EDUC 140 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Syllabus

Merced County Office of Education

EDUC 140 Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Syllabus 

CLASS DATES (20 hours)

Dates as scheduled

Classes are from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

*Assignments/Observations completed outside of class sessions

MCOE MISSION

Nurture / Serve / Lead

The mission of the Merced County Office of Education, as the educational leader of the Central Valley and trusted community partner, is to transform education and inspire personal, social, and academic achievement of students through collaborative partnerships, accountable leadership and innovative, high quality programs and services.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES PHILOSOPHY

Merced County Office of Education's Educational Services Department is committed to providing leadership and instructional services to Merced County districts that ensure quality teaching and learning and accelerate achievement for all students.

PROGRAM PURPOSE

To provide a quality credential program that allows interns to thrive and develop into highly experienced teachers.

COURSE SUMMARY

Students learn and practice effective planning techniques for both short and long-term goals and objectives in classrooms.  Apply important elements such as time, pace, student versus teacher talk, and independent versus group activities in lesson planning.  Students will design a Common Core lesson unit that pays careful attention to the needs of complex learners, learning styles, differentiations, and Universal Design for Learning.

Students will gain an understanding of the assessment process.  Assessments that measure learning goals and help improve students’ learning will be emphasized.  IEPs, 504s, and SSTs will be discussed, and how assessments are critical to those functions.  By the end of the course, students will have a better understanding of how assessments are part of the instructional process, how to monitor a student’s current level of understanding, multiple ways to assess students, how to make sure assessments are culturally sensitive/fair, and emphasis will be placed on gaining a working knowledge of the IEP process.

RATIONALE

In this course, students will examine political, ethical, and moral issues that rise around planning lessons and assessment.

CORE LEARNING OUTCOMES (CLO)

1. Graduates have expertise in developing relevant and rigorous curriculum. Graduates design systems for effective leadership in the classroom, campus, and educational community to ensure the success of all students.

2. Graduates have expertise in the implementation of relevant and rigorous curriculum. Graduates implement systems for effective leadership in the classroom, campus, and educational community to ensure the success of all students.

3. Graduates sustain a practice of innovation and reform.

4. Graduates understand the power of research. They critically analyze and synthesize findings to support the development and implementation of rigorous and relevant curriculum and plans. Graduates develop and implement research to contribute to the wider body of knowledge as well as to reflect on and inform personal practice.

5.     Graduates are collaborative, reflective practitioners who are committed to providing rigorous, relevant, and innovative educational experiences for all students.

 STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLO)

Upon Completion of the course, candidates will:

1.     Acquire and demonstrate strategies and best practices to develop differentiated lessons and instruction that are appropriate for students with diverse strengths and needs.

2.     Explore and evaluate a variety of pedagogical approaches to instruction that provide students with diverse disabilities equitable access to the content and experience found in the state adopted curriculum.

3.     Candidates will be introduced to concepts around how instruction can be designed to take into consideration how students with a variety of language levels and learning styles can access and show knowledge of content.

4.     Acquire an understanding of co-teaching, collaborating, consulting, and working with instructional teams to enhance curriculum and instructions for students.

ATTENDANCE AND TARDY POLICY

Students must sign in for each class session. Attendance is mandatory, and on-time attendance is expected at all scheduled class sessions. Any absence will cause you to miss a significant amount of the course. You are at risk of having to retake the course, regardless of points, if you do not meet the attendance standards. Failure to attend class or arriving late may impact your ability to achieve course objectives, which may affect your course grade and passage of the course. 

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Students and staff agree to treat one another with mutual trust and respect, promote the success of the individual and the group as a whole, and refrain from behavior that is disruptive, offensive, or reflects bias of any kind.  All members of this learning community agree to maintain personal and academic integrity including refraining from plagiarism.

STUDENT RESPONSIBILITIES AND EXPECTATIONS

• Be an active listener and participant

• Complete required readings and assignments 

• Be prepared to participate in class discussions and activities

• Self-monitor participation in group discussions, including using the Norms of Collaboration (pausing, paraphrasing, probing, putting ideas on the table, paying attention to self and others, presuming positive intentions, pursuing a balance between advocacy and inquiry)

• Cell phones should be silenced during class.

• Electronics will be used to access materials needed for course content only

• Notify instructor and Program Facilitator prior to class if you will be absent for any reason