AMPLIFICATION OF COURSE REQUIREMENTS Click here to see Course Syllabus Dr. Makedon
1. Book/Article Review Papers and Presentations:
Book/Article Review Papers:
The structure of the review paper should be as follows:
1. Maximum 1 single-spaced typed page. 2. Distribute review to the whole class. 3. Book/article to be reviewed may be one of the articles in the bibliography that is distributed in class. No two students may review the same article/book. 4. Identify the type of project: Indicate at the top that this is a book/article review paper. 5. Identify Yourself: Write your name, attendance number, course, section, year, and term. 6. Identify the article or book: Include the following information regarding the article/book that you are reviewing: Author, Title, Place of Publication, Publisher, Year of Publication (=full bibliographic reference) 7. Summary of Contents: Briefly summarize the main ideas in the book or article 8. Personal Reaction: Briefly state your reaction to the ideas in the book or article
Book/Article Review Paper Presentation:
Limited to 2 minutes for the presentation, and 2 minutes for the question and answer period. Maximum 4 minutes per student.
2. Textbook chapter Paper and Presentation (Noll text)
Chapter Review Papers:
The structure of the review paper should be as follows:
1. Maximum 1 single-spaced typed page. 2. Distribute review to the whole class. 3. Chapter to be reviewed must be one of the chapters in the Noll textbook. Chapters are assigned to students at the beginning of class. Each student is assigned a different chapter. 4. Identify the type of project: Indicate at the top that this is a Textbook Chapter review paper. 5. Identify Yourself: Write your name, attendance number, course, section, year, and term. 6. Identify the Chapter: Include the following information regarding the chapter that you are reviewing: Chapter no., Title 7. Summary of Contents: Briefly summarize the main ideas in the chapter 8. Personal Reaction: Briefly state your reaction to the ideas in the chapter
Textbook chapter Presentation:
Limited to 2 minutes for the presentation, and 2 minutes for the question and answer period. Maximum 4 minutes per student.
3. Radical Solution Project (RSP)
RSP Papers:
The structure of the RSP paper should be as follows:
1. 3-5 typed pages single or double spaced. 2. Do not make copies for the whole class. 3. Description of Project:
A. Design the ideal school of your choice. By "school" here is meant not only the traditional school, but any type of educational center/alternative that students may attend as part of, or in lieu of their pre-school, elementary or high school education. You can be as imaginative or creative as you like. B. Make sure that among other things, you explain (give convincing reasons) why such school might help improve the educational achievement of urban youth. C. Students work on this project individually. D. You may include research findings, but you are not required to for this project (see EUSPRO project, below). E. Make sure that you include goals, teaching methods, and curriculum in your school (please see "Structure of Paper," below).
4. Structure of Paper:
A. Identify the type of project: Indicate at the top that this is a Radical Solution Project (RSP). B. Identify Yourself: Write your name, attendance number, course, section, year, and term. C. Describe the school: At a minimum, include the following: a. Name of school b. Goals, Methods, and Curriculum c. Sources of support d. Student Body e. Teaching and Administrative Staff f. Reasons why the school may improve the educational achievement of its students g. Method of assessing the school's success
RSP Presentation:
3 minutes for the presentation, and 3 minutes for the question and answer period. Maximum 6 minutes per student.
4. Effective Urban School Project (EUSPRO)
EUSPRO Papers:
The structure of the EUSPRO paper should be as follows:
1. Number of students on the EUSPRO team times 3-5 typed pages/student; single or double spaced. 2. Do not make copies for the whole class. 3. Description of Project:
A. Students work on this project in small teams. B. Design an effective urban school. By "school" here is meant not only the traditional school, but any type of educational center/alternative that students may attend as part of, or in lieu of their pre-school, elementary or high school education. By "effective" is meant a school that can be shown on the basis of (a) educational research (or other empirical evidence); and (b) common sense, it will substantially improve the educational achievement of its students. C. You must include in the EUSPRO project research findings regarding factors that contribute to student academic success. Such findings become an important basis for designing the school. The school's organization and goals may not contradict such findings, such as, findings demanding that we do x to improve student academic achievement, but the school doing "not x," or the opposite of x. D. Each student on the EUSPRO team makes at least one research contribution to the project. For example, depending on the type of school that the team decides to design, one student may research most effective ways of administering the school; another of teaching mathematics, and the like. E. Make sure that among other things, you explain (give convincing reasons) why such school might help improve the educational achievement of urban youth. F. Make sure that you include goals, teaching methods, and curriculum in your school (please see "Structure of Paper," below).
4. Structure of Paper:
Please make an effort to identify each section in your paper with subheadings which at a minimum address the following:
a. Type of project: Identify on the first page the type of project (EUSPRO) b. Introduction: In the introduction, the team briefly identifies itself (who are the team members); describes what is in the paper, including the type of school that will be described, its name (group can concoct a name), and a brief review of its most important characteristics. c. Methodology: Describe the method used in writing the paper (library, books used, field trips or practical experience, group meetings, class discussions, interviews, and the like).
d. Description of School
1. Name of school 2. Level (preschool through high school; adult ed majors may write on an adult ed center) 3. Goals, Methods, and Curriculum:
Goals: The EUSPRO team may come up with totally new goals, or combine those which are presently in place in the schools where individual group members are working, or agree on goals that are somewhere in-between.
Methods: As used here, "methods" are much more inclusive than the traditional teaching methods associated with a single classroom. Methods are the means of achieving the school's goals. As such, they include curricular and administrative innovations, qualifications of faculty, requirements for student retention and promotion, alternative educational environments, and totally new school structures or "paradigms."
Research and Reasons: The team must defend each recommended method or "proposal" with either research findings, or arguments that make sense, or, preferably, both.
Statements of fact vs statements of value: Please make sure that you distinguish between statements of fact, which are based on factual information (such as, research findings, or statistical information about a school district); and statements of value, or "ought" statements, which can be primarily defended on the basis of what makes sense, or seems convincing.
Curriculum: Include the subjects/content of information that will be conveyed/taught in the school.
4. Student Body: Define the student population served, such as, academic standing, socioeconomic background (SES), and ethnic and cultural characteristics. Since the focus of this course is on urban educational issues, please make an effort to draw a portrait of the student population which is typically urban.
5. Teaching and Administrative Staff
6. Sources of support: The group identifies approximately how much the school will cost to operate, and sources of support for the school.
Hint: Since this is not a course on educational finance, it is not necessary to be very exact with figures. Simply state where the funds for the proposed school may be coming from, how they will be generated (state funds, grants from foundations, community support, taxes, and the like), and approximately how much can be expected in total from the identified sources. Finally, the group makes an estimate of whether such funds will be sufficient to support the implementation of the proposed school.
e. Reasons why the school may improve the educational achievement of its students: 1. Research findings that support each aspect of the school, or as many aspects as there are available research studies/findings 2. Reasons why (a) such research findings support, or "tie in" with the structure/organization of the school; and (b) the school as a whole is likely to be effective, meaning, help improve the academic achievement of its students.
f. One argument or "criticism" against the school that others may raise
g. Respond to the argument against
h. Method of assessing the school's success
EUSPRO Presentation:
Number of students on the team times 3 minutes for the presentation, and the same amount of time for the question and answer period.
5. Final Examination:
The final examination consists of 20 multiple choice questions. Each question is worth 1 point. Each multiple choice question may have one or more correct answers. Please make sure that you mark down each correct answer. |
Alexander Makedon
Chicago State University
Copyright © 1999 A. Makedon
visits since 09/01/1999