Preliminary Course Syllabus

 

RE 5040
Teacher as Researcher
Winston-Salem, NC
Spring, 2004

Instructor: Dr. Gary Moorman
email: [email protected]
Office:
 223C  EDH
Hours: Monday & Wednesday, 9:00-10:00
Tuesday & Thursday, 9:00-12:00
appointments  please
Phone: (828) 262-6066
Class meets: Monday, 5:00-7:30

COURSE DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this course is to engage you as a teacher researcher. We will explore the literature on teacher research and engage in a class research project. As a culminating activity, you will report on research you conduct on your own teaching practice. In addition, we will study more traditional research designs and methods, with the intended outcome of becoming an expert and voracious reader of the professional literature. This is a complex and demanding course. Therefore, a willingness to renegotiate assignments, activities, readings and other class activity is essential. In addition, a substantial part of the instruction will use web-based telecommunication technology.  Patience, flexibility and a good work ethic are required for success in this class.

 

TEXTS

 

Course Hompage:

http://www.fd.appstate.edu/re5040_s04/syllabus.htm

Action, Talk and Text: Learning and Teaching through Inquiry, (2001). Gordon Wells, Editor

HANDBOOK OF READING RESEARCH, VOLUME III (now required text in all Masters Reading Classes): available online at Erlbaum Publishing and International Reading Association

 
 
Reading Online
 

Intellectual Autobiographies

Fall, 2002

Fall, 2003

Spring, 2004
 
Directory to a variety of statistical procedures
 
Networks: An On-Line Journal for Teacher Research
 
ATARP (Appalachian Teacher as Researcher Project)

 

 

 

 

COURSE GOALS

 

Students will:

Overarching Course Goals
    • Engage in professional dialogue and reading that will increase their professional knowledge base.
    • Develop increased skill in reading, writing, computers and telecommunications technology.
    • Use their understanding of literacy to conceptualize and implement sound instructional practices.
    • Enjoy the course.

Unit I
    • Write an intellectual autobiography.
    • Analyze class autobiographies.

Unit II

    • Acquire knowledge of basic concepts in statistics and test and measurement.
    • Explore issues related to high stakes competency testing
    • Write a position paper on high stakes competency testing

Unit III

    • Explore the literature on Teacher Research.
    • Design, implement and report a Teacher Research project.

METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

Multiple methods of instruction will be used: lecture, discussion, workshops, cooperative groups, and independent study. Web-assisted instruction will be used extensively.  Students will take an active role as peer instructors in the class.

INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY

I will make every effort to conduct scheduled classes. However, weather can create some interesting situations. I have no intention of risking my life or yours for this class. I will post a message on the class listserv anytime I postpone or cancel class. You should check your email at some point each Tuesday before class. You should also feel free to call me in my office or email me if you have any doubts. Under no circumstances should you take risks to come to class; death due to accidents caused by bad weather will result in a low grade for the class.

In the event class is cancelled (either by me or because the WSSU site is closed) Extension and Distance Education will post a notice on their website. The direct link is:
http://www.ext-dl.appstate.edu/cancellations.html

GRADING

I am open to negotiating a grading system to fit your needs and the course content. As of now, I intend to use a traditional A, B, C, D, F system with the following weight on each assignment.

Intellectual Autobiography

20%
Position Paper
20%
Action Research Report
40%
Community of Practice Participation
20%
COURSE UNITS
There are three units in this course. Each unit will be discussed and negotiated during the first class period, and as the course progresses. The professor will update the syllabus and units continuously; students should regularly check the online syllabus.  Below is a general description of each unit, along with tentative dates. For more details on each unit, you should look at the Unit Assignment Pages (a link to each is provided in the online syllabus).

Unit I  (January 13-February 17)

In the first unit, we will engage as a class in a teacher research project. We will all write intellectual biographies. The topic will be "What I believe about literacy learning and teaching, and how I came to believe it." We will then go about analyzing the autobiographies and reporting our findings. We will work in small, collaborative research groups. There will be extensive readings and class discussions on core concepts. You will begin to conceptualize, design and initiate a personal classroom research project.

Unit II (February 24-March 23)

The second unit will focus on current issues related to high stakes competency testing. Essential concepts related to research methodology, design, statistics, and measurement and evaluation will be explored. We will read current research articles that model the concepts we are learning. We will continue to discuss and work on the classroom research projects.

Unit III  (March 30-April 27)
During the final unit, we will turn our attention almost exclusively to the completion and reporting of the classroom research projects. Collaborative effort will be the hallmark of our activity. A written report and presentation to the class will be the culminating activity.

update January 13, 2004