Educational Policies Committee

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

 

 

Members Present: Mara Adams, Jeremy Burke, Pat Connelly, Fr. Bud Grant, Martin Hansen, Tom Hill, Lori Rodrigues-Fisher, Keri Manning, Jim Van Speybroeck, Barb Wiese, Dan Zeimet

 

Guests: Ryan Dye, Dan La Corte, Fr. George McDaniel, Marge Legg, Rachel Serianz

 

 

I.                    Approval of minutes from meetings 1/31/2006 & 2/07/2006

II.                 Education proposed curriculum changes

III.               Five year review for History

IV.              New Business

 

 

I. Approval of minutes from meetings 1/31/2006 & 2/07/2006

Clarifications were noted. Motion to accept minutes: Jim Van Speybroeck, seconded by Pat Connelly. Motion to include clarifications to the minutes: Jim Van Speybroeck, seconded by Keri Manning.

 

II. Education Proposed Curriculum Changes:

 

The Education Department proposed two new courses for graduate credit, designed for science teachers, to be taught during the summer.

 

EDUC 590:  Physical Science for Elementary Teachers:  Focus on Chemistry, 3 graduate credits, offered yearly in summer.   2 weeks – enrollment 20.  Prerequisite:  Elementary teaching license or certificate.

 

EDUC 590 will consist of three components – content, practicum, and implementation:

  • Content:  (Week 1)  For four days, teachers will work with instructor-prepared chemistry activities, learning the essential chemistry concepts underlying each activity and constructing kits enabling them to teach these activities in their own classrooms.  The fifth day, teachers will use supplementary chemistry education manuals to select, prepare, and present lessons for their peers.
  • Practicum:  (Week 2) Under the supervision of University education and science faculty, teachers will spend mornings in direct teaching of chemistry activities to elementary-aged children.  Afternoons will be spent in evaluation of mornings’ teaching, expanding the participants understanding of chemistry, and preparation for the next teaching day.
  • Implementation:  With on-going support of University education and science faculty, teachers will incorporate chemistry concepts and activities gained during the course into their school science curricula. 

 

 

Currently, the Teacher Education Program offers a Masters in Education degree. With the goal of helping teachers prepare for National Board Certification, the degree helps meet teachers’ professional needs for specialized training in content areas.  EDUC 590 is intended to be part of a math/science track, and is designed to meet the following specific learning outcomes:

  • Teachers will gain both the content knowledge and pedagogical strategies to teach chemistry at the elementary level more successfully.
  • Teachers will obtain materials needed to implement hands-on chemistry laboratory experiences in their classroom.
  • Teachers will have the opportunity to practice newly-acquired chemistry-teaching strategies prior to implementing those strategies in their own classrooms.

 

The graduate level and three credit hours are consistent with other courses currently being offered in the Masters of Education Degree program.

 

Additionally, the course is designed to overcome the two major obstacles to the successful teaching of chemistry at the elementary level, namely: 1) lack of background and comfort level with chemistry on the part of teachers and 2) the lack of materials.

 

EDUC 590 will be offered in an active learning mode using a laboratory-discussion-practicum format. The course will use existing resources from the Department of Chemistry and the Department of Education and funding by outside grants. In 2006, funding is from the Scott County Regional Authority. Elementary-age students for the practicum will be recruited from local schools with priority being given to those children deemed “at risk.”

 

 

EDUC 591:  Physical Science for Elementary Teachers:  Focus on the Physics of Force and Motion, 3 credit hours, offered yearly in summer, 2 weeks – enrollment 10.  Prerequisite:  Elementary teaching license of certificate

 

EDUC 591 will consist of three components – content, practicum, and implementation:

  • Content:  (Week 1) Each morning, using a lecture-laboratory format, teachers will investigate basic physics concepts including Newton’s Laws of Mechanics, motion with constant velocity and acceleration, free fall, frictional forces, vector diagrams and aerodynamics.  During the afternoons, teachers will explore hard-copy and electronic resources to prepare teaching plans utilizing these physics concepts in ways specific to their school science curricula.  They will then select and order materials appropriate to their teaching plans.
  • Practicum: (Week 2) Teachers will serve as instructors for a pre-engineering camp for elementary-age students in which students will learn and apply physics concepts within the context of an engineering project such as the construction and racing of carbon-dioxide-powered vehicles.  Following each camp day, teachers will evaluate their instruction and prepare for the next-days activities.
  • Implementation:  With on-going support from University physics, engineering, and education faculty, teachers will incorporate their physics teaching plans into their science curricula.

