William M. Brown, Ph.D.

Piedmont College

School of Education

Syllabus

Learning and Cognition  EDUC 607

Fall, 2006

                                                                        08/06                                                                            

Mastering the Art of Teaching: Preparing Proactive Educators to Improve the Lives of All Children

 

 

I.                   Course

EDUC 607 Learning and Cognition

Prerequisites: None

3.0 Credit Hours

Period

 

 

II.        Instructor

William M. Brown, Ph.D.

Office: Martens Botanical Center

Phone: (706) 778-3000 x1232

Email: bbrown@piedmont.edu                                           Fax # (706) 776-0135

Office Hours:        Monday 4- 5pm; Tuesday/Thursday 8:30-9:30; 11-12:00pm, or by appointment

 

III.       Course Time and Place                                                          Fall Semester, 2006

Days and Time: Monday 5-9:20pm

 

Class Location:  Martens Botanical Center

 

IV.       Text(s)

 

Required

 

Healy, Jane M. (2004). Your Child’s Growing Mind: A guide to brain development and learning from birth to adolescence. (3rd ed.). Random House, New York.

 

Sousa, David A. (2001). How the Brian Learns: A classroom teacher’s guide. (3rd ed.). Corwin Press, California.

 

Play Doh.  1 small can.

 

Supplemental
In addition to those readings from the texts listed above, other readings may be assigned to meet particular needs of the class or particular students. These readings will include professional documents related to learning and cognition.  Also, copying some materials to share with the class may be required.

 

V.         Piedmont College & School of Education Mission

Piedmont College Mission:

Piedmont College educates students to become successful and responsible citizens through rigorous academic instruction in the liberal arts and professional disciplines.  Learning opportunities are provided through undergraduate and graduate programs offered at various locations.  The institution emphasizes high ethical standards and respect for diversity.

 

 

School of Education Mission & Philosophy:

The theme of the School of Education is “Mastering the art of teaching: Preparing proactive educators to improve the lives of all children.”  The School of Education strives to prepare reflective, scholarly, proactive educators in a caring environment with challenging and meaningful learning experiences.  These practitioners effectively educate their own students to become knowledgeable, inquisitive, and collaborative learners in diverse, democratic learning communities.

 

Specific ideals under-gird our conceptual framework.  We advocate the democratic ideals of: equal rights and opportunities; individual freedom and responsibility; responsibility for the greater good; respect for diversity; openness to possibilities; and open, informed discourse.

 

We endorse the following processes as a means of striving for our democratic ideals: engaging in participatory decision-making; collaborating in teaching and learning; collecting information from all constituencies; examining options and projecting consequences; nurturing open discourse; providing for field experiences; assessing processes as well as products; modeling democratic ideals in the classroom; forming communities of learners; and constantly revising the curriculum to reflect new insights and understandings.  Further, we endorse the development of a sense of personal integrity and of strong habits of mind (e.g., reflectiveness, persistence, clarity, accuracy, and responsiveness to feedback).

 

Graduate MA and MAT Program Goals:

The goal of the Master of Arts (MA) and Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs at Piedmont College is to provide the graduate candidate knowledge in the social and educational development of students.  Through an individualized program of study based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and professional goals, the programs seek to:

¨       provide the candidate  with the ability to communicate and teach effectively using an interdisciplinary knowledge base and understanding of multidimensional classrooms;

¨       use and facilitate critical thinking skills;

¨       enhance candidates’ content knowledge, integrating it with instructional technology;

¨       enable candidates to interpret and assess educational research, and conduct their own classroom-based research; and to

¨       provide experiences that enable candidates to assume roles as scholarly practitioners and develop their skills and abilities as professional teachers.

 

MAT Program Goals

Through an individualized program of study based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and professional goals, the MAT program seeks to:

¨ build the candidate’s knowledge base and understanding of P-5 students’ characteristics, knowledge, skills, experience, interest, approaches to learning, special needs, and cultural heritage;

¨ prepare candidates who have knowledge and understanding about multicultural and global issues and perspectives as well as to plan and implement instruction based on these perspectives;

¨ build the candidate’s knowledge and understanding of content, pedagogy, record keeping and a wide variety of diagnostic and assessment techniques and strategies;

¨ develop the candidate’s understanding and use of educational technology including the use of computer and other technologies in instruction, assessment, and productivity;

¨ build candidate’s ability to create classroom environments that include: respect, rapport, a culture for learning, effective management of classroom procedures, appropriate management of student behavior, and efficient organization of physical space;

¨ inform candidates of resources available for teachers and students to support and enhance student learning;

¨ develop the candidate’s repertoire of strategies for effective teaching;

¨ enable candidates to plan and implement instruction based on acquired knowledge of subject matter, students, and the community;

¨ provide candidates with concrete field experiences across grades P-5 that help them link theory and practice through observation and participation;

¨ develop the candidate’s understanding and use of effective interactions with parents or guardians for supporting students learning and well-being;

¨ develop the candidate’s ability to use research, research methods, and knowledge about issues and trends to conduct research on an educational topic of interest;

¨ help candidates grow and develop professionally toward becoming proactive, scholarly, reflective practitioners, and lifelong learners who improve the lives of children.

 

 

MA Program Goals

Through an individualized program of study based on the candidate’s undergraduate program, experience, and professional goals, the MA program seeks to:

¨    enable candidates to critique their planning and teaching strategies so they can more effectively plan instruction based on extended knowledge of subject matter, students, and the community;

¨    broaden the candidates’ knowledge of developmentally appropriate content and resources needed for teaching and interacting with their students;

¨    expand the candidate’s repertoire of strategies for effective teaching and communication with parents;

¨    enhance and expand the candidate’s knowledge and understanding about multicultural and global issues and perspectives as well as ways to plan and implement instruction based on these perspectives;

¨    expand the candidate’s understanding and use of educational technology including the use of computer and other technologies in instruction, assessment, and productivity;

¨