Syllabus
Instructor: Thomas C. Spencer
Office: Computer Lab Education 134
Phone: [757] 547-0134
Secretary: 145 Educ. ECI Office
Fax: [757] 547-2391
Mailbox: 145 Educ.
E-mail: tspencer@whro.net
1. Number: ECI 530
2. Title: Microcomputers and the Curriculum
3. Course Description:
Lecture 3 hours; 3 credits.
Prerequisite: General education computer literacy course (e.g., OTS 251d),
equivalent or equivalency exam (Contact ODU testing center at 683-3697.
Classroom technology, learning theories and cognitive psychology are explored
through research and synthesized through projects and papers. Course uses
contemporary productivity suites, authoring tools, and Internet resources
to develop and evaluate classroom management techniques and k-12 SOL-related
curriculum materials. Addresses Technology Standards for Instructional
Personnel (TSIP)
competencies.
Purpose - Educator as a Professional
A teacher is an expert in a field of knowledge who can relate his or her wisdom to novices. A professional teacher can defend his or her practices based on the "state-of-the-art." The ODU undergraduate and fifth year teacher education programs include extensive experiences in the liberal arts, early field experiences, in-depth content preparation, principals of learning theory, classroom management techniques, methods and materials for teaching specific levels, categories of students, and/or subjects, and practice in the field. Graduate programs provide additional professional development experiences for inservice teachers. The sum of these components prepare an educator to be a life-long learner and thus constantly at the edge of the state-of-the-art.
4. Course Competencies:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Examine and confront personal beliefs about the teaching/learning
process and demonstrating acceptance for the technology/information age
and imminent changes faced by future educators through syntheses papers
and journals. Foundational information will come from the various
Virginia and National technology standards documents, class discussions,
required books, and/or readings supplied by the instructor.
2. Identify and apply the tenets of behaviorism, generative learning,
and constructivist learning theories to classroom technology use.
3. Outline the history of computers in education.
4. List and define important terms used in computer technology.
5. Describe a basic minimally useful computer system. The description
will include all needed components for contemporary computing including
memory requirements for current operating systems and productivity software,
capacities of storage devices, monitor sizes and specifications, printer
options and telecommunication devices with approximate prices.
6. Operate Windows and Macintosh computers.
7. Develop safe computing habits (eg. anti-virus programs, password
security issues).
8. Demonstrate proficiency using an electronic database (ie ERIC).
9. Describe and develop content-specific applications of word processors,
databases, spreadsheet, paint and draw, telecommunications and hypermedia.
10. Summarize the major differences between drill & practice, tutorials,
simulations, games and exploratory environments.
11. Use telecommunications for asynchronous communication (email/listserv).
12. Use appropriate search and evaluation strategies to explore and
obtain information from the Internet.
13. Use the Internet to find examples of lessons and projects applicable
to your classroom, and develop a plan for implementing use of the Internet
in your classroom.
14. Use an authoring tool to develop a hypermedia document. Identify
how it might be used as a media for student knowledge representation in
your content area.
15. Explore concept mapping/semantic networking through the use of
graphic organizers.
16. Develop strategies for implementing multimedia into classroom activities.
17. Create or modify a lesson plan, or solution to an instructional
problem, that utilizes technology.
18. Demonstrate knowledge of copyright guidelines for intellectual
material, software, and digital media.
19. Create documents conforming to APA style and format guideline.
Objectives -- [NCATE Standards]-- The
student will acquire and learn to apply
knowledge about:
1. _X_ the social, historical,
and philosophical foundations of education, including an
understanding of the moral, social, and political dimensions of classrooms,
teaching, and schools.
2. _X_ the impact of technological and societal
changes on schools.
3. _X_ theories of human development and learning.
4. _X_ inquiry and research.
5. _X_ school law and educational policy.
6. _X_ professional ethics
7. ____the responsibilities, structure, and
activities of the profession.
The student will develop understanding of:
8. _X_research- and experience-based principals
of effective practice for encouraging
the intellectual, social, and personal development of students.
9. _X_different student approaches to learning
for creating instructional opportunities
adapted to learners from diverse cultural backgrounds and with exceptionalities.
10._X_variety of instructional strategies
for developing critical thinking,
problem solving, and performance skills.
11._X_individual and group motivation for
encouraging positive social interaction,
active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.
12 _X_effective verbal, nonverbal, and media
communications for fostering active
inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interactions in the classroom.
