University of South Carolina
College of Education
Department of Instruction & Teacher Education
Course Syllabus
EDCS 820 – Advanced Study of Diversity and Curriculum
Fall 2009
I. Descriptive Information
A. Course number and title: EDCS 820 – Advanced Study of Diversity and Curriculum
B.
Catalogue description: The formulation and use of interpretive frameworks to study and understand the relationships among human diversity, school structures, and the curriculum.
C. Course credit: Three graduate hours
D. Prerequisite: Admission to Graduate School
E. Instructor: Dr. Rhonda Jeffries
Wardlaw Room 256
Voice: 803.777.5270
Fax: 803.777.3193
Email: rjeffries@sc.edu
II. Statement of Course Goals and Objectives
A.
Goals: The course is intended to explore a variety of interpretive frameworks used in liberal arts education. This exploration will assist in understanding the links between the interpretive frameworks, human diversity and the established curricula of liberal arts education which transfers into the professional and personal spheres.
B.
Objectives: The student will:
1.
explore interpretive frameworks in a general educational setting;
2.
examine the relationship of the frameworks to human diversity; and
3.
analyze the impact of the noted relationships upon established curricula.
III. Required Texts:
A .
Joseph, P., Bravmann, S., Windschitl, M., Mikel, E., & Green, N. (2000).
Cultures of Curriculum . Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbahm.
B . Adams, M., Blumenfeld , W., Castaneda, R., Hackman, H., Peters, M. &
Zuniga, X. (Eds.) (2000). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An
Anthology on Racism, Antisemitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and
Classism . New York: Routledge.
C. Additional Readings: Loaded on Blackboard

IV. Course Requirements
1.
Class Participation : Students are expected to complete assigned readings and other class activities including creating the home page, meeting in virtual class sessions, and other class assignments as required. Please post a pic of yourself on your Blackboard homepage.
2.
Midterm Exam: The midterm exam will cover the completed readings and will utilize an oral format. The exam will be open resource.
3.
Final Project Presentation: Students will prepare one (1) project to be presented within a 15 minute segment in class. Each student will lead the discussion for this presentation.
Specific requirements for this presentation include four (4) parts:
1) POSITION: Select one position chapter from the group of readings on multicultural curriculum (theory, practice or policy) to serve as the basis for the presentation. You will justify why you believe theory, practice or policy is the best position from which to promote, enhance and maintain positive and productive work in the field of curriculum and diversity. Based on your position, define a standard for optimal theory, practice or policy regarding curriculum and diversity.Use the readings from class and outside readings if needed to build and support your argument.
2) CRITIQUE/ASSESSMENT: Select one document representative of “curriculum”
(examples: assignment/reading, syllabus, manual, website, other document that transmits information about beliefs, behaviors and expectations) from your current practice or elsewhere to critique in terms of how it meets or fails to meet your defined standard.
3) IMPROVEMENT: Prepare a plan for how the curriculum under critique can be improved based on the critique/assessment. What needs to be done and why? Who should be responsible for doing this work and why?
4) REFLECTION: Discuss the implications of curriculum diversity work on professionals who undertake these tasks. Who potentially benefits from this work and why? What did you gain from doing this work and how will it apply to your practice? What more do you and others in your profession need in order to promote, enhance and maintain curriculum diversity work?
V. Evaluation and Grading
1.
2.
Class Participation – 20%
Midterm Exam – 20%
3 . Research Presentation – 60%
Letter Grade
A = 100-93
B+ = 92-89
B = 88-86
C+ = 85-82
C = 81-78
D+ = 77-74
D = 73-70
F = 69-0

VI. Administrative Course Requirements
1.
Written assignments and presentations (where applicable) should be typed, doublespaced, free of spelling and grammatical errors, completed within the suggested page length, attentive to the criteria, and submitted by the due date unless other arrangements have been made.
2.
Assignments including information from other sources should include proper documentation using APA or other appropriate style.
3.
Students are expected to adhere to the University’s attendance requirements. Please notify instructor if you will not be participating in class.
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VII. Schedule
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Date Assignments
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8/24 Introductions and Expectations
1. Review syllabus, discuss virtual lecture hall use and schedule for course, etc.
2. Order texts ASAP (see required text list on page one).
3. Begin scheduling of research topics for presentations.
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8/31 Multicultural Curriculum
Reading:
THEORY: Thinking about diversity
Fuller, S. (2000). Social epistemology as a critical philosophy of multiculturalism. In
R. Mahalingam & C. McCarthy (Eds.) Multicultural curriculum: New directions for social theory, practice, and policy . (pp. 15-36). New York: Routledge.
PRACTICE: Doing diversity
McCarthy, C. & Dimitriadis, G. (2000). Globalizing pedagogies: Power, resentment and the renarration of difference. In R. Mahalingam & C. McCarthy (Eds.)
Multicultural curriculum: New directions for social theory, practice, and policy .
(pp. 70-83). New York: Routledge.
POLICY: Rules of diversity
Lesko, N. & Bloom, L. R. (2000). The haunting of multicultural epistemology and pedagogy. In R. Mahalingam & C. McCarthy (Eds.) Multicultural curriculum: New directions for social theory, practice, and policy . (pp. 242-260). New York:
Routledge.
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9/7 Labor Day – NO CLASS
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9/14 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Joseph, P. et. al. (2000). Cultures of Curriculum . Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum. (Chapters 1-5)
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9/21 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Joseph, P. et. al. (2000). Cultures of Curriculum . Mahwah, NJ:
Lawrence Erlbaum. (Chapters 6-9)
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9/28 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Adams, M., et. al. (Eds.) (2000). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An
Anthology on Racism, Antisemitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and Classism .
New York: Routledge.
(Sections 1-2)
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10/5 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Adams, M., et. al. (Eds.) (2000). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An
Anthology on Racism, Antisemitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and Classism .
New York: Routledge.
(Sections 3-4)
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10/12 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Adams, M., et. al. (Eds.) (2000). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An
Anthology on Racism, Antisemitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and Classism .
New York: Routledge.
(Sections 5-6)
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10/19 Exploring Diversity Frameworks
Reading:
Adams, M., et. al. (Eds.) (2000). Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: An
Anthology on Racism, Antisemitism, Sexism, Heterosexism, Ableism, and Classism .
New York: Routledge.
(Sections 7-8)
Scheduling of final project & Midterm exam
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10/26 Reading: Relevant readings for research presentations.
Virtual lecture hall discussion.
Continue final project preparation.
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11/2 Reading: Relevant readings for research presentations.
Virtual lecture hall discussion.

Continue final project preparation.
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11/9 Reading: Relevant readings for research presentations.
Virtual lecture hall discussion.
Continue final project preparation.
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11/16 Reading: Relevant readings for research presentations.
Virtual lecture hall discussion.
Continue final project preparation.
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11/23 Project presentations
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11/30 Project presentations
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