EDAD 5920 Student Discipline and

            Behavior Management, Summer 2007

Course Description:

Student Behavior Management is a three credit summer course designed for future educational leaders.  Participants will conduct this course on-line in weekly units that have the following components: Readings, Discussion, Activity, and Optional Reading. We will use WebCT as our mode of communication.  Three books have been included and work will be assigned based on their content.

Course Overview:

This course will provide information to future educational leaders about dynamic school reform with a baseline in respect and student responsibility.  As an face-to-face, hybrid mix (we meet to begin the course on June 11 from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.), The content will be presented via readings (using electronic sources), reflections on literature read, and online threaded discussions via Vista (WebCT).  Assigned books will be summarized and candidates will respond to directed questions on the book’s content.  All assignments will be submitted to the instructor electronically using the WebCT format..

Required Readings will be included in assignments posted on WebCT.

Course Requirements/Expectations:  

1. Online Discussions:  Your active participation in online discussion in WebCT is required, since that takes the place of face-to-face meetings as a class.  Please get into the habit of checking the WebCT postings from fellow participants at least twice a week.   Most assignments will involve reading a short article on the internet, search for pertinent literature/links, or reflecting on some aspect of student discipline support, and posting a response on WebCT.  Post your response by Tuesday of the first week, so others have a chance to read your comments and respond during the second half of the week, before we start a new assignment. Your participation in WebCT discussions accounts for 35% of your final grade for the course. 

2. Assignments: Assignments are due on assigned dates and times listed in the table on page 2. They should be submitted to me via WebCT.  Book summaries and responses to directed questions should also be done in WebCT.

Assessment:

Tentative Class Schedule:

Note: This schedule is tentative and may be changed due to emerging issues.

Grading:

Discussions

Asynchronous threaded discussions constitute the majority of interaction in the course. Discussion topics and questions will occur on Unit dates according to the Syllabus (weekly deadlines), with guidelines for the quantity and type of posts required during this period of time. The minimum expectation is that you will participate in each threaded discussion assignment by posting initial input, engaging in web dialogue, and providing feedback / responses to another group member. I suggest you allow yourselves 1-2 hours per unit (every week, as per the Syllabus) to engage in threaded discussions. It's important to remember, however, that you'll want to stay current, completing each discussion (post and responses) by touching base a couple times each week before the given deadline. My goal is for ongoing, rigorous dialog in a community-building sense.  Remember, this is not an Independent Study course. The deadlines are in place with the intent of rigorous, quality dialog and exchange.  Having all of the deadlines just at the end of the course would defeat this goal...and, I believe, result in mediocre dialog sharing.

Considerations?

Writing your insights, thoughts, and responses to others in a way that's relatively public and semi-permanent (at least for the duration of the course) can be a little un-nerving at first and can stifle creativity or thoughtful discussion. Always remember this rule of thumb when learning a new online process--If it's worth doing, it's worth doing badly! So not one of us will be worrying about misspellings, incomplete sentences, or questionable grammar.

As to the kind of posts?

Productive, satisfying discussions are often the result of risk-taking, feedback, questioning, and occasional disagreements, as well as affirming, supportive interaction. With each unit's discussion topic, we will ask you for thoughtful input that reflects the reading, your own experience, and your thoughts or insights. We will also ask you to reflect on other cohort members' posts--do you agree or disagree, do you have questions, does this lead you to think about something else?

With asynchronous online discussions, it is also important to simply "be present" --to find ways to describe in writing what you might be doing non-verbally, e.g., nodding your head, smiling, or looking quizically at someone. Imagine making a statement in person in a class, and having no response from the audience--doesn't help a conversation to flow... So...let people know you're there, that you've read their posts, even if you don't have something content-related to contribute at the moment.

Discussion Rubric

Assessment in this course will be done using a rubric that describes several types of participation in discussions. The following rubric is for your use and the instructors' use in assessing your discussion posts. Posts in all three columns are desirable--e.g., casual, friendly posts help to begin conversations and build community; descriptive posts help to build understanding of content; reflective/analytical posts tend to challenge thinking and content and take the learning to a deeper level. You are encouraged to contribute all three kinds of posts, as appropriate.

Further clarification?

• Posts where you share personal information, examples, stories, etc. can be classified in the "casual, friendly" column. Longer discussions of this type may also go in the Teacher's Lounge area, where they aren't limited in space or time-frames.
• Distinguishing between the last two columns isn't always possible. The one area that is clearly different, however, is about assumptions...the reflection and understanding go beyond description into the arena of identifying and analyzing underlying assumptions, and the relevance and deeper meaning of the topic in your professional life.

IMPORTANT: I INVITE ANY OF YOU WHO HAVE ANY DISABILITY, EITHER PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY, OR ANY OTHER SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES WHICH MIGHT AFFECT YOUR ABILITY TO PERFORM IN THIS COURSE TO INFORM ME SO THAT TOGETHER WE CAN ADAPT METHODS, MATERIALS, OR ASSIGNMENTS AS NEEDED TO FOR YOU TO COMPLETE THIS COURSE SUCCESSFULLY.