SPC ED 511: Social Construction of Disability
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    February 17, 2009 (class #5)


    Topic: Contrasting paradigms in education: Positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory

    Class outline:
    Announcements, questions, and quandaries:
    • Language diary and reflection paper due next week. 
    • Film review essay due March 10 – don’t delay in starting to review your chosen film (if you haven’t chosen one, do so ASAP). 
    • Watch “There’s something about Mary” by March 3rd class. (download this handout to guide you during your viewing)
    Interactive presentation: Positivism, interpretivism, and critical theory.
    Small group activity:
      In your small groups, talk about where you think you fall on this grid and explain why.
    Quick write: What are some ways in which an individual's social characteristics (i.e. social class, gender, age, language background, and/or ethnicity) might interact with his/her physical, intellectual, and/or psychological characteristics to produce a greater or lesser disability?
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    Interactive presentation: introducing/defining critical theory and exploring how this interacts with notions about the social construction of disability
    minute paper 

    Overheads:

    • PowerPoint


    Handouts:
    Analysis grid for There's Something about Mary
     
    .
    Reading Questions:

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      Note: All of the readings, required and recommended, can be found on electronic reserves at Zimmerman library. Please contact the instructor for the course password.
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    Authors: Mercer (1992)
    1.) How could you put into your own words the different perspectives on the "nature of reality?"
    2.) How could you put into your own words the different perspectives on the "nature of society?"
    3.) Mercer presents 7 models of disability. Identify a situation or two for each model, where you think that perspective was operating (i.e. what model is operating when the diagnostician engages in particular practices).
    4.) Mercer does not identify any model within the "interpretive-conflict" quadrant. What types of practices do you think might come out of that perspective?
    5.) Now that you've read this article:
    • ...what seem to be some important concepts in this reading?
    • ...what are some new terms for you?
    • ...what new questions do you have?
    .
    Author: McLaren (1994)
    1.) What do you understand critical theory is?
    2.) What is the difference between productive and directive knowledges and what is their relationship with micro and macro objectives?
    3.) According to McLaren, what does it mean if something is socially constructed? How would his definition of knowledge as a social construction apply to the notion of disability as a social construction?
    4.) What is the difference between technical, practical, and emancipatory knowledges?
    5.) What is hegemony and how do you think it relates to what we will study in this course?
    6.) Now that you've read this chapter:
    • ...what seem to be some important concepts in this reading?
    • ...what are some new terms for you?
    • ...what new questions do you have?

    * To view PDF documents, such as the readings on reserve, you must have Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click here to download a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader
    .
    Extra Resources:

    Website Links:

    • This page from the Stanford Encyclpedia of Philosophy provides a primer on Critical Theory: http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/critical-theory/
    • Access this paper from Martin Ryder at CU Denver for a coherent and comprehensive set of links regarding Critical Theory: http://carbon.cudenver.edu/~mryder/itc_data/postmodern.html
    • This web page is the U.S. Department of Justice's ADA web page: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
    • This web page at the University of Massachusetts Amherst Equal Opportunity and Diversity web site has several links to ADA related web sites: http://www.umass.edu/eod/adasites.html


    Recommended Related Books
    Ferguson, P. M., Ferguson, D. L., & Taylor, S. J. (Eds.). (1992). Interpreting disability: A qualitative reader. New York: Teachers College Press.
    .
    Goode, D. (1994). A world without words: The social construction of children born deaf and blind. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

    Readings from the recommended readings:
    Artiles, A. J. (1998). The dilemma of difference: Enriching the disproportionality discourse with theory and context. The Journal of Special Education, 32(1), 32-36.
    .
    Danforth, S. (1995). Toward a critical theory approach to lives considered emotionally disturbed. Behavioral Disorders, 20(2), 136-143.
    .
    Patton, J. M. (1998). The disproportionate representation of African Americans in special education: Looking behind the curtain for understanding and solutions. The Journal of Special Education, 32(1), 25-31.
    Recommended Related Books
    Ferguson, P. M., Ferguson, D. L., & Taylor, S. J. (Eds.). (1992). Interpreting disability: A qualitative reader. New York: Teachers College Press.
    .
    Goode, D. (1994). A world without words: The social construction of children born deaf and blind. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.

    Readings from the recommended readings:
    Delgado-Gaitan, C., & Trueba, H. (1991). Crossing cultural borders: Education for immigrant families in America. London: The Falmer Press. -- chapter 1 on reserve
    .
    Harry, B. (1992). Cultural diversity, families, and the special education system: Communication and empowerment. New York: Teachers College Press. -- chapter 1 on reserve
    .
    Poplin, M. S. (1987). Self-imposed blindness: The scientific method in education. Remedial and Special Education, 8(6), 31-37.
    .
    Trueba, H., Jacobs, L., & Kirton, E. (1990). Cultural conflict and adaptation: The case of Hmong children in American society. New York: The Falmer Press. .Chapter 1 on reserve
     
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    Julia Scherba de Valenzuela, Ph.D.
    Last updated: February 6, 2009