COURSE SYLLABUS
EDG 7225
Course Title: Teaching Critical and Social Issues
Course Credit Hours: 3
Instructor Name and Contact Information: Joyce C. Nichols, Department of Professional
and Community Leadership, Building 77, 103, (850) 857-6042, jnichols@uwf.edu
Prerequisites or Co-Requisites: None
Course Description:
Explore critical, social and controversial issues as it relates to the teaching and examine
teaching practices that use innovative pedagogical strategies.
Course Goals:
Upon completion of the course, students will:
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Analyze the ideas of individuals whose writings have influenced teaching critical and
social issues
Participate in discussions based on in-depth research on teaching critical and social
issues
Write a paper based on the research provided in the class and independent research
on teaching critical and social issues.
Program Goals:
The empowered person and professional is exemplified in EDG 7225 in the following
characteristics: 1) critical thinker, b) lifelong learner, c) counselor/mentor, d) decision
maker, e) problem solver, and f) ethical/moral professional. The mission of the Ed.D. and
Ed.S. programs at UWF is to prepare empowered professional who take action in
administrative and leadership positions to conduct and evaluate applied research to solve
local, regional, and state education issues and problems.
About this Course:
This course is delivered completely online. You must have consistent access to the Internet.
Learning at a distance may be a very different environment for many of you. You will
generally set your own schedules, participate in class activities at your convenience, and
work at your own pace. You may require some additional time online during the first few
weeks while you become acclimated to the online format and you may even feel
overwhelmed at times. It will get better. You should be prepared to spend approximately 6 8 hours per week online completing lessons, activities, and participating in class discussions.
Finally, you may want to incorporate these tips to help you get started:
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Set a time each week (schedule) to:
o Check the course web site to determine your tasks for the week.
o Check the course web site frequently throughout the week for updates.
Within the first week, become familiar with the site and how to use it.
o View this eLearning Demo.
Team up with your classmates to discuss class assignments and questions you might
have.
o Check the “Classlist” link “?” for fellow student biography information and
email addresses.
Ask questions when you need answers.
o If you have problems, contact your instructor early.
Topics:
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Justification for a pedagogy of the oppressed
The "banking" concept of education
The practice of freedom
Opposing theories of cultural action
Engaged pedagogy
A revolution of values
Embracing change
Theory as liberatory practice
Essentialism and Experience
Feminist Solidarity
Feminist Thinking
Feminist Scholarship
Building a Teaching Community
Language
Confronting Class in the Classroom
Eros, Eroticism, and the Pedagogical Process
Teaching and Learning within limits
Student Learning Outcomes: (SLOs):
1. Explore, synthesize and evaluate teaching as an art and science
2. Examine critical and social issues to become thoughtful, reflective practitioners.
3. Articulate, generate, and validate assumptions that inform pedagogical practices.
4. Model critical pedagogical practices that encourage learners to become critical
thinkers.
5. Develop and incorporate conceptual and theoretical frameworks on social and critical
issues in teaching practices.
6. Build learning communities that promote social transformation at the grass-roots
level.
Required texts:
Pedagogy of the Oppressed, Paulo Freire, ISBN 978-0-8264-126-8.
Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom, bell hooks, ISBN 0-41590808-6.
Required Materials:
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Internet Access (broadband is recommended)
Activated UWF ArgoNet E-mail Account
1. Threaded Discussions: This course will include threaded discussions counting 40
percent of the grade. The discussions must be a paragraph including 3-5 sentences. Your
post must adequately address the topic using APA. Please edit your post before you submit
in order to avoid spelling errors and grammatical errors. Focus your work on the ideas at
hand and avoid posting your opinion or judgements.
Please email me if you need more time on your assignments. You are welcome to work
ahead.
2. Responses to Classmates: Please respond to 3 paragraph-long posts per week from
classmates so as to create some threads in our discussion. Responses to your classmates
will be 20 percent of the grade. You may include opinion in your response.
3. Final Paper
The final paper will be 40 percent of the grade.
Letter grades will be assigned as follows:
95% or better
A
75% to 79%
C+
90% to 94%
A-
74% to 77%
C
87% to 89%
B+
70% to 73%
C-
84% to 86%
B
60% to 69%
D
80% to 83%
B-
50% or less
F
Letter grades will be assigned as follows: (edit to fit your grading scheme)
93% or better
A
77% to 79%
C+
90% to 92%
A-
73% to 76%
C
87% to 89%
B+
70% to 72%
C-
83% to 86%
B
60% to 69%
D
80% to 82%
B-
50% or less
F
Attendance Policy:
You must post your assignment and respond to your classmates weekly.
Minimum Technical Skills and Special Technology Utilized by Students:
This course is totally online. All instructional content and interaction takes place over the
WWW. In addition to baseline word processing skills and sending/receiving email with
attachments, students will be expected to search the internet and upload / download files.
In addition, students may need one or more of the following plug-ins:
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Adobe Acrobat Reader: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
PowerPoint Viewer:http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=048
DC840-14E1-467D-8DCA-19D2A8FD7485&displaylang=en
Windows Media Player:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/
QuickTime Player:http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
Real Player:http://forms.real.com/netzip/getrde601.html?h=softwaredl.real.com&dc=828827826&f=windows/installer/player/R51R01F/RealPlayerSPGold.
exe%20&p=RealOne+Player&&oem=dl&dist=&tagtype=ie&type=dl
Adobe Flash Player: http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/
For students' using Screen Readers: Download Elluminate's Java Bridge:
https://www.elluminate.com/Support/Other_Resources/Java_Accessibility_Bridge/?id
=368
eLearning's Accessibilty Resource Guides for users:
http://www.desire2learn.com/access/resources/
Expectations for Academic Conduct / Plagiarism Policy:
Academic Conduct Policy: (Web Site) | (PDF Format) |
Plagiarism Policy: (WORD Format) | UWF Library Online Tutorial: Plagiarism |
Student Handbook: (PDF Format)
Assistance for Students with Disabilities:
The Student Disability Resource Center (SDRC)at the University of West Florida supports an
inclusive learning environment for all students. If there are aspects of the instruction or
design of this course that hinder your full participation, such as time-limited exams,
inaccessible web content, or the use of non-captioned videos and podcasts, please notify the
instructor or the SDRC as soon as possible. You may contact the SDRC office by e-mail at
sdrc@uwf.edu or by phone at (850) 474-2387. Appropriate academic accommodations will
be determined based on the documented needs of the individual.
Weather Emergency Information:
In the case of severe weather or other emergency, the campus might be closed and classes
cancelled. Official closures and delays are announced on the UWF website and broadcast on
WUWF-FM.
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WUWF-FM (88.1MHz) is the official information source for the university. Any
pertinent information regarding closings, cancellations, and the re-opening of
campus will be broadcast.
In the event that hurricane preparation procedures are initiated, the UWF Home Web
Page and Argus will both provide current information regarding hurricane preparation
procedures, the status of classes and the closing of the university.
Emergency plans for the University of West Florida related to weather or other emergencies
are available on the following UWF web pages:
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Information about hurricane preparedness plans is available on the UWF web site:
http://uwfemergency.org/hurricaneprep.cfm
Information about other emergency procedures is available on the UWF web site:
http://uwfemergency.org/