EDN 200L: Field Studies Spring 2002 Course Syllabus Section 7 Fischetti

EDN 200L: Field Studies (1): Co-Requisite EDN 200: Teacher, School and Society. The course is designed to provide for students considering a career in education, opportunities to observe and engage in reflective discussion of curriculum and instructional practices, school governance, and organization. Students will participate in two hours of field study or reflective seminar activities each week.

A. Course Goals

• To encourage students through reflection to make explicit their beliefs about education and the role of a teacher, deepening their understanding of curricular theory and pedagogical approaches.
• To encourage students to observe and participate in a variety of educational activities, enhancing their awareness of the realities of and relationship between the school organizational environment and classroom settings.
• To afford real life opportunities for students to develop their abilities in performing interpretive, normative and critical analysis of educational issues.

B. Course Objectives

• Subsequent to participating in field-based observations of classroom, school and district events, students will demonstrate observation and interpretive skills by writing detailed observation field notes.
• Following field-based observations, seminar discussions, and the reading of course pack and web based articles, students will generate analytic descriptions of typical classroom instructional practices at the PreK-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12 grade levels by keeping a reflective journal and producing critical reflective analysis reports.
• Following observation of a district board meeting and seminar discussion, students will generate an analytic description of formal processes of district level policy formation and decision-making by writing a critical reflective analysis report.
• Following field-based observation and seminar discussion, students will generate analysis of the influence of organizational structure on social relationships and goal accomplishment within school districts and secondary, middle and elementary schools by writing a critical analysis paper and making appropriate entries in their reflective journal.
• Following analyses of the goals of schools, Standard Course of Study, organizational structures of schools, processes of district/school decision-making and reflection upon classroom observations, students will generate a personal philosophy of education by writing a formal statement of their philosophy.

C.     Course Requirements and Expectations

   Students are required to participate in a variety of activities including: observing B-K, elementary, middle, and high school classrooms, attending school board meetings, viewing and discussing videotaped exemplary teaching episodes, and actively participating in reflective seminar discussions which relate to educational issues. Students will use structured observation guidelines and generate detailed field notes, prepare critical reflective analysis reports of observations and seminar discussions, and generate a personal statement of educational philosophy. The grade for this course will be separate from the EDN 200 course grade.

Everyone is expected to participate in class discussions and to respectfully listen to the instructor and colleagues. Everyone is responsible for their own learning. In order to establish an atmosphere in which the goals of the course can be accomplished, the following behaviors are expected:

• Weekly on-line attendance and active participation in seminars, scheduled field observations and other assigned events;
• Thorough completion of each assignment;
• Positive communication and regard for others; and strict adherence to the UNCW Honor Code (See Student Handbook and Code of Student Life).

D. Course Assignments and Grades

1.  Reflective Journals (10 points each): A reflective journal entry is required for four class sessions.  The journal entries are to encourage explicit connections between the EDN 200: Teacher, School and Society course and the accompanying field studies.

2.  Field Study Observations: Five class sessions during this semester will be involved in field observations (four to schools and one to a school board meeting).  Classroom Visits: The first three visits (elementary, middle and high school) will be arranged through your instructor.  For the fourth classroom visit, students can request to observe at a B-K placement that may be arranged through the assistance of the B-K faculty. Students who prefer other placements may observe a teacher at a school of their choice. However, it is the student's responsibility to make the arrangements. Instructors will compile a list of student placements. Students who wish to observe in New Hanover County must obtain approval from the instructor before contacting the school.

Observation Field Notes (5 points each): Guidelines will be provided prior to each observation by the lab facilitator. Observation field notes must be detailed and handed in with full information provided as requested.

Field Observation Reports (10 points each): Guidelines will be provided for each of these reports, based on the focus topics and goals of the observation. These should be handed in with the observational field notes attached.

*Appropriate dress is required for all school visits. You should wear professional clothing.  You should NOT wear blue jeans, shorts, tee shirts, or flip-flops.  You must also be on time for your visit.  Allow yourself extra time for parking and/or getting lost.  You will not be allowed to make your field study visit if these guidelines are ignored.  Click here to view the dress code the New Hanover County students must follow.

3. Final Reflection (20 points): Students will be expected to write a 3-4 page paper describing their beliefs about education and teaching as a profession. These papers should contain references that indicate learning from the Teacher, School and Society course and accompanying field studies experiences. The papers should be word-processed, double-spaced and edited for grammatical conventions.

Grades will be assigned as follows (all assignments must be completed to successfully complete the course:

Posted Reflective Journals	4@ 10 points each	40
Observation Field Notes	4@ 5 points each	20
Field Observation Reports	4@ 10 points each	40
School Board Visit Report	.	10
Final Reflection	.	20
On-Line Live Chatting with Group on Selected Topic	.4@5 points	20
TOTAL	.	150

A 136- 150 points           D 90-104- points
B 121-  l35 points           F 89 or below
C 105- 120 points

E. Attendance and Participation

    Each class session will provide a variety of activities, including field experiences as a cohort group, that are not easily reconstructed experiences. Students who are absent for more than two sessions will have their grade lowered by a letter grade for each subsequent absence. Students are required to contact their lab facilitator in advance if they will miss a class session. All class sessions that take place in a public school setting are mandatory. These class sessions may not be made up and since we are guests of the school system and individual schools, it is critical that all students are present and on-time. School board meetings are subject to cancellation at the last minute.  Do not wait until the end of the semester to attend one; you may find yourself unable to do so.