Touro University-California

Course Title: Computer Applications in Education

Course Number: 742.B

Term: Fall 2009

 

Instructor:  Steve Gibbs

 

Contact information

 Email: gibbz@pacbell.net

W Phone: 707 747-8300 x1374

H Phone:  if appropriate (707) 745-4212

Office Hours:  3-4 p.m. Mon through Thur, & by phone

 

                       

Dates:

 

Location of Class:

                   

Meeting Time:  

 

Course Description 

Learners in this course will examine and explore technology integration strategies within K-12 networked computing environments. Content will include an examination of technology integration techniques using various application tools, instructional software, productivity software, and the Internet. Participants will also identify relative advantages for choosing technology integration strategies and resources for teachers to draw upon in developing their own technology integration activities.

 

Course Objectives/CCTC Standards

 

Students will learn and demonstrate knowledge of computer hardware and operating systems in networked computing environments found in K-12 educational settings. Within these computing environments, students will develop classroom strategies and lessons for use in K-12 educational settings using a variety of technology tools.

 

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

 

  1. Work effortlessly within the Microsoft Office Suite of programs to create classroom materials and structure hands-on activities for students
  2. Work effortlessly within the Adobe Suite of programs to create classroom materials and structure hands-on activities for students
  3. Work effortlessly within the realm of Open Source Software and various Edu-Ware titles in ability to trial and analyze applications and implement them effectively.
  4. Know the sources of the latest information regarding education, technology, and technology in education -- this includes RSS and Online Bookmarking
  5. Design and modify webpages for personal use and to create age-appropriate lesson plans for students.
  6. Examine historical foundations, learning theories, and current trends in the field of educational technology to assist in developing a broad understanding of the contexts for effective technology integration.
  7. Locate and evaluate the latest news and most current research and present discoveries to the class.
  8. Locate and evaluate a piece of open source or other edu-ware software, then demonstrate how to use it to the class
  9. Identify and develop effective classroom activities using telecommunications tools and the Internet and will demonstrate this knowledge through reflective activities and the development of one or more web-based activities.
  10. Understand peripherals: scanners, cameras, LCDs, microphones, headphones, webcams, and other USB devices

 

Source: AECT Accreditation Standards for Programs in Educational Communications and Instructional Technology (ECIT) http://www.aect-members.org/standards/ & ISTE, NCATE Program Standards, http://cnets.iste.org/ncate/n_lead-stands.html

 

Required Texts and Readings

Roblyer, M.D. (2006).  Integrating educational technology into teaching (4th edition). Pearson.

Textbook Website: http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_roblyer_integrate_4

 

Recommended Web Sites

http://www.lynda.com

http://www.mrgibbs.com/tu

             

Technology Resources

 

Touro University MIS Help

Desk

Phone: 707-638-5911

email: gibbz@pacbell.net

tuca.helpdesk@touro.edu

 

Touro University Library, Bldg 1322

 Phone: 707-638-5317

 Library web site: www.tu.edu, click California,

click TU-CA Library

Blackboard Access:

https://bb-tuc.touro.edu/

tuca [1st initial last name]

bb-tuc.touro.edu

Blackboard Course Name: EDU742.B

TCWeb: To check your grades and transcripts

http://tcweb.touro.edu/
you will need to know your student ID

Password is the last four of your social security number

Taskstream

www.taskstream.com

 

Mentoring services: 800-311-5656

 

Course Requirements

 

This course is designed to provide candidates access to current and effective research in the area of personal and school leadership with a balanced approach.  This is facilitated via practical reflections about approaches to personal and school leadership. Pre-assessment of candidates’ knowledge, skills, and dispositions of educational leadership will be conducted and used as bench line data.  Readings associated with the topics will be assigned.  In order to achieve minimum learner competencies candidates will be expected to:

 

1.      Attend all class sessions

2.      Participate in class discussions & Activities

3.      Utilize the BlackBoard,  Elluminate, and TaskStream Learning Systems and other Web 2.0 sites for appropriate class assignments

4.      Prepare and present site and software review research to the class

5.      Critique classroom presentations and projects

7.      Understand and apply the principles of leadership to all areas of the class

8.      Organize and clarify decisions that affect an entire school community

9.      Demonstrate assessment knowledge in the equitable distribution of resources for all students

10.  Study research and theories of educational leadership

11.  Maintain Wiki Portfolio and create Taskstream Portfolio

12.  Read assigned chapters in required

13.  Develop an effective classroom activity that integrates telecommunications tools and the Internet or makes use a database management systems and/or spreadsheet software tools.

