Course Prefix, Number, Title, and Credit
EDU519.01 Use of Technology in Education
3 semester hours

Instructor: Patricia K. Gilbert, Manager, New Media Center

Office: 231 Mary Graydon Center

Office Hours:
by appointment only

Phone: (202) 885.2797

E-mail: pgilber@american.edu

Web address: http:// www.american.edu/edtech

Course Description
An introduction to computer literacy, focusing on the effective use of technology in teaching and educational management. The course emphasizes: Criteria for evaluating software; using technology for effective teaching; and applying technology to strengthen management systems. Also provides students hands-on experience with a broad range of software and practical experience in applying technology to teaching and management.

Prerequisites: none Offered every fall, spring, and summer.

Textbooks and Readings:

Recommended
Grabe, M. and Grade, C. (1998). Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning, 2nd Edition. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, MA.

Graduate Students Required Readings:
Papert, S. (1997). The Connected Family: Bridging the Digital Generation Gap, Longstreet Press.

Or

Negropointe, N. (1995). Being Digital. Vintage Books, Boston.

Required of ALL students:
A Subscription to a technology and/or education journal. Examples of acceptable journals include: New Media (www.newmedia.com), Syllabus (www.syllabus.com), Educom (www.educom.edu), FamilyPC (www.familypc.com), Education Policy Analysis Archives (olam.ed.asu.edu/epaa/), Wired (www.hotwired.com), Teacher Talk (http://education.indiana.edu/cas/tt/tthmpg.html), MacWorld (www.macworld.com), etc. Subscriptions can be digital or paper.

Computer Diskettes:
You will need to bring one PC or Macintosh formatted Zip disk, beginning with the second class meeting.

Computer Accounts
Students may acquire computer accounts providing access to the email system and campus wide network (EagleNet) through Computer Accounts in the Office of Information Technology. Students will also be provided with instructions for obtaining access to Internet applications and will discuss the uses of these applications with regard to education. All email accounts are issued free of charge and will expire when you graduate from AU (or shortly thereafter). Students will be provided with information for acquiring continuing accounts for their educational/research use, and for connecting to the AU computing network via modem from outside of the University.

Expanded Course Description
Computer-mediated technology and related video and telecommunications technology are changing the ways that educators construct and deliver instruction. These developments offer the promise of both enhancing student performance in the classroom and preparing them to use current and emerging technologies throughout life.

Technology is approached as a vehicle for students to construct knowledge and search, retrieve, and disseminate information on a local and global scale. This course will address current uses of instructional technology in the classroom--presenting an overview of what is being done today and the impact that it is having on teaching and teacher preparation. Emphasis is placed on real-world application of instructional technology.

Underlying the presentation will be the realization that the use of "technology" does not guarantee more effective or efficient instruction--something other than "the more technology the better" must guide implementation decisions. This course will focus on assessing resources and making instructional decisions that enhance instruction and student learning.

Focus of the Course
Participants will gain expertise in current and emerging technologies in Education, including network communications, integrated and multi-media applications and authoring programs. A primary goal of the course is to move participants toward expertise in utilizing technology in education as well as assuming the role of effective integration consultant to colleagues and students.

Pedagogic Focus
Technology is only as good as the content it supports. Alone, technology is useless to educational endeavors, particularly the learning process. Teaching about technology in isolation has limited value, although some experiences that allow the learner to explore the technology for its own sake are necessary. It is my goal in this course that you will have the opportunity to use technology to explore your own learning, and enhance your own teaching. You will be asked to develop projects in which you will decide on the content yourself, and together we will explore the limits of what technology can offer you as you help teach this content. In that endeavor, we will explore the following issues:

Using Technology to Advance Educational Goals

Technology and Education Reform

Using Technology to Teach

Tutoring, exploration, tools, and for communication

Collaborative work and differentiation of student roles

Performance-based assessment

Student directed learning

The National (and International) Knowledge base in Educational

Technology

Technology Standards (ISTE, ITEA)

Educational technology and the government

The Telecommunications Reform Act of 1996

The FCC rulings

Universal Access for Libraries and Schools

NetDays

Security Systems for schools

Protecting student files

Censorship of web addresses, pornography on the net

Multimedia Environments

Components of Instructional Hypermedia

interface

image and text typography

graphics, audio, video, animation

Design and production

production cycles

Hypermedia delivery platforms

Content area applications

Authoring programs

For commercial, educational, and other use

Integrating Technology with Teacher Preparation

Restructuring at the classroom level

Labs or Not?

Teaching Teachers

Responsibilities of Educational Technologist and Principals

Student learning v Teacher learning

Integrated media technology in pre-service education

Data-based decision-making

Field experiences

Obstacles to implementation

Innovative Assessment

Performance Assessment

Performance Standards

Evaluating the Effects of Technology in School Reform

Higher-order thinking skills

Difficulties in Evaluation of Technology's Impact

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Attendance
Students are expected to attend all class sessions. Students who miss more than 2 classes sessions will receive a "one letter grade" deduction from the final grade in the course. Students who miss more than 4 class session will receive a "two letter grade" deduction from the final grade in the course. Student who miss more than 8 class sessions will receive an "F" in the course.

Readings
Assigned readings are indicated in the course schedule. In order to maximize quality of in-class discussion, these readings must be completed prior to class meetings. Additional readings will be assigned via the Virtual Classroom WebPage.

