Course Description and Syllabus

C&I235

Course Description

Electronic technologies (computers and telecommunication networked systems) have fundamentally changed the way we work and live our lives. C&I 235 is designed to offer instruction in computer skills as well as address how electronic technologies are changing the experience and meaning of teaching and learning. Students are invited to examine specific computer-based applications, the Internet/WWW, the integration of electronic technologies into instructional practice and various issues related to the use of electronic technologies within educational contexts. The content of this course is guided by the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards.

C&I 235, a one unit S/U course, is taken either in the Fall or Spring semester of the initial year of your teacher preparation program. The general program is designed to support the basic instruction in computer skills that you shall receive in C&I 235. Content area instructors (i.e. 301, 302, 303 and 304) will therefore expect you to utilize these skills in their courses and will also present ways for you to approach the integration of electronic technologies into specific content areas (i.e. science, social studies, mathematics and English).

Grades for this course are based upon the satisfactory completion of projects that allow you to demonstrate your competency in the use of specific computer-based applications and knowledge about issues related to the use of electronic technologies within classroom settings.

This course is guided by a contextual model of technology adoption which means that the introduction of electronic technologies into a teacher’s practice involves the complex dynamics of several factors including a teacher’s approach to their craft, the curriculum, their students, a school's culture and politics and the characteristics of a particular technology or medium. Therefore, simply having access to or possession of technology is not considered to be a sufficient end in itself. Thus, students are invited to be reflective practitioners by considering how the adoption of electronic technologies into their practice may or may not serve the art of teaching.

In addition, a typical class of C&I 235 students reflects a wide range in levels of technical skills, from novice to expert. Also, learning about computers and acquiring technical skills require hands-on experience. Therefore, the course is structured and designed to support and demonstrate the benefits of collaborative and mentor-based instructional strategies. Students are expected to work in cooperative groups, provide assistance to their peers and generally support the spirit of a knowledge-building community.

Description of Assignments

The primary project for students enrolled in C&I 235 is to create an electronic portfolio (ePort). This project encompasses the skill of creating a web page in addition to serving as a means for supporting authentic assessment. Students will create their ePort in the first year of their teacher training program and will be asked to continue the process of updating and improving their ePort throughout the program. The creation of an ePort provides a demonstration of a student teacher's journey of becoming a professional educator. In addition, students will learn other computer-based tech skills as well as how to assess instructional software and Internet based resources.