E 7335

Advanced Supervision of Curriculum and Instruction

Fall II 2007
INSTRUCTOR:
Adrian L. Jackson, Ed.D.

PHONE:
708-720-1579

EMAIL:
jacksonadriansbcglobal.net

FAX:

ALT PHONE:
773-535-5054

REQUIRED TEXTS:

Title Contemporary Issues in Curriculum

Author(s) Ornstein, A.C., Pajak, E.B. & Ornstein, S.B.
Copyright 2006
Publisher Allyn & Bacon
ISBN 0205489257
Edition 4th

This Course Requires the Purchase of a Course Packet: YES NO

1
 Chicago

E7335
Advanced Supervision of Curriculum
and Instruction
Fall II, 2007
3 Semester Hours

Instructor
Adrian L. Jackson Ed.D
School of Education
Adjunct Professor
jacksonadrian52@aol.com
Home Phone (708) 720-1579
Office Phone (708) 738-0033

Please make sure to save this syllabus for comprehensive examination review.

2
 Chicago

School of Education
Mission Statement

The mission of Argosy University’s College of Education

and Human Development is to prepare leading educational
practitioners and lifelong learners who actively engage in
the scholarships of teaching, integration, and application
within diverse education environments. Central features of
Argosy University education programs include: high
quality, learner-centered opportunities for students in a
wide range of practitioner fields; experienced and highly
competent faculty; focus on individual students’ needs and
goals; standards-based programs of study; and convenient
delivery formats. Graduates of Argosy University’s
College of Education and Human Development possess the
advanced knowledge base, skills, and dispositions that
characterize confident and principled leaders and
teachers; ethical practitioners; effective communicators;
productive collaborators; and well informed consumers,
synthesizers, and evaluators of educational research. As
such, their practice reflects awareness of social issues,

3
commitment to social justice, and sensitivity and
responsiveness to all facets of a pluralistic society.
Diversity

Argosy provides access through its services and programs to students of any social,
geographic and cultural background and strives to prepare them to work with and provide
services to diverse populations; Argosy demonstrates its commitment to diversity through
the development and support of a diverse educational community.

Course Description / Design / Expectations

Education is an ever-evolving cycle of information. It is based on theory, past practice,

community values and ideals, and many other elements. Major issues facing education
today is its very own organizational structure, curricular programs, and instructional
practices, all of which coming under intense scrutiny by local, state, and federal agencies.
Teachers and administrators in school systems are continually faced with the challenge of
meeting the educational needs of students in light of satisfying the requirements set forth
by others. As leaders in school systems it is our job to ensure quality education in the
form of curriculum and instruction – where curriculum is aligned to state standards, and
instruction is delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible. This course will allow
us to explore curriculum and instruction from a historical perspective and look at the
ways and means society views curriculum and curricular standards present day. Further,
it questions the effectiveness of instructional practices in place.

This course is online. It is expected that all online obligations set forth and articulated by
week below will be met. Failure to fulfill any/all online obligations set forth will
compromise your final grade.

Required Texts

Contemporary Issues in Curriculum (4th Edition ) ( Paperback ) by Allan C. Ornstein,

Edward B. Pajak, Stacey B. Ornstein

Course Goals

4
 1. To provide a forum wherein students are encouraged to dialogue and exchange
knowledge and ideas regarding the importance and relevance of curricular
programs and instructional practices.

2. To explore society’s role in the formation of curriculum standards, past and

present, and its impact on instructional practices.

3. To explore curricular programs and instructional practices associated with varying

school systems.

4. To analyze curricular perspectives in a leadership venue and present possible

solutions and strategies in order to implement positive change in an educational
setting.

5. To be able to utilize research, as well as explore various means of research in

educational decision making with respect to curricular programs and instructional
strategies.

