Intro-Teaching+Department+Syll.


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University: University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) College: Education Curriculum: Teacher Education Number: Type: Lecture Title: Introduction to Education Credit Hours: Three Effective: Fall 2009 1.1 Catalog description: The course will provide an introduction to the education profession through career exploration and initial exposure to the dynamics of K-12 classroom teaching. The course will provide an overview of ethics and professionalism, pre-service preparation, societal influences, classroom practices, and the governance structures which impact teachers and schools. The course has a required field experience. 1.2 Prerequisites of the course: None 1.3 Overview of content and purpose of the course: The purpose of this course is to provide career exploration and early career development opportunities to high school students who are considering a career in education. The content will expose students to the variety of career options within the profession of education. Considerable focus will be on the preparation to become a classroom teacher and the nature and dynamics of teaching in K-12 schools. 1.4 For whom the course is intended: The course is intended for students who are considering a career in PK-12 education. 1.5 Unusual circumstances of the course: The course is offered only as a dual enrollment course and can be taught over one or two semesters. The course includes a field experience. The field experience should include: 1) a minimum five hours of classroom observations and 2) a minimum of three opportunities to implement a teaching strategy in which the Introduction to Education students are interacting either in a one-to-one or small group setting with PK-8 students. 2.1 Anticipated audience/demand: The course will be offered through high schools which participate in dual enrollment at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. The course was developed at the request of PK-12 school districts. 2.2 Indicate how often this course will be offered and the anticipated enrollments: This course will be offered in the fall and spring semesters. 2.3 If it is a significant change to an existing course, please explain why it is needed: Not applicable
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The objectives for this course have been aligned with the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC) Principles. 3.1 List of performance objectives stated in learning outcomes: · Students will engage in meaningful reflection and self-analysis of personal strengths and characteristics and how these will impact their career by creating a personal belief statement that guides professional practice. (INTASC Principle #9) · Students will identify the various career options within education and be able to compare and contrast the preparation for, nature of, and employment opportunities associated with these options. (INTASC Principle #1) · Students will identify the professional preparation criteria for: 1) admission into teacher preparation programs and 2) initial teacher certification. (Principle #10) · Students will demonstrate an understanding of the employment process for becoming an educator by documenting learning activities on employment documents such as resumes, cover letters, and applications. (Principle #10) · Students will understand schools as organizations within a larger community and social context. (INTASC Principles #3 and #10) · Students will understand how government impacts public education. (INTASC Principle #10) · Students will research how schools and teachers use various forms of assessment and data. Research may be gathered from interviews, websites, and professional publications. (INTASC Principles #8 and #9) · Students will demonstrate effective classroom observation strategies evidenced by participating in small and large group discussions related to their observations. (INTASC Principles #6 and #9) · Students will describe a variety of learning styles and teaching strategies to engage various types of learners. (INTASC Principles #1 and #2) · Students will identify cognitive, sensory, physical, and academic exceptionalities and describe a range of possible accommodations for learners with these exceptionalities. (INTASC Principles #2 and #3) · Students will design activity plans (using a suggested template) to implement during their field experiences. Activities will integrate the use of technology and basic assessment strategies. (INTASC Principles #1, #2, and #4) 4.1 List of topics to be covered in chronological sequence: Career Exploration and Development · Impact of personal strengths and interests regarding career choice · Role of personal and professional ethics as they relate to a career in education · Career fields within the profession of education including those requiring initial and advanced preparation · Role and scope of higher education in preparing teachers and other educators · Teacher certification criteria · Employment processes as specifically applicable to teachers and other educators Governance of Schools · Organization of school buildings and school districts · Role of government as related to education · Landmark legal decisions and legislation impacting education · Accountability structures of schools and classrooms Social and Cultural Influences · Impact of social and community demographics (poverty, race, social class, etc.) · Projected changes in the demographics in the United State of America · Impact of local, state, national, and international events on education Effective Classroom Practices · Observation techniques · Elements of effective planning · Instructional strategies and techniques · Assessment strategies · Instructional technology · Learning styles · Learning exceptionalities 5.1 Methods to be used: The instructor will assess the needs of the class and implement appropriate learning activities including lecture, large group activities, small group activities, role playing, guest lectures, film and other media, written assignments, written reflections, presentations, and field experiences. 