• Course Overview:
• course description
• rationale
• objectives
• Readings:
• required textbook
• recommended textbooks
• Course Design:
• class structure
• specific course requirements
• evaluation procedures & grading system
• policies
• Class Schedule
• Mission Statements:
• Instructor vision and mission
• College of Education mission
• COE conceptual framework
• Grading Assignments:
• UNM e-mail
• classroom-based assessment
• materials hunt
• intervention strategy description
• lesson plan
• web-based portfolio
• Grading Criteria:
• UNM e-mail
• classroom-based assessment
• materials hunt
• intervention strategy description
• lesson plan
• web-based portfolio

Course Overview
Course Description:
This course is designed “ to provide the undergraduate special education student with specific strategies and a knowledge of materials which are important in meeting the needs of students with mild disabilities in a variety of classroom settings” (UNM Catalog, 2001-2003, p. 332).

Rationale:
The mission of the College of Education is to advance the quality of the educational experience for all learners and to educate professionals who can facilitate human growth in schools, homes, communities, and workplaces. In carrying out this mission, the College explicitly values diversity in people and perspectives. This course supports the College of Education framework by addressing student abilities within the context of a diverse society, recognizing the need to support all individuals in life-long learning, and validating all individuals, including those with disabilities, as valuable members of their communities, including their communities of learners.

Course Objectives:
The objectives of this course are to facilitate student understanding of:

• different models of learning and instruction;
• specific instructional strategies, with a particular emphasis on generalization of skills and knowledge;
• the relationship between assessment and instruction;
• fundamentals of lesson planning;
• resources for materials development; and
• the use of technology in the instruction of students with special needs.

• cooperative learning
• activity-based instruction
• scaffolding
• use of multiple intelligences
• Bloom’s taxonomy
• quick writes
• K-W-L
• jigsaw
• each-one-teach-one
• graphic organizers
• visual aids
• guided notes
• slot notes
• universal design
• integration of technology
• explicit behavioral expectations
• consistent opportunities for student feedback
• student-directed learning
• self-assessment and student participation in assessment development
• explicit grading criteria
• performance-based assessment

Students who require special accommodations or instructional modifications need to notify the instructor by the beginning of the semester, or as soon as difficulties become apparent, with appropriate documentation from the Student Support Services Center (277-3506), Mesa Vista Hall, Room 2021.

Specific Course Requirements:
 

Assignments:	.
1.) UNM e-mail address	4 pts
2.) classroom-based assessment instrument	15 pts
3.) materials hunt	15 pts
4.) intervention strategy description	15 pts
5.) lesson plan	25 pts
6.) web-based portfolio	25 pts

Descriptions of and criteria for grading each assignment will be handed out in class. Extra copies can be obtained at the instructor's web site -- http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/. All written assignments must be typed, in a 12 pt serif font (such as Times New Roman), with a 1” margin all around. They generally should be double-spaced.

The total points possible for all of the above assignments add up to 99 points. The final point will be added to the student's grade at the instructor's discretion for any assignment that goes significantly above and beyond the work of other students. This allows the instructor to assign a grade of 'A+' only in the case of the student fulfilling the stated requirements for all assignments, attending all class sessions (or making up those missed) AND performing clearly superior work on at least one assignment.

Evaluation Procedures and Grading System:
Final grades will be determined by a point system (X out of 100 total possible points). Fractionated grading will be used, with the following breakdown:
 

A+ = 100	B+ = 88-89	C+ = 78-79	D+ = 68-69	F = below 60
A = 94-99	B = 84-87	C = 74-77	D = 64-67
A- = 90-93	B- = 80-83	C- = 70-73	D- = 60-63

Incompletes and withdraws from the course will be allowed only in accordance with UNM policies. Please see the UNM catalog for a description of these policies.

Policies:
1.) Academic Dishonesty: It is the responsibility of students to avoid practices that may be considered acts of academic dishonesty. UNM’s policy, as found in the UNM Pathfinder  (2001-02), p. 58, is as follows:
 

Any student judged to have engaged in academic dishonesty in course work may
receive a reduced or failing grade for the work in question and/or the course.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, dishonesty in quizzes, tests, or assignments; claiming credit for work not done or done by others . . .

What does this mean for this course?
a.) In terms of written work, this means that you have the responsibility to make it very clear in all written work what portion of the work you wrote and what was written by other people, such as book or article authors, web site authors, or your colleagues. This includes both direct quotes and paraphrases.
b.)  Additionally, you must make it clear what you read to complete the assignment (a ‘primary source’), versus what the authors of the sources read in preparation for their work (a ‘secondary source’).
So, if you didn’t actually write it or you didn’t actually read it, you must make that explicit. Failure to do so falls under the category of academic dishonesty and will result in the following:
 

• The first time a problem of this sort appears in an assignment, I will assume that it is unintentional and will ask you to re-write the assignment. Points may be deducted from your assignment at my discretion. You will be required to meet with me to learn how to avoid this problem in future assignments.

• The second time this problem is noted in an assignment, you will be assigned 0 points for that assignment.

• If the problem appears for the third time, you will be assigned a failing grade in the course.

To assist you in understanding what plagiarism is and isn’t, you will be provided with a handout during the first day of class on what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. Further information on avoiding plagiarism and other forms of academic dishonesty can be found in the APA Manual and at the Dartmouth College Website: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~sources/contents.html. Rutgers University also has many resources on this topic, including an interactive presentation on plagiarism: http://sal.rutgers.edu/plagiarism.html. If you have any concerns or questions about how to appropriately indicate what is your own work and what is derived from the work of others, please see me during office hours, or if that time is not convenient, call or email to set an appointment time.