Performance Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course students will:

1. Be able to recognize the need for continued educational review and change
regarding curriculum and instructional practices in elementary, secondary, and
higher education settings. Demonstrate knowledge of adequate and
acceptable strategies and methods within school systems regarding curricular
and instructional change. Analyze and discuss the impact of such changes on
school staffs, school climate, and school culture.
2. Identify and discuss problems and pitfalls of curricular programs in school
systems with respect to community and community relations. Analyze
society’s impact on curricular / program development in school systems.
3. Identify, analyze, and discuss specific contemporary curricular reforms that
are a direct response to problems / issues / voices of the special interest groups
relating to the field of education.
4. Analyze the impact of media and its potential to propagandize in an attempt to
influence decision making in schools, specifically relating to curricular
programs and instructional practices.
5. Demonstrate the ability to formulate a rationale approach to addressing a
problem or issue germane to a level of leadership related to curriculum and
instruction. Analyze and discuss such problem or issue as related to
leadership.

5
Attendance

Regular attendance in the discussion board is mandatory for this course (refer to each
week for discussion board expectations).

Course Evaluation Criteria

Final grades for this course will be determined using the following protocol:

Class Assignments/Projects/Term Papers/Classroom Participation 100%

Accommodations for Students With Disabilities

It is the policy of Argosy University to make reasonable accommodations for qualified

students with disabilities, in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
If a student with disabilities needs accommodations to complete the instructor’s course
requirements, the student must notify the Director of Student Services. Procedure for
documenting student disability and the development of reasonable accommodations will
be provided to students upon request.

Students will be notified by the Director of Student Services when each request for
accommodation is approved or denied in writing via a designated form. It is the student’s
responsibility to present the form (at his or her discretion) to the instructor in order to
receive the requested accommodations in class. In an effort to protect student privacy,
Student Services will not discuss the accommodation needs of any student with
instructors.

Academic Dishonesty / Plagiarism

The University seeks to foster a spirit of honesty and integrity. Any work submitted by a
student must represent original work produced by that student. Any source used by a
student must be documented through normal scholarly references and citations, and the
extent to which any sources have been used must be apparent to the reader. The
University further considers resubmission of a work produced for one course in a
subsequent course or the submission of work done partially or entirely by another to be
academic dishonesty. It is the student’s responsibility to seek clarification from the
course instructor about how much help may be received in completing an assignment or
exam or project and what sources may be used. Students found guilty of academic
dishonesty or plagiarism shall be subject to disciplinary action up to and including
dismissal from the University.

6
Use of Technology

Argosy University encourages the use of technology throughout the curriculum.

Discussions, lectures, group work, and student presentations may include Power Point,
overheads, video tapes, or anything deemed necessary for the integrity of the assignment.

7
 Course Sessions and Assignments

Opening Assignment

You are to draft an introductory biography of yourself. Address the following key
elements:

1. Philosophy of education
2. Experience in your related field
3. Description of home school district as well as the school/organization you are
employed by
4. Your knowledge and experience of C & I (Curriculum and Instruction)
5. What you expect to walk away with after this course is complete

8
 Week I

October 31, 2007

Readings:
Part I, pgs. 1-60

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand philosophy of curriculum and instructional practices
2. Understand importance of achievable goal setting with workable objectives
regarding curricular development
3. Understand curricular and instructional pedagogy

Assignment: Answer one of the following questions (3-5 pages):

1. What is your philosophy of curriculum? How does this relate to instructional

practices? Use the text as your key reference.
2. Consider your home school district or the district you work for. In your opinion
what types of curricular goals should be addressed by this school, and why? Be
specific.
3. What is meant by “a quality curriculum? Use the text as well as outside resources
in your response.

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Nov. 6, 2007 and a hard copy
must be brought to class on Nov. 8, 2007.

9
 Week II

November 7, 2007

Readings:
Part II, pgs. 61-148

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the “high anxiety” of teaching in today’s society
2. Understand the critical issues educators and education are facing in today’s
society
3. Understand the importance of teacher accountability (According to NCLB, State,
and Local standards)

Assignment: Answer the following question (3-5 pages:.

Present a comprehensive look at the faculty/staff of your building/school district. This

should include an overview of years of experience, the culture and climate of the
building/district, their respective thoughts on curricular modification/change and
instructional pedagogy (as a whole). What are some issues causing anxiety among the
faculty? There is no right or wrong answer to this question, but your argument should be
well-rounded and properly documented as needed.

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Nov 13, 2007 and a hard copy
must be brought to class on Nov 15, 2007.

10
 Week III

November 14, 2007

Readings:
Part III, pg. 149-223

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the development of creativity from the educators perspective
2. Understand the development of the “moral education” movement and/or the
return to “moral education” in our school systems
3. Understand the development of character education in school systems
4. Understand the importance of self-esteem among student populations – and the
trickle-down effect

Assignment: Answer one of the following questions (3-5 pages):

1. In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a demanding curriculum?

2. What might be some advantages and disadvantages of allowing students the
responsibility for selecting problems they would like to solve within a respective
discipline (the self-directed approach)?
3. How might the “moral” approach to education, as defined by the text, differ from
the current curricular and instructional practices of today’s schools? How has
character education bolstered or hindered that?

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Nov 20, 2007 and a hard copy
must be brought to class on Nov.22, 2007.

11
 Week IV

November 21, 2007

Reading:
Part IV, pgs. 225-291

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the pro’s and con’s of standards-based instruction
2. Understand the varied thoughts of school failure vs. school success (the
accountability element)
3. Understand other approaches (philosophies as presented in the text) to “school
success”

Assignment: Answer one of the following questions (3-5 pages):

1. In your opinion, why do some students do poorly in school? Give some specific
examples in your argument.
2. In your opinion, what does it mean to say that a school is doing well? (Think
more global than just test scores)
3. How should teaching effectiveness be measured? Should teachers have greater
influence over what is taught and how student learning is measured?

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Nov. 27, 2006 and you must
bring a hard copy to class on Nov.29, 2006.

12
 Week V

November 28, 2007

Reading:
Part V, pgs. 293-367

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the importance of staff and professional development throughout the
growth and development stages of curricular modification/reform
2. Understand the teacher’s role in student learning
3. Understand leadership’s role in the growth and development of curriculum
4. Understand how supervision of curriculum and instructional practices is a critical
component to the overall school program (how is supervision most effective?)

Assignment: Answer one of the following questions (3-5 pages):

1. In your perception, describe the role professional development has played in your
home school district or school district you work for. What have been some
successful and/or unsuccessful strategies employed? Why have they worked or
haven’t worked? What recommendations could you make to enhance the
professional development within this place you are describing?
2. In your opinion, what is the role of leadership with respect to teaching and
learning?
3. In your opinion, how important is clinical supervision with respect to curriculum
development and implementation? How might supervisor-teacher relationships
be improved or enhanced regarding clinical supervision.

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Dec.4, 2007 and you must
bring a hard copy to class on Dec. 6, 2007.

13
 Week VI

December 5, 2007

Reading:
Part VI, pgs. 369-445

Learning Objectives:
1. Understand the pro’s and con’s of comprehensive school reform with respect to
curricular development
2. Understand the role of special interest groups and their influence regarding
curricular and instructional practices within school systems
3. Understand the importance of the role of parents in the development of school
curriculum and instructional practices

Assignment: Choose one of the following questions (3-5 pages):

1. Have federal, state, and local policies influenced the development of school,
family, and community partnerships? How?
2. Should issues of homosexuality be integrated into school curriculum? Why or
why not?
3. How might an educator justify tracking? In your opinion, is tracking beneficial or
detrimental to the overall student experience? To the overall teaching experience?

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Dec.11, 2007 and you must
bring a hard to class on Dec.13, 2007.

14
 Week VII

December 12, 2007

Assignment: Answer one of the following questions (5-10 pages):

1. Research a specific topic from the readings and present your findings as related to
real-life situations / experiences, work related situations / experiences,
conversations and discussions with school personnel, conversations with
community members, etc.

2. You are a new superintendent with a performance-based three year contract. The
school system you are now employed by has experienced rapidly falling
standardized test scores in a specific academic discipline. Your school board
demands a significant increase in this specific area within your tenure. Choose an
academic discipline and research some effective teaching strategies and
techniques related to it. Model school data, draw conclusions and make
recommendations as to how you (as the educational/instructional leader) are going
to accomplish this goal. What is the problem, according to your estimation? How
has the school reacted to these falling scores? Describe the culture/climate you
wish to create within your school. How would you handle special interest groups
in the decision making process? How would you model collaborative leadership
to assist your organization to maximum teaching and learning efficiency? How
might you use professional/staff development as a tool to improve test scores?
Back up your argument(s) with research data.

3. You are a new Curriculum Coordinator for your school district. You are newly
hired into a unified K-12 district of nearly 6000 students. The demographic
breakdown of the district is as such:
White 25%
Black 20%
Hispanic 50%
Asian 5%
The district’s poverty rate is 30%, with an inordinate mobility rate of 45%.
Financially this district (ABC School District) has been struggling over the last 2-
3 years, and the situation will probably get worse before getting better. Further,
the community has called upon the school district to bring about change in the
curricular program, as publicity in the local newspaper has been all but favorable
regarding standardized test scores in all of the tested areas. The superintendent of
schools, who is only one year old in the district, has asked you to head a task
force to transform the district’s curriculum into a more viable, competitive,

15
 cutting edge program based on best practices, and community standards/values.
How would you go about beginning this transformational process? Model school
data, draw conclusions and make recommendations as to how you (as the head of
curriculum in your district) are going to accomplish this goal. What is the
problem, according to your estimation? How has the district, specifically the
teachers, reacted to the falling scores? How would you handle special interest
groups in the decision making process? How would you model collaborative
leadership and decision making? How might you use professional/staff
development as a tool to improve test scores? Back up your argument(s) with
research data.

4. What is comprehensive school reform? How does the curriculum change under
comprehensive school reform? What other changes does comprehensive school
reform make in the structure and processes of schools?

5. Review the report card of your home school district or the district you are
employed by. Establish communication with somebody from that particular
school district (i.e. The Curriculum Coordinator, Principal, Superintendent,
Assistant Superintendent, etc.). Questions that should be addressed and answered
with your contact:
a) What is the district’s definition of “quality education”?
b) Who is the voice of curricular decision making in that district?
c) What is the district’s definition of “quality education”?
d) Have the instructional practices of the district been strengthened or
compromised over the years? Why and how?
e) What are the main teaching strategies for the reading program?
f) What are the main teaching strategies for the math program?
g) What are the main teaching strategies for the science program?
h) What are the main teaching strategies for the social science program?
i) Does the district have a mentoring policy? How is curriculum evaluated
as it is implemented in the classroom?

As an educational professional, and as a doctoral student, draw conclusions and make

recommendations regarding school curriculum and instructional practices and strategies
based on what you have learned from your contact at the school district, the information
from the report card, and any outside resources. Is there congruence between the
responses you received from your contact and the information on the report card?

This assignment must be e-mailed to me on or before Dec.13, 2006 and you must
bring a hard copy to class on Dec. 13, 2006.

16
 CRITERIA FOR CLASS ASSIGNMENTS
OR TERM PAPERS

Letter Percentage
Student Output
Grade Equivalent

Paper/Assignment presents excellent coverage of material.

Arguments are well-rounded.
A 90-100 Varied resources are used to defend argument.
Proper usage of APA throughout the body of paper.

Paper/Assignment presents good coverage of material.

Arguments are adequately presented.
B 80-89 Some resources are used to defend argument.
APA is used correctly in parts of the paper.

Paper/Assignment presents very little coverage of material.

Arguments are not very well presented and have many
inconsistencies.
C 70-79 Minimum number of resources are used to defend
argument.
APA is not used correctly.

Paper/Assignment is disorganized, and provides little

evidence of understanding of the material.
D 60-69 An insufficient number of references are provided, and does
not conform to APA format.

Paper/Assignment is completely disorganized, and provides

no evidence of understanding of the material.
The number of references provided is unacceptable for
F Below 60 doctoral level work.
Text does not conform to APA format.
There may be evidence of plagiarism.
The assignment was not submitted.

F 0% Paper/Assignment was never turned in.

17
 SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
WRITING EXPECTATIONS

 It is expected that doctoral

students in the School of Education
at Argosy University will
demonstrate adequate and
acceptable writing fluency for
any/all assignments/papers/projects.

 It is further expected that proper

APA format is used for any
assignments/papers/projects

18
assigned by any instructor for any
course in the School of Education.

19
 WRITING GUIDELINES
1. Periods and commas go inside quotation marks.

For Example: “Spain is beautiful,” she said, “and I’d love to visit again.”

2. Never use only a comma to separate two independent clauses.

If you have two clauses that can stand on their own, you have three choices: use a period,
use a semicolon, or use a comma with a conjunction.

For example:

WRONG I love croissants, they eat them all the time in France.
RIGHT I love croissants. They eat them all the time in France.
RIGHT I love croissants; they eat them all the time in France.
RIGHT I love croissants, and they eat them all the time in France.

3. A semicolon (;) is different from a colon (:).

A semicolon, as used above, separates two independent clauses. A colon, on the other
hand, serves to introduce a thought.

For example:

SEMICOLON Survey research is my passion; I'm less fond of case

studies.

COLON Survey research is my passion: I love the thrill of handing

out pencils and entering hundreds of lines of data.

The first sentence balances two independent and equal ideas. The second makes a
statement (introduces a thought) and then offers an explanation for the statement.

20
4. Remember that who is a subject, whom an object.

Use who whenever you’d use I, we, they, she, or he. Use whom whenever you’d use me,
us, them, her, or him.

For example:

 I met a woman who wrote a book on statistics. (She wrote

the book.)
 I met a woman at the conference whom I liked very much.
(I liked her very much.)
 I’ll give my ticket to whoever is at the gate. (She is at the
gate.)
 That is the woman to whom I gave my ticket. (I gave it to
her.)

5. The words everybody, everyone, each, neither, someone, and nobody

are singular.

They should be used with singular verbs and pronouns.

For Example:

WRONG Everybody had their syllabus.

RIGHT Everybody had her or his syllabus. (You can be as
politically correct as you like here — it’s up to you. The
important thing is that the pronoun be singular.)
WRONG Neither one of them were going to the airport.
RIGHT Neither one of them was going to the airport.

6. Commas are used around non-restrictive (non-essential) clauses, but

not around restrictive (essential) clauses.

For Example:

WRONG The movie, It Happened One Night, is a real classic.

RIGHT The movie It Happened One Night is a real classic.
(The movie title is essential to the sentence; without it, the
meaning would be changed.)

21
 WRONG Mark Twain’s greatest work Huck Finn is an American
classic.
RIGHT Mark Twain’s greatest work, Huck Finn, is an American
classic. (The title is not essential to the sentence; it merely
re-states “greatest work” in other words. The sentence would
have the same meaning without the title.)

7. The word although is used to introduce a dependent clause. Do not use

it as you would use however or nevertheless.

For Example:

WRONG We had a wonderful time in Mexico. Although, it rained

every day.
RIGHT Although it rained every day, we had a wonderful time in
Mexico.
RIGHT We had a great time in Mexico. However, we were
disappointed that it rained every day.

8. Be cautious with apostrophes.

For Example:

 Plurals do not take apostrophes.

 Hers and Theirs do not take apostrophes.

 It’s = it is Its = possessive form of it

9. When quoting an author, incorporate the quotation into your

sentence without using transition words.

For Example:

CLUMSY Education in the 17th century was almost unheard of for all
but the wealthiest classes. “To be educated meant to be
wealthy” (Smith, 1999).

22
 BETTER Education in the 17th century was almost unheard of for all
but the wealthiest classes. As Smith (1999) put it, “to be
educated meant to be wealthy.”

10. Use quotations appropriately.

Material should be quoted because the author has expressed an idea in an elegant,
interesting, or unusual way. If you can say it in your own words with the same effect, say
it in your own words.

For Example:

BAD FORM All teachers in Montana were “required to go through a two

week diversity training program,” according to Miller (1997).

BETTER Miller (1997) notes that all teachers in Montana were

required to attend a two-week program on diversity.

11. A literature review is NOT:

a. a series of article summaries

b. a series of previously conducted studies summaries
c. simply a “cut” and “paste” document

All material (whether quotations or simply ideas) you borrow from another source must
be appropriately cited.

Note: See http://library.ucsc.edu/ref/howto/literaturereview.html or

http://www.utoronto.ca/hswriting/lit-review.htm
for excellent advice.

I encourage everybody to take advantage of Argosy’s Academic

Resource Center, which offers writing (as well as statistical)
assistance for students. Contact the center at 312-279-3955.

23