13._X_planning and management of instruction
based on knowledge of the content
area, the community, and curriculum goals.
14. _X_formal and informal assessment strategies
for evaluating and ensuring the
continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the learner.
15. ___collaboration with the school colleagues,
parents, and agencies in the larger
community for supporting students' learning and well-being.
16. ___effective interactions with parents
for supporting students' learning and well-
being.
17._X_the opportunity for candidates to reflect
on their teaching and its effects on
student growth and learning.
18 _X_educational technology, including the
use of computer and other technologies in
instruction, assessment, and professional productivity.
The student will integrate general content,
and professional and pedagogical knowledge:
19. _X_candidates learn to integrate their
content, professional, and pedagogical
knowledge and skills to create learning experiences that make the central
concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the content area meaningful
for all
students.
20.___ the learning experiences created by
teacher candidates build on students' prior
experiences, exceptionalities, and cultural backgrounds based on membership
in
ethnic, racial, gender, language, socioeconomic, community, and family
groups,
to help all students achieve high levels of learning.
5. Course Requirements -- The expectations of this course require that you acquire and demonstrate both knowledge and skills. Course experiences will include classroom presentations, discussions, laboratory demonstrations, and hands-on activities. You will be expected to complete some activities by working in the laboratory outside of class time. All assignments are to be turned in on the date specified. You may not assume that assignments turned in late without prior approval will be accepted. Assignments are to be typed, double-spaced twelve point in the Times New Roman font. Please turn assignments in without report covers or binders. A cover page stapled to the assignment at the top left - hand corner of the paper will suffice.
- Office 97 assignments
- Telecommunications
- Internet search assignment
- Assigned papers and library research
7. Attendance Policy -- Students are expected
to attend all classes. University policy permits failing of students who
miss more than 15% of classes. Leaving prior to the end of the
class session constitutes a partial absence and will result in a loss of
points. If you must be absent on a given class day, please contact the
instructor before the absence. Performance-based class assignments
and lecture / discussion participation cannot be made up.
Lab Expectations: Extensive lab hours will be required outside normal class times. The lab hours are posted on the doors to rooms 130/132. These hours may vary depending on requested lab use, so check the weekly schedule for changes. The lab is staffed by qualified assistants. They are your first resource for help. Please see me for an appointment to obtain additional assistance if necessary. Those students beginning this course with little or no computer experience will need to spend significant extra time on the computer, especially during the first few weeks.
8. Course Evaluation --
Grading Scale:
95-100
A
86-94
B
77-85
C
0-76
F
Grades of + or - will be given at the discretion of the instructor.
Note: "A grade of I indicates assigned work yet to
be completed in a given course, or absence from the final
examination and is assigned only upon instructor approval of a student
request. The I grade can be given only in
exceptional circumstances beyond the student's control, such as illness.
In these cases, the student is responsible for
notifying the faculty member. The I grade becomes an F if not removed
by the last day of classes of the following term
(excluding the exam period) according to the following schedule: I
grades from the fall semester become F's if not
removed by the last day of classes of the spring semester; I grades
from the spring and the summer session become F's if
not removed by the last day of classes of the fall semester. An I grade
may not be changed to a W under any
circumstances." (1992-94 Old Dominion University Catalog, page 34)
9. Honor Pledge -- "I pledge to support the honor system of Old Dominion University. I will refrain from any form of academic dishonesty or deception, such as cheating or plagiarism. I am aware that as a member if the academic community, it is my responsibility to turn in all suspected violators of the honor system. I will report to Honor Council hearings if summoned." By attending Old Dominion University you have accepted the responsibility to abide by this code. This is an institutional policy approved by the Board of Visitors.
10. Office Hours -- by appointment
Required Text:
Roybler, M.D. & Edwards, Jack (2000).
Integrating Computer Technology into Teaching (Second Edition)
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
ISBN 0-13-974387-1
Optional Texts:
Any comprehensive MS Office text such as:
Master Microsoft® Office 2000 VISUALLY
by Ruth Maran, Paul Whitehead, Marangraphics Development Group
Price: $31.99
Availability: This title usually ships within 2-3 days.
Paperback - 680 pages Bk&Cd Rom edition (May 1999)
ISBN: 0764560506
available at Amazon
.com and elsewhere
You may choose to use additional resources that can be located at libraries, bookstores, or on the Internet itself. If you find one that may be useful to the class at large, please share that information in class.
