Content with Topics : Engaged Curriculum

Building a Better World: The Pedagogy and Practice of Global Service-Learning

Students, community members, faculty members, teachers – everyone who collaborates to build a better world, who struggles with the relationship between education and transformation, who is deeply concerned with social challenges, injustices, and building a better future for our children and grandchildren – this site is for you.  We have: Web resources relevant to community-driven development, justice, human rights, and critically reflective experiential education An interactive resource database where individuals may download or contribute materials to support critically reflective global service-learning A global service-learning discussion group An overview of our book, Building a Better World: The Pedagogy and Practice of…

Language and Literacy

Course Description: Investigates the relationship between language and thought, theories of language development, changes in the young child’s cognitive structure, and the role of the teacher in literacy development.  It is designed to address the Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) Standards for Reading/Language Arts. Prerequisites and Credit Hours: Completion of READ 3305 and admission to the Teacher Education program of the Urban Education Department is required for this 3-hour course. Text: Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., and Johnston, F. (2008). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th Ed.). Upper Saddle River,…

Educational Psychology

Course Description: The goal of this course is to develop a working knowledge of various principles and theories based in the discipline of psychology and the practical application of these formulations to the teaching/learning process. The content includes theories of learning, motivation and intelligence; theories of cognitive, social, and emotional development; influences of social and cultural background on development and learning; assessment and evaluation; theoretical basis for instructional models; theoretical basis of strategies for managing the learning environment. Prerequisites: None. Concurrent enrollment in EDU 3150 is required for education minors. Required Texts: Woolfolk, Anita (2009).  Educational Psychology, Active Learning-11th edition,…

Developmental Psychology

Overview: This course examines human development from conception through early adulthood with special a special focus on issues related to race, class & gender.  It involves a 12-hour service-learning component in Head Start preschool classroom in Bridgeport CT where you will have the opportunity to act as “participant observers” and learn directly from the children, their teachers, and their families about child development and the complex array of biological, psychological, social, and political issues that impact on the course of healthy development. This course fulfills the U.S. Diversity requirement. Required Text: Berk, L.E.  (2012).  Infants, children and adolescents. (7th Edition). …

Mathematics Tutoring for Students Grades 1-8

Academic Partners: College of Science and Health Professions and College of Education Departments of Mathematics and Curriculum and Instruction Community Partners: Students, Families, Teachers and Administrators of Northeastern Oklahoma Elementary and Middle Schools – Public and Private Institutions   PREREQUISITES:   Successful completion (C or better) in MATH 3433.  Successful completion (C or better) OR concurrent enrollment in MATH 3443.   DESCRIPTION OF COURSE AND INTRODUCTION:   Based on the philosophy that not all learning resides within the walls of the university and framed by the P-A-R-C Model for Service Learning, this course will be divided into four sections. Preparation…

Service Learning and Civic Engagement

Grades – This is a two semester course.  50% of the course grade will be determined from service participation as documented by timesheets   The remaining 50% will be derived from research assignments, the course journal and online reflection assignments. Students are required to complete at least 45 hours of service work, documented by the course time sheet, signed by the site supervisor.  There is no upper limit on possible service hours.  Inability to meet this requirement should be discussed with the instructor. SLS2941 is a Service Learning course.  Service-learning is a method of teaching, learning and reflecting that integrates community…

Issues in Nonprofit Administration

Course Description Effective management and leadership in the nonprofit sector requires both an understanding of the basic principles of nonprofit organization and associated management challenges (covered in PAFF 551) and familiarity with current debates that are changing how they operate (PAFF 552). The purpose of PAFF 552 is to introduce students to a range of challenges facing nonprofit organizations and to identify approaches that nonprofit practitioners and academics have proposed for addressing those challenges. PAFF 552 is an “Issues” course, intended to introduce students to a range of topics. This year, as last year, I have organized the course to…

Human Behavior and the Social Environment

Course Description: The course will examine individual, group, organizational and societal theories of human development and their relevancy for social work practice. Students will use the theoretical paradigms presented to examine individual and social issues arising in social work practice. Fifteen hours of field work are required as a context for applying class room learning and preparing a case study for class presentation.   Required Texts: Zastrow, C.H., & Kirst-Ashman, K.K. (latest edition). Understanding human behavior and the social environment. Belmont, CA: Brookes/Cole. NASW Code of Ethics, most recent edition. Other assigned readings will be provided from: Fine, M., Weiss,…

Management of Children with Acute and Chronic Conditions: Nursing of Children, Intermediate Clinical II, Section 2: Community Partnership

CATALOG DESCRIPTION: This clinical course focuses on the implementation of the roles of the advanced practice nurse in tertiary care pediatrics.  Applications of nursing, biological and behavioral science are emphasized in the clinical assessment and management of acutely ill children and their families. The student gains the necessary clinical management skills to provide specialized care to acutely ill children and to assist their adaptation and the adaptation of their families. COMMUNITY PROJECT TITLE: Decreasing Diabetes Risk Factors in the Community through a Partnership between Nurse Practitioner and High School Students: Dance for Health   PRE-REQUISITE(S): N684 or N685, N720, N721…

Foundations of Occupational Therapy

COURSE GOAL To provide first year students with foundational knowledge of occupational therapy as a profession and the construct of occupation, upon which all other theories and practice issues will build.   COURSE DESCRIPTION This first year occupational therapy course provides a conceptual foundation for occupational therapy theory and practice.  It instructs students in the concepts of occupation, activity, purposeful activity and participation; through lecture and laboratory sessions, students will experience working with the concepts they are learning.  The course will examine the philosophical base of the profession, and explore the meaning and diversity of the frames of reference in…

