Education 6006: Course Outline
Fall 2004
Instructors:
· Rick Mrazek, Porfessor and Assistant Dean, Graduate Studies and Research (mrazek@uleth.ca)· Robert Runte, Associate Professor (runte@uleth.ca)
Secretary:
·Marg Joblonkay (403-329-2425) or (1-800-666-3503)
Note: When emailing drafts to the instructors, include your name and version # as part of the file name, e.g., "Ralphquestion2", "Frankdraft1", “MaryJune3”, etc. (Otherwise, the instructors end up with 25 identical "Exam.doc" files which can lead to confusion, overwritten files, and delays.)
Objective
Education 6006 is intended to provide structured timelines, instructor feedback, and collegial support for the completion of the Comprehensive Examination. The Comprehensive Examination is a culminating activity for the Master of Education degree intended to assist students in integrating the discrete knowledge and skills they have acquired into a whole greater than the sum of its parts.
The comprehensive examination option allows students the greatest breadth in their M.Ed. program. Whereas the thesis option allows students to pursue a single topic in great depth (the equivalent of four courses), the examination option leaves space in the student’s program to take three additional course offerings, thus expanding the range of topics available to them.
A successful M.Ed. program, however, must be more than a mere collection
of discrete courses. The key difference between an M.Ed. degree and other
forms of course-based professional development is that the M.Ed. is designed
so that the various course offerings build into an integrated program.
Thus, the comprehensive examination is a measure not only of the knowledge
and skills the student has acquired through the program, but also the
degree to which the student has been able to integrate these into a new
professional gestalt.
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To take the metaphor of an archway, the comprehensive examination is the keystone that allows students to fit the various building blocks acquired throughout the program into a cohesive structure. Without this capstone activity, one could be left with a mere pile of stones, which, however carefully chiseled or artfully wrought, would not amount to a Master Degree. |
Evaluation
The course is pass/fail.
Students registered in this course shall:
or make arrangements with Dr. Mrazek to discuss your examination question via email
· Provide a draft question for peer review by September 18, 2004, and settle on a final question by September 24, 2004
· Provide a draft answer by October 31, 2004 (which will be reviewed and returned by the instructor and reviewed by another by November 15, 2004)
· Provide a final, polished draft by November 30, 2004
· Make a formal presentation based on the examination paper on or by December 9, 2004.
The Examination Question(s):
The comprehensive examination will consist of a single paper that integrates the substantive, methodological, and reflective issues raised through the process of completing a graduate degree at the University of Lethbridge. Students are to demonstrate and assess their knowledge and by developing a question or topic related to their professional lives as teachers or administrators, and· analyzing changes in the student's understanding and conduct of their professional practice as classroom teachers or administrators
· developing an action plan for the student's own further professional growth, and/or providing leadership in the further education and development of colleagues within one's professional community
The precise nature and composition of the question or topic is open to
negotiation with the instructors (within the limits of required academic
and professional standards) to maximize the personal relevance and learning
of each student.
The Examination Answers
Answers should be approximately 45 pages (9,000 words) in length. Quality is more important than length, however, and papers may be shorter if particularly concisely written, or slightly longer if successful development of the argument absolutely requires it.
