ELU 569 Current trends in Elementary Education Core Assignment
PDE standards
III.A. Develop awareness of professional organizations and professional journals, gathering information
for personal growth, the betterment of the profession and the elementary classroom.
III.B. Integrity and ethical behavior; professional conduct as stated in PA’s Code of Professional Practice
and Conduct for Educators; and local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
INTASC Standards
6. Communication and technology: Teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal & media
communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration and supportive interaction in the
classroom.
9. Reflective practice: Teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her
choices and actions on others and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.
10. School and community involvement: Teacher fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents and
agencies in the larger community to support students’ learning and well-being.
Relationship to Conceptual Framework:
Professional Methodology is evident through discussions of theory, best practice, and current
trends in elementary education. The instructor models the use of professional methodology and positive
dispositions for teaching;
Communication is demonstrated through discussions, written assignments, and presentations;
Interpersonal skills are demonstrated by interactions with peers in collaborative projects,
presentations and discussions;
Critical thinking is generated by the research presented in each class, as well as in the modeling
of thought provoking questions and discussions;
Cultural diversity is discussed through weekly research on diverse language, literacy, ability,
religion, race, SES, culture, and/or special education topics;
Technology is evident through internet searches of current trends in elementary education;
Reflection is the key to an effective teacher and this course. It is evident in discussion, research,
and presentations relevant to the current trends and issues involved in today’s educational climate.
Course Objectives
The graduate students will be able to:
A. Survey professional journals, magazines, documents, and internet sites for topics in Elementary
Education;
B. Make selection of topics based on criteria of frequency and relevancy;
C. Write a formal proposal for presenting their topics to an appropriate audience, following KU and
APA formats.
Description of Core Assignment
The Core Assignment states the following:
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After surveying professional literature, presenting same though class discussions, and relating
current rends to personal experience, the master’s candidates will choose a trend/topic which
can be researched, which is meaningful to the student, and which can be presented to a team
of teachers, administrators, teacher candidates at KU or community members.
Students will consider the importance and relevance of their topics to those audiences chosen
for their presentations.
The students will prepare a preliminary proposal in ELU 569 which will include a research
cover sheet in KU format, an introductory statement, a theoretical rationale for their
presentation, and a current literature search with citations on the topic. The presentation
format will be outlined and handouts and a sample audience evaluations will be included, if
available.
The paper will be presented to classroom peers.
This paper is the core assignment for the course.
N.B. The actual project will be presented and carried out within the ELU 571 course framework.
Additional paperwork like permission statements, more complete/inclusive handouts, evaluations from
the audience, reflection on those evaluations, as well as power point presentation hard copies will be
included at that future time.
Faculty will review analysis of core assignment from master candidates. The action taken as a result of
the data collection and analysis will focus on strengthening the planning and teaching strategies of the
course.
Rubric (3-column format) Target – Acceptable- Unacceptable
Target
Acceptable
Graduate students wrote and
presented a dynamic, relevant,
and creative proposal in KU and
APA formats. All important
sections (introduction, theoretical
rationale, literature search,
presentation plan, citations) were
included in a logical sequence.
Questions from peers were
fielded with deep understanding
of the topic.
Graduate students wrote and
presented a relevant proposal in
KU and APA formats. All
important sections (introduction,
theoretical rationale, literature
search, presentation plan,
citations) were included in a
logical sequence. Questions from
peers were fielded with
understanding of the topic.
Unacceptable
A proposal was written and
presented. However, it lacked
relevance, proper sequence, and
completeness of important
sections. Questions from peers
were not answered completely,
showing a lack of depth and
understanding of the topic.
Student must rewrite for credit.