EDS340 Fall 2013
EDS340-04: Sociological and Philosophical Foundations of Education
Fall 2013
Mondays & Thursdays 10:50 am-12:05 pm
OMB 238
Kate McCoy, Ph.D.
Office: 105 Old Main Building
Phone: (845)257-2629 (but email will get a quicker response)
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: Mondays & Thursdays 2 - 3 pm, Wednesdays 10 am – 12 pm (any changes
in these hours will be posted on Blackboard) and by appointment.
Please send me an email to let me know you plan to attend office hours. You can also
just drop by, but if I know you’re coming I can make time especially for you.
SUNY New Paltz
Professional Education Unit
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
(School of Education, Art Education Department, Communications Disorders
Department & School Counseling Program
Preparing Caring, Critical & Reflective Professionals
to Maximize Student Success
This Conceptual Framework identifies four dimensions that Unit faculty, staff and
administrators strive to model, as well as nurture and cultivate, in the candidates they
serve. Guided and informed by these dimensions, candidates are prepared to maximize
their students' success.
Through coursework, field experiences, and clinical practice, the Unit faculty,
staff, and administrators aim to prepare caring, critical and reflective professionals who
are committed to:
Critical Inquiry & Intellectual Development
Professional Skills & Dispositions
Culturally Responsive Practice & Social Justice Education
Democratic Citizenship & Student Advocacy
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course explores the social/cultural, philosophical, political, and historical
context of schooling in the United States. Issues of social difference in education (such as
class, race/ethnicity, gender, language, and ability/ disability) are addressed as well as
values as they arise in relationships among schools, teachers, students, and communities,
in school policies and practices, and in broader educational reform initiatives. This course
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EDS340 Fall 2013
is designed for those seeking certification to teach and for others interested in the study of
education as a social practice.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
 Students will be able to articulate the significance of the historical, sociological,
political, and legal contexts of schooling (Intellectual development, Democratic
citizenship, Culturally Responsive Practice & Social Justice Education).
 Students will be able to explain the philosophical aims of education – what should
be as well as what is (Intellectual development, Democratic citizenship,
Culturally Responsive Practice & Social Justice Education).
 Students will be able to evaluate the impact of contemporary educational reforms
on classrooms (Intellectual development, Democratic citizenship, Culturally
Responsive Practice & Social Justice Education).
 Students will be able to write and orally present thoughtfully and persuasively
about schooling and education in historical context (Intellectual development,
Critical Inquiry).
 Students will be able to apply their knowledge of educational foundations in order
to take professional responsibility and demonstrate advocacy for all students,
especially those who traditionally have not been served well by the public schools
(Professional Skills & Dispositions, Democratic citizenship, Student
Advocacy).
COURSE READINGS
Books:
Spring, Joel. (2014). The American school, a global context: From the puritans to the
Obama administration, 9th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Piercy, Marge. (1976). Woman on the edge of time. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Readings in Content area on Blackboard:
Beecher, Catharine. (1846). The evils suffered by American women and American
children. Retrieved on December 11, 2007 from
http://pds.harvard.edu:8080/pdx/servlet/pds?id=2581423&n=1&s=4&res=3
Benton, Thomas Hart. (1846). The destiny of the race.
Dewey, John. (1922). Individuality, equality and superiority. The New Republic,
December 13.
DuBois, W.E.B. (1903). On Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others.
http://www.bartleby.com/114/3.html.
Jefferson, Thomas. (1984). A bill for the more general diffusion of knowledge. In
Peterson, M.D. (Ed.) Thomas Jefferson: Writings. New York: The Library of
America, pp. 365-373.
Locke, John. (1995). Some thoughts concerning education. In Ozmon, H. & Craver, S.
(eds.) Philosophical foundations of education, fifth edition. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Merrill, pp. 76-80.
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EDS340 Fall 2013
Mann, Horace. (1849). Twelfth annual report of the board of education. Boston: Dutton
and Wentworth, State Printers.
