Heartland Community College
Social & Business Sciences Division
Course Syllabus for Students = Fall, 2012
Course Prefix and Number: EDUC 101-01
Course Title: Introduction to Education
Credit Hours: 3
Days/Times course meets: Section 01: Mondays, Wednesdays 8:00am - 9:15 am (ICB 2706)
Instructor Information:
Barbara House
(815) 842-2790 (home) or (815) 848-2792 (cell)
Barbara.House@heartland.edu
Office hours are before and after class or by appointment
Required Textbook / Materials:
 Ryan and Cooper Those Who Can, Teach (13th Edition). St. Charles, IL: Houghton-Mifflin
Publishers. ISBN 13:978-1-111-83028-1
 A USB drive to store your electronic portfolio and other class materials; you will use this to save
course material in all your education courses. There is a template to assist you located in a file on the
“O drive” on Heartland campus computers. You may also access the PORTFOLIO BUILDER
TUTORIAL through the “General Resources” icon on the textbook website.
 OPTIONAL: Student Textbook Website: www.cengage.com/education/ryan. From here you may
access self-quizzes, video cases, flashcards, web links, and additional features that will guide you in
this course and your decisions about becoming a teacher.
Requirement: Students who enroll in EDUC 101 will be required to undergo a criminal background check
by a college selected vendor. A clear background check is mandatory in order to complete the course/state
required 15 hour clinical component for the class. The cost of the background check is added as a course fee.
Prerequisite: Students must place into college level reading and writing.
Introduction: Introduction to Education is a course designed to introduce students to the foundations of
education. By studying these foundations, future teachers will learn to appreciate the proud heritage of the
teaching profession and will begin to formulate a personal educational philosophy. Such a study also
enlightens future teachers about the school’s responsibilities to society and provides an understanding of
school administration and curricula.
Catalog Description: This course provides an introduction to the American education system and as
teaching as a profession. Throughout the course students will be offered a variety of perspectives on
education including: historical, philosophical, social, legal, and ethical issues in a diverse society. Study of
organizational structure and school governance will also be included. A minimum 15 hour clinical
component is required by the State of Illinois for this course.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer: This course fulfills 3 semester hours of
elective credit for the A.A., A.S. or A.A.S. degrees. It should transfer to most colleges and universities as an
elective course. However, since it is not part of the General Education Core Curriculum described in the
Illinois Articulation Initiative, students should check with an academic advisor for information about its
transferability to other institutions. Refer to the IAI web page at www.itransfer.org for more information.
Course Objectives :
Upon completion of this course, students will:
I. be introduced to a broad range of factors which influence education in American society.
II. analyze the challenges facing educators and to bring factual analysis to their solutions.
III. identify the educational problems in the context of the greater societal issues.
IV. enhance their career choice as educators with
a.)
a personal understanding of issues in relation to their future career in education.
b.)
the ability to communicate effectively on the issues.
c.)
the ability to make reasonable decisions regarding their careers.
Course Standards: Based on the Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IPTS)
There are two levels that correspond to the standards/indicators identified below:
Introduced: Concepts/materials are covered at a beginning level of knowledge and/or skill.
Met:
Concepts/materials are covered at a proficient level of knowledge and/or skill.
Learning Outcome:
(Knowledge Indicators)
Understand how students’ learning is
influenced by individual experiences,
talents and prior learning as well as
language, culture, family, and
community
values. (Chapters 3, 4, 10 of textbook)
Understand personal cultural
perspectives and biases and their effects
on one’s teaching.
(Chapters 1, 6, 10 of textbook)
Understand how to use various
technological tools to access and
manage information.
(Chapter 7 of textbook and Blackboard)
Understand how cultural and gender
differences can affect communication in
the classroom.
(Chapter 3,4 of textbook)
GE
Method of
*IPTS
Code Assessment
D1
E-Portfolio, Exam,
3C – “Diversity”
Interview/Journaling, Introduced
Motives Activity,
Class Reflection,
Case Study
D4
D2
Understand the social, intellectual, and
political implications of language use
and how they influence meaning.
(Chapter 3, 5 of textbook)
Understand schools as organizations
within the larger community context.
