Instructor Information

Name:

Darryl A. Pifer

Email:

dapifer@ilstu.edu

Office location:

Edmonton, Kentucky

Office hours:

via email

Course Information

Course title:

Social Foundations of Education

Course number:

EAF 228

Course discipline:

Teacher Education

Course description:

Required Texts:

• Koxol, Jonathan. (2005). The Shame of the Nation: The Restoration of Apartheid Schooling in America. New York: Crown Publishers. ISBN: 1-4000-5244-0

  Amazon.com
  Half.com

Introduction:

During the course of the semester, we are going to briefly explore the history and social context of U.S. schooling with a specific focus on segregation, and thereby, the schooling of two particular minorities: African Americans and Hispanic Americans. There are, of course, many other minority groups (i.e. women, Native Americans, Asian Americans, and others). However, because of time constraints and their specific, visible ties to segregation currently and historically, I have specifically chosen only two, but others may be integrated as individual students desire. If you would like to include another minority group (or more) in our consideration, you may and are encouraged to do so. There are a plethora of resources available on the internet from which you might draw and share with the others in the class. If you choose to do so, it will be your responsibility to locate and share some of these resources for our consideration in order to direct the class focus onto another minority group.

Course Description:

Education as a social process and function, social origins of contemporary educational problems.

Course Overview:

The first purpose of this course is to introduce pre-service teachers to the social context of education. This context includes the constellation of forces and interests, both dominant and contested that give rise to the contemporary experiences of schooling in the United States. In particular, we will examine schooling for minority students in order to prompt reflection on and consideration of our roles as educators. We will use a range of foundational disciplines (philosophy, anthropology, sociology, history, and cultural studies) to inform our discussions of these issues.

The second purpose of this course is to cultivate among pre-service teachers a critical perspective from which to assess the processes and practices of public education. Students need to examine and evaluate the assumptions and theories that underlie particular positions taken with regard to educational issues. As a member of a professional community, more is required than mastering methodologies and subject matter: pre-service and practicing teachers alike have a responsibility to participate in the wider professional and public dialogue about the goals, outcomes, and future of education. In order to fulfill that responsibility, they must be well informed and articulate in terms of the issue in question and their position with regards to it. Students in this course will develop and exercise their critical perspective by engaging the readings, their peers, and the instructor in online discussions and in written assignments.

Location:

internet only

Course Goals

Course goals:

To critically explore and interrogate the social aspects, origins, roles, and issues of schooling and education.

Course Schedule

:

SCHEDULE

Week 1 -- Orientation

• Order/purchase texts.

• Read online syllabus (this website).

• Post questions about the course (content or technologically oriented) on the webboard.

Week 2 -- Achievement Gap: What?

• Read the following articles/reports:

  • African American Achievement in America

  • Latino Achievement in America

  • What are the Achievement Gaps? (an NCREL resource)

  • Race and the Achievement Gap

    • Alternate link: Cache of Race and the Achievement Gap

• Discuss what you've read with your peers on the Webboard.

• Submit Essay 1 on WebCT.

Week 3 -- Achievement Gap: Why?

• Read the following reports:

  • What Contributes to the Achievement Gap?

  • Numerous Factors Contribute to the Knowledge Gap

  • What Matters When Trying to Understand the Educational Achievement Gap Between Black and White Students?

  • A Complex Web of Institutional Relations Gives Rise to Educational Disadvantage for U.S. Blacks

Week 4 -- Segregation and Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

• Read the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution

• Explore Brown v. Board of Education on the following two sites:

  • Civil Rights: Brown v. Board of Education (1954)

  • Jefferson -- Enlightenment: Brown V. Board of Education - Racial Segregation in Public Schools

• Submit Essay 2.

Week 5 -- African American History - Slavery

• Explore the reality of slavery by reading two or more narratives on Born in Slavery: Slave Narratives from the Federal Writers' Project. (There are many to choose from. Select from the list and then 'view page images'.)

• Locate and share information about the education of slaves -- the how, what, why, etc. of slave education -- for webboard discussion.

Week 6 -- African American History -- Jim Crow

• Learn about The History of Jim Crow -- be sure to specifically read Surviving Jim Crow.

• Peruse African American Holocaust.

Week 7 -- Hispanic and Bilingual Education

• Read Immigration . . . Mexican (Note: click 'next' to read all pages)

• Read The Education of Mexican-Americans in Kansas City

• Read History of Bilingual Education -- Vol 12 No 3 - Rethinking Schools Online

• Read Bilingual Education -- Issues in U.S. Language Policy

• Submit Essay 3.

Week 8-- Schooling for Hispanic Students Today

• Read the following:

  • Separate but Equal? A case study of Romo v. Laird and Mexican American education

  • Growing Hispanic Enrollments: Challenge and Opportunity

  • Hispanics and Education in the U.S.A.

