Theories of Pedagogy in English Studies – Fall 2010 Course Syllabus
Section
ENG 714.1001
Day/Time
Wednesdays 4:00 – 6:45
Place
BEH 218
Instructor
Ed Nagelhout, PhD
Office
FDH 629
Email
ed.nagelhout@unlv.edu and by WebCampus
Phone
Office: (702) 895-5073
Home: (702) 431-1042
Office Hours
T 9-12; W 1-4; F 11-2; or by appointment
Course Description
This course critically examines pedagogical theories prevalent in English studies at the post-secondary
level. Students will read, analyze, discuss, and write about key issues in pedagogical practices inside
and outside the classroom. Moreover, students will learn to apply pedagogical thinking to their own work
as graduate student teachers at UNLV and as a part of their larger professional development.
Course Goals
 Become familiar with core pedagogical concepts
 Recognize central pedagogical issues, problems, and theories
 Develop a richly textured, complex appreciation of these issues, problems, and theories
 Understand theoretical and practical implications of pedagogical practices
 Cultivate pedagogical skills necessary for professional success in academia
Course Outcomes
By the end of the semester, students will be able to
 demonstrate an advanced understanding of pedagogical thinking, including
o the nature and scope of pedagogical practices in English Studies
o the means for developing pedagogical skills
o the role(s) of pedagogy inside and outside the classroom
 locate pedagogical theories in their social and cultural context(s)
 articulate relationships among diverging – even conflicting – pedagogical theories
 demonstrate how "pedagogy" provides an oftentimes understood, and misunderstood,
foundation for English Studies
Course Philosophy
As a teacher, I am committed to creating the most conducive learning environment possible.
I believe that learning occurs most effectively in social situations, which means promoting a studentcentered classroom and creating a non-threatening space where students exchange ideas freely.
As a class, we will negotiate the kind of environment that you will all feel most comfortable in; however,
after tonight lectures (by anyone) will be minimal. We can negotiate our use of groupwork, the shape of
our discussions, the way we distribute the workload, the value of our experiences.
I appreciate what you say, and I am committed to making this class a positive learning experience.
I will provide you with opportunities to learn, I will put you in positions to build on your prior knowledge, I
will promote connections between this class and your primary fields of interest. But you are responsible
for your own learning and your own education.
Course Texts
To be determined as a part of our classroom research practices.
Expectations
What you can expect from me:
 I will take you and your work seriously
 I will promptly respond to your written work to help you revise your writing and your thinking
 I will give you individual attention when you need it, whenever you ask
What I expect from you:
 You will be in class, on time, every meeting
 You will come to class prepared to work every meeting
 You will complete your work on time
 You will take your work seriously
 You will take working with your classmates seriously
Course Workload
 Research Contributions (5 x 5 = 25 points)
 Writing #1 – Writing about Teaching (3 x 5 = 15 points)
 Writing #2 – Pedagogical Position Statements (3 x 5 = 15 points)
 Writing #3 – Teaching Portfolio (1 x 15 = 15 points)
 Week 14 Exam (1 x 10 = 10 points)
 Final Reflection (1 x 5 = 5 points)
 Weekly Participation (15 x 1 = 15 points)
Grading
In order to complete the course successfully, you must complete all of the assigned course projects. In
addition to polished drafts, you will create supporting documents and complete other exercises in order
to help you reach the course goals. A total of 100 points is possible for the entire course. I use a
standard distribution to determine letter grades, including plus grades and minus grades, using the
following values:
A = 100-93
A- = 92-90
B+ = 89-87
B = 86-83
C = 82-70
F = 69 and below
Attendance
University policy requires that you attend every class. If you do miss a class, for whatever reason, you
are responsible for making up missed work. If you know that you will miss a class, please let me know in
advance either with a voice-mail message or an email message informing me that you will be gone and
letting me know what you plan to do to make up missed work. If you are not able to give prior notice, late
notice is better than nothing.
Ethics & Plagiarism
You must do your own original work in ENG 714. Whenever you borrow graphics, quote passages, or
use ideas from others, you are legally and ethically obliged to acknowledge that use, following
appropriate conventions for documenting sources. To borrow someone else’s writing without
acknowledging that use is an act of academic as well as professional dishonesty, whether you borrow an
entire report or a single sentence.
Downloading papers from the Internet and handing them in, paying someone else to write a paper for
you, taking a paper written by someone else and handing it in as your own are all forms of fraud and
cheating, and if you do these things, you will fail the course. See the UNLV Graduate Catalog for more
information about the proceedings in such cases.
Documented Disability
If you have a documented disability that may require assistance, you will need to contact Disability
Services for coordination in your academic accommodations. DS is located in the Reynolds Student
Services Complex (SSC), Room 137. The phone number is 895-0866 or TDD 895-0652.