EDL 502 Assignments
As announced in class, if you miss more than one class (whatever the reason), you are obliged to do a make-up assignment within the next two weeks for the second (and any subsequent class) that was missed. That assignment is a 7-8 page (double-spaced) paper analyzing and critiquing two of the optional readings for the week you missed. Alternatively, if it is a debate day, provide a 5-6 page analysis of the issues in the debate using at least two scholarly sources. |
| COURSE REQUIREMENTS: These will be discussed during the first two class sessions and then posted here when decided. |
CRITIQUES: Each critique will be a 4-5 page (double-spaced) analysis of one of the "optional" articles on the reading list. It will be due one week after we cover that topic in class. Each critique will address the following issues explicitly. First, what is the central thesis or argument of the article? Second, what methodology is used by the author(s) to "test" their hypothesis or argument and what conclusion do they reach? Finally, what experiment could you design in a school setting that would test the conclusions reached in the paper? If you can't think of such an experiment, don't critique that article. Critique Due Dates Fall 2008 (Critiques are due at the beginning of class on these dates): Planning and HR Information, Recruitment and Selection, Induction and Development: September 29 |
| RESEARCH PAPERS: Each research paper will be 7-8 pages (double-spaced) long. Each must use at least four "scholarly sources" such as articles in scholarly journals, original data sources, books, etc. Optional readings on the course syllabus may be used but this is not required. Sources must be appropriately cited. Various citation styles are acceptable (although APA style is not) because the important thing is that the correct material is cited. If you are uncertain about this, please use the link in the course home page. There is no need to include a bibliography and I would much prefer that you not provide one. Research paper topics (with initial lists of sources to be consulted) must be submitted for approval by the class on xxxxxx. Research papers will be due at the beginning of class on xxxxxx. |
| PRESENTATIONS: Presentations (which may include class exercises, etc.) will be done by teams of two students. Presentations must be on topics that are listed on the syllabus for class coverage and will be done on the class day those topics are scheduled. They must be based on at least three sources in addition to the required reading on the topics for that presentation. Presenters will have the first 75 minutes of that class to do their presentation. Proposals to do presentations must be submitted to the instructor no later than the xxxxx class. |
DEBATES: Debates will be held at the beginning of class on the date specified. The format will be as follows. Opening statement by the affirmative side (6 minutes). Opening statement by the negative side (6 minutes). Affirmative team member 2 questions Negative team member 1 (8 minutes). Negative team member 2 questions Affirmative team member 1 (8 minutes). Negative team rebuttal (4 minutes). Affirmative team rebuttal (4 minutes). Negative team member 1 questions Affirmative team member 2 (6 minutes). Affirmative team member 1 questions negative team member 2 (6 minutes). Negative team rebuttal and summary (6 minutes). Affirmative team rebuttal and summary (6 minutes). After the debate there will be a "debriefing" and a class discussion of the issues raised in the debate. DEBATE TOPICS: Debate 1 - Affirmative Action: Proposition to be debated: "School systems should adopt affirmative action policies and procedures in the recruitment and selection of teachers and administrators." For the proposition: Reitz and Valentino Debate 2- Merit Pay: Proposition to be debated: "Teachers' should be paid to a significant extent based on their individual merit." For the proposition: Bisignano and Reitz Debate 3- Tenure for Teachers: Proposition to be debated: "The tenure system should be abolished since it reduces accountability and reduces student learning." For the proposition: Oaks and Stevens Debate 4- Teachers and Strikes: Proposition to be debated: "Public school district professional employees should have the right to strike as part of their entitlement to collective bargaining." For the proposition: Hayali and Valentino |
| ARBITRATION CASE MATERIAL: A copy of the first arbitration case for discussion in class is available here. |
| ARBITRATION CASE MATERIAL: A copy of the second arbitration case discussion in class is available here. |
GENERAL RULES FOR ASSIGNMENTS: All written assignments must be submitted in "hard copy" form and they must additionally be e-mailed to the instructor as Microsoft Word attachments. It is the policy of this class that LATE ASSIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED for any reason. Please plan your work well ahead ahead of time so that unforseen obstacles will not prevent its completion. If you are unsure what is required on any particular assignment or whether you are on the right track, please feel free to consult the instructor. Team exercises (debates and presentations) will receive a grade for the team. That is, each member of the team will receive the same grade. |
FINAL EXAMINATION: The following rules/policies will apply to the final examination for the Fall 2008 semester - 1. The final examination will be "take home." 2.The examination will be posted here (along with instructions) at approximately noon on Wednesday, December 3. 3. Please do not put your name anywhere on the examination paper. Instead you will be identified by a code number chosen on a list circulated in class. 4. There will be three questions. You must complete all three. 5. You are strictly limited to two double-spaced pages (12 point font) to answer each question. 6. Answers must be sent to the instructor (donn@lemoyne.edu) as attachments to an e-mail message and must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, December 8. 7. Please provide attachments in Microsoft Word format (not the 2007 version with the .docx extension). If that is not possible, then please use "rich text format." 8. The Fall 2008 final examination together with instructions is posted here. Please read instructions CAREFULLY. |
FINAL EXAMINATION SAMPLE QUESTIONS: The following two questions appeared on the previous final examination: In a school system that has not previously used teachers' aides, a decision has been made to begin to use them, especially at the elementary level. We expect to have one teacher aide in each classroom. Your job is to develop programs of induction, professional development, employment continuity, performance appraisal, and compensation for this new group of employees. Explain how you will go about this process and try to indicate what these plans will look like. You are the principal of a high school. One of your social studies teachers who has been in his position for some twenty-two years appears to be slacking off a bit. Students and parents are complaining that assignments are not returned in a timely manner if at all and it seems that there is very little student assessment going on in his classes except for multiple-choice and true-false tests. Initial investigation seems to show that a decreasing number of his students are passing their Regents exams (and his “pass percentage” is now the lowest in the school) and his students aren't doing as well in Advanced Placement tests as the students of other teachers. Develop a plan to deal with this situation. What will you do? With whom will you consult? What are your options and what outcomes can you realisitcally hope to achieve? |