Hunter College
CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK
Department of Educational Foundations &Counseling Programs
SEDF 205 – Section 002 Educational Psychology: Applications to Secondary Education
Room 707 A
Fall 2008
Course Syllabus
Professor Sherryl Browne Graves
Class Time: Tuesdays 9:10-10:50 a.m.
E-mail: sgraves@hunter.cuny.edu
Fieldwork: Thursdays 7:45-12:15 p.m.
Office Hours: Tuesdays 11-12; Wednesday s 3:30-4:30 or by appointment
Course Description
This two-credit course provides teacher candidates with knowledge of psychological
theories and principles of learning, cognition, behavioral, and
personal/social/environmental interactions. It develops teacher candidates’ skills to
design learning activities, create positive learning environments, and implement sound
instructional practices in their current or future 7th -12th classrooms by applying relevant
psychological theories, principles, and research. This course focuses on promoting
teacher candidates’ awareness of working with student populations with diverse cultural
backgrounds and learning experiences in urban settings. Additionally, this course
promotes teacher candidates’ professionalism by discussing real-life issues in and beyond
the classroom that affect teacher-student interactions. To complement the work in this
course, teacher candidates will conduct field observations at selected school sites. These
experiences will reinforce the theoretical aspects of educational psychology in actual
classrooms.
Hunter College School of Education Conceptual Framework
The preparation of reflective, knowledgeable and highly effective teachers requires the
following elements.
Evidence–Based Practices
The School of Education grounds its course content in the best field-based research and
practice. Faculty review findings from their respective disciplines to provide our
candidates with the strategies needed for effective instruction. Our candidates master the
theory and practice of effective pedagogy in their subject areas, and acquire the tools for
reflection on and improvement of their professional work. They achieve a solid
foundation in the history, philosophy, psychology, sociology and methodology of
education that enriches their teaching. Candidates gain expertise in analyzing and using
assessment of student performance to guide their instruction and create optimal learning
environments for students.
Integrated Clinical Experiences
The School of Education ensures that its candidates understand and experience the
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realities of school contexts. We establish strong connections with partnering schools in
New York City and surrounding areas. We provide extensive fieldwork with supportive
supervision in these schools. Our candidates engage in carefully sequenced and
comprehensively assessed clinical experiences prior to their graduation.
Educating a Diverse Student Population
The School of Education provides its candidates with the critical skills and understanding
necessary to be responsive to the multiple challenges of all learners: students with a wide
range of backgrounds, cultures, abilities and prior knowledge. We teach candidates to
create humane and ethical learning communities in their classrooms and schools. They
gain the ability to collaborate successfully with parents, families, community members,
school faculty and staff in order to provide this support.
Use of Technology to Enhance Learning
The School of Education prepares candidates with the practical and theoretical
knowledge of effective and judicious uses of technology in a variety of school settings
and for a broad spectrum of learners. Formative and summative assessments of our
candidates’ technology competencies are a critical component of preparing them for
tomorrow’s schools. We believe that appropriate uses of educational technology enhance
learning, assessment and communication.
Required Text
Santrock, J.W.(2008). Educational Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.
(ISBN 978-0-07-352582-2)
Supplementary Readings
Supplementary readings may be included to further enhance your knowledge of the topics
covered in the text. Most will be posted on Blackboard. You are required to read all
supplementary readings.
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Course Requirements:
1. Class Participation: Students are expected to come to class prepared to discuss
the material. Throughout the semester you will be asked to complete and
participate in a variety of activities related to the reading assignments. These
assignments will be recorded and count towards your participation grade. Active
participation in the class facilitates your learning and ensures that your questions
regarding the course material are addressed. Everyone has something valuable to
contribute. It is important that we respect the opinions of others and welcome
discussion to stimulate class learning. Turn your cell phones off before class
begins.
2. Exams: There will be a midterm and final exam. More details will be announced
when the dates approach. Missed exams will not be permitted except under
documented extenuating circumstances.
3. Fieldwork Observations: Students are required to complete 36 hours of field
experience in a middle/junior high or high school setting (see Handbook for
Students in Fieldwork Courses for more details). Failure to complete fieldwork
will result in a grade of incomplete for the class. No exceptions!
4. Observations Reports: Observation reports will be based on fieldwork.
Students are required to submit two papers providing a description of the theories
discussed in class and their relation to observations in fieldwork. Papers should
be 4-5 pages in length double-spaced in 12-point Times New Roman font with
one-inch margins.
Course Evaluation
1.
2.
3.
4.
Percentage
15%
25%
30%
30%
Class Participation
Midterm
Final
Observation Reports
Grading System (see handbook)
A+ = 97.5 – 100%
A = 92.5 – 97.4%
A- = 90.0 – 92.4%
B+ = 87.5 – 89.9%
B = 82.5 – 87.4%
B- = 80.0 – 82.4%
C+ = 77.5 – 79.9%
C = 70.0 – 77.4%
F = 0 – 69.9%
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Important Course Policies
Attendance
Teacher candidates are expected to attend and be punctual in all classes. More than 20
minutes late in arriving to a class will be considered an absence. In the event of an
emergency, you need to notify your professor as soon as possible. More than three
unexcused absences will result in lowering your final course grade by one letter
grade. If an emergency should arise, or a student is ill and cannot attend class, she or
he should contact the professor prior to class. Any changes in the syllabus will be
announced in class. You are responsible for these changes whether or not you are
present in class. It is up to you to contact a colleague or the instructor for the
information you missed.