A passing grade for the final paper is contingent upon meeting the following
criteria:
Criteria
· presents grounded theory arising out of research, reflection, practice and current thinking on the chosen topic; the arguments presented build to a consistent conclusion
· an ability to think critically is demonstrated in the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of relevant information
· demonstrates a comprehensive grasp of M.Ed. course material including an in-depth understanding of the relevant concepts, theories, and issues related to the topic addressed by applying it where relevant
· synthesizes recent research (as previously covered in course work) to support the themes that emerge in the paper (i.e., it is not expected that the student embark on new reading, but they should be able to demonstrate that in completing their degree they have mastered the research literature in at least one area)
· an awareness of differing view-points is demonstrated and a rigorous assessment of these undertaken where relevant
· presents reflective analysis of the student's learning, including a demonstration of growth over the course of the program
· demonstrates originality, insight, and creativity, and a new understanding of theory or practice related to the question or topic addressed in the examination
· presents a clear, fluent, organized, and well-written paper; shows mastery of grammar, structure, style and the APA style of referencing; demonstrates the ability to communicate in writing at the level expected for publication in an academic journal, especially those journals intended for a teacher audience
Tips
To assist students to avoid some common errors in completion of the examination, we have compiled the following suggestions:
· avoid merely describing the process of your completion
of the Master's program; brief focused statements of how particular courses
impacted understanding of examination topic(s) may be appropriate if directed
to specific points
· avoid an over reliance on summaries of course material; think
"synthesis", rather than "Coles Notes"
· avoid lengthy excerpts from previously submitted work; brief
reference may be made to previously graded assignments where appropriate,
but lengthy excerpts risk the charge that you are resubmitting work for
duplicate credit, which is an academic offense (see “Duplication”
page 63 of the University Calendar)
· one effective approach to the examination is to carefully integrate
theory and practice › use concrete
examples from your own professional practice or workplace to illustrate
the theories under discussion
› use relevant theory from the research
literature to interpret any real world experiences you relate in your
paper
› build on your understanding of theory
and current practice to propose future directions in a practical action
plan · ensure that the manuscript includes a formal introduction
and conclusion
· ensure that the manuscript is organized by headings and subheadings;
headings and subheadings to be included in a table of contents
· ensure that the manuscript is in correct APA format
› all drafts must include page numbers
› quotations, bibliography, citations,
and references must be in APA format
· ensure that the final manuscript has been thoroughly edited and
proofread
› in addition to demonstrating knowledge and skills appropriate
to a M.Ed. degree, the examination answer must demonstrate appropriate
standards of written communication; grammatical errors, lack of clarity,
poor structure or organization are unacceptable
› it is acceptable in this context to engage the services of a professional
editor to assist with the final copy editing; the Education Faculty Graduate
Office maintains a list of recommended editors with experience with academic
writing
Presentation
The Presentation portion of the examination may take one of three forms:
Oral Presentation to Ed 6006 Seminar Group
The members of the Ed 6005 group will meet by April 11, 2004 to participate in a symposium consisting of the presentation of their final papers. Papers are not to be read aloud, but to be presented through a five to ten minute oral or powerpoint presentation, followed by a five to ten minute open discussion period. The Instructors will be gaging the effectivenss of your presentations on the following criteria:
Thoroughness: Your colleagues should come away from your presentation with a sufficiently thorough grasp of the material to be able to discuss it intelligently
Depth of Analysis: an awareness of differing view-points is demonstrated; originality, insight, and creativity are demonstrated; the presentation goes beyond repeating what others have said and contributes something new to our understanding of the topic
Argumentation: You should be able to take and defend a position using logical arguments and carefully selected supportive detail
Discussion: The degree to which you have achieved the above goals should be reflected in the liveliness of the subsequent discussion
Poster Presentation (UofL Atrium)
For those who are unable by reason of distance or other extenuating circumstances to attend the session in person, provision will be made for them to fulfill this requirement by making their presentation via a poster or web page. The criteria for poster presentations are as follows:
· The display provides new information and new insights into the issue. The reader leaves thinking, "I never realized before that this issue was so complex, important, or interesting...." (Choose one)
· There are neither factual errors nor any unsupported assertions or claims.
· Authorship is clearly indicated. The names of all who contributed are included, along with the name and number of the course for which the poster was produced.
· Copyright has been respected. The presenters has either personally created, or received explicit written permission to reproduce all of the cartoons, illustrations, world wide web downloads, and other materials included in the display.
· Written expression demonstrates clarity, conciseness, and precision. (Mounting a display requires slightly different discipline than a graduate paper.)
· Headings and large titles have been used to provide an overview of the display's structure, outline, or argument at a glance from a distance.
· Blocks of print have been kept to a minimum. Text conveys a great deal of information in a few, well chosen, thought-provoking words.
· Where quotations are included, they have been correctly attributed
· Layout and visuals have been used to draw the eye and speed the discussion. (A picture is worth 1000 words, good layout about 440).
· Written mechanics (sentence structure, grammar, spelling, etc.) is flawless. (It is vital that the general public have faith in the basic abilities of our graduates and teachers, so for the sake of our professional image, there will be zero tolerance for grammatical, spelling or other mechanical errors.)