Community Nutrition I

Course Description: This course will provide an introduction to the practice of public health nutrition, discussion of significant public health nutrition problems today, and an overview of food and nutrition programs available to the community. In addition, students in the Coordinated Program in Dietetics will integrate course information with their current community clinical placement experiences.  Students in the Didactic Program in Diatetics will engage in a specific community project during the course of the semester. Required Texts Boyle, A. M.  and D. H. Holben, Community Nutrition in Action: An Entrepreneurial Approach, fifth edition, Cengage, 2010. Course Objectives Students will be…

Education of Individuals with Exceptionalities

“Think about the kind of world we want to work and live in. What do we need to know to build that world?  Let’s teach each other.” (Adapted from Peter Kropolkin, Peace Calendar, War Resistors League, 1977) Course Description: Critical analysis of human beings considered exceptional (outside the norm) in learning and behavior. Topics include inter- and intra-individual differences comprising exceptionalities, issues surrounding identification and classification of individuals as exceptional, society’s responses to exceptional individuals, and societal challenges to develop the human potential of all persons. Textbook: Exceptional Lives: Special Education in Today’s School’s by Ann & Rutherford Turnbull, Ed….

Literacy and the English Language Learner

Course Description This course offers the student the opportunity to develop knowledge and instructional strategies for teaching reading to students of diverse cultural/linguistic backgrounds.  Special emphasis will be placed on developing oral language proficiency as a prerequisite skill to reading and on instructional strategies designed specifically to meet the needs of such learners.  Field experience is required.  Prerequisite: Admission into the Teacher Education Program.   Required Books Herrell, A.L. (2007). Fifty strategies for teaching English language learners ( 3rd ed.). Boston:  Pearson. Fleischman, P. (2002). Seedfolks. NY:  HarperCollins Children’s books. Course packet, available at the UTB Bookstore for less than…

African American/Latina(o) Children’s Literature

“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”  -Benjamin Franklin   PRIMARY COURSE OBJECTIVES Introduction to literacy education and practice with a primary emphasis on cultural diversity issues in contemporary U.S. society More comprehensive understanding of issues discussed in linked literature course Development of critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, communication, and leadership skills   SERVICE OBJECTIVE: According to the federal Reading Excellence Act of 1999, national assessments reflect “serious deficiencies in children’s ability to read, especially in high-poverty schools” such as those served by Service Learning Program internships. Even in wealthier schools,…

The Age of Reform: America from 1876 to 1920

THE HONOR TRADITION: Like all your classes at Converse, in this class, you are bound by the Converse Honor Tradition.   You may review the honor tradition in the Student Handbook.  With regard to class work, remember that you are honor-bound not to cheat or plagiarize, not to lie about your work, and to report others if they violate the honor tradition. Remember that you must pledge all written work.  I will not grade work if it is not pledged. COURSE DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES: This course examines American history from 1876, the end of Reconstruction, to the end of World War…

Women and Social Change in Modern Africa

Course Description: This course examines the lives of women in various parts of the African continent, taking into account social, economic, and political change.  Looking into women’s private as well as their public lives, the course considers gender relations and family, issues of power, and resistance.  Readings include women’s own life histories and novels, as well as the work of academic historians. Course Objectives: To understand the great diversity in African women’s lives across time and space To understand gender roles and relations within the public and private spheres To understand the impact of social, economic, and political change on…

Problems in Intercultural Communication

Course Description and Objectives This course provides the basis for understanding potential problems of intercultural communication that arise in interactions between people from different cultures. As Samovar notes, complex nature of human behavior produces many communication problems-perhaps more than the problems addressed in this course. It is for this reason that we will explore how diverse cultural orientations influence the way we perceive and interact with an increasingly culturally diverse world. The overall purpose of this class is to understand causes of intercultural conflicts in different communication settings (interpersonal, small group, school, workplace and global) and how to manage them…

Health Psychology

Course Description: Health is experienced within a broad psychosocial context. Physical states affect mental states and mental states can and do influence the course of both health and illness. This course investigates the relationship that exists between physical and mental health. Emphasis is placed on the role that psychological and social factors play for both physical health and illness. The course also examines stress and stress management techniques. Course Objectives: Students will understand how psychologists in the field of Health Psychology study the mind –body interaction. Students will acquire knowledge on the theories and empirical findings linking psychological and social…

Program Evaluation and Management in Health

Course Description The purpose of this course is to provide students with the theoretical and practical bases for program evaluation.  Students will develop basic skills in a variety of approaches to evaluation, including techniques that are particularly suitable for evaluating health promotion, community health improvement, and related health and social services programs.  Course learning will be synthesized through design of an evaluation framework and methodology for a relevant program. Prerequisites There are no formal prerequisites for this course.   It is assumed that students have some familiarity with health services delivery and the organization of the health system.  If you…

Theatre Collaboration

Course Description The integration and application of principles of theatre collaboration. Students participate in the collaborative creation of a play production while examining the ideas/principles of social justice, community, and the immigration issues in Charlotte. The process results in a final class project/presentation. Course Context The population of Charlotte, North Carolina has doubled since 1990 to almost 1 million residents. The immigrant population has increased 560%, making Charlotte, North Carolina one of the most popular immigrant destinations in the country. As the multi-cultural immigrant influx is new to the traditionally bi-racial culture of Charlotte, this community is at a crossroads…