  • Study: Hispanic students more likely to quit school

• Discuss the significance of these readings on the webboard

• Discuss the Interview Project. Begin developing question guide.

Week 9 -- Segregation Today

• Read the following:

  • School Segregation Redux - Desegregation orders being abolished

  • Segregation in the Boston Metropolitan Area

  • Reading, Writing, Race and Resegregation: 45 Years After Brown v. Board of Education

  • School Segregation in USA -- look up individual school districts, such as where you went to school and others. Share what you learn.

  • Still Separate, Still Unequal: America's Educational Apartheid. This is taken from The Shame of the Nation which you will begin reading for next week.

• Continue working on the Interview Project questions and planning.

Week 10 -- The Shame of the Nation

• Read Introduction and Chapters 1-3 in Kozol's The Shame of the Nation

• Discuss your reading on the webboard.

• Continue working on the Interview Project.

Week 11 -- The Shame of the Nation

• Read Chapters 4-6 in Kozol's The Shame of the Nation

• Discuss your reading on the webboard.

• Continue working on the Interview Project.

Week 12 -- The Shame of the Nation

• Read Chapters 7-8 in Kozol's The Shame of the Nation

• Discuss your reading on the webboard.

• Continue working on the Interview Project.

Week 13 -- The Shame of the Nation

• Read Chapters 9-11 in Kozol's The Shame of the Nation

• Discuss your reading on the webboard.

• Submit the Interview Project.

Week 14 -- Thanksgiving Break

Week 15 -- The Shame of the Nation

• Read Chapter 12 and Epilogue in Kozol's The Shame of the Nation

• Discuss your reading on the webboard.

Week 16 -- Final Essay

• Submit the Final Essay.

Final Exam Week

• No final exam. Final Essays to be returned to students and grades posted.

Expectations for written work

:

The general expectations for written work are as follows:

All written assignments for this class must be typed, double-spaced, and use 1 inch margins all around and 10-12 point font. Any variations to this requirement and additional expectations will be articulated for each specific assignment.

A level work (90 %+ of available points) is clearly outstanding and reflects substantial effort. The response responds to all aspects of the assignment in a clear, coherent, and organized manner. It synthesizes a variety of perspectives, based on class readings and discussions. Well-chosen, supportive examples and persuasive reasoning are utilized. There is an introduction, a conclusion, and transitions between sections. The mechanics of the paper are excellent: there are few grammatical or spelling errors.

B level work (80-89% of available points) is of high quality. Most of the aspects of the assignment are covered in an adequate and organized manner. Supportive examples are given and arguments are organized and sensible. There is a clear structure to the paper. The mechanics of the paper are good: there may be some minor grammatical and/or spelling errors, but these do not detract substantially from the content of the paper.

C level work (70-79% of available points) is adequate. The author does address the main aspects of the assignment, although some are not covered thoroughly. Examples are given, but not developed fully. The paper lacks a clear organizational structure. The mechanics of the paper are poor. There are a number of grammatical and/or spelling errors.

D level work and below is unsatisfactory. The paper shows serious weaknesses. The assignment is not addressed and/or the response is incoherent. There is little obvious structure to the paper. The mechanics of the paper are abysmal. There are frequent grammatical and/or spelling errors. The paper may be late.

Suggestions for written work:

• Outline your essays before writing them. This will help to ensure that you have responded to all aspects of the assignment.

• Proofread all work before it is handed in. Have a reliable friend proofread it also. 

• Make sure your argument is clear and examples are provided. When you draw examples and supporting quotes from a text, be sure you have cited it sufficiently. 

• Watch out for abrupt transitions, run-on sentences, and sentence fragments. 

• Use spell and grammar check if these are available. 

• You may also consider utilizing the University Center for Learning Assistance (438-7100). 

Grading

:

The total points for each assignment is:

• Essay 1

• Essay 2

• Essay 3

• Final Essay

• Interview Project

• Participation

• Total

100 points
100 points
100 points
300 points
200 points
200 points

1,000 points

The final point total (out of 100) will be determined by adding all the points for the essays and participation together and then dividing that sum by 10. Letter grades will be assigned on 10 point intervals (90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C, 60-69 = D, 59 or less = F).

Participation is figured based upon each students contribution to class discussions on the Webboard. It is expected that each student will post a question, topic, reply, etc. two or more times each week during the semester as this constitutes our in class participation. Since we do not meet face-to-face, the webboard is very important. There is great opportunity for learning to occur in the exchange of ideas. In order to receive full points for participation, you will need to read the posts on the webboard and participate in the ongoing discussions. Two posts a week indicates a minimal goal. The idea is that you contribute in a meaningful way to the class interaction which is almost solely based on the webboard discussions. You cannot contribute in this way unless you read what others have contributed and share your thoughts and ideas, too. Your grade will reflect this.