(Chapter 2,10,11 of textbook)
Understand that reflection is an integral
part of professional growth and
improvement of instruction. (Chapters 6,
9, 14 of textbook)
Understand methods of inquiry that
C6
provide for a variety of self-assessment
and problem-solving strategies for
reflecting on practice. (Chapters 6, 15
of textbook)
Understand the unique characteristics of
education as a professional code of
conduct as defined by the Illinois School
Exam, Video
Case,Observation
Project,
Interview/Journaling,
Class Discussion
Exam, E-Portfolio,
use of class website,
Article Review,
Group Presentation
Exam,
Interview/Journaling,
Case Study, School
Observations, Class
Discussion
Exam, Case Study,
State Test Score
Analysis, Class
Discussion
Exam, Class
Activity/Discussion,
Article Review
Exam, Journaling,
Class Reflection,
Case Study, SelfInventory
Exam, Observation
Project, Assignment,
Class Reflection
3F – “Diversity”
Introduced
Exam, Class
Discussion of Video
Cases
11 A – “Professional
Conduct and
Leadership” Met
4G – “Planning for
Instruction”
Introduced
7B “Communication”
Introduced
7C –
“Communication”
Introduced
9A – “Collaborative
Relationships”
Introduced
10 A – Reflection and
Professional Growth”
Introduced
10B – “Reflection and
Professional Growth”
Introduced
Code. (Chapters ,8,15 of textbook)
Understand how school systems are
organized and operate. (Chapters 2,
8,11, 12 of textbook)
Understand school policies and
procedures.
(Chapters 8, 11, 14 of textbook)
Understand the importance of active
participation and leadership in
professional education organizations.
(Chapters 14, 15 of textbook)
Be familiar with the rights of students
with disabilities. (Chapter 3 of textbook)
D1
Exam, Observation
Project, Article
Review
Exam, Observation
Project,Article
Review, Video Case
Assignment
Observation Project,
E-Portfolio, Class
Reflection
11 B – “Professional
Conduct and
Leadership”Introduced.
11 C - “Professional
Conduct and
Leadership”Introduced
Exam, Video Case,
Test Score Analysis
11 F - “Professional
Conduct and
Leadership”
Introduced
11 E - “Professional
Conduct and
Leadership” Introduced
Topic Outline for EDUCATION 101:
Part 1: SCHOOL AND STUDENTS.
1. Do you REALLY Want to Become a Teacher?
2. Schools are Important Community Organizations
3. The Diversity of Students in Today’s Schools
4. Social Problems Confronting Students
5. What Is Taught: It is called “ Curriculum”
Part 2: TEACHERS.
6. Effective Teachers = Reflective Teachers; Learning Standards and Basic Skills for Teachers
7. Technology and its Impact on the Classroom
8. Ethical and Legal Issues Faced by Teachers
Part 3: FOUNDATIONS AND THE FUTURE.
9. Philosophies of Education; Discovering Your Own Philosophy
10. History of American Education – How We Are Evolving
11. School Administration and Finance: What Teachers Should Know
12. Education Reform – Take a Stand!
Part 4: THE TEACHING PROFESSION.
13. Your Job Options in Education/Related Fields
14. When YOU Finally Become a Licensed/Certificated Teacher…
15. Professionalism: The Key to a Successful and Rewarding Career
16. Creating and keeping a portfolio with your course work and evidence of moving toward/meeting
Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IPTS)
Method of Evaluation: Multiple means of assessing and evaluating student learning will be incorporated
into this Introduction to Education course. These include, but are not limited to exams, attendance,
preparation for class, participation, case studies, journaling, review of current issues in education, quizzes,
various writing assignments, and article reviews. Each assignment will have a pre-determined weight and
will count toward the final grade, which will be calculated based upon a possible total of 1000 points. The
components and their relative weights are listed below. Students should be advised that midterm grades will
be calculated using proportional percentages of the components completed by that point in the semester.
Component
Point Value and % of Grade
25 pts.
2.5%
Attendance
State Required School/Classroom Observations, Reports
Electronic Education Portfolio Project
250 pts.
100 pts.
25%
10%
Quizzes
Exams: 3 @ 75 points
Participation in Classroom Activities
Disposition Letters: 2 @ 10 points
40 pts.
225 pts.
125 pts.
20 pts.