· Authors are available via email to respond to questions and are prepared to expand upon or defend display content
Sample posters are available for students to review if they wish to undertake this option.
Web Page
The construction of a web page allows students to share their conclusions with colleagues and to demonstrate computer skills learned in the program. Criteria for web pages are as follows:
Web Page Scoring Criteria: Content
· web page content is primarily original with only brief excerpts from, or occasional links to, other web resources
· topic chosen and content presented is likely to be of interest to a broad cross-section of the public; education or technical jargon and unexplained specialist assumptions have been avoided.
· a comprehensive grasp of the subject matter is demonstrated, including an in-depth understanding of the relevant concepts, theories, and issues related to the topic addressed
· content is factually accurate and up to date [timeliness is one of the great advantages of the WWW so it is important to ensure that information is the latest available]
· where relevant, an awareness of differing view-points is demonstrated and a rigorous assessment of these undertaken where relevant; differing opinions are treated respectfully
· an ability to think critically is demonstrated in the analysis, synthesis and evaluation of relevant information
· a thoughtful statement of position is presented and defended through logical arguments and carefully selected supportive detail; the arguments presented build to a consistent conclusion or recommendation(s)
· synthesis demonstrates thoughtfulness, originality, insight and creativity; the content goes beyond repeating what others have said and contributes something new to our understanding of the topic
· content adheres to highest ethical standards
› confidentiality and anonymity of colleagues, school district and students is maintained
› language usage is inclusive: sexist, racist, agist, classist, and ablist language has been avoided; content is free of inappropriate biases
› copyright has been respected. Copyrighted materials have been used only with the explicit written (or e-mailed) permission of the creator. (Students in violation of copyright may be asked to withdraw from the faculty. See the University of Lethbridge Calendar's section on plagiarism, pp. 63-66)
· the content is referenced in the correct format (APA, Chicago, or MLA formats are acceptable)
· a clear, fluent, and concise style highlights a well-written, tightly argued, and logically structured discussion
· a virtually flawless mastery of all aspects of grammar, structure, and style is demonstrated
Web Page Scoring Criteria: Mechanics
· instructional design incorporates elements that enhance the site's attractiveness, reader interest, and learning; graphic design or interactive elements engage the learner and demonstrate creativity and sound aesthetic judgment; however, form serves substance: irrelevant or gimmicky elements have been avoided
· the layout is clear, uncluttered, and facilitates quick scanning for specific information
· color scheme is aesthetically pleasing, aids readability, and is mindful of browsers who may be color blind (black text on white background is usually best)
· appropriate images enhance the topic’s content and visual appeal, but without slowing document loading unduly; unnecessary images have been avoided; text alternatives have been provided for incompatible or text-only browsers
· sound, movie, and large image files are used only sparingly, if at all
· internal linkages connect individual web pages within the topic in a logical, easily navigated pattern; the topic pages use the Kid Culture navigation bars appropriately providing links to home page, index, etc.
· individual web pages are not overly dependent on the pages before and after, above and below them in the structure; readers can enter the topic at any page and still understand the content at that point
· in dividing the topic into pages, an appropriate balance is achieved between too many and too few separate documents
· individual subtopics are not split between pages; layout groups related ideas visually as well as with headings and subheadings
· where text fills more than a single screen, internal linkages are supplied to facilitate quick movement to specific information without having to resort to scrolling
· external linkages connect the web site to other relevant sites; but trivial and irrelevant linkages have been avoided; external linkages are thoroughly annotated so reader can decide whether linked site is likely to be of interest without having to jump there to discover their content
· web documents are clear and concise
· web documents are free of spelling, grammatical, and other mechanical errors (Since the class is “going public” on this assignment, there will be “zero tolerance” for such errors.)
· a colophon or signature block is included on each page (or by a link to a separate credit/copyright page) The colophon includes the names and e-mail addresses of all who contributed to the topic; the date the page was last revised/updated; a link to the Kid Culture homepage; and, where applicable, a link to each contributor’s homepage.
· each page links to the top of the topic site and to the Kid Culture home page and index
· emphasis is used only sparingly; heading commands are used for headings only and not for emphasis
· copyright has been respected. Cartoons, illustrations, icons, and other visual material have only been used with the explicit written (or e-mailed) permission of the creator