussion Goals: New issues in Education, and new issues in Educational
Neuroscience: Epigenetic factors and Educational Neuroscience. To what extent can Educational
Neuroscience advance current knowledge of the epigenetic nature of select learning processes?
Instructor Action:
Instructor grades and returns students’ paper (grant proposal format) of domain (questions,
methods), specific research question, with feedback
Student Actions:
Students’ weekly thought-theory blog/portfolio entries discussed; synthesis & insights
Students’ Research Question discussed
Student identifies his/her intended specific research question. Why? Motivate. What would we
know if we had the answer to this question? What is the translational significance of the
question? How will the answers to this question pertain to the young deaf visual learner?
(Students’ weekly blogs/portfolio entries continue throughout term)
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• Wk 9 Full class meeting with students and instructor.
Topics and Discussion Goals: New issues in Education, and new issues in Educational
Neuroscience: From Educational Neuroscience - Does different learning environments change
your brain? The idea that learning today is different from learning 20 years ago. The idea that
human learning has changed because of the spectacular advances and changes in today’s mobile
technology (e.g., claims that the learning demands on humans have changed and, therefore,
learning is fundamentally different for children now). Claims that the new generation of multitaskers “think” and “learn” differently than children 20 years ago.) Has the nature of human
learning been fundamentally altered — at the brain-based level— because of new demands
placed on the learner from mobile devices, mobile technologies, and contemporary internet-based
venues of social exchange, communication, and knowledge gathering/learning? Expressed
another way, have our brains been re-wired based on “pushes” to its computational systems from
the external expansive capabilities of modern day technology? What is the evidence from studies
within Educational Neuroscience?
Linking and making connections: How do such claims relate to the young visual deaf learner?
What implications for early education does this new view have for the young deaf visual learner?
What implications for the early exposure to a signed language does this have for the young deaf
visual learner? More connections: Drawing from the discoveries of the NSF Visual Language and
Visual Learning, VL2, Science of Learning Center, at Gallaudet that you have studied, what
discoveries are relevant to these fascinating issues in contemporary thought in Educational
Neuroscience? What “next steps” might follow based on these connections and remarkable
discoveries?
Student Actions: Student hands in critical analysis/synthesis Annotated Bibliography of 15
articles today.
Wk 10 Student Actions
Hand in Draft of research report written in APA Grant Proposal Format today via Blackboard
Wk 11 Instructor Action
Student and instructor meets for one-on-one feedback on Draft of research report written in APA
Grant Proposal Format
After Library Scholarship field experience
• Wk 13 Full class meeting with students and instructor.
Topics and Discussion Goals: New issues in Education and new issues in Educational
Neuroscience. Are Executive functions in adults and children fundamentally the same or
fundamentally different?
Summary and Integration: Major themes in Education and major themes in Educational
Neuroscience. Making connections among society, education, and science. Making connections
with advances in Educational Neuroscience and the young deaf visual learner.
Student Actions: Students hand in Final research report written in APA Grant Proposal format
• Wk 14 Full class meeting with students and instructor.
Student Actions: Students give a formal presentation of their Final research report/APA Grant
Proposal Format today, plus student leads the question period (associated with their presentation).
Additional Student Action: Schedule Comprehensive Examination with your Comprehensive
Examination Committee.
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PEN 803 “Thinking Rubric” when preparing for writing a Grant Proposal
As you prepare to write your “Grant Proposal,” please think and write a work which:

Justifies what is being included and excluded in the review

Defines important terminology

Places the topic in a broader context of educational neuroscience research

Articulates the translational implications of the field’s overarching discoveries
and the implications for the young deaf visual learner

Points out important variables and phenomena studied in the field

Identifies main theoretical frameworks used in the field and the overarching
methods used to study them

Summarizes and critiques main research findings in the field

Synthesizes the literature and presents a perspective on what is known from the
research being done in the field (very important in grant proposals)

