ED 323 – Professional Strategies for Teaching, K-8

Contents

1. Credit Hours
2. Prerequisites
3. Class Times and Locations
4. Description and Purpose
5. Learning Objectives (Based Upon Professional Standards)
6. Required Materials
7. Student Products and Performances
8. Instructional Methods
9. Evaluation

Credit Hours

• 6 credit hours

Prerequisites

• Acceptance into the Elementary Teacher Education Program

Class Times and Location

• Tuesdays and Thursdays, August 26 through December 16: 7:30 AM to 10:15 AM
• Reid Centennial Hall, Room 211

Course Themes

• Instructional Strategies & Methods
• Instructional Media & Technologies

Description and Purpose

Professional Strategies is a significant element of the Professional Studies Phase of the LCSC Teacher Education Program.

This course is designed to give you, the teacher candidate, formal experiences in the development of a repertoire of pedagogical knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to create and operate effective, learning environments. Course content and activities address two specific themes – instructional strategies and methods and instructional media and technologies.

Through micro-teaching and other performanced-based activities, you will demonstrate your knowledge and skills in the three principle activities of teaching, - design, facilitation, and evaluation. Special attention will be given to the application of the primary models of instruction, to the effective integration of instructional media and technologies, and to issues related to the development of a community of learners and quality environments for learning.

Professional Standards Addressed by This Course

Through successful participation in this course, you will develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions associated with each of the following professional standards for teachers.

This symbol indicates that as a focus of this course, knowledge, skill(s), and/or dispositions associated with this attribute are introduced and/or purposefully developed in this course.

This symbol indicates that knowledge, skill(s), and/or dispositions associated with this attribute are practiced within the context of this course.

This symbol indicates that knowledge, skill(s), and/or disposition(s) associated with this attribute are practiced in authentic and meaningful contexts during this course.

The Dedicated Professional. The successful teacher is one who demonstrates a sincere dedication to the profession of teaching and genuine care and concern for each child.

Attributes of the Dedicated Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate shows care and concern for children and learning.
2. The teacher candidate conducts herself/himself in a manner which shows commitment to the profession of education.
3. The teacher candidate exhibits high ethical and professional standards.
4. The teacher candidate fosters relationships with school colleagues, parents, and agencies in the larger community to support students' learning and well-being.

The Knowledgeable Professional. The successful teacher is one who is well-informed of the current body of knowledge regarding the processes of learning, strategies for instruction, and the structures of learning environments to support the intellectual, social, and physical development of all types of learners.

Attributes of the Knowledgeable Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands how children, as individuals and in groups, learn, develop, behave, and are motivated to learn.
2. The teacher candidate understands a variety of instructional strategies to create learning opportunities that
   1. Support the intellectual, social, and personal development of learners,
   2. Encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation,
   3. Encourage students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.
3. The teacher candidate understands how students differ in their approaches to learning and how instructional opportunities are adapted to diverse learners.
4. The teacher candidate understands schools as organizations within the larger community context and the laws and norms that guide their operation.

The Content Specialist. The successful teacher is one who understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches. The teacher maintains currency in knowledge of the content area(s) and skills of the discipline.

Attributes of the Content Specialist demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) she or he teaches.
2. The teacher candidate maintains currency in knowledge of the content area(s) and skills of the discipline.

The Educational Designer. The successful teacher is one who utilizes knowledge of learning, students, and content taught so as to creatively plan learning experiences that integrate appropriate strategies, media, and organization.

Attributes of the Educational Designer demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate plans and creates effective learning experiences based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, community, how children learn and develop, and curriculum goals to make the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches meaningful for students.
2. The teacher candidate designs and develops learning opportunities which utilize well-selected instructional strategies and learning resources.
3. The teacher candidate designs and develops learning opportunities which are are appropriately adapted to diverse learners.

The Educational Facilitator. The successful teacher is one who effectively implements instructional strategies to facilitate learning in a variety of settings, with a variety of media, and for a wide range of diverse types of learners.

Attributes of the Educational Facilitator demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate utilizes a variety of instructional strategies (methods, techniques, etc.) and resources (media, technologies, etc.) to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
2. The teacher candidate utilizes effective classroom organization skills to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
3. The teacher candidate utilizes effective, communication techniques to establish and facilitate engaging and meaningful learning environments which support the intellectual, social, and physical development of students.
4. The teacher candidate uses an understanding of individual as well as group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment which encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation while fostering active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.

The Educational Evaluator. The successful teacher is one who continually and accurately assesses the achievement of students and the efficacy of the learning environment.

Attributes of the Educational Evaluator demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate understands and uses appropriate formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social and physical development of the learner.
2. The teacher candidate performs appropriate comprehensive assessments of the processes of instructional design, facilitation, and evaluation.
3. The teacher candidate adjusts and refines instruction based upon informed analysis.

