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COURSE SYLLABUS: Trends in Secondary School Curriculum

Course Title: ED534 - Trends in Secondary School Curriculum
Department: Education
Instructor: Willie A. Postell, EdD, E-Mail -- Vita
Prerequisites: Graduate Standing

Course Syllabus: Review course syllabus and plan your academic work schedule.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course will focus on how curriculum administrators go about the process of developing the curriculum. In addition, provide a comprehensive view of the field and processes of curriculum development, and explore current and historical trends in secondary school curriculums.

Learning Objectives / Goals:

This is an 8-week course - formatted with Assignments, Chats, Emails, Internet Exercises, and Exam questions. I employ you to enjoy your on-line learning experience.

INSTRUCTOR CONTACT:

As an on-line student of Canyon College….you will have the opportunity to contact the instructor. You may contact the instructor anytime regarding your concerns, issues or questions about the course. Interaction with the instructor is highly recommended and beneficial as you move forward in the course.

See below examples for contacting the Instructor via email. Please add the class number and your name.

Example E-mail:

Subject Line: ED533: Theories of DE Curriculum Design & Delivery, John Smith

Example Email:

Subject Line: ED574, John Doe, Week 5 Help
Subject Line: ED574, Shelley Jones - Homework 1
Subject Line: ED574, Fred Smith - Question on Week 3

REQUIRED TEXTS:  Online Bookstore

Textbook 2 if needed:

For research papers, for standard formats, you can purchase a book or use free Internet resources to understand the formats.

Course Textbooks:  Online Bookstore

This text can be purchased directly from the Online Bookstore, from the publishers, or your local bookstore.

Other reading resources:

Online Resources

ERIC - the Education Resources Information Center: http://www.eric.ed.gov

United States Department of Education: http://www.ed.gov

Journal of Curriculum and Supervision: http://www.ascd.org

Student will explore and accumulate additional professional web sites.

SUBMITTING ASSIGNMENTS:

Discussion questions and Research assignments will be submitted to the instructor via email. *Late assignments will receive a penalty of no more that 10 points per assignment.

Grade and Assessment

Final evaluation will be based on the following:

35% Reading Assignments
25% Internet Exercises/Research
10% Chats/Emails
30% Final Research Paper Project

Final grades will be based on the following percentages:

90 - 100% A
80 - 89% B
70 - 79% C
60 - 69% D
0 - 59% F

Incomplete Grades An incomplete grade will be granted only in unusual circumstances. You must submit a written request for an incomplete grade, describing the circumstances, and have it approved by the instructors. Refer to Canyon College Academic Policy.

Problems Questions and problems are likely to come up during the course. When they do, contact your instructor as soon as possible. Problems are generally easier to deal with when they are small. For example, talk with us when you are uncertain about how to get started on an assignment. Contact us by telephone, or by e-mail. If you have any concerns with the planned assignments, please see us. We may be able to suggest alternative ways to meet the course requirements. The help desk number is: 208-455-0010

Academic Integrity All students, but especially those in education, should aspire to high standards of academic honesty. This class encourages cooperation and the exchange of ideas. However, students are expected to do original work, to do their own work except for group projects, and to properly reference sources when using information from others. Any single instance of academic dishonesty will result in failure of the assignment in question. More than one instance will result in failure of the course.

GETTING STARTED:

Remember, this is an 8 week course. It is expected that you complete this course within an 8 week period. It is imperative that you obtain your textbook as soon as possible so that you may begin your course of study. See Syllabus for reading, discussion & Internet assignments. Visit the Assignment board for assignment postings and requirements. Upon completing reading assignments for each Chapter - proceed and take exam question. Submit the completed exam answer to the instructor and follow the same instructions for completing assignments for the remaining chapters, 2-15. All Chapter assignments must be completed to satisfy requirements for this course. If you experience problems “getting started” The help desk number is: 208-455-0010.

Course Assignments:
* Responses to exam questions should be limited to two pages.
* Final Research Paper Project must follow APA format.

Week One: Reading Assignments

Chapter 1: Curriculum and Instruction Define
Exam Question: What is the purpose of distinguishing curriculum from instruction?

Chapter 2: Principles of Curriculum Development
Exam Question: In what ways is today’s public school curriculum not suitable for the times.

Week Two: Reading Assignments

Read Chapter 3: Curriculum Planning: A Multilevel, Multisector process. Exam Question: To what degree should teachers be involved in curriculum planning at the individual school level and district level? Read Chapter 4: Curriculum Planning: The Human Dimension
Exam Question: Do you agree that teachers should be the primary group in curriculum development?

Week Three:

Read Chapter 5: Models for Curriculum Development
Exam Question: In your opinion which is better: a prescriptive or a descriptive model for curriculum development?

Read Chapter 6: Philosophy and Aims of Education
Exam Question: Why has the essentialistic philosophy of education been so enduring?

Week Four:

Read Chapter 7: Needs Assessment
Exam Question: What is the appropriate role of students in a curriculum needs assessment?

Read Chapter 8: Curriculum Goals and Objectives
Exam Question: What comes first: a curriculum needs assessment or the specification of curriculum goals and objectives? Why?

Week Five:

Read Chapter 9: Organizing and Implementing the Curriculum
Exam Question: What are some ways of organizing and implementing the curriculum that have been repeated through American Educational history?

Read Chapter 10: Instructional Goals and Objectives
Exam Question: What are the purposes of writing instructional goals and objectives?

Week Six:

Read Chapter 11: Selecting and Implementing Strategies of Instruction
Exam Question: How would you go about matching a teacher’s style and the learners’ styles?

Read Chapter 12: Evaluating Instruction
Exam Question: Should schools use more norm-referenced tests or more criterion-referenced tests?

Week Seven:

Read Chapter 13: Evaluating the Curriculum
Exam Question: Why is it that curriculum evaluation is often omitted or carried out ineffectively?

Read Chapter 14: Curriculum Products
Exam Question: Should writing curriculum guides be the job of the curriculum director or coordinator? Explain.

Week Eight:

Read Chapter 15: Issues in Curriculum Development
Exam Question: What general guidelines would you recommend for curriculum planners to follow in dealing with controversial curriculum issues?

Research Paper Project (Final)… Due end of week 8.

Write a 10 page research paper (including references) describing the relationships between Curriculum and Instruction and its role in education. Use the internet to research articles. APA format required.

* This syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. 2007