Course Website:  http://pm.appstate.edu/~goodmanj/3850/CI3850fs08.html

Resource Page

The purpose of this required course in the Reich College of Education’s core curriculum is to provide students with a broad understanding of professional issues related to literacy, technology, and instruction. The impact of media and various technologies on school and society are examined. Special emphasis is placed on developing understandings of what it means to be literate in a multimedia culture. Instructional strategies as research-based tools are explored in the context of traditional and emerging technologies.

The course is based on the assumption that knowledge is socially constructed, and that learning is achieved through active engagement of the learner. This theoretical view is addressed directly and modeled as the predominant instructional approach within the course. Students are expected to become active members of this learning community in preparation for their role, in and out of the classroom, as professional educators who understand and utilize appropriate theories and techniques for the successful integration of technology into the teaching/learning process.

Objectives

Students will:
1.  Learn to engage in dialogue as a primary means of increasing professional knowledge.
2.  Develop an historical perspective on literacy, technology and media.
3.  Critically evaluate their own literacy and learning processes.
4.  Develop computer, multimedia and telecommunications skills.
5.  Understand the role of ethnicity and gender in literacy, technology and instruction.
6.  Critically analyze and evaluate mass media formats, including news and advertising.
7.  Utilize media and technology as part of a design/production process to communicate effectively.
8.  Recognize the impact of media/technology on school and society.
9.  Understand the role of computers and telecommunications in the classroom.

Schedule

Date	Topics	DUE
1/14	Introduction Literacy Quiz Logistics (syllabus, listserv, etc.) Discuss how to respond to articles using the 4-2-2 approach 4 points you agree or disagree with 2 questions 2 related examples from your life. Intro to first project Video Production lab
1/21	NO CLASS: Martin Luther King Jr. Day	Work on Lit Autobiography Ia Work on Nunberg 4-2-2 (see below)
1/28	Literacy Continued Literacy and Class: People Like Us Letteracy Cultural Literacy Discourses Editing Video	Bring typed answers to Lit Autobiograpy Ia Nunberg on Literacy: half the class listen half the class read the transcript Remember, you will have 4-2-2's due for this.
2/4	Literacy and Power American Tongues BEV Technical help on Lit Autobio as needed	"'As Soon As She Opened Her Mouth:' Issues of Language, Literacy and Power," by Victoria Purcell-Gates electronic reserve
2/11	Who Controls Information? Errors in textbooks/ accuracy of experts Wikipedia and the Democratization of Knowledge Introduce Wikispaces/ Stumble Upon Wikispaces workshop	"Know it all: Can Wikipedia Conquer Expertise?" electronic reserve Lit Autobiography Ib (video) Due (posted on web)
2/18	Instructional Strategies Project Introduced United Streaming   Discuss Literacy Autobiographies in Small Groups Assign Debate groups	Watch Literacy Autobiography Videos on-line Jeff's Section's Videos Joe's Section's Videos Read Instructional Strategies Online: http://olc.spsd.sk.ca/DE/PD/instr/direct.html and answer questions: Question sheet about Instructional Strategies
2/25	Debate prep Instructional Strategies Debate	Get ready for Instructional Strategies Debate: come prepared Bring United Streaming/ Video/ Photo/ Audio Choices for Instructional Strategies Project
3/3	Check in on Wikispaces/ Stumble Upon Questioning Techniques/ Higher Order Thinking	Lit Autobiography II Due   Bring a draft of your Instructional Strategies Project
3/10	Spring Break
3/17	Literacy to Media Literacy  Advertising and Propaganda Media Literacy Circles Assigned Key Concepts of Media Literacy Media Literacy and the Curriculum with an example from science Media Literacy Deconstruction Introduced	"No Zombies Allowed" from Holler if you Hear Me, by Gregory Michie electronic reserve Instructional Strategies Project Due
3/24	No class Easter
3/31	News and Documentary Joe on making documentaries Big News: Broken AC at the RCOE! Reading the News Media Literacy Circles	Come prepared with your Media Literacy Circle job ready Come with your Media Literacy Deconstruction media piece (video, photo, graphic, music etc.) chosen. "Speaking in the Third Person, Removed From Reality," by Keith Ablow electronic reserve
4/7	Share Media Lit Deconstruction Introduce Culminating Project	Media Literacy Deconstruction Due; come ready to do a 5 minute sample deconstruction.
4/14	Finish Sharing Media Literacy Deconstructions Look at Wikispaces/ Stumble Upon sites Promises and Pitfall of technologies PowerPoint Lab	View Gettysburg Powerpoint Presentation "The Couch Potato Path to a Higher IQ," by Walter Kirn electronic reserve
4/21	Culminating Project and TBA	Work on Culminating Project
4/28	Share Culminating Project	Culminating Project Due
Tuesday, May 6, 2008 from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM	Share Culminating Project