Present recommendations which follow logically from the review

Make a clear argument with a coherent structure throughout

Follows APA format in citations and references

Reviews of a field’s literature may be 20 or so pages.
PEN 803 Guided Studies: Theory
Course student
Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Opportunities
Discussion with course instructor
and discussions with other class
1. The student will
members; reading of relevant
identify a specific
literature; scholarly library field
domain within
experience (literature review;
Educational
ability to write in APA grant
Neuroscience of great
proposal format) Participation in
interest (one that they
discussions, “identification of
may decide to focus on
domain” assignment, annotated
in their dissertation
bibliography, weekly
research and
thought/theory blogs/portfolio
dissertation)
entries, draft of research report,
final research report, and
presentation (written/oral
Comprehensive Exams).
Discussions with instructor/class;
scholarly library field experience
(literature review; thought-theory
2. The student will
blog/portfolio) Participation in
identify the key
discussions, “identification of
components of the
domain” assignment, annotated
domain, including the
bibliography, weekly
prevailing questions and
thought/theory blogs/portfolio
methods
entries, draft of research report,
final research report, and
presentation (written/oral
Comprehensive Exams).
Critical analysis/synthesis of
theory as reflected in discussions
3. The student will
with instructor from scholarly
identify an important
library field experience (literature
research question for
review) Participation in
additional study and
discussions, “identification of
learn its unique salience domain” assignment, annotated
to education and science, bibliography, weekly
as well as its
thought/theory blogs/portfolio
translational significance entries, draft of research report,
final research report, and
presentation (written/oral
Comprehensive Exams).
4. The student will
Discussions with instructor/class
identify key background (advisor); scholarly library field
literature and will situate experience (literature review;
their unique research
ability to write in APA Grant
question in this literature Proposal Format). Participation in
Program Learning
Outcomes
Assessment
Method
I
II
III
IV
V
VI
Participation in
discussions
(rubric),
blogs/portfolio
entries (teacher
observations),
final research
report, and
presentation will
be assessed by
rubrics
x
x
x
x
x
x
Participation in
discussions
(rubric),
blogs/portfolio
entries (teacher
observations),
final research
report, and
presentation will
be assessed by
rubrics
x
x
x
x
x
x
Participation in
discussions
(rubric),
blogs/portfolio
entries (teacher
observations),
final research
report, and
presentation will
be assessed by
rubrics
x
x
x
x
x
x
Participation in
discussions
(rubric),
blogs/portfolio
entries (teacher
x
x
x
x
x
x
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(what has come before,
what remains
unanswered, what would
we know if we had the
answer to this specific
question, as well as its
translational/educational
significance)
discussions, “identification of
domain” assignment, annotated
bibliography, weekly
thought/theory blogs/portfolio
entries, draft of research report,
final research report, and
presentation (written/oral
Comprehensive Exams).
observations),
final research
report, and
presentation will
be assessed by
rubrics
5. The student will write
his/her ideas in a
persuasive and
compelling manner that
culminates in a research
report written in APA
Grant Proposal Format
and presentation (in turn,
the written/oral
Comprehensive Exams)
Discussions with instructor/class;
scholarly library field experience
(literature review; ability to write
in APA Grant Proposal Format);
Draft of written research report in
APA Format, final written research
report in APA format, presentation
of the final written work
Participation in
discussions
(rubric),
blogs/portfolio
entries (teacher
observations),
final research
report, and
presentation will
be assessed by
rubrics
x
x
x
x
x
x
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Gallaudet University Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience
A Descriptive Rubric for Evaluating a Presentation on a Research Paper/Findings
From Research Sources
Adapted from Gallaudet University’s Department of Interpretation
Quoted from Linda Suskie’s (2004:130-131) Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide. This quoted rubric
was adapted with permission from a rubric developed by Patricia Ryan, lecturer in the Department of Reading, Special
Edcuation, and Instructional Technology at Towson University
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Gallaudet University Ph.D. Program in Educational Neuroscience
Rubric for Grading for Reading Discussions and Presentations
Adapted from Department of Interpretation
Gallaudet University