2.) Late Papers: Late assignments will receive a one (1) point deduction for every day late, with a limit of seven days allowed. If assignments are not turned in within 1 week of the assigned date, they will not be accepted, except in the case of significant illness (doctor's note required) or family emergency. If you will be not be able to be in class, please arrange for a friend to turn in your assignment during class, have the assignment faxed to the special education office by the time/date due, or have it handed in in person to either Terri or Jo in the Special Education office (Hokona Hall 273) prior to 5 p.m. on the date due. If your assignment will be turned in at the Special Education office, please make sure that the time and date it is received are documented by the staff. Do NOT put late assignments under my office door, unless you want them accepted as turned in on the day I find them, which may or may not be the same day as you turned them in. Since I am not at the university every day, this could cost you points.

3.) Re-Writes: In order to be fair to all students, re-writes will not be allowed, except under extraordinary circumstances, beyond the student's control. However, students are STRONGLY encouraged to talk with, e-mail questions to, and/or submit drafts to the instructor at least 1-2 weeks ahead of time, so that revisions can be made, if necessary, by the assigned due date.

4.) Class Attendance: Class attendance is mandatory - Students who miss three class sessions will be dropped from the course, regardless of the reason.  Missed class sessions (up to three) can be made up with the following, turned in no later than three weeks after the missed class:

• a photocopy of a colleague's notes from the missed class (if available),
• a typed response to the reading questions (available on the course website), and
• a typed summary of all assigned readings for the class missed.
• a typed response to the assigned quick write (if assigned that day).

Five points will be deducted for every absence that is not made up. No excuse or documentation is necessary for missed classes.

Late arrivals to class interrupt the learning of all students. Therefore, a point will be deducted for arriving more than 20 minutes late to class. Arriving more than an hour late will be considered a class absence and will need to be made up, as indicated above.

5.) Class Participation: Class participation that is conducive to the learning of all course participants is expected. Behaviors that are considered to be conducive to learning (of the student him/herself and others) include:
 

• arriving to class on time and well-prepared,
• paying attention to instructor and/or other students when they are speaking,
• turning off the ringer of your cellular phone and not taking calls within the classroom (please step out in the hall to speak if you must answer an emergency call),
• use of appropriate and non-offensive language during class and in written class assignments,
• demonstrating cooperation with and respect for the instructor and peers during class discussions,
• actively participating, on-topic, during small group activities, and
• showing consideration for other students' need for alternative teaching strategies.

I expect students to demonstrate consistently positive class participation. Frequent and/or significant failure to fulfill these expectations will result in the student being dropped from the course. The following four areas are defined below:
 

• Respect for self and others
• Positive contribution to the group
• Listening
• Openness

Respect for self, colleagues and instructor is shown by: 1) following group norms during discussions, 2) consistent use of oral and body language that is professional, and 3) frequent reference to classmate's opinions and perspectives in class discussion in a positive and supportive manner.

Positive contribution to the group is demonstrated when: 1) the quantity of contributions is neither significantly more or less than that of other students, 2) the student is not usually the first one to talk after a prolonged silence, 3) contributions are almost always on topic, and 4) comments frequently engage other participants or support the engagement of other students in a consistently positive manner.

Listening is demonstrated by: 1) providing previously provided information to colleagues when asked, 2) not redundantly repeating what was already stated, 3) consistently following directions, and 4) incorporating others' responses and comments in contributions to class discussions.

Openness is shown by: 1) consistent recognition and consideration of alternative perspectives, 2) consistent reaction to alternative ideas in a thoughtful manner, and 3) a positive response to criticism.

January 29, 2002 (#2)
Topic: the reflective teaching cycle (integrating assessment and instruction)
Read:  Wiggins & McTighe, chapters 1 and 2

February 5, 2002 (#3)
Topic: cooperative learning and Bloom’s taxonomy
Read:  Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, chapters 7 and 9

February 12, 2002 (#4)
Topic:  assessment overview and portfolios
Read:  Burke, chapters 4, 5, and 6
Due:   UNM e-mail address

February 19, 2002 (#5)
Topic:  web-based portfolios
Meet at SSC B-69

February 26, 2002 (#6)
GUEST SPEAKER: Dr. Susan Copeland
Topic:  instructional strategies
Read: Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, chapters 2, 3, and 10
Due:  lesson plan subject and topic (i.e. science/toads and frogs)

March 5, 2002 (#7)
Topic:  web-based portfolios
Due:  classroom-based assessment instrument
**mid-semester class evaluation (how is it going so far?)
Meet at SSC B-69

March 12, 2002 (#8)
Topic:  lesson planning
Read:   Burke, chapters 7, 8, and 10

March 19, 2002 (#9)
No Class -- UNM Spring Break

March 26, 2002 (#10)
Topic:  multiple intelligences
Read: Burke, chapter 3 AND Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, chapter 6

April 2, 2002 (#11)
Topic: web-based portfolios
Due: materials hunt
Meet at SSC B-69

April 9, 2002 (#12)
Topic:  writing objectives and aligning content with standards
Read:  Burke, chapter 1 AND Marzano, Pickering & Pollock, chapter 8

April 16, 2002 (#13)
Topic: web-based portfolios
Meet at SSC B-69

April 23, 2002 (#14)
Topic:  intervention strategies presentations
Read: none assigned for this week
Due: intervention strategy descriptions

April 30, 2002 (#15)
Topic: web-based portfolios
Due: lesson plan
Meet at SSC B-69

May 7, 2002 (#16)
Topic:  choosing strategies strategically
Read:   Wiggins & McTighe, chapters 3 and 4

May 14, 2002 -- Finals week
Topic: Portfolio Celebration
Due:  final portfolio
location to be determined
 

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Last updated: January 22, 2003