The Reflective Professional. The successful teacher is one who continually engages in cycles of review and adjustment for the purposes of professional growth and improvement of instruction.

Attributes of the Reflective Professional demonstrated in this course include:

1. The teacher candidate is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community).
2. The teacher candidate actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally.

Required Materials

Student Products and Performances

Through successful participation in this course, you will have opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills regarding current strategies and practices of teaching. You will demonstrate your knowledge and skills by completing the products and performances described below.

Professional Conduct: Professional behavior begins with attitudes about class attendance and participation; therefore sterling attendance is not only expected, it is required. This is a very intensive course and attendance serves to enhance personal understanding of the information and materials presented and discussed in class. It is expected that when absence is unavoidable you will accomplish the objectives of the class session missed. Notifying the instructor prior to the class session to be missed is required. Absenses in excess of five calendar days will impact your grade in the course.

As a student in this course, you are encouraged to consider and exercise the ideas of other people who have published works as well as those of LCSC Faculty and other students. However, it is imperative that the use of any such creative/scholarly property in any item produced for this class be clearly accompanied by citation of its source. Similarly, the unauthorized viewing, alteration, or deletion of the work of others is inappropriate. Violations of the principles of integrity and honesty in course work can result in forfeiture of course credit and/or further disciplinary action taken by the college.

Each course activity will focus on knowledge and skills related to one or more of two course themes. These themes represent the development of professional competence with regard to:

• Instructional Strategies & Methods
• Instructional Media & Technologies

Aspects of both themes are present in all formal assignments of the course.

The following descriptions provide an overview of course topics and activities. Detailed specifications will be given at Activities/Assignments as each activity occurs. Brackets [ ] below designate point values associated with the activity.

Professional Foundations: The Professional Standards for Teachers. The Conceptual Framework of the LCSC Division of Education defines the key competencies of teaching. You will inspect the Conceptual Framework and relate its standards to your own development as a teaching professional. Your product will be included in your technology-based, portfolio project (described below as Instructional Media: The World Wide Web)

Instructional Design, Facilitation, and Evaluation: MicroTeaching. Two microteaching activities will give you opportunities to develop and to practice the skills necessary to design, facilitate, and evaluate lessons successfully. You will be given guidance about the topic, method, and media for each microteaching experience. You and your colleagues will share the responsibilities of teaching, being the student, and serving as evaluator for each of the microteaching activities.

Instructional Design, Development, and Implementation: Instructional Media and Technologies. A series of projects will engage you in the development of an electronic portfolio which will portray your skills in utilizing a variety of technologies for teaching and learning. It will also portray your skills and insights with regard to teaching. The format of this electronic portfolio will be a functional site ready for publication on the World Wide Web. As a result of successful participation in this activity, you will develop and refine the skills necessary to create a fully-featured, World Wide Web site, - a powerful medium for teaching and learning. A variety of relevant and supportive media skills will be practiced in support of the development of your website.

Final Examination: Professional Strategies. The Exam will be comprehensive in nature, i.e., drawing upon topics and experiences from the entire semester. The various projects, readings and assignments completed throughout the semester will serve as the background to complete the final exam.

Instructional Methods

A wide variety of methods of instruction will be modeled and utilized in this course. Lecture, discussion, large group instruction, small group activity, independent study, collaborative learning, laboratory experimentation, and practical application will be utilized in order to demonstrate them as topics of study and to employ them to address the wide range of learning objectives of the course. The use of and interaction with several, current, educational technologies are key components of this course and will be utilized extensively.

Evaluation

Assignments, in the form of products and/or performances (stated above), will reflect your level of achievement of learning objectives. Overall performance in the course will be measured by points associated with each product/performance.

Criteria for evaluation of each product and/or performance will be specified at the course web site and/or in class at the time the assignment is made. Performance related to individual criteria from the Conceptual Framework will be evaluated using the following scale:

• ✚ – Exceptional or Innovative Performance: Beyond that which was required by specifications; Shows extraordinarily effective or innovative application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• ✔ – Proficient Performance: Completed to specifications; Shows successful application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• 〜 – Developing Performance: Needs further development to meet all specifications at a proficient level; Shows emerging or developing (but not yet proficient) application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance
• 0 – Inadequate Performance or Performance not made: Shows little or no application of the knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to the performance or product not submitted for review

Upon consideration of the specific criteria for evaluation, each product or performance will be assigned a number of points to be used in the calculation of a course grade. The ranges of total points for grade achievements are as follows:

You are encouraged to share your ideas and drafts of your work prior to product completion and performance dates. Your instructor is dedicated to helping you to achieve at a high level.

Best wishes and enjoy the challenge.