Applied Projects
Several applied projects and activities will be assigned throughout the course. Projects will be objectively assessed with regard to the criteria detailed below. All projects and activities must be completed to receive a final grade for the course.

Electronic Forum (100 points)
Each student will participate in electronic discussion via the class area at Blackboard. Participation in this forum is critical to attaining goals and objectives for the course. Students are expected to monitor and respond to each of the weekly discussions, participate actively in those discussions, and provide meaningful input into the topic. Each posting will be worth a total of 4 participation points, distributed as follows:

1 point = post a comment to the discussion group

2 points = post a comment and provide your opinion

3 points = post a comment, provide your opinion and

provide examples from your own course-related readings.

4 points = post a comment, provide your opinion, provide examples from your own course related readings and provide meaningful basis for further discussion.

It IS possible for ALL participants to receive ALL points during EACH discussion. This requires thoughtful, interactive discussion, and an attitude which enhances the learning environment. During the first class meeting, students will discuss class participation and responsibilities. You must submit your posting to the electronic discussion group by Thursday of each week at 4pm.In addition to weekly postings, students are expected to, at ONE point during the semester, post a introductory email message to the discussion list to begin the weeks online discussion and facilitate that discussion throughout the week. This posting will be related to the student’s own reading (using the subscription journals) and will guide the week’s discussion. Because of a large class size, it is likely that more than one discussion will begin at the same time. All introductory notes must be posted by Friday of each week at 9am. Please note, if you post your comment or introductory message during class time (5:30 to 8pm on Thursdays) you will not receive any points. Don’t worry, I can tell if you posted during class time. Our class time together is valuable to me and your fellow students, do not distract yourself but attempting to complete this requirement during class time. Enough said.

Additional Requirement for Graduate Students
You are expected to read either the Papert book or the Negropointe book during the first weeks of class. You are expected to comment on how the week’s discussion relates to these reading when you post your comments. For example, what would Negropointe say about the use of "Web-sitters" for children while they surf the net? What would Papert say about software designed to teach basic skills and drills? You postings should reflect some aspect of the ideas that are presented by these authors EACH time you post.

Web Design (100 points)
Students will create a personal WebPage which utilizes, to the greatest extent possible, the graphical and interactive tools offered by the web interface. Students are expected to design pages formatted for the current web browsers (for example, Netscape 4.6) as of this writing. More information on this assignment and assessment of web projects will be presented in class.

Software Evaluation (100 points)
Students will engage in a thorough evaluation of educational software, hardware and classroom computing services. This multi-platform exercise will allow students to make decisions regarding software purchases for home, classroom and school-wide use. A written report will be submitted following the evaluation. More information on this assignment will be presented in class.

Authoring Systems (100 points)
Students will design an interactive, stand-alone module, utilizing current authoring tools available through AU’s computing services. The content of this project will be at the discretion of the student; modules will be evaluated based on the use of the authoring tool. More information regarding this project will be presented in class.

Learning Lab Design Project (100 points)
This project requires students to design a "learning laboratory" with a technological and curricular focus of their choice. Students will submit a complete description of the technology and related tools needed to complete project, including personnel, hardware, software, video editing/ sound editing equipment, furniture and maintenance requirements. More information will be distributed in class regarding this project.

Points are distributed as follows:
Electronic Forum : 100 points (4 points x 15 weeks for weekly postings, + 40 points for one week facilitation).

Web Design: 100 points

Software Evaluation: 100 points

Authoring Systems: 100 points

Learning Lab Design Project: 100 points

Total Points Available: 500 points

Late Assignments
All assignments are due on the dates listed in the course schedule. Any assignments turned in after the assigned due date will receive an automatic 10% deduction from the total amount available for the assignment (additional points may also be deducted for incomplete or substandard work). Please attempt to turn in all assignments on time. It is the students’ responsibility to contact the course instructor if an assignment will be due. Please note, there are no penalty for assignments turned in early.

Assessment of Performance
Achievement of course objectives will be measured through the instructor’s evaluation of student participation in class discussion, in-class assignments, written assignments, and projects. Specific requirements and evaluation procedures are detailed below.

Evaluation

Percent of Total Points available will be used to determine the class grade as follows:

EDU519.01 Uses of Technology in Education
EDU519.01 Class Schedule
Fall 1999

G=Grabe, M. and Grade, C. (1998). Integrating Technology for Meaningful Learning, 2nd Edition. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, MA.

Please Note: This schedule may be adjusted. See the course WebPage for more information.

General Information for School of Education Courses

Information about the University:

There are three (3) University publications you will need to refer to various academic issues:

The University Catalog, 1999-2000

The Academic Regulations, 1999-2000

The Student Handbook

Incomplete Grades
Faculty members must approve student requests for an incomplete grade, and must do so before the end of the semester. Student requesting an incomplete grade must complete and submit an Incomplete Contract Form to the faculty member. [Regulations, p. 21]

Academic Integrity Code
Students are expected to conform with the regulations of the University in regard to academic integrity, especially in regard to plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, dishonesty in examinations, dishonesty in papers, work for one course and submitted to another, deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students’ work, and copyright violation. [Regulations, pp. 93-96]

Services for Student with Disabilities
Appropriate modifications to academic requirements may be necessary on a case-by-case basis to ensure educational opportunity for students with handicapping conditions. [Handbook, pp. 81-88]