Mather, Cotton. (1706). The education of children.
http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/mather/edkids.htm
McKibben, Bill. (2012). Global Warming's Terrifying New Math. Rolling Stone, July 19,
2012. http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/global-warmings-terrifyingnew-math-20120719.
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques (Boyd, W. E. trans. & ed.). (1962). The Emile of Jean-Jacques
Rousseau: Selections. New York: Teachers College Press.
The No Child Left Behind Act (2002). (executive summary).
http://www.ed.gov/nclb/overview/intro/execsumm.pdf
Washington, Booker T. (1895). The 1895 Atlanta Compromise Speech.
http://www.africawithin.com/bios/booker/atlanta_compromise.htm.
Wollstonecraft, Mary. (1982). On national education. Vindication of the rights of
woman. New York: Penguin Books, pp. 273-299.
NAVIGATING THE COURSE
Course Syllabus: The syllabus is on Blackboard. It is your guide to the course. Read it
and know what is on it. Print out a copy. Make notes on it. Ask questions if you don’t
understand something. The COURSE CALENDAR on the last page of the syllabus
outlines the topics and the readings, but does not include all of the materials we will
cover. You must read announcements on Blackboard and get additional assignments
made in class to access all of the materials for the course.
Announcements : I will post announcements on Blackboard to let you know about any
changes in the course schedule. You are responsible for checking Blackboard for
announcements and making sure to check your email that goes to the address that is
associated with Blackboard (your newpaltz.edu email address, unless you have changed
that).
Blackboard: Blackboard will be used in this course for several purposes. Look for
announcements on the Announcements page. Primary source readings and other items of
interest are posted in the Content area. Ask questions about the course procedures and
material in the Ask Questions Here section of the Discussion area.
There are 6 topic areas on the Discussion Board that you must use to focus your
contributions to class discussions. If you are the quiet-in-class type, you may use these
Discussion Boards throughout the semester to post your thoughts about how the topics
relate to our readings and the issues we study and discuss. Use these topics to work
through ideas that will become important for the group projects at the end of the
semester.
Facebook: I have a Facebook page called “Kate the Professor.” I encourage you to
“like” my page. I post stuff there relevant to all the classes I teach. You are encouraged
to use this space to share news items, videos, or other things related to our course. Please
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EDS340 Fall 2013
do post on the page and comment and stuff. It is not required, but could be helpful for
your presentation and paper.
Late Work: Late work may be penalized. Talk to me if you know something is going to
be late. Make-up exams are only allowed in extreme and documented circumstances.
EXPECTATIONS

Come to each class ready to discuss readings. Use the themes on Blackboard to
help you focus your comments. Contribute to the flow of discussion by raising
ideas, questions, and counter-points. When responding to someone else’s work,
practice a generous criticality- focused on deepening, complicating, or clarifying
ideas while still honoring the effort and experience already invested in them.

Allow yourself to engage in the class readings, even when they don’t initially
appear to be interesting. Use the readings to provoke and prod your own thinking
and writing.

Read and write even when you don’t feel like reading and writing. Read and
write especially when you don’t feel like reading and writing.

Schedule time to meet with me in person or online to discuss your assignments
and progress in the course.

Abide by SUNY New Paltz’ Policies on Academic Integrity which clearly define
plagiarism and academic fraud. The policies can be found at
http://www.newpaltz.edu/ugc/policies_integrity.html . Students who choose to turn
in work that is plagiarized will receive zero credit for the assignment, and the
incident will be reported to their department and advisor.

You are responsible for completing the Student Evaluation of Instruction (SEI) for
this course and for all your courses with an enrollment of three or more students. I
value your feedback and use it to improve my teaching and planning. Please
complete the form during the open period on-line between December 2-December
10.
