SyllabusEducational Technology SeminarET 690Education Department
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Prerequisite: ET 605 and ED 600/ED 670 or permission of instructor. This course examines current trends in the field of educational technology.
COURSE RATIONALE
While it is important to have a strong background in the nuts and bolts of educational technology, including a great deal of hands-on experience, educationally technology leaders must also be able to examine issues critically. This course examines educational technology from a critical perspective, including how computers affect the purpose of school and whether/when or not computers are appropriate in school and society.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Students will understand the deeper impact of technology on the educational process.
2. Students will be able to apply critical analysis to issues of technology and education.
3. Students will examine current issues from a critical perspective.
4. Students will understand the positive and negative impacts of technology on society and education.
COURSE MATERIALS
Primary Texts (Required):
Postman, Neil. (1995). The end of education: Redefining the value of school. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Oppenheimer, Todd. (2004). The flickering mind: Saving education from the false promise of technology. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks.
Burbules, Nicholas C., Callister Jr., Thomas A. (2000). Watch IT: The risks and promises of Information Technologies for Education.Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Materials Needed:
Primary Texts
Software (provided in Loyola College labs):
COURSE OUTLINE AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES
| Class | Topics | Assignments |
| 1 |
Introduction to course Class Participation The Purpose of School |
|
| 2 |
The "gods" of Education The future |
Postman, Preface and Chapters 1-4 |
| 3 |
Narratives and the Purpose of School The politics of technology and artifacts |
Postman, Chapters 5-9 and Epilogue |
| 4 |
Discussion of Oppenheimer: Pages xi-174 (Introduction-Chapter 5) Issue Discussion |
Oppenheimer: Pages xi-174 (Introduction-Chapter 5) |
| 5 |
Discussion of Oppenheimer: Pages 175-317 (Chapters 6-10) Issue Discussion |
Oppenheimer: Pages 175-263, 304-317 (Chapters 6-10) |
| 6 |
Discussion of Oppenheimer: Pages 321-423 (Chapter 7-Afterword) Issue Discussion |
Oppenheimer: Pages 321-423 (Chapter 7-Afterword) |
| 7 |
Discussion of Burbules & Callister, Pages 1-69 (Chapters 1-3) Issue Discussion |
Burbules & Callister, Pages 1-69 (Chapters 1-3) |
| 8 |
Discussion of Burbules & Callister, Pages 71-119 (Chapters 4-5) Issue Discussion |
Burbules & Callister, Pages 71-119 (Chapters 4-5) |
| 9 |
Discussion of Burbules & Callister, Pages 120-182 (Chapters 6-8) Issue Discussion |
Burbules & Callister, Pages 120-182 (Chapters 6-8) |
| 10 |
Debate Groundwork Issue Discussion |
Online Articles |
| 11 | Prepare for Debate and Final Paper | Paper 3 |
| 12 | Prepare for Debate and Final Paper | |
| 13 | Class Debate | Final Paper or Debate Notes |
Postman, Oppenheimer, and Burbules & Callister refer to the primary texts.
The professor reserves the right to make changes to this schedule. Changes to the schedule and changes in assignments will be announced in class.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
You are expected to:
1. Attend all classes.
2. Complete all reading assignments as assigned in class.
3. Participate in class discussions (both in-class and electronic).
4. Participate in the class debate or write a final paper
5. Complete all required papers.
6. Lead class discussions as assigned in class.
ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES AND GRADING CRITERIA
Presentations and written materials should reflect the student's knowledge of the subject as well as the use of higher-order thinking skills (analysis, interpretation, synthesis, and evaluation). Materials should be presented in a professional manner, including correct spelling, punctuation, grammar, and usage.
For this class you will write four papers (three shorter papers and one final paper), and you will be graded on class participation. Class participation includes your presentation of class readings and issues, your participation in discussions not led by you, and your participation in the class debate. Papers and class participation will be given grades ranging from A+ to F, including + and - grades in between. Grades will be weighted as follows:
| Assignment | Percent of Grade |
| Paper 1 | 17.5% |
| Paper 2 | 17.5% |
| Paper 3 | 17.5% |
| Final Paper | 17.5% |
| Class participation | 30.0% |
There will be some opportunities to lead discussions and/or participate in debates in lieu of papers. Any alternative to writing a paper will be weighted the same as the paper would have been.