 

The graduate level and three credit hours are consistent with others courses currently being offered in the Masters of Education Degree program.

 

Currently, the Teacher Education Program offers a Masters in Education degree.  With the goal of helping teachers prepare for National Board Certification, the degree helps meet teachers’ professional needs for specialized training in content areas.  EDUC 591 is intended to be part of a math/science track, and is designed to meet the following specific learning outcomes:

  • Teachers will gain both the content knowledge and pedagogical strategies to teach physics of force and motion more successfully at the elementary level.
  • Teachers will develop plans and obtain materials necessary to implement hands-on physics instruction in their classrooms.
  • Teachers will have the opportunity to practice newly-acquired physics-teaching strategies prior to implementing those strategies in their own classrooms.

 

The graduate level and three credit hours are consistent with other courses currently being offered in the Masters of Education Degree program.

 

EDUC 591 will be offered in a lecture-laboratory-practicum format using existing resources from the Department of Physics, the Department of Industrial Engineering, and the Department of Education.  Elementary-age students for the practicum will be recruited from local elementary schools with priority being given to those children deemed “at risk.”

 

A committee member asked about the selection of course numbers for these courses. Rachel Serianz explained that the 590’s are available for graduate credit in the Education department. These courses will be housed by the graduate Education program. They are for graduate credit, although presently SAU does not offer a graduate degree in science education. The courses can also be used for certification hours. Motion to accept the proposed Education Department curriculum changes: Jim Van Speybroeck, seconded by Pat Connelly.

 

III. Five Year Review for History Department

 

Proposed Actions

 

·        Renumber the following courses:

+HIST 357.  Revolutionary America, 1763-1815 (previously HIST 360).

+HIST 359.  Civil War Era:  1840 to 1877 (previously HIST 361).

+HIST 361.  Early 20th Century America:  1900 to 1940 (previously HIST 362).

+HIST 362:  US Since World War II (previously HIST 363).

 

--We are asking to renumber these courses because we are adding two new 300-level US History courses in this sequence, and we would like for them to go in chronological order. 

 

 

·        Drop the following courses from the program:

+WI-HIST 307.  History of Christianity:  Early and Medieval (Same as THEO 307)

+WI-HIST 308.  History of Christianity:  Reformation and Modern (Same as THEO 308)

 

--We have decided to discontinue our team teaching arrangement with Theology for HIST 307 and HIST 308 because we would like to re-title the courses and teach them solely as Intellectual and Cultural History courses. 

 

+HIST 121.  Medieval Women:  In Their Own Voices.  HIST 321 will be kept, but the Department has decided that this course should not be taught at the 100-level. 

 

+HIST 150.  The Vietnam War.  HIST 350 will be kept, but the Department has decided that this course should not be taught at the 100-level.

 

·        Create the following new courses (all three credits):

+HIST 229.  Colonial Latin America

--This course will complement our Latin America offerings, and will give our History and History Education majors another 200-level course to take to fulfill this requirement. 

 

+WI-HIST 307.  Christianity in Culture:  Early and Medieval (not the same as THEO 307)

-- We have decided to discontinue our team teaching arrangement with Theology for HIST 307 and HIST 308 because we would like to re-title the courses and teach them solely as Intellectual and Cultural History courses.  

 

+WI-HIST 308.  Christianity in Culture:  Reformation and Modern (not the same as THEO 308)

--See above.

 

+HIST 358.  Jacksonian America, 1815-1850

--Because we would like to end the “Revolutionary America” course in 1815, we need a new course to cover the period between the “Revolutionary America” and the “Civil War” courses.  Prerequisite:  HIST 111 or instructor’s permission. 

 

+HIST 360.  Gilded Age America, 1877-1900

--We have a gap in our current curriculum between the end of the “Civil War” course and the “Early 20th-Century America” course.  This course will fill that gap.  Prerequisite:  HIST 112 or instructor’s permission.

 

+HIST 369.  The African-American Experience:  Topics

--This course will focus upon the important contributions of African Americans to the history of the United States.  Prerequisite:  HIST 111 or 112 or instructor’s permission.

 

·        Change the title of the following courses:

+HIST 350.  Change title from “The Vietnam War” to “The Vietnam Wars.” 

--The course covers the multiple wars in Vietnam, not just the American conflict.

 

+HIST 357.  Change title from “Revolutionary America:  1776 to 1836” to “Revolutionary America:  1763-1815”

--This title change will reflect more accurately the time frame covered in the course.

 

+WI-HIST 410.  Change title from “Independent Study” to “Capstone Research Experience”

--As the title indicates, we want this course to become the capstone research experience for History and History Education majors.  We envision this course as the application of the concepts discussed in HIST 400, “Historical Methods.”