 

Assessment of Candidate’s Learning/Grading Policy

 

Grades in this course will be determined by:

  1. Good attendance and punctuality
  2. Participation in online discussions and other hybrid cyber-social activities
  3. Successful completion of all class assignments, including conceiving of in-class activities for site-licensed software: Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher, MovieMaker; Adobe Photoshop, Acrobat, Dreamweaver, Flash, Illustrator
  4. Fully maintained and updated portfolios
  5. Completion of textbook readings and prove of comprehension

 

Key Assignments

Assess and present on at least one software application not included in the course -- Open Source software is preferred, but students are not limited to that. Any existing edu-ware is eligible

Assess and present on at least one breaking news story in the area of educational technology; guide the class to the source sites if appropriate; convey the relevance of the news to our individual and classroom goals

 

Assignment Rubrics

 

Letter Grade

What it Looks Like?

100 – 90%

90% of assignments, challenges, projects are complete, submitted by the date due.

 

Submitted assignments show student has knowledge, comprehension, application, and synthesis of how applications can be best utilized in the classroom

89 – 80%

80% of assignments, challenges, projects are complete, submitted by the date due.

 

Submitted assignments show student has knowledge, comprehension, application, and synthesis of how applications can be best utilized in the classroom

79 – 70%

70% of assignments, challenges, projects are complete, and submitted by the date due.

 

Submitted assignments show student has knowledge, comprehension, application, and synthesis of how applications can be best utilized in the classroom

 

College Grading Policy

Touro University’s College of Education reports course grades in percentage scores and uses the following grading system:

Percentage Grade

GPA Equivalent

96-100%

 4.00

90-95%

 3.70

86-89%

 3.30

80-85%

 3.00

76-79%

 2.30

70-75%

 2.00

0 - 69

Unsatisfactory

 

Incomplete

 W

Withdrawal

 WU

Withdrawal Unsatisfactory

 

 

Satisfactory

 

 A grade of 70% or above in an instructional course is considered a satisfactory grade (S). Candidates must earn a 3.0 overall GPA in the program in order to remain a candidate in good academic standing and be recommended for a credential.

 

Unsatisfactory (U)

 

An unsatisfactory (U) grade is below 70%.

 

Incomplete (I)

 

An incomplete grade (“I”) indicates that a student has not been able to finish all required work for issuance of a letter grade. The incomplete may only be assigned by an instructor if a student, through circumstances beyond his or her control, has not completed a small portion of a course by conclusion of the term.  An incomplete may not be assigned in order to give a student a chance to do more work to improve a grade or because a student did not complete assignments by the last course session.  It is the student’s responsibility to complete an “Incomplete Grade Form” request before the last class session of the course.  It is the student’s responsibility to meet all timelines for completing course requirements as stated on the “Incomplete Grade Form.”  An incomplete does not change any point deductions for late assignments, for being late to class, or for missing classes.  An incomplete grade (“I”) is not counted in the grade point calculations until a letter grade replaces it.  An incomplete (“I”) must be replaced before the student registers for the next academic year, if in a multi-year program. Replacement of an incomplete will be under the direction of the instructor.  If the required work is not completed within the specified time, the (I) will be automatically converted to an unsatisfactory grade (“U” which is a grade equivalent of an “F”). It is to the student's advantage to arrange to make up any incomplete work as soon as possible.  No extension will be granted for more than a full calendar year from the date of the incomplete.

 

Date

Topics/

Reading Prior to Session

 

 

 

Session 1

 

 

Course Overview - We will tie various pedagogical theories to educational technology to create a solid foundation for classroom integration. We will explore available software titles, such as Microsoft Office Suite, and Internet resources that meld well with the classroom

Activities: Introductory overview of prevailing pedagogical theories

·         Cognitivism - Vygotsky, Piaget

 

Overview of techniques to consider for classroom integration of various software titles and educational, interactive websties

 

HOMEWORK: Read assigned chapters; Participate in regular online discussion topics; Develop possible classroom activities for applications and sites explored in class; prepare your own software, site, or news presentation when your turn comes

 

 

 

 Session 2-8

 

 Course Overview

Activities:

Two students present on software evaluation, demonstration, and application; share breaking news, state-of-the-art updates