Each assignment will be awarded a letter grade from A to F (including all + and - grades in between and with A+ being awarded in very rare cases), except that some assignments might be awarded a numerical grade on a 100-point scale. For the purposes of averaging, the following numeric equivalents will be used: A+ = 100; A = 95; A- = 92; B+ = 88; B = 85; B- = 82; C+ = 78; C = 75; C- = 72; D+ = 68; D = 65; D- = 62; and F = 0. When the grades are averaged, the following scale will be used to assign the final grade (note that A+, C-, D+, D, and D- are not options for final grades): above 92 = A; 90 - 92 = A-; 87.5 - 90 = B+; 82 - 87.5 = B; 80 - 82.5 = B-; 76.5 - 80 = C+; 70 - 76.5 = C; below 70 = F. For further explanation of this system, click here.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Due to the fact that this an interactive, discussion-oriented course, students are required to attend all class sessions. Absences and tardies will significantly impact the class participation grade.
PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Unless otherwise stated, all work handed in for assignments is expected to be the original work of the student. Work that is not your own should be properly and clearly credited to the original author. Any plagiarized work will lead to a grade of F for the course.
Note that your instructor has access to many of the same resources that you do and can easily check for plagiarism in a number of ways (see for example http://www.plagiarism.org/).
LEARNING DISABILITIES
If you have a disability that is documented with the Disability Support Services Office (DSS) and wish to discuss academic accommodations, please contact your instructor as soon as possible. If you have a learning disability that has not been documented, you may contact the Disability Support Services Office (410-617-2602) for assistance.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Bromley, Hank and Apple, Michael W. (Eds.). (1998). Education/Technology/Power: Educational computing as a social practice. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press.
Burbules, Nicholas C., Callister Jr., Thomas A. (2000). Watch IT: The risks and promises of Information Technologies for Education.Boulder, CO: Westview Press.
Bryson, Mary, and de Castrell, Suzanne. (1998). "New technologies and the cultural ecology of primary schooling: Imagining teachers as Luddites in/deed." Educational Policy, 12(5), 542-546. [Online]. Available: http://www.educ.ubc.ca/faculty/bryson/gentech/Luddites.html
"Class Wars" (1997). The Wall Street Journal Interactive Edition. [Online]. Available: http://interactive.wsj.com/public/current/articles/SB876948980231759000.htm
Cuban, Larry. (1986). Teachers and machines: The classroom use of technology since 1920. New York: Teachers College Press.
Cuban, Larry. (2001). Oversold and underused: Computers in classrooms. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Daniel, Sir John, Cottrell, Robert, & Kozma, Robert (2007). "The Economist Debate Series: The continuing introduction of new technologies and new media adds little to the quality of most education." The Economist. Retrieved: February 16, 2009, from http://www.economist.com/debate/overview/121
Doerr, Anthony (January/February 2009). "Am I Still Here? Looking for Validation in a Wired World."Orion Magazine. Retrieved: January 5, 2009, from http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/4234
Ellul, Jacques. (1964). The Technological Society. (John Wilkinson, Trans.). New York: Alfred A. Knopf. (Original work published 1954)
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MacKenzie, Donald and Wajcman, Judy. (Eds.). (1985). The social shaping of technology: How the refrigerator got its hum. Bristol, PA: Open University Press.
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Oppenheimer, Todd. (2004). The flickering mind: The false promise of technology in the classroom and how learning can be saved. New York: Random House Trade Paperback.
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Postman, Neil. (1992). Technopoly: The surrender of culture to technology. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Postman, Neil. (1995). The end of education: Redefining the value of school. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Roszak, Theodore. (1994). The cult of information: A neo-luddite treatise on high-tech, artificial intelligence, and the true art of thinking, 2nd Ed. New York: Pantheon.
Roszak, Theodore. (1997). "The Ethics Of Affordability Community, Compassion, and The Public Trust: Theodore Roszak." ALKI: The Washington Library Association Journal. [Online]. Available: http://www.wla.org/alki/jul97/roszak.html
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This page was prepared by Dr. David M. Marcovitz.
Last Updated: January 15, 2009 (fixed broken link on February 16, 2009)