I will provide you with written feedback on your assignments in a timely manner, and work
with you to pursue and deepen your interests in the course. I will facilitate our class
sessions to be spaces of mutual learning and respect. I will be available to you during my
office hours, by email, and Blackboard—but not always in the evening or on weekends.
With few exceptions, I will not submit incompletes for this course. A request detailing
extenuating circumstances warranting an incomplete must be submitted to me in writing
by the 12th week of the course.
The last day of the semester to withdraw from the course without receiving a penalty
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EDS340 Fall 2013
grade is November 1.
Disability Resource Center
Students with documented physical, learning, psychological and other disabilities are
entitled to receive reasonable accommodations. If you need classroom or testing
accommodations, please contact the Disability Resource Center, Student Union
Building, Room 210, 257-3020. The DRC will provide forms verifying the need for
accommodation. As soon as the I receive the form, you will be provided with the
appropriate accommodations. Students are encouraged to request accommodations as
close to the beginning of the semester as possible.
ASSIGNMENTS
1. Group Work and Presentation on Contemporary Debates about Schooling
(Intellectual Development, Democratic citizenship, Critical Inquiry) (10% of
final grade). Each group will give a 15-minute presentation in class (use
PowerPoint or Prezi) on one of the following contemporary debates about
schooling: Privatization and Corporatization of Public Schooling, Common Core
Standards, Standardized Testing, and Teacher Accountability. There is a great
deal of overlap in these issues. Don’t worry if you find yourself crossing over a
bit. Each report must follow this format: (1) Describe the issue; (2) Characterize
the nature of the debate(s) surrounding the issue—What are people upset about or
arguing about? (3) Describe the people and groups involved in the debate; (4) Tell
how you think this issue is related to equality and inequality in schooling and
society; (5) Provide references. You may use any kinds of sources you wish—
with the one requirement that you must use 2 articles from scholarly journals
that are peer-reviewed articles and not editorials. You will also post your
presentations on Blackboard. This project is intended to give you material to
write your short paper later in the semester and to set the stage for our study of the
history of schooling.
2. Quizzes (Intellectual Growth) (20% of final grade): We will have two in-class,
closed book quizzes as indicated on the syllabus. These will assess your
understanding of readings, lectures, and other course materials up to and
including the date of the quiz. Make-up quizzes only allowed in extreme and
documented circumstances.
3. Talking Points (Intellectual growth) (20 % of final grade). For each class in
which there is assigned reading, bring to class with you an outline of talking
points to use in class discussion. Use the themes on Blackboard to help focus
your talking points. I will collect these randomly 4 times during the semester.
They will be graded pass/fail. If you have them and they are of acceptable
quality, you pass. If you don’t, you fail. If you are absent on any of the days I
collect the talking points, I will randomly ask you for your talking points on
another day.
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EDS340 Fall 2013
4. Short paper (Intellectual growth, Democratic citizenship, Inquiry,
Appreciation of human diversity) (20% of final grade). You will write a short
paper (3-5pp) that brings together contemporary debates about public schooling
with what you have learned about schools and the factors that influence
(in)equality throughout the history of public schools in the US. You must
incorporate material about the Common School Era, the Progressive Era, and the
21st Century with No Child Left Behind.
5. Final Presentations (Intellectual growth, Democratic citizenship, Inquiry,
Appreciation of human diversity, Advocacy for students). You will work in
groups to craft a 15 minute presentation (20% of final grade) that brings together
what you have learned in this course as it relates to Marge Piercy’s book, Woman
on the Edge of Time.
Your work will focus on one of the topics in the Blackboard Discussion area: (1)
Race, Culture, and Class; (2) Work, Wealth, and Money; (3) Agriculture, Food,
and Environment; (4) Gender, Relationships, Family Matters, and Life Cycle; (5)
Government, Social Movements, and Creating Social Change; (6) Development
of Human Capacities, Skills, and Expertise. These topics are fleshed out in the
Blackboard Discussion area. Regardless of the topic, you must also talk about
how schooling and/or education fits in. Be aware that there is much overlap in
these topics. If you find other topics creeping in, don’t be alarmed. Deal with
them as they are relevant, but stay focused. When we begin to read Woman on
the Edge of Time, you will choose a group in which to remain the rest of the
semester for group presentations.