 

·        Change the credit designation for the following courses:

+HIST 400.  Historical Methods.  Change credit designation from 3 credits to 2 credits.

--For History and History Education majors before they take HIST 410.  Usually will be offered in the spring.  We envision this course as a reflection upon historical methodology that will prepare students for the capstone research experience to follow.  Students will learn key research skills and develop their research topics for HIST 410. 

 
+WI-HIST 410.  Capstone Research Experience.  Change credit designation from 1-3 credits to 3 credits.

--In this course, students will conduct research and write (and re-write repeatedly) their research papers.  They will be directed by one of our History faculty.  For History and History Education majors in the fall of their senior year.  They first must take HIST 400.   

 

 

·        Add General Education designation to the following existing courses:

+HIST 356.  Colonial America and the Atlantic World

+HIST 357.  Revolutionary America:  1750-1815

+HIST 359.  Civil War Era:  1850-1877

+HIST 361.  Early 20th-Century America:  1900 to 1940

+HIST 362.  US Since World War II

 

 

·        Remove the WI designation from the following course:

HIST 400.  Historical Methods

 

·        Add the WI designation to the following course:

WI-HIST 410.  Capstone Research Experience

 

·        Change the catalog description for the following course:

HIST/THEO 245.  Catholicism in America. 

 

The catalogue description of the course in the theology department is as follows: “General history of the Catholic Church in America as an institution and a people.  Special emphasis on how Catholics lived their faith and how their faith was affected by the American experience.”  Five years ago at our review we had asked that the course description for History 245 by changed to this. 

            We also had also requested that the prerequisites listed under Theology 245 be dropped.  This was not done either.  We now request that it be done.

 

·        Revise the catalog descriptions of the two majors in the department:

“Requirements for a Major:  35 semester credits in history, including HIST 101, 102, 111, 112, and at least one of the following:  219, 220, 225, 229, 230, or 235.  Must take 20 additional credits above the first-year level, including HIST 400 and WI-HIST 410.”

 

“Requirements for a Teaching Major:  35 semester credits in history, distributed as follows:  15 credits in US History (HIST 111, 112, and nine additional credits above the first-year level); 15 credits in World History (HIST 101, 102, and then 219, 220, 225, 229, 230 or 235), and six additional credits above the first-year level); HIST 400 and WI-HIST 410.”

 

A committee member asked about the number of 300 level courses. Ryan Dye responded with the assurance that the new 300 level courses will not reduce the number of 100 & 200 level general education courses offered. The new 300 level courses will also address gaps the department identified in the curriculum, as well as providing department faculty the opportunity to teach courses in their areas of interest and expertise.

 

Ryan Dye pointed out that splitting the capstone course into two new ones allowed students to take their time learning the fundamentals of research and then apply these skills to a project of their own choosing. In addition to learning how to conduct research, students will also have the opportunity to learn about the many career options available to history majors. The department believes that splitting the capstone into the proposed two course format allows them to achieve these goals in a more effective manner.

 

The ideal sequence for students taking HIST 400 & 410 would be to take 400 in the spring of their junior year and 410 in the fall of their senior year. Ryan Dye noted that the department was aware that there may be situations in which this sequence might not be possible for students, and accommodations would be made. HIST 410 is designed to be a flexible, independent study type of course, and the department is committed to assisting students find a sequence that best suits their needs.

 

Ryan Dye explained that the proposed exit interview would assist the department in its assessment process. The interview would be conducted by the student’s research director and their advisor. Students would be asked to assess what they’ve learned in several broad categories of history, and to discuss how their major has helped them become better global citizens. The department also considers the interview to be an important rite of passage, for it represents a time when the student can have a meaningful exchange with the department faculty, and showcase their acquired skills and knowledge.

 

A committee member suggested that the department develop a written guide for this exit interview so that students know what is expected of them and how to prepare for it.

 

A committee member asked about the potential for students to say what is expected of them in this exit interview, leading to this tool being less useful for assessment. Fr. George McDaniel noted that this was something that the department would be studying in their next five year review; it the exit interview proved to be an ineffective assessment tool, it would be discontinued.

 

It was suggested that the department think about various terms to describe this exit interview, lest it suggest something limited or evoke negative connotations.

 

Motion to approve the History Department five year review: Jim Van Speybroeck, seconded by Barb Wiese.

 

V.                 New Business

 

No new business. Motion to adjourn: Jim Van Speybroeck, seconded by Barb Wiese.