Manhattanville College

Instructor: Kathy Dickinson Rockwood, Ed.D.

Phone: (914) 323-3149

E-Mail: rockwoodk@mville.edu

EDAD 5200: Issues & Trends in Curriculum, Instruction, & Supervision

Course Description

This course examines contextual issues, current trends, and promising practices in education that school leaders should consider when embarking on curricular and instructional design changes. Curriculum development will be examined by evaluating the structure and content of the curriculum, the effectiveness of the delivery system, and its overall alignment with the school system’s learning priorities. Effective instructional design that supports differentiation, the relationship to learning theory and child development, and proven “best practices” will be emphasized. It will also examine the alignment of curricular priorities with teacher professional development and various supervisory approaches. The course seeks to instill the mindset that effective instructional leaders must come from a base of teaching excellence.

Required Texts

Jensen, E. (1998). Teaching with the brain in mind. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Payne, R. K. (1998). A framework for understanding poverty. Highlands, TX: RFT

Publishing.

Tomlinson, C.A., & Allan, S. D. (2000). Leadership for differentiated schools. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005, 2^nd edition). Understanding by design. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Supplemental Texts

American Psychological Association (2001). Publication Manual of the American

Psychological Association. (5^th ed.). Washington D.C.: Author.

Glickman, C. D., Gordon, S. P., & Ross-Gordon, J. M. (2004). Supervision and

instructional leadership: A developmental approach. (6th ed.). Boston: Allyn

& Bacon. [Selected chapters will be posted on Blackboard.com]

Marzano, R. J. (2003). What works in schools: Translating research into action. Alexandria,VA: ASCD

Marzano, R. J., Pickering, D. J., & Pollock, J. E. (2001). Classroom instruction that

works: Research-based strategies for increasing student achievement. Alexandria, VA: ASCD

Zemelman, S., Daniels, H., Hyde, A.(1998). Best practice: New standards for teaching and learning in

America’s schools. Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinmann

Recommended Professional Organizations:

Association of Curriculum & Staff Development (ASCD)

Content Specific Professional Organizations (such as National Reading Association)

National Staff Development Council (NSDC)

Phi Delta Kappa

Course Goal

Participants will examine issues related to curriculum and instruction from the perspective of Leaders in Learning Organizations and acquire the knowledge and skills to identify and address effective curricular, instructional, and supervisory practices.

Course Essential Questions

What contextual issues impact and influence curriculum and instruction?
What are we preparing students to do?
How are we utilizing information about students’ background and school culture to support teaching and learning?
What is the relationship between the teaching and learning vision, curriculum and instruction, assessment, and faculty development?
What constitutes an effective curriculum development process?
What proven best practices and learning theories should guide curriculum development and instructional programs?
How can school leaders more effectively use research and assessment to guide curriculum development and instructional design?
How can school leaders support differentiated instruction?
What does differentiated instruction and differentiated supervision look like in a learning organization?

Summary of Course Instructional Focus & Assessment

(aligned to the national leadership standards (ELCC) and

the New York leadership standards)

Objectives (Standard #)

Primary Learning Activities

Performance Assessment

1. Identify important contextual issues that impact and influence curriculum and instruction.

(ELCC 6.1a, 6.1b, 6.1c, 6.1f)

1) Teams do online research, create issues & trends posters ( related to future workforce needs, role of technology, time, and resources), and facilitate discussion

2)Individual journal “quick write”

1) Poster represents collective understanding of key issues

2) Quick Write response focuses on target questions

2. Formulate a vision of teaching and learning.

[ELCC 1.1a, 1.2a, 1.2b;

NY (a), (g)]

1) Class exercise: identify guiding beliefs about teaching and learning

2) Class exercise: compare and contrast school vision statements

3) Develop Supervisory Platform

4) Research and present school demographic report

5) Team online research: time, global workforce needs, role of technology, and resources

1) Indiv./team belief statements

2) Teams identify critical elements in vision development

3) Platform statement responds to guiding questions about leader’s role in supporting teaching and learning

4) Demographic data sources protocol; and rubric

5) Presentations that respond to session guiding questions and highlight implications for teaching and learning

3. Access multiple data sources to identify the school community culture and demographic profile.

[ELCC 2.1a; NY (d)]

Demographic report & presentation that addresses teaching and learning implications

Demographic data sources protocol and rubric

4. Identify the impact and implications of poverty on students’ learning. [ELCC 6.1c, 4.2c; NY (d)]

1)Class discussions and reactions to cases representing generational poverty (Ruby Payne)

2) Research and present school demographic report

1).Self-assess understanding of scenarios based on “resource” list

2) Demographic data sources protocol; and rubric

5. Identify impact of accountability environment on teaching and learning. [ELCC 6.1 d; NY (f), (i)]

Online (Blackboard) team discussion of federal/state mandates

Individual student responses and contributions to targeted questions

6. Develop an understanding of an effective curriculum development process. [ELCC 2.2b; NY (d)]

Conduct field research, analyze, and present curriculum development process in school system.