5.2 Student role in the course: Students are expected to attend class, complete all assigned reading and activities, participate in discussion, and complete the field experience requirements. 5.3 Contact hours: 45 hours plus examinations 6.1 Types of student projects that will be the basis for evaluating student performance: · Students will prepare employment documents appropriate to their professional developmental level. Those documents will include a resume, cover letter, and mock application. · Students will complete a practice exam of the Praxis I: Pre Professional Skills Test. · Students will complete written reflections regarding: 1) self-analysis of strengths and interests, 2) observations, and 3) field experiences.   · Students will complete a written assignment related to their personal belief statement.    · Students will complete a research project related to assessment and use of data in K-12 education. The research will be shared with their peers in an oral presentation that incorporates the use of technology.    · Students will create activity plans that include, at a minimum, an objective, the instructional strategies to be used, a closure activity, and a resource/materials list that they will use to guide their activities related to the field experience.    · Students will complete the field experience and associated activities as designated by the instructor.    · Students will take examinations as determined by the instructor.    · Students will complete individual and group activities assigned and graded by the instructor according to criteria established by the instructor. · Students will participate in class discussions and activities. 6.2 Basis for determining the final grade: Final grades will be based on rank order, letter grades aggregated from the assignments, examinations, and other student obligations. 6.3 Grading type: Grades will range from A+ to F, as the UNO grading scale requires. The precise grading practices and evaluative criteria may vary from instructor to instructor. 7.1 Textbook(s) or other required readings used in course: Textbook recommendations include: Hall, G. E.; Quinn, L. F.; & Gollnick, D. A. (2008). //The joy of teaching//. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Kauchak, D. & Egen P. (2008). //Introduction to teaching: Becoming a professional// (3rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Koch, J. (2009). //So you want to be a teacher: Teaching and learning in the 21st century//. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Morrison, G. (2009//). Teaching in America// (5th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. 7.2 Other student suggested reading materials, if any: As determined by the instructor. 7.3 Current bibliography and other resources: Banks, J. A. (1997). //Teaching strategies for ethnic studies// (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn and Bacon. Cuban, L. (1993). //How teachers taught: Constancy and change in American classrooms 1880-1990.// New York: Teachers College Press. Dangel, J. & Guyton, E. (Eds.). (2002). //Research on preparing teachers who can meet the needs of all// // students. // Dubuque, IA.: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company. Darling-Hammond, L., French, J., & Garcia-Lopez, S. (Eds.). (2002). //Learning to teach for social justice.// New York: Teachers College Press. Darling-Hammond, L., & Bransford, J. (Eds.). (2005). //Preparing teachers for a changing world: What// // teachers should learn and be able to do //. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Goodland, J. I., Soder, R. & Sirotnik, K. A. (Eds.). (1990). //The moral dimensions of teaching.// San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Hall, G. E.; Quinn, L. F.; & Gollnick, D. A. (2008). //The joy of teaching//. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Heller, D. A. (2004). //Teachers wanted: Attracting and retaining good teachers//. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development. Kozol, J. (1991). //Savage inequalities: Children in America’s schools//. New York: Crown Publishers. Lortie, D. (1975). //Schoolteacher: A sociological study.// Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Nieto, S. (2005). //Why we teach//. New York: Teachers College Press Parkay, F.W. (2006). //Social foundations for becoming a teacher//. Boston: Pearson Education, Inc. Schon, D. A. (1988). //Educating the reflective practitioner//. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers.
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8.1 Introduction to Education is offered only as a dual enrollment course. It is not intended to be an equivalent to Educational Foundations. 8.2 Accommodations are provided for students who are registered with UNO Disability Services and make their requests sufficiently in advance. For more information, contact Disability Services (EAB 117, Phone 554-2827, TTY 554-3799) or visit the web at []. 8.3 The maintenance of academic honesty and integrity is a vital concern of the University community. Any student found guilty of academic dishonesty shall be subject to both academic and disciplinary sanctions. Academic dishonesty includes: Plagiarism: Presenting the work of another as one’s own (i.e., without proper acknowledgment of the source) and submitting examinations, theses, reports, speeches, drawings, laboratory notes, or other academic work in whole or in part as one’s own when such work has been prepared by another person or copied from another person. (Undergraduate Handbook, 2007-2008, p. 54; Online Graduate Catalog, 2004-2005)