 

Begin and continue throughout the course to explore the most commonly used tech-integration methods, hands-on activities, and out-of-class activities for students. Explore frequently-used software titles and sites and how they can be best used in the classroom -- discussion, demonstration, hands-on learning, sharing

 

HOMEWORK:   Read assigned chapters; Participate in regular online discussion topics; Develop possible classroom activities for applications and sites explored in class; prepare your own software, site, or news presentation when your turn comes

                       

 

 

 

 Session 3

·          Behaviorism - Watson, Skinner - teacher presentation and discussion

·         Student presentations

·         Hands-on activities

 

Session 4

 

·          Constructivism - Jerome Bruner- teacher presentation and discussion

·         Student presentations

·         Hands-on activities

 

Session 5

·         Pragmatism - John Dewey- teacher presentation and discussion

·         Student presentations

·         Hands-on activities

 

Session 6

·         Multiple Intelligences - Howard Gardner- teacher presentation and discussion

·          Student presentations

·         Hands-on activities

 

Session 7

Finish up, wrap it up, final presentations

 

 

Use of cell phones/laptops:

 

Students should NOT be using cell phones, I-pods, Blackberries (or similar devices), or laptop computers during class unless directed by the instructor. These electronic devices tend to be disruptive to the learning environment, and distracting to the student, as well as those around him/her. Students and instructors should never have cell phones going off in class. Students will be reminded at the beginning of each class to turn off their cell phones. Instructors may permit the use of laptops for note-taking. However, instructors will use classroom management skills to limit laptop use to what is currently taking place in their classrooms. Students should not be answering e-mails, text-messaging, or surfing the internet during class time.

 

Americans with Disabilities Act Statement

 

Touro University complies with the regulations of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and offers accommodations to students with disabilities. If you are in need of a classroom accommodation, please make an appointment with me to discuss this as soon as possible. All information will be held in the strictest confidence.

 

It is the policy of Touro University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. All students with special requests or need for accommodations should make this request in person as soon as possible.

 

This is the student's responsibility.  Information about services, academic modifications and documentation requirements can be obtained from the Dean of Students. (707) 638-5883

 

 

Academic Integrity

 

Plagiarism

 

The sixth edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association defines plagiarism as claiming “the words and ideas of another as [one’s] own. Quotation marks should be used to indicate the exact words of another. Each time you paraphrase another author (i.e., summarize a passage or rearrange the order of a sentence and change some of the source), you will need to credit the source in the text.” (p. 349)

 

Related to the dispositions of honesty, integrity, and ethical and professional behavior, a student who has plagiarized must expect consequences for such action. The instructor will take one or more of the following disciplinary actions:

 

1.      Report the action in writing to the student, the student’s Program Chair, and the Dean.

2.      Assign a “0” on the assignment with no possibility of making up the grade by means of additional work.

3.      Assign a “0” for the course, and notify the Dean of the College of Education.

4.      Suspend the student for a period ranging from the term in which the infraction occurs to dismissal from the university.

 

Student Dispositions

 

The Touro University-California College of Education credential and degree programs are guided by Program Standards (10 f,g,&h) for the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing that state:

1.      Each candidate exhibits intellectual integrity, serves student honestly, protects their privacy, respects their work, and sustains open discussion of ideas;

2.      Each candidate assesses his or her own progress, accepts professional advice, considers constructive criticism, and engages in a continuous program of professional development; and

3.      (3)Each candidate models respect for the cultures, religion, gender and lifestyle orientation of students and their families.

 

In conjunction with the elements of the above standards, Touro University California’s College of Education has high expectations regarding student candidate dispositions. These dispositions include:

 

·         collaboration

·         honesty/integrity

·         respect

·         reverence for learning

·         emotional maturity

·         reflection

·         flexibility

·         responsibility

·         appropriate interpersonal conduct

·         ethical and professional behavior

 

Students who display poor judgment or performance in one or more of these areas may not be recommended for a credential/degree, and/or may receive a grade that reflects the consequences of their actions, including a failing grade. Occasionally a student will meet the academic requirements of the course, but manifest personal limitations that might impede future teaching performance.  In such cases, it is the responsibility of the faculty to guide the student to take remedial action (either to repeat the class for credit, to become involved in personal therapy, to take a year's leave of absence from the program, to take remedial courses), to be re-evaluated, and/or to consider withdrawing from the program.