.. ..Julia Scherba de Valenzuela, Ph.D.
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SPC ED 464: Classroom Diagnostics and Program Planning

Syllabus
Fall-Spring, 2000, 3 credit hours
Education Classroom Building, rm. 212

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Instructor: Julia Scherba de Valenzuela, Ph.D. ............................
Office: Education Office Building, rm. 203
E-mail: devalenz@unm.edu Phone: 7-1406
Web site: http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/ Fax: 7-8679
Office Hours: Mondays and Tuesdays 4-6 on a drop-in basis   
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Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to expose students to a variety of assessment methods appropriate for individuals with exceptionalities. This course will explore a range of assessment techniques, based on an ecological model of assessment which recognizes the impact of the assessment context on student performance. Emphasis will be on those instruments and assessment methods which provide direction for instruction as well as diagnosis, including, but not restricted to: traditional psychometric instruments, curriculum-based assessment, clinical observation, interviews, dynamic assessment, criterion-referenced assessment, and other alternative assessment techniques.

Rationale:
The mission of the College of Education is to educate professionals who can facilitate human growth in schools, homes, communities, and workplaces and prepare students for participation in a complex and challenging society. In carrying out this mission, the College explicitly values diversity in people and perspectives, relationships of service, accountability, collaboration, and advocacy, and innovation in teaching, technology, and leadership. This course will address this mission by preparing students to participate in the assessment of special needs students by understanding is as necessarily thoughtful and individualized process, rather than simply as a technical one.

The vision of the Special Education program is to facilitate the development of supportive and culturally responsive environments for individuals with special needs and their families. By relying on an ecological model of assessment, this course will go beyond simple identification of disabilities to assessment of the learning environment.

This course supports the College of Education and Special Education Program frameworks 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 prepare and develop teachers and other leaders who:
  • understand that handicaps are a result of the interactions between individuals with disabilities and their environments;
  • can align curriculum, instruction, and assessment;
  • value and support multiple perspectives in issues facing individuals with exceptionalities and their families and communities;
  • are able to enable the voices of all children, in all their intelligences;
  • use instruction, materials, and management techniques specific to special education that are challenging, relevant, interesting, and involving, and that affirm the dignity and humanity of all children;
  • work with and have the skills to work with individuals with exceptionalities and their families; and
  • can integrate research and teaching, such that the students in this course are supported in their roles as teacher-researchers.

    • Required Readings
    The course reading packet can be obtained at the COE Publications Centers (in the Education Administration Building). This packet contains the following readings:
     

    Recommended Texts
    These resources are on sale at the UNM Bookstore, but are not required for purchase:

    American Psychology Association (1994). Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (4th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.

    Male, M., & Gotthoffer, D. (1999). Quick guide to the internet for special education. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

    Pierangelo, R., & Crane, R. (2000). The special education yellow pages. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.

    Course Design:
    This course is designed so that students will interact actively with the course material -- small group projects, discussions, and activities, rather than instructor lecture, will make up the bulk of in-class sessions. Therefore, it is imperative that students arrive at each class having read all of the assigned readings. Graded assignments are designed to be instructional as well as providing a means of arriving at a final grade for each student. Therefore, emphasis will be placed on graded out-of-class assignments, developed over a period of time, that rely on interpretation of course materials and development of critical thinking. 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 Learning Support Services Center (277-6670).


    Specific Course Requirements 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 Policies
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    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: Written directions for all assignments will be provided, along with the criteria for determining point values. Extra copies of assignments will be available at the instructor’s web site at: http://www.unm.edu/~devalenz/.

    Late Paper Policy:. 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 Montoya or Jo Sanchez 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.

    Class Participation Policy: .
    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:

    A rubric indicating the instructor's expectations for appropriate classroom participation will be distributed at the beginning of the course. Students who repeatedly violate these expectations will be dropped from the course.

    Class Schedule - Please see the integrated seminar outline for Spring, 2001

    Topics during the Fall semester which relate to assessment are as follows:

    September 5 -- what is assessment?
    September 11 -- observation
    September 18 -- interviews
    September 25 -- portfolios
    October 2 -- criterion-referenced assessment
    October 9 -- checklists
    October 16 -- rating scales
    November 27 -- poster session
    December 11 -- portfolios and ICM

    The vision of the College of Education:
    Excellence and diversity through people, ideas, and innovation.

    Our mission is the study and practice of education through teaching, research, and service. We

     In carrying out our mission we value
    The vision of the Special Education Program is to facilitate the development of supportive, effective, and culturally responsive environments for individuals with special needs and their families.

    The mission of the Special Education Program at the University of New Mexico is to improve educational opportunities and services for the following individuals and their families:

    The mission is accomplished by the study and practice of education through teaching, research, and service in a variety of multicultural environments. In carrying out our mission we remain consistent with the College of Education in valuing
    Instructor's vision and mission statement

    VISION: A classroom climate that fosters thoughtful and respectful consideration of alternative viewpoints and ideas, personal ownership of learning, and individual construction of personally meaningful knowledge.

    MISSION: To facilitate the collaborative construction of the above learning environment via attention to the following:

    whole and small group dynamics;
    increased literacy in academic discourse (comprehension and production, oral and written); and
    opportunities for active engagement with course content and materials.
    College of Education's Conceptual Framework:
    Professional Understandings, Practices, and Identities

    The College of Education at the University of New Mexico believes that professional education should seek to help individuals develop professional understandings, practices, and identities. These understandings, practices and identities frame the life-long learning of professional educators and reflect the values articulated in our Mission Statement and in state and national standards and competencies.

    Understandings frame the identity and practice of educational professional. We seek to help you better understand:

    These understandings enable you, as a professional, to value and engage in practices that embody the following qualities: Developing a professional identity is central to lifelong growth as a professional educator. The University of New Mexico College of Education will help you to develop the following attributes of a professional:
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    Last updated: September 1, 2000