4%
22.5%
12.5%
2%
80 pts.
8%
Article Reviews
Final Exam
35 pts.
100 pts.
3.5%
10%
TOTAL:
1000 pts.
Journaling Assignments
Letter grades will be assigned according to the following scale (based on total points accumulated):
A(1000-900 pts)
B (899-800 pts)
C (799-700 pts)
D (699-600 pts)
F (599 pts or below)
Component Details:
Attendance (25 points):
Class preparation and participation is absolutely essential in EDUC 101. You are strongly encouraged
to complete the assigned reading before class and to form opinions on the material. Points for
attendance will be given based on number of classes missed. Miss 1 or 0 classes = 25 points, Miss 2
classes = 15 points, miss 3 or more classes = 0 points. Students who are not in class are not able to learn
from the class discussions and activities, and may even hinder the learning process of classmates due to
group activities. You are responsible for all material distributed and all activities which occur in class. If
you are absent, you will need to contact the instructor or a classmate to make up what was missed.
Contact instructor ONLY if you cannot get class information from another student or if your absence will
cause you to miss a deadline.
School/Classroom Observations/Reports (250 points):
A major component in EDUC 101 is 15 clock hours of State of Illinois required school observations.
You will be required to document your observations and write reports on what you observed. Written
observation reports will be added to your electronic portfolio. Observation materials and instructions
will be given to you by the instructor. Note: failure to conduct, complete, and turn in required
materials by the deadline will result in you automatically failing this course.
Electronic Education Portfolio Project (100 points):
Each student will create a collection of professional information, career goals, saved course material, etc.
as part of an electronic education portfolio. A separate handout will provide the details for this project.
Quizzes (40 points):
There will be pre-announced quizzes that will usually be given at the beginning of class. The quizzes are
designed to check your comprehension and to provide motivation to complete the readings in a timely
manner. At times, notes that you take on the reading prior to class may be used (per instructor’s
discretion) on a quiz.
Exams (3 exams @ 75 points each):
There will be three exams during the semester. They are non-cumulative exams that will typically cover
several chapters. Exams will require students to apply material from both class and the textbook, so it is
essential that you read the text. All exams will need to be made up by the next class session in the HCC
testing center.
Participation in class activities (group and individual; 125 points):
There will be video cases, ethics cases, analysis of data, and “six minute seminars” completed in class
for reflection and discussion. Students are expected to provide a reaction and/or evaluation of the cases
using the information which they have learned from the accompanying chapter. Each activity will be
worth various points and will be completed individually or in groups. You must be present in class to
earn these points.
Disposition Letters (20 points):
Each student will request 2 letters from persons who are capable of making a judgment regarding your
disposition in relationship to becoming a future teacher. Request letters will be provided by the instructor
later in the semester.
Journaling (80 points):
In order to supplement class discussion as well as to aid in the development of journaling and reflection
skills, you will be given 2 journal topics.
2 Written Article Reviews (35 points):
Each student will read and review current articles related to educational trends. Websites suggested by
the textbook may be used at the instructor’s discretion.
Final Exam (100 points):
The final exam will be given at the end of the semester for Section 01 on Monday, December 12, 2012
from 8-9:40am. It will not be comprehensive in nature. The exam will include the final chapters covered
in the textbook and information from class.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Instructor’s Role: It is the instructor’s job to facilitate the learning and personal discovery throughout
this course. The instructor will serve as a role model for, and a resource to your learning about the teaching
profession. The instructor’s role is to plan the learning activities, structure the learning environment, provide
feedback to the learner, and help learners discover where to get assistance when needed. It is the instructor’s
role to “set students up” for success.
Required Writing and Reading: This course required approximately 30 pages of reading per week. The
chapters assigned are to be read BEFORE class. The majority of the reading will come from the textbook
but some additional materials (articles, journals, websites, etc.) may be assigned. A minimum of 15 pages of
college level writing is also required in this course. Writing assignments include papers of various lengths,
some essay exam questions, journal entries, summaries of articles regarding current events pertaining to
education, a written philosophy of education and various projects as deemed appropriate by the instructor.
Late Work: Deadlines and due dates for all assignments, projects, tests, etc. will be clearly defined by the
instructor in writing and verbally in class. Please follow all deadlines accordingly and turn in on the due
date. If an absence occurs, you should contact instructor and / or email instructor the reason for the absence.
