Orientation to the Course
Meeting Times	Grade Policy
Learning objectives	Course Sessions & Modules
Assignments Overview	Communication
Sample Assignments	Check My Grade
Questions and Answers	Student Research

This class is an Internet-based class. No on-campus meeting times are planned.

Learning Objectives

"I am not inviting you to follow me, but to follow yourself. I am only here to help you if you need me." (Groddeck, 1977, p. 2).

One objective of this course is to demonstrate the importance of the preceding statement as a basis for relevant education. I cannot pour knowledge into the minds of students any more than you can.  What you learn and how you grow during this course will depend entirely upon what you contribute to your own education.

On a more direct level, objectives of this course include offering students an opportunity to --

• think about current understandings of the human learning process in a supportive and facilitative environment
• explore alternative understandings of "learning" in a classroom setting, and
• to critically consider their own approach to teaching.

• compare major theories of learning.
• describe the major functions of learning theory.
• list and describe the historical roots of current learning theory.
• compare and contrast behavioral, cognitive, and developmental approaches to learning.
• analyze and synthesize the major theories of learning.
• evaluate several theories of learning relative to their applicability for achieving educational objectives in the student's professional environment.
• list and describe components of instructional design suggested by each of several learning theories.

Grade Policy 

Academic achievement in this graduate course is based on the following grading system:

• A - Superior Performance
• B - Average Performance
• C - Below Average Performance
• D or F - Failure
• I - Incomplete

• Superior: adj. 1: situated higher up; also 2: better than most others of its kind.
• Average: adj. 1: equaling or approximating an average 2: being about midway between extremes 3: being not out of the ordinary.

Overview of the Assignments 

Key Assignments

• Lesson Plans
• Lesson Plan Critiques
• Discussion Questions
• Research Papers

Lesson Plans: All Lesson Plans and the corresponding Critique of Lesson Plans will receive between 1 and 10 points. Points will be assigned as follows:
 

10	An exemplary assignment, worthy of recognition as a model
9	A well completed assignment, demonstrates mastery of material
8	Adequate completion, suggests some minor confusion or misunderstanding of significant material
7	Inadequate completion, more than minor confusion is present
6 or fewer	Little of no demonstration of understanding of main points,  or severe misunderstanding of critical areas

 

Lesson Plans. Each student will be responsible for the development of 3 assigned lesson plans.  These lesson plans will generally follow a prescribed format, and are intended to provide an opportunity to place readings into practice.  Lesson plans must be submitted to the instructor and to the student's partner no later than 5pm on the date assigned. Assignments not received will be docked 1 letter grade for each 24 hour period, or portion thereof that the assignment is late.  There will be no exceptions to this rule.  Assignments which are not completed on time create a serious burden on other students in the class. If you are concerned about technology failures, dogs that eat papers, or illnesses that interpret your study time, then plan to turn your assignments in several days in advance.  Then, in the even of unforseen circumstances, you can still be on time!

Discussion Questions. For each of the 4 readings on a specific discipline, I will post a question or issue to consider. Each student in the class must then post 2 responses. The first response may be either a direct answer to the question I posed, or a response to another student's post. The second post each student makes MUST BE a response to someone else's post. While every student is required to post at least twice, no one is limited to 2 responses- and at the discretion of the instructor, extra credit may be assigned for additional postings which help to significantly facilitate discussion. Some students in previous offerings of this course clearly were disappointed in the lack of interaction among students. By contributing to an on-line discussion you can ensure that interaction remains at a reasonable level and increase your own learning. Nothing promotes learning a concept like explaining or teaching it!

PLEASE NOTE- The on-line discussion area is largely intended as a space for student-to-student interaction. Feel free to post questions that other students may respond to. If you are seeking information from the instructor, e-mail the instructor directly. I read my e-mail at least daily, and will not necessarily read the bulletin board daily. If you post a question on the WebBoard, I will assume that is an indication you are seeking input from someone other than me, and I will not respond.  I may however, choose to offer students extra credit for their responses which meet the needs of others!

Research Paper. Every student is expected to complete a research paper and present their paper via the web. This paper is conceptualized as a "review of literature" paper, and will be completed in several steps as detailed below. A score not to exceed 50 points will be assigned for this paper.

A complete description can be found here.

Possible Total Points
 
 

30 points possible for Lesson Plans 20 points possible for discussion questions (4 x 5 )  30 points possible for Lesson Plan Critiques  50 points possible for research paper  130 total points available

117 - 130 = A   104 - 117 = B   91 - 103 = C   90 or below = F

From this page you can access actual student work that received a very strong grade. These samples are provided as examples of one manner in which the assignments can be completed, and should be seen as exemplars, not as templates.

My commitment to the class is to hold class during scheduled hours (whatever that means in cyberspace), to be available during office hours, to maintain appointments, and to review and return all work in a timely fashion. For me to maintain my commitments, I must have the opportunity to schedule assignments at appropriate intervals. Late assignments are an inconvenience and impinge upon my ability to meet my obligations to other students and my family.  In addition, late assignments keep other students from completing their work, since much of the class is based on responding to someone else's work.  Therefore, I discourage turning in assignments after the assigned time. To enforce this, all assignments are due at 5pm on the date assigned (be on time!). Late assignments will be assessed a penalty equal to 10% of the possible points for each week (or portion thereof) that the assignment is late. Please plan your time accordingly.

WEEK 1 -- 

• Read the Orientation to the course materials
• Read the Technology Orientation materials
• Topic: Classical Conditioning, Readings: Chapter 2 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

E-mail the instructor acknowledging completion of the readings and asking any questions that may exist.

• Topic: Operant Conditioning, Readings: Chapter 5 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.
• Knowledge
• Readings: Alexander, P.A., Schallert, D.L., & Hare, V.C. (1991). Coming to terms: How researchers in learning and literacy talk about knowledge. Review of Educational Research, 61, 315-343

List of potential research topics sent to instructor (see Research Paper Guidelines).

• Topic: Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory, Readings: Chapter 11 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Topic: Gestalt Psychology, Readings: Chapter 3 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Topic: Information Processing Theories, Readings: Chapter 7 & 8 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Gagne's Conditions of Learning, Readings: Chapter 6 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Piaget's Cognitive Development Theory
• Readings: Chapter 9 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Vygotsky's Socio-historical Theory,  Readings: Chapter 10 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

• Topic: Constructivism, Readings:

• Topic: Wiener's Attribution Theory, Readings: Chapter 12 in Gredler, M.E. (1997). Learning and instruction: Theory into practice (3rd). Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Merrill.

Research Paper and supporting presentation files must be complete and received by the instructor

Complete Module 10 Homework

If you are an enrolled student of this course, please click on the blue ball icon to access the 11 web-based modules.

• FGCU Library Home Page
• FGCU E-Mail Tips
• FGCU Distance Learning Support
• Problem Solving Link

E-mail the instructor

Connect to the class bulletin board

Connect to the class mail list

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