Class exercise: Curriculum development needs assessment survey; implications for school leaders

Curriculum report: response to curriculum interview question protocol & rubric

7. Apply understanding of how to promote proven best practices and the integration of learning theories into curriculum development and instructional programs. [ELCC 1.3b, 2.2a, 2.2c, 2.3a, 2.3b, 2.3c; NY (d), (h), (i) ]

1) Curriculum mini project: unit outline using “Backward Design”

2) Culminating Curriculum & Instruction Project report

3) Best Practices Mini Project research and presentation

4) Class discussion of school best practices based on interview with building administrator

1) “Backward Design” Unit outline rubric

2) Culminating project protocol

3) Best Practices rubric

4) Use of best practices checklist

8. Demonstrate understanding of how to identify and bring together diverse elements of the school community to enhance teaching and learning. [ELCC 4.1a, 4.1d; NY (a), (d), (g), (i)]

1) Demographic report & presentation that addresses teaching and learning implications

2) Curriculum unit outline using “Backward Design”

3) Class discussions of poverty case studies (Payne)

1) Demographic data sources protocol and rubric

2) “Backward Design”Unit outline rubric

3) Self-assessment using “resource” checklist (Payne)

9. Identify how school leaders should support diverse student learning needs through differentiated instruction [ELCC 4.2c; NY (a),(d), (h), (i)]

1)Discussion and role play (supervisor-supervisee) based on differentiated instruction case scenarios

2) Class discussions and reactions to cases (Ruby Payne); individual reflections of implications in own classrooms

1) Peer assessment based on developmental approach to supervision

2) Individual responses to guiding questions for schools (Payne)

10. Demonstrate effective use of research and assessment to inform curriculum development and instruction. [ELCC 2.3c, 4.2 b, 6.1a; NY (d), (f), (h), (i)]

1)Research data sources for Demographic Report & make presentation that addresses teaching and learning implications

2) Team online research: time, global workforce needs, role of technology, and resources

3) Best Practices research and presentation

4) Culminating Curriculum & Instruction Project report

1) Demographic data sources protocol and rubric

2) Team presentations that respond to session guiding questions and highlight implications for teaching and learning

3) Best Practices rubric

4) Culminating project protocol and rubric

Course Requirements

(Refer to Attachment section for specific detail of assignments and expectations)

· Attendance and Participation in Class: 15%

· Individual Project (Demographic): 15%

· Paper Response (Curriculum Development Process): 15%

· Individual or Team Project: 10%

Curriculum unit “backward design” outline

· Curriculum & Instruction Best Practices Project: 30%

Part 1: Best Practices Research Presentation (10%)

Part 2: Final Project Paper (20%)

[CF standards 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2a, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3d, 4a, 5c, 5d, 5e]

· Supervisory Platform Statement: 5%

[CF standards 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 2a, 2d, 2e, 3a, 3b, 3d, 4a, 5c, 5d, 5e]

· Online Discussion: 10%

· Field-based Experiences: All assignments should be linked to the context of your school. It is expected that the various assignments will require approximately 15 hours, including observations, interviews, and data collection. At the end of the semester you will need to complete a summary field log form to document the field-based experiences.

Evaluation/Grading

Grading in this course will be guided by mastery learning, ongoing self assessment, and peer assessment. Rubrics and protocols will establish the expectations for each assignment. Students will be given an opportunity to revise assignments that are below expectations. Anything below a B is not acceptable for graduate work. The grading scale is as follows:

Text Box: A 94-100 A- 90-93
B+ 87-89 B 84-86
B- 80-83 C+ 77-79
C 74-76 C- 70-73

Late Assignments: Due dates for various assignments are indicated in the course outline. Assignments which are turned in late will lose credit at the rate of one point value for each day past the due date.

Academic Honesty (excerpt from School of Education catalog):

All forms of academic dishonesty, unfair advantage, and plagiarism will have consequences, from failure of the assignment or failure of the course, up to and including expulsion from the School of Education. In all cases where academic dishonesty is suspected, both faculty members and students have the obligation to bring the matter to the attention of the Associate Dean for Graduate Advising.

ADA STATEMENT : Students needing accommodations for a documented disability should notify the instructor at the beginning of the semester.