Lateness/Missing Assignments and Exams
Late assignments will not be permitted except under documented extenuating
circumstances. Ten points will be deducted per each class session that an assignment
is late. Failure to complete 36 hours of observation will result in a grade of
incomplete for the class. No exceptions!
Tentative Course Schedule
Date
Topic
*Corresponding Readings
Supplemental readings
are on Blackboard
September 2
Course overview, Introduction to
Chapter 1
Educational Psychology
September 9
Culture & Diversity
Graves Chapter 2
September 16
Cognitive and Language Development
Chapter 2
September 23
Cognitive Views of Learning
Chapter 8
September 30
NO CLASS
October 7
Behavioral Views of Learning
October 14
Classes follow a Monday Schedule
October21
Complex Cognitive Processes
October 28
Mid Term Exam
November 4
Observation Report 1 Due
November 11
Chapter 7
Chapter 9
Social Contexts and Social Development
Chapter 3
Individual Variations
Chapter 4
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November 18
Social Cognitive & Constructivist Views
Chapter 10
of Learning
November 25
Motivation in Learning & Teaching
December 2
Observation Report 2 Due
Chapter 13
Chapter 12
Planning, Instruction and Technology
December 9
Teaching and Cognition in the Content
Chapter 11
Areas
December 16
December 22
Managing the Classroom
Chapter 14
Final Exam
MONDAY
* Assigned readings should be done prior to the class meeting except for the first class
Resolution on Student Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Unanimously Adopted at
the April 29, 2003 Plenary.
Whereas, CUNY faculty are reporting an increase in the number of plagiarized and
improperly or inadequately documented papers they receive, and
Whereas, A University-wide program and initiative is needed to prevent and address
problems of plagiarism and cheating by students, and
Whereas, The easy access to material on the Internet, including both free and for-purpose
term papers, is viewed by many faculty as contributing to this serious academic situation,
and innumerable websites on the Internet pose a challenge for faculty who wish to
prevent plagiarism and who wish to respond effectively and appropriately to suspected
and actual plagiarism, and
Whereas, In recent years, CUNY faculty have cited plagiarism by students as one of their
issues of concern, and
Whereas, Colleges have available many resources to deter and to verify suspected
plagiarism, such as providing to faculty online subscription services like turnitin.com and
plagiarism.com that allow faculty to compare papers with extensive databases of billions
of documents, and
Whereas, The Chancellery has established a taskforce on Academic Integrity,
Therefore, Be It Resolved, that the UFS recommends that the Taskforce include in its
study the possibility of subscribing to a web-based company such as turnitin.com or
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plagiarism.com as well as many study policies and practices at CUNY and elsewhere,
and be it further
Resolved, that the University Faculty Senate recommends that the work of the Taskforce
be only one part of a large CUNY-wide course of action to define academic integrity and
plagiarism, and to address and deter problems of plagiarism, and that this larger CUNYwide course of action – which may be part of the work of the Taskforce include the
education of students about the issue: faculty development problems to provide faculty,
including adjunct faculty, with information about best practices; and the posting of links
on the college’s and CUNY homepage to provide students and faculty with information
that is easily available and that can be accessed privately and as needed, and be it further
Resolved, That should the Taskforce recommend and the Central Office concur that
CUNY shall subscribe to an online company such as turnitin.com, the UFS recommends
that it shall be the University policy that all CUNY students be informed of this fact and
be informed on a regular basis so as to provide a deterrent to plagiarizing others’ work
and also to provide a deterrent to the purchasing or borrowing of work written by others,
which might have been plagiarized by the seller or lender of that work, and it be finally
Resolved, That the UFS recommends that the Taskforce consult with the UFS and other
relevant groups and report its recommendations for comment with regard to best
practices, policies, and services.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
(p. 12 of the Graduate catalog and p.49 of the Undergraduate catalog)
Any deliberate borrowing of the ideas, terms, statements, or knowledge of others without
clear and specific acknowledgement of the source is intellectual theft and is called
plagiarism.
It is not plagiarism to borrow the ideas, terms, statements, or knowledge of others if the
source is clearly and specifically acknowledged. Students who consult such critical
material and wish to include some of the insights, terms or statements encountered must
provide full citations in an appropriate form.
ACCESS AND ACCOMODATIONS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
We recommend that all HC students with disabilities explore the support services and
register with the OFFICE of AccessABILITY. HC students with disabilities are protected
by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires that they be provided
equal access to education and reasonable accommodations. In compliance with the ADA
and with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Hunter College is committed to ensuring
this educational access and accommodations. For information and assistance, contact the
OFFICE FOR AccessABILITY in Room E 1124 or call (212) 772-4857 or TTY (212)
650-3230.
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