Required materials/accounts: A box of high-density 3.5" floppy diskettes; Lab accessible Web-based e-mail account after the first week of class
12. Outline of Topics / Assignments
Computer Related Discussion Topics:
Computer terminology (Hardware and Software)
File Management
Operating Systems
Application Programs
Internet Telecommunications
Telecommunications assignments performed in class:
Defining the Internet and becoming familiar
with the applications and terminology
E-mail
Netscape / WWW / Search engines
Obtaining access through an ISP (discussion)
HTML / Web page construction
Office 97 assignments performed in class:
Word processing / Editing / Management
Spreadsheet / Grade book / Sample Classroom
Application
Database / Creation / Query construction
Graphics / Production and Editing (Paint /
Claris Draw)
Presentation manager / Presentation production
(MS-PowerPoint)
Multimedia Presentation: Build a presentation which presents a lesson plan, a solution to an instructional problem, that would be utilized to provide instruction to a group of students in a computer lab using a collection of the applications that we have studied above. Edit the presentation. Develop one of these lesson plans from your unit plan into the Multimedia Presentation and be prepared to present it to this class as if we were your students. You will need to prepare instructional materials to hand out to the class, so that we may effectively participate in the lesson. Include the instructional strategies that you would employ to manage instruction in that environment. Facilitate a discussion regarding any ethical or legal concerns that might need to be addressed as a result of this instructional unit. Compare and contrast the presentation of this same lesson in an environment where only one computer is available in a traditional classroom setting.
Unit Plan: Develop a full unit plan that will cover approximately one grading period of curriculum. A full unit plan consists of at least nine weeks of instruction specified in less detail than a full lesson plan. It should however include the title of each day's instruction, the assignments that students will perform under each day's title(s), and any necessary description allowing a layman (parent, administrator or colleague outside your specialty) to comprehend the nature of the lesson that will be presented. Prepare formal lesson plans to cover one week of instruction from this unit plan. You should utilize the applications and technologies that we have studied in this course to prepare the unit plan and the lesson plans. You should integrate a variety of the technologies that we have studied into these lesson plans for the benefit of the students to be served.
Culminating paper: I would like to know how you plan to use these applications that we have analyzed in the past weeks. Will you use them personally, in your profession, or both? Do you feel that the availability and your expertise with these applications will effect the way in which you work and communicate? Will your methods of instruction be impacted by the use of these technologies, and if so do you imagine that student performance will be impacted also? Give all of these questions careful consideration and respond with approximately two pages of text to each. For complete information on this assignment see http://members.whro.net/~tspencer/solpaper.htm
Note: All assignments are to be turned in on the date specified at the beginning of the class period. Additionally, to receive full credit for any assignment you must follow the specific instructions that will be given on the proper elements and format for submission during the class prior to the assignment due date. You may not assume that assignments turned in late without prior approval will be accepted. Assignments are to be typed, double-spaced twelve point in the Times New Roman font. Please turn assignments in without report covers or binders. A cover page stapled to the assignment at the top left - hand corner of the paper will suffice.
*Note: Due to specific interests and needs of class members, as well as the response of the network (both local and Internet) it will be necessary to maintain a high degree of flexibility with the suggested schedule of class topics. We may need to change topics or modes of instruction on or during any given class day.
13. Cultural Diversity -- The following topics include
elements dealing with cultural
diversity: (1) Uses of technology in Teaching and Learning; (2) Students
Access to
Computers; (3) Inequalities in Technology Use - Socioeconomic Status,
Gender
Differences and Ability Differences; (4) Cognitive Learning and Technology
Tools; (5)
Instructionism and Constructionism.
14. Use of Instructional Technology -- This course addresses
the application of technology
in the classroom, and almost all topics are presented using some aspect
of instructional
technology. Specific topics include: (1) Technology Standards;
(2) Email; (3) Internet -
Netscape, browser, searching; (4) Word-processing; (5) Spreadsheets;
(6) Databases, (7)
Paint and Draw Programs; (8) Using Instructional Software for Content-Area
Learning;
(9) Educational Applications using Multimedia and Hypermedia.
15. Methods Course Connection to Content Courses -- NA
Please see the following URLs which will be used as references for this class.
Reading Assignments for each week
Course Schedule (You will want to review this site regularly as it specifies which assignments are due per class)