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REQUIRED TEXT:
Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., Cocking, R. R. (1999). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press. Available online at http://www.nap.edu/books/0309070368/html/
Bruning, R.H., Schraw, G.J., & Ronning, R.R. (1999). Cognitive psychology and instruction. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.
Langer, E.J. (1997). The power of mindful learning. Cambridge, MA: Perseus.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to
- describe the process and importance of theory development in the investigation of knowledge within the behavioral sciences.
- discuss the foundations of classical conditioning, operant conditioning, memory acquisition, retention, and retrieval, and constructivism.
- discuss the research knowledge base that supports the theoretical positions of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism.
- apply the basic tenets of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism in order to analyze and remediate behavior.
- evaluate and apply the basic principles of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism in modifying classroom behavior .
- evaluate and apply the basic principles of behaviorism, cognitivism, and constructivism in constructing classroom activities.
- analyze and create problem solving exercises that emphasize the transfer of cognitive skill.
- synthesize the various learning theories to facilitate the understanding of the teaching of math, science, reading, and writing.
- develop their own list of important principles of learning and instruction.
- construct their own theory of learning and memory.
EVALUATION: Student performance will be evaluated in four ways, weekly on-line Quizzes, an on-line Final Examination, five Synopsis papers, and a Project. The weekly on-line Quizzes will be comprehensive, consist of both selection and supply type items, and will be posted on the professorŐs web page. The on-line Quizzes may only be taken between Thursday afternoon and Sunday night of the appropriate week. The Final Exam will consist of both selection and supply type items and will be comprehensive. The Synopsis papers will each consist of a 1-page paper that summarizes you understanding of various learning theories. The Project will involve the student demonstrating mastery over a particular aspect of learning, memory, and cognition. The exact nature of the Synopsis papers and the Project is delineated in The Synopsis Papers and The Project handouts.
GRADING: |
|
|
|
Quizzes (13 x 20 pts) |
260 pts |
|
Synopsis Papers (05 x 50 pts)
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Social Learning Theory
Information Processing Theory
Mindfulness
|
250 pts |
|
Project |
200 pts |
|
Final Exam |
90 pts |
| A+ |
800-784 pts |
100-98% |
B+ |
719-696 pts |
89-87% |
C+ |
649-616 pts |
79-77% |
| A |
783-752 |
97-94 |
B |
695-672 |
86-84 |
C |
615-592 |
76-74 |
| A- |
751-720 |
93-90 |
B- |
671-650 |
83-80 |
C- |
591-560 |
73-70 |
No make-up Quizzes will be given. Any Quiz not taken will receive a grade of zero. There also will be no make-up Final Exam. Anyone not taking the Final Exam will receive a grade of zero on the exam. Submitting any of the Synopsis Papers or The Project late will result in a reduced grade, 30 points per day late, for the late work. If you find it necessary to drop this course, for any reason, you must drop the class by September 29, 2001. Students that are not officially dropped from the class must be given a grade at the end of the semester. All students are expected to attend class regularly and promptly.
HONOR CODE: The Honor Code will be strictly enforced in this course. All assignments submitted shall be considered graded work, unless otherwise noted. All aspects of your coursework are covered by the Honor System. Any suspected violations of the Honor Code will be promptly reported to the Honor System. According to the Constitution of the Virginia Tech Honor System "The fundamental beliefs underlying and reflected in the Honor Code are: (1) that trust in a person is a positive force in making that person worthy of trust, (2) that every student has the right to live in an academic environment that is free from the injustices caused by any form of intellectual dishonesty, and (3) that the honesty and integrity of all members of the university community contribute to its quest for Truth. " (see http://filebox.vt.edu/studentinfo/ugradhonor/)
The following is the Honor Code written verbatim from the VT Honor System Constitution:
The Honor Code is the University policy that expressly forbids the following academic violations:
- Cheating -- Cheating includes the actual giving or receiving of any unauthorized aid or assistance or the actual giving or receiving of any unfair advantage on any form of academic work, or attempts thereof.
- Plagiarism -- Plagiarism includes the copying of the language, structure, ideas and/or thoughts of another and passing off same as one's own, original work, or attempts thereof.
- Falsification -- Falsification includes the statement of any untruth, either verbally or in writing, with respect to any circumstances relevant to one's academic work, or attempts thereof. Such acts include, but are not limited to, the forgery of official signatures, tampering with official records, fraudulently adding or deleting information on academic documents such as add/drop requests, or fraudulently changing an examination or other academic work after the testing period or due date of the assignment.
DISABILITIES: Any student that is in need of special accommodations due to a disability, as recognized by the Americans with Disabilities Act, should contact the Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) in the Dean of Students Office. "Students with disabilities are responsible for self-identificationÉ.To be eligible for services, documentation of the disability from a qualified professional must be presented to SSD upon request. Academic adjustments may include, but are not limited to: priority registration, auxiliary aids, program and course adjustment, exam modifications, oral or sign language interpreters, cassette taping of text/materials, notetakers/readers, or assistive technology" (see http://filebox.vt.edu/admin/eoaa/ada.html).
CLASS CONTENT SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE):
- Introduction
- Classical Conditioning
- Operant Conditioning
- Social Learning Theory
- Information Processing
- Constructivism
- Instructional Design
- Teaching Strategies
- Motivation
- Classroom Management
- Assessment
- Individual Differences
- Diversity & Culture
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