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“Education for a Lifetime of Learning”
SED 500 Educational Psychology
Class Day and Time:
Semester:
Instructor:
Office:
Office Hours:
Phone:
Email:
Website:
T.B.A.
Fall 2007
Dr. Bruce A. Shields
DS 345D
Posted on office door, website, and by appointment
839-8536
[email protected]
http://daemen.edu/~bshields/
Department Mission
The mission of the Education Department at Daemen College is to ensure that our graduates,
through participating in active discourse and practica opportunities, posses the following:
pedagogical knowledge; understanding regarding equity, diversity and exceptionality;
professional skills necessary for reflective practice, thereby enhancing professional growth. In
doing so, we believe that we graduate life long learners/teachers who, like all Daemen graduates,
are prepared for life and leadership in an increasingly complex and interdependent world.
Department Philosophy
The Philosophy of the Education Department at Daemen College is to promote faculty and
teacher candidate commitment to an established paradigm for life long learning. The Education
Department’s learning community is committed to master teacher educator, professional, new
teacher, and national education technology standards.1 We believe that an active discourse
regarding pedagogy (inclusive of the New York State Learning Standards) can be utilized to instill
knowledge and professionally prepare teacher candidates. This discourse also fosters community
understanding regarding equity and the needs of diverse and exceptional students. We further
believe that practical opportunities to apply the learning community’s knowledge and
understanding must be provided to all community members. Reflection within the learning
community upon the results of assessment, in turn, inspires personal and collective growth. Our
learning community exists within the Daemen College learning community and its wider
constituencies, where resources, technology, support services, information, and due process
rights empower both faculty and candidate.2
1
The faculty has adopted the Standards for Teacher Educators and has committed to an
adapted version of the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (INTASC)
standards, the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and the National Education
Technology Standards as guiding standards for the Education Department of Daemen College in
an effort to prepare teacher candidates to teach to the NYS learning standards.
2 The above philosophy is derived in part from Section 4-2.5 Standards for Regents Accreditation
of teacher education programs/ Standards of quality
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Required Texts:
Slavin, R.E. (2009). Educational Psychology: Theory and
Practice (9th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.
Woolfolk, A.E. (2008). Educational
Psychology (10th ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
American Psychological Association. (2001). Publication Manual of the American Psychological
Association
(5th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.
Course Description:
This course is designed to provide a thorough understanding of psychological concepts,
principles and theories central to the teaching-learning process, including classroom problems
encountered by educators.
Course Objectives:
As a result of successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:
 Explain the social, emotional and cognitive development of learners
 Analyze the characteristics of effective teachers
 Discuss the differences among learners
 Compare and contrast the behavioral and cognitive views of learning
 Identify the concepts of the instructional process
 Discuss teaching and learning principles
 Evaluate methods of classroom management and motivation
 Present examples of optimum learning environments
 Explore ways the curriculum and instructional activities can produce awareness,
acceptance and affirmation of diverse students
 Analyze the characteristics of the typical and atypical development of learners
 Explore ways that the curriculum addresses and embraces cultural diversity issues
and learning
Activities:
TESTS: Tests will be essay and short answer and based upon textbook readings and class
activities. Each test will be worth 100 points. The first test will be determined later. The second,
and last, test will be administered during finals week. The final will not be a comprehensive
exam.
TEACHER INTERVIEW: Each student will interview one practicing K-12 teacher (in either
regular education or special education) about his/her characteristics of an effective teacher, how
diverse students are included and accommodated in that classroom and what recommendations
s/he can give to future teachers (100 points). The questions will be provided. Due date will be
determined later.
RESEARCH PAPER: A 10-12 page research paper will be submitted later in the semester. The
topic will be mutually agreed upon, but must relate to contemporary issues in learning or learning
theory. The paper must have at least 25 references comprising of at least 5 journal articles, five
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books and five electronic media citations (WARNING: Wikipedia is NOT an appropriate electronic
media citation). My very strong suggest is that you have between 25-30 references. The format
for the paper must be written according to American Psychological Association (APA) style (100
points). Due date will be determined later.
Mandatory attendance and students must adhere to the grading policy as outlined in class. ALL
written work is to be typed, double-spaced using accurate and appropriate standard English.
Also, turn off cell phones and pagers; disrupting class is not acceptable.
Grading:
Two tests 100 points each:
Teacher interview:
Research Paper:
200 points
100 points
100 points
Scale:
A = 372+ points
A-= 371-353 points
B+= 352-334 points
B = 333-315 points
C = 314-296 points
F = under 295 points
Grading Scale
Graduate students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.00 on a 4.00 scale throughout
their academic program. Graduate courses will be graded on the following scale:
Quality
Points
4.00
Grade
A
Superior achievement
AB+
3.70
3.30
Satisfactory
B
C
F
I
AU
AX
W
UW
Achievement below expectation
Failure; no academic credit
Incomplete
Audit (satisfactory, but not for credit)
Audit Unsatisfactory (unsatisfactory due to Non-attendance)
Withdrawal (given when courses are dropped after the last day for drop/add
and no later than the last day for authorized withdrawal).
Unauthorized Withdrawal (may be given until Midterm to students not
attending but not Officially withdrawn).
3.00
2.00
0.00
------
A grade of C is considered unsatisfactory and will result in review of the student’s record by the
Graduate Committee on Academic Standards.
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Course Outline:
Week
Readings
Week 1
Topic
Introductions/course expectations
Week 2
Chapter 1
Classroom Teachers
Week 3
Chapter 13
Teaching for Learning
Week 4
Chapter 2
Cognitive Language & Development
Week 5
Chapter 3
Personal, Social & Emotional
Development
Week 6
Chapter 6
Behavioral Views of Learning
Week 7
Chapter 7
Cognitive Views of Learning
Week 8
Chapter 8
Complex Cognitive Processes
Week 9
Chapter 4
Learning Differences
Week 10
NO CLASS—SPRING BREAK
Week 11
Chapter 5
Culture and Community
Week 12
Chapter 9
Cognitive & Constructivist Views
of Learning
Week 13
Chapter 12
Creating Learning Environments
Week 14
Chapter 10
Motivation: Issues
Week 15
Chapter 11
Motivation: Teaching & Learning
Week 16
Final Exam
TBD
Bibliography:
Dewey, J. (1910). How we think. Lexington, MA: D.C. Heath & Co.
Meyers, D.A. (2006). Psychology (8th ed.), New York: Worth Publishers.
Santrock, J.W. (2005). Educational Psychology (3rd ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Schon, D.A. (1983). The reflective practitioner: How professionals think in action. New
York: Basic Books, Inc.
Wells, G. (Ed.). (2001). Action, talk, and text. New York: Teachers College Press.
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Attendance Policy
Regular and prompt attendance is expected at all classes and officially scheduled programs and
activities. A student who is absent from class for any reason whatsoever will be required to make
up the work to the satisfaction of the instructor. A student anticipating or having a prolonged
absence (over two consecutive class sessions) should report this absence to his/her graduate
program director, who will convey this information to the appropriate instructors.
Professional Behavior Policy
The College reserves the right to dismiss or request the withdrawal of any student whose
academic standing, conduct, or manner renders his/her continued attendance at Daemen College
undesirable. Similarly, unprofessional and/or disruptive behavior within the classroom setting
during instructional time is not permissible and may, at the instructor’s discretion, result in the
student in the student being asked to leave the class and/or campus security being contacted to
escort the student out of the classroom.
Academic Integrity Statement
Academic dishonesty, of which cheating and plagiarism are the most common examples, is a
serious violation of the principles of higher education. Daemen College takes the position that
academic honesty is to be upheld with the highest degree of integrity. The College has a
responsibility to support individual thought and the generation of new ideas. This cannot be done
when violations of academic honesty go unchallenged.
Examples of academic dishonesty include, but are not limited to:
1. use of any unauthorized assistance in taking quizzes, tests, or examinations;
2. dependence upon the aid of sources beyond those authorized by the instructor in writing
papers, preparing reports, solving problems, or carrying out other assignments; or
3. the acquisition, without permission, of tests or other academic material belonging to a
member of the College faculty or staff.
4. any form of plagiarism, which includes, but is not limited to:
a. the use, by paraphrase or direct quotation, the published or unpublished work of another
person without full and clear acknowledgement; or
b. the unacknowledged use of materials prepared by another person or agency engaged in the
selling or distributing of term papers or other academic materials.
In an instance where there has been a violation of the principles of academic honesty, the
instructor may choose to follow one or more of a number of possible alternatives including but not
limited to: (1) automatic failure of the work; (2) automatic failure of the entire course; (3)
recommending expulsion from the degree program; or (4) recommending expulsion from the
College. The student may appeal the instructor’s determination in accordance with the Grade
Appeal Procedure.
When a faculty member determines a violation of academic honesty has occurred, he/she will first
notify the student in writing. A copy of this letter, together with a written description of the case
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with supporting evidence will also be submitted to the Dean of Graduate Studies. Should there
be no additional notifications of academic dishonesty, the initial record will be destroyed one year
after the student’s graduation from Daemen College.
Upon receipt of additional reported offenses, the Dean will formally present the materials in the
file to the Committee for review and recommendation of any additional sanctions beyond those
imposed by the instructor. The Dean will also notify the student that the materials will be the
subject of Committee deliberation and will recommend that the student write a letter regarding the
offense to the Committee for purposes of clarification, explanation or denial. Committee review
will be held in a timely manner as determined by the Committee. All faculty members who have
reported offenses on the part of the student will be invited to participate in the deliberations. In
cases where expulsion is recommended, either from the degree program or the College, final
authority rests with the Dean of the College.
Students with Disabilities Statement
Daemen College does not discriminate against qualified disabled persons in programs, activities,
or services offered. The College is committed to compliance with Section 504 of the Federal
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans With Disabilities Act. The College campus and
buildings provide access for physically disabled students. All students must be able to
communicate in a manner which will allow instructors to evaluate their course performance.
Students or applicants with disabilities who have any questions concerning the College's
nondiscrimination policy or who request consideration of accommodations with respect to
admission or course participation should consult the College's policy on Accommodation of
Student with Disabilities (p.126).
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