Here is what each person should do to prepare for this assignment: (1) Read
Woman on the Edge of Time, keeping track of how your assigned topic is
represented in the possible future worlds depicted in the novel; (2) keep notes
comparing and contrasting how your topic has been discussed in our other
readings throughout the semester; (3) keep track of your ideas for the kind of
presentation you would like to do and of possible content. You will have in-class
time to work in your groups.
Be creative in making these presentations. You can use PowerPoint—but don’t
just make a boring outline. Make a short film. Put on a short play. Match quotes
from the book and course materials to images. Do something fun and meaningful.
6. Self-Assessment & Final Statement (Intellectual Growth) (10% of final grade).
All Education majors will complete an online self-assessment, the instructions for
which are on Blackboard. Everyone will write a 250-word statement (typed,
double-spaced) that articulates how what you have learned this term has
influenced your thinking about the history, present, and future of US schooling.
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EDS340 Fall 2013
This is the chart I am using to convert your 100-point scale grades to a 4.0 scale. I will
use this for your quizzes. All other grades (except pass/fail) will be letter grades,
converted to the 4.0 scale.
Letter Grade
Percent Grade
4.0 Scale
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
95-100
90-94
87-89
83-86
80-82
77-79
73-76
70-72
67-69
65-66
60-64
0-59
4.00
3.67
3.33
3.00
2.67
2.33
2.00
1.67
1.33
1.00
0.67
0.00
Here is the conversion chart I will use to calculate final letter grades at the end of the
semester:
Letter Grade
Points earned
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
3.68-4.00
3.34-3.67
3.01-3.33
2.68-3.00
2.34-2.67
2.01-2.33
1.68-2.00
1.34-1.67
1.01-1.33
0.68-1.00
0.34-0.67
0.00-0.33
Rubric for contemporary debates presentations:
Exemplary Accomplished
A, AB+, B, BClarity and accuracy in framing
the issue.
Clarity and accuracy in articulating
the nature of the debate(s)
surrounding the issue
Clarity and accuracy in describing
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Developing
C+, C, C-
Limited
D+, D,
D-, F
EDS340 Fall 2013
the people and groups involved in
the debate;
Creativity and insightfulness in
articulating how the issue is related
to equality and inequality in
schooling and society
Clear indication of where you got
your information. Uses 2 peerreviewed scholarly sources. APA
formatted reference list.
Rubric for Talking Points:
Related to Readings for the
day, utilizes a theme from
Blackboard to focus points,
insightful, original, and
creative
Pass
Clearly related to readings,
clearly utilizes theme,
demonstrates analytic effort
Fail
Not related, does not utilize
theme, merely repeats
material
Short paper rubric:
Exemplary
A, AClarity and accuracy in
articulating contemporary debates
about public schooling and how
they are related to equality and
inequality in the history of US
schooling (must include Common
School Era, Progressive Era, and
21st Century).
Are the issues clearly and
accurately framed?
Precision and completeness in
synthesizing across all course
materials (readings, discussions,
videos, etc).
Is the synthesis of course materials
fully and precisely articulated?
Appropriate textual evidence in
support of claims and analyses of
(in)equality in US schooling.
Is textual evidence used to support
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Accomplished
B+, B, B-
Developing
C+, C, C-
Limited
D+, D,
D-, F
EDS340 Fall 2013
the claims and analyses made in
the paper? Is there an APA
formatted reference list?
Effective writing—organization,
word choice, grammar,
punctuation, appropriate citation
of sources.
Is the paper written effectively?
Effective and compelling
communication of how
contemporary debates about
schooling are significant to society
as a whole.