Literacy Autobiography I (15%)

Literacy Autobiography II (10%)

Instructional Strategies (15%)

Media Literacy Deconstruction (15%)

Culminating Project (25%)

Note: All major projects will be saved on the shared 3850 folder on the RCOE server. (My computer>Shared on RCOE > 3850 > Your Instructor > Folder with your name>Literacy Autobiography)

Community of Practice (20%)
This class is structured around a Community of Practice model of learning.   You are required to attend all class meetings, and your active participation in discussions is expected.   Absenteeism will result in a grading penalty.  You should always be prepared for class; assigned tasks such as readings, study guides, and out of class activities must be completed.  When a reading is assigned, you will be expected to bring in 4 points you agree or disagree with, two questions, and two examples of these ideas from your own life; these will be collected on the day of the discussion and will not be accepted late. Preparation for class is demonstrated through your active participation in classroom discussions and other activities.  Being shy is not an excuse for not participating; after all, you aspire to be an educator.  The community of practice grade will be determined by participation and the following guidelines:

• Attendance/ participation: We look forward to seeing you in class every week. Your community of practice grade will go down one letter grade for each class missed beyond the first.
• Readings: We have chosen interesting and thought-provoking readings and viewings. You will have a 4-2-2 response due for each reading. Your community of practice grade will go down one-half letter grade for each reading missed.
• Media Literacy Circles: This is a great chance to talk in a small group about interesting media pieces. Your community of practice grade will be reduced one letter grade for not bringing to class written materials for the media literacy circles.
• Contributions to Resources Wikispaces: Our Wikispace will be a good resource for you as you go on in your teaching career. You should post 5 resources with annotations to the class wikispace site.Your community of practice grade will go down one half-letter grade for each resource that is missing.

Note: Work other than weekly reading responses may be turned in for re-evaluation within 1 week after it is returned to you.

We will use the following grading system:

A:  90-100 %
B:  80-90%
C:  70-80%
D:  60-70%
F:   <60%
Pluses and minuses will be assigned at the professor's discretion.

As a general guide:

A Excellent

Project is turned in on time, meets ALL of the requirements for this assignment and is shared with the class for input
Project is original, creative and shows commitment and dedication to get it completed successfully
Project is technically superior with few if any grammatical or technical errors
Project is interesting and engaging and a delight to experience

B Good

Project is turned in on time and meets the basic expectations of the assignment.
Project is well thought out and shows some original and creative thought
Project has only minor grammatical or technical errors.

C Average

Project is turned in late but meets the minimum expectations of the assignment
Project has more than a few grammatical or technical errors
Project was created at the last minute with very little thought or effort

D Needs Improvement

Project is late and some of basic requirements are missing
Project has lots of grammatical or technical errors
Project shows evidence of expending just enough effort to barely get by

F Failure

Project is not turned in
Project is eventually turned in but looks like it was done by someone drunk or on drugs
Project misses the point of the whole assignment completely

Textbook, Readings and Materials

There is no text for this class. Readings will be provided online and in class.

Listserv
There is a listserv set up for this class.  It will be used primarily to discuss logistics, but may be used to share ideas, things people have noticed, etc.  To send a message to everyone, you need only send a message to CI3850@listserv.appstate.edu .  Be careful; replying to message from the listserv will go to everyone who is on the listserv.