If you miss an exam, you may arrange a time to make-up the exam in the HCC Testing Center. ALL
assignments for the chapters are due no later than the day of the exam covering those chapters –nothing
from those chapters will be accepted for grade or credit after the exam.
Using the HCC Portal: To access Blackboard 9.0, IRIS, and your Heartland student email, you will
need to log into myHeartland at http://myheartland.edu Please use your myHeartland email address
when corresponding with instructor - this will ensure that your email is received and not deleted as spam.
Notice of Cancelled Class Sessions
Cancelled class sessions, for all HCC classes, will be listed under Cancelled Class Meetings in the A-Z Index
and under Academic Information in the Current Students page on the HCC Web site. Go to
http://www.heartland.edu/classCancellations/ to learn what classes have been cancelled for that day or
upcoming week. Be sure to check the last column, which might contain a message from the instructor.
Student Evaluations: During the final 3 weeks of the semester, all students are encouraged to complete a
course evaluation form. More information about evaluations will be provided in class.
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity is a fundamental principle of collegial life at Heartland Community
College and is essential to the credibility of the College’s educational programs. All students are expected to
maintain the highest standards for academic honesty. There will be NO explanations accepted for
plagiarism, cheating, presenting false information, or any other acts which suggest a student has not fulfilled
their academic responsibilities for this course. Moreover, because grading may be competitive, students who
misrepresent their academic work violate the right of their fellow students. Anyone involved in any of the
above mentioned violations of academic integrity will minimally receive a failing grade on that assignment,
and may also receive a failing grade for the course. In addition, HCC views any act of academic dishonest as
a serious offense requiring disciplinary measures, including course failure, suspension, and even expulsion
from the College. In addition, an act of academic dishonesty may have unforeseen effects far beyond any
officially imposed penalties. Violations of academic integrity include, but are not limited to cheating, aiding
or subordination, or other acts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, misrepresentation of data, falsification of
academic records or documents and unauthorized access to computerized academic or administrative records
or systems. Definitions of these violations may be found in the college catalog.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the presenting of others’ ideas as if they were your own. When you write a paper,
create a project, give a presentation or create anything original, it is assumed that all the work, except for that
which is attributed to another author or creator is your own. Plagiarism is considered a serious academic
offense and may take the following forms:
1.
Copying word-for-word from another source and not giving that source credit.
2.
Paraphrasing the work of another and not giving that source credit.
3.
Adopting a particularly apt phrase as your own.
4.
Using an image or a copy of an image without crediting its source.
5.
Paraphrasing someone else’s line of thinking in the development of a topic as if it were your
own.
6.
Receiving excessive help from a friend or elsewhere, or using another project as if it were
your own.
*Note - word-for-word copying is not the only form of plagiarism. The penalties for
plagiarism may be severe, including a zero on the assignment, failure in the course, or
expulsion from school. Students who plagiarize will not be allowed to simply rewrite
their papers.
[Adapted from the Modern Language Association’s MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
New York: MLA, 1995: 26]
Students with Disabilities: If you have a documented disability that may have some impact on your work
in this class and for which you may require accommodations, please see me and Anita Moore, Director of
Disability Support Services at 268-8249 or anita.moore@heartland.edu
Syllabus Disclaimer: The conditions and guidelines outlined in this course syllabus are subject to change as
per the instructor to meet changes necessary for effective instruction. Minor adjustments will be announced
in class, while major changes will be distributed in writing and appended to this syllabus.
Academic Support Services:
 The Library – includes books, online journal databases, videos, newspapers, periodicals, reserves,
and interlibrary loan (309-268-8200 or 309-268-8292).
 Tutoring Services – are available at various times throughout the week at no cost. Study groups are
also available by request. (309-268-8231)
 Testing Services – will only administer make-up exams at the request of the instructor. In
addition, they provide a secure testing environment for students who are enrolled in online, hybrid,
and other distance learning courses as well as for those who have a documented disability. (309268-8231).
Course Calendar: A calendar will be given to you separate from this syllabus. Minor adjustments to the
course calendar will be announced in class, while major changes will be distributed in writing and appended
to the original calendar.