Does the paper demonstrate
knowledge of contemporary
debates about schooling and their
significance for the field of
education and for the future of
society?
Rubric for final presentations:
Exemplary
A, AClarity and accuracy of the
framing of how the topic is
addressed in WOET.
Is the topic clearly and accurately
framed, or laid out, for the class?
Precision and completeness in
connecting the topic to other
course materials.
Are connections to other course
materials fully and precisely
articulated?
Appropriate textual evidence in
support of how the topic is
represented both in WOET and in
other course materials.
Is textual evidence used to support
the claims and analyses made in
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Accomplished
B+, B, B-
Developing
C+, C, C-
Limited
D+, D,
D-, F
EDS340 Fall 2013
the presentation?
Effective visual representation(s)
of the topic (such as a chart,
concept map, diagram, cartoon, or
emblematic image).
Does the presentation include an
effective/useful visual
representation of the topic?
Effective and compelling
communication of the topic, its
moving parts, and its significance
to schooling and society
Does the presentation help the rest
of the class to understand the
context and significance of the
topic for the field of education and
for the benefit of society?
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EDS340 Fall 2013
COURSE CALENDAR: Subject to Change.
WEEK 1
Aug 26: Course Introduction
Aug 29: Library session
WEEK 2
Sept 2: No classes
Sept 5: Work session for group
presentations
WEEK 3
Sept 9: Group Presentations
on Contemporary Issues
Sept 12: Philosophical Roots of
Modern Western Education
Reading: Spring--Chapter 1,
Locke, Rousseau, Wollstonecraft
WEEK 4
Sept 16: Colonial Education
Reading: Spring--Chapter 2;
Mather
Early National Period:
Schooling for Democracy
Sept 19: Reading: Webster,
Jefferson, Spring--Chapter 3
Quiz 1
WEEK 5
Common School Era:
Schooling for Citizenship
Sept 23: Reading: Spring-Chapter 4 &5, Mann, Benton
Sept 26: Reading: Spring-Chapter 6, Beecher
WEEK 6
Sept 30: Reading: Spring-Chapter 7, DuBois,
Washington
Progressive Era: Schooling for
the Workplace
Oct 3: Reading: Spring--Chapter
8
WEEK 7
Oct 7: Reading: Spring-Chapter 9, Plessy vs.
Ferguson
Oct 10: Reading: Spring--Chapter
10, Dewey
Quiz 2
WEEK 8
Oct 14: NO CLASS
Oct 17: Field Trip to Brook
Farm—1/2 the class
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EDS340 Fall 2013
WEEK 9
Oct 21: Field trip to Brook
Farm—1/2 the class.
World War Years: Schooling
for Consumption and
Competition
Oct 24: Reading: Spring-Chapter 11 & 12
WEEK
10
Cold War Years: Schooling
for Consumption and
Competition Oct 28:
Reading: Spring--Chapter
13
Education in the 21st Century
Oct 31: Reading: Spring-Chapter 15, No Child Left Behind
Act & two articles on NCLB that
you bring to class
WEEK
11
Nov 4: Review
contemporary issue
presentations in light of
NCLB materials.
Nov 7: Paper Work Session
WEEK
12
Nov 11: Peer Review
Session (complete draft of
paper due)
Nov 14: Short Paper Due
WEEK
13
Imagining Futures
Nov 18: Reading:
McKibben; WOET, Chapters
1-4
Nov 21: Reading: WOET,
Chapters 4-8
WEEK
14
Nov 25: Reading: WOET,
Chapters 9-12
Nov 28: NO CLASSES
WEEK
15
Dec 2: Reading: WOET,
Chapters 13-16
Dec 5: Reading: WOET, Chapters
17-20
Week 16
Dec 9: Presentation Work
Session
FINAL
Dec 19: 10:15 am-12:15 pm
Final Presentations
Self Assessments and Final
Statements Due
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