Please wait...EDUC 500 Educational Foundations from Diverse Perspectives
This course provides a critical overview of the forces historical, legal, financial, organizational, and philosophical groundings of education. Candidates will examine, debate and speculate about a variety of issues as they impact schools and teachers now and into the future. These basic concepts of education are examined from the diverse perspectives of race, gender, disabilities, and language learners. Aspects of education such as funding, instructional strategies, and due process procedures will be examined from a social justice perspective. Concerns such as equity and access, alternative ways of knowing, funds of knowledge, and other cultural factors will be examined. The role of the teacher as facilitator of critical thinking and as promoter of socially responsible action in the society will be considered. Ten hours of fieldwork required. 3 credits.
EDUC 500 Fieldwork Assignment
Observation and Interview Report (4-7 pages)
Assignment Overview
In this course, you will be reading and learning a lot about the foundations of education, including theories, philosophies, and laws that have influenced how children are educated in the US. This assignment gives you an opportunity to conduct an investigation of what really goes on in schools in New York. You will begin by selecting a specific topic that interests you and that you can investigate by conducting observations and interviews. For example, you might choose a topic such as:
Technology in the Classroom
Student-Teacher Relationships
Parent-Teacher Relationships
Classroom Management and Discipline
Diversity and/or Multicultural Education
Gender Equity in the Classroom
Single sex schools vs coed schools
The Role of the Arts in the School
School Environment (physical structure, facilities, school culture, etc.)
Special Education
After-School Programming (arts, athletics, academic support, etc.)
School Management (role of the administration)
Next, you will select two schools where you will conduct your fieldwork observations. You may elect to compare two public schools, a private school and a public school, a public school and a charter school, etc. Once you identify a topic and select the schools, you will visit the schools and conduct observations and interviews (10 hours total). You will then analyze your observation and interview data. You will compare and contrast the two schools and relate what you found in “the real world” to what you read about in the textbook. You will discuss how what you leaned will inform your future work as an educator and a member of a school community.
Elements of the Assignment
Here’s what you’ll need to do to complete the assignment:
Visit two schools
Interview at least one adult at each school
Collect “other” data to corroborate your observation and interview data. You will need to cite this data in your report. Depending on your topic, this data may include:
Type up your field notes
Analyze your field notes and interview data
After you complete your two observations and two interviews, you must reflect upon and write about what you have seen. You must relate it to what you are reading and learning about in this class. You will need cite your sources using APA style and include a reference list. You must include at least one citation from the course readings and you must cite any of the documents or internet sources you used in your research. You may also cite additional texts. Citing appropriate texts demonstrates your understanding of the relationship between theory and practice (or how what you read about relates to what goes on in reality).
In your paper, you should compare and contrast the salient aspects of what you observed in each school. Depending on the focus of your paper, this may include a description of the school buildings, the classrooms, what was used to decorate the school walls (school banners and emblems, slogans and mottos, multicultural images, student art, professional artwork), the demeanor of the students, student-teacher rapport, parent-teacher rapport, the kinds of books in the libraries, the teaching materials and methods used, special services or accommodations provided, etc. Did anything surprise you? Did anything impress you? Did anything challenge your conception of what goes on in schools?
How did the people you interviewed add to your understanding of the schools’ pedagogy, practices, policies, or protocols? Were they able to help you interpret the things you observed? Were they open and willing to discuss the topics you mentioned?
In summary, you should discuss how your observations and interviews will inform your future work as an educator and a member of a school community.
Submitting the Assignment
You are responsible for documenting your fieldwork. Use the following instructions to submit the form via the ePortfolio.
1. At the lower right, click on Complete Form.
2. Complete all required fields. Note: If you do not have all of the required information, you can Save and Return to finish the Form at a later date; however, do not click Submit Work until the Form is completed in its entirety.
3. Once entirely complete click Save and Return.
4. Click on the Scores/Results tab, scroll down to find the completed Form, then click on Submit Work. Follow any subsequent instructions.
As you submit your work, please be cautious to avoid the following scenarios: