COURSE PREFIX & NUMBER: MGED 3241
HOURS: 3-0-3
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course will emphasize how the conceptual themes and modes of inquiry
represented in the content courses, and the learning standards identified
in the national social studies standards are to be applied when formulating
instruction and assessment activities that are appropriate to middle grade
students. Special emphasis will be placed on instructional approaches that
actively engage early adolescents in concept formulation, thematic problem
solving, strategic learning, complex skill development, performance assessment.
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
PRINCIPLES ADDRESSED:
Primary:
1. understand the
central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s)
and be able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject
matter meaningful for learners.
4. understand and
use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage the learner's development
of critical and creative thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
7. plan instruction
based on knowledge of subject matter, the learners, the community, and
curriculum goals.
8. understand and
use authentic assessment to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual,
social, and physical development of the learner.
9. be a reflective
practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and
actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning
community) and actively seek the opportunity
to grow professionally.
Secondary:
2. understand how
students learn and develop and be able to provide developmentally appropriate
learning opportunities
that support their intellectual, social, and personal development.
3. understand how
students differ in their approaches to learning and be able to create instructional
opportunities that
are adapted to diverse learners.
6. use knowledge of
effective verbal, nonverbal, and information technology techniques to foster
active inquiry, collaboration,
and supportive interaction in the classroom.
SPECIFIC COURSE
OBJECTIVES:
1. Students will demonstrate
their understanding of the national social studies standards, complex
skill development,
schema and strategic learning.
2. Students will apply
these understandings to integrated thematic lesson and unit planning that
accurately reflect
the content of the disciplines and that are appropriate to middle school
age
learners.
3. Students will be
able to critically analyze textbook and non-text materials regarding their
content accuracy and adequacy; perspective, currency, learner appropriateness,
complexity, so that they make critically informed
decisions regarding the use of materials in social studies instruction.
4. Students will become
familiar with various electronic as well as print sources of information,
data, simulations, area resources (people and places), etc., that illustrate
the concepts of the disciplines and that can be utilized in elementary
social studies instruction.
ISTE TECHNOLOGY
COMPETENCIES:
6. Ability to use
telecommunication to send and receive e-mail and to access network resources
through World Wide Web, gopher, telnet, or ftp.
7. Ability to integrate
telecommunication including electronic communication and information access
into a classroom curriculum assignment.
8. Ability to use
multimedia authoring tools to create instructional lessons.
9. Ability to use
multimedia CD-ROM, laserdisc, and digital photography to access and store
information.
10. Ability to integrate
multimedia including authoring tools, CD-ROM, laserdisc, and digital photography
into a classroom curriculum assignment.
COURSE
OUTLINE:
I. Examine content
typology and organizing structure of disciplines being examined in the
course, including: information, conceptual, generalizations, theories,
problems, issues; case or argument making, pattern hypothesizing and detection,
data bases and evidence, perspectives and interpretations, reasoning and
explanation, descriptive accuracy, conceptual interrelationships (both
within and across disciplines).
II. Skills development:
spacial and logical reasoning, synthesizing and analyzing data and arguments
or interpretations, analyzing materials for perspective, accuracy, bias,
adequacy and pertinence of information that is included, representational
skills (visual, written, oral)
III. Approaches to
Instruction and Assessment: focus on concept formation, generalization
building and testing; appropriateness and congruence given intended learning
outcome and characteristics of middle grades learners; types and quality
of learner intellectual engagement embedded in each; allignment and congruence
between instructional appoach and assessments used to determine instructional
effectiveness and achievement of intended learning outcome; designing/selecting
and sequencing instructional activities within an approach; incorporating
diagnostic and formative assessment as well as varied types of assessments
in instruction. Planning instructional units within and across disciplines
(subject areas), integrated interdisciplinary and thematic units; exploring
applications of learnings in one instructional unit to others, and to world
outside of school.
IV.Finding, critiquing,
selecting, using varied materials in instructional and assessment activities.
Assessing quality of materials, and appropriateness to learners. Using
varied technology resources, creating instructional materials.
FIELD EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENTS:
1. Design, teach and evaluate lesson plan focusing on conceptual understanding and utilizing internet and non-textbook reading sources to examine concept exemplars. Utilize two different assessment activities to determine quality of students' conceptual understanding. Review with cooperating teacher.
2. Design, teach and evaluate generalization testing lesson plan that uses internet and non-textbook data sources. Link plan to at least one other core subject area.
3. Survey and analyze
available resources (print and non-print) for teaching social studies.
ASSESSMENT:
1. Field experience
requirements
2. Critical analysis
of textbook treatment of social studies topic, utilizing professional and
scholarly sources for comparison.
3. Analyze national
social studies standards for middle grades and QCCs for middle grades social
studies in terms of levels of intellectual engagement, types of learning
emphasized, applications to world outside of school.
If a student misses
two class sessions he/she may be dropped from the course. No more than
the equivalent of one week's worth of class, or one day of field experience
lab will be considered for excused absences. In order to be excused, absences
must be cleared with the professor before the absence. In case of an emergency,
please inform the professor as soon as possible after the class the emergency
has caused you to miss. An unexcused absence will result in the student
being dropped from the course.
Assignments will be
graded on a four point scale; rubrics for each written assignment will
be provided at least three weeks in advance of the assignment's due date.
All assignments will be evaluated on the following criteria: accuracy,
completeness, clarity, depth of analysis and insight, coherence, well reasoned
or argued; clarity of expression, consistent correct usage of standard
English, consistent and accurate use of APA style.
| Scoring Rubric |
Allen, Michael G., & Stevens, Robert L. (1998). Middle Grades Social Studies. Allyn and Bacon: Boston.
Center for Civic Education. (1994). National Standards For Civics and Government. Calabasas, California: Author.
Geography Education Standards Project. (1994). Geography for life: National geography standards. Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society. GFL
Journal of Socail Studies Research
*Martorella, Peter H. (1996). Teaching Social Studies in Middle and Secondary Schools. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
*National Center for History in the Schools. (1996). National standards for history. Los Angeles: Author. NSH
*National Council for the Social Studies. (1994). Expectations of excellence: Curriculum standards for social studies. Washington, D.C.: Author. EESS
Social Education. Simpson, Michael (ed.) National Council for the Social Studies: Washington D.C.
Teaching Tolerance. Dees, Morris (ed.) Southern Poverty Law Center: Montgomery, Alabama
Theory and Research in Social Education. Michigan State University Press
Multicultural References
Hernández, Hilda. (1997). Teaching in Multilingual Classrooms: A Teacher's Guide to Context, Process, and Content. Merrill: New Jersey.
Thayer-Bacon, Barbara
J., & Bacon, Charles S. (1998). Philosophy Applied to Education:
Nurturing a Democratic Community in the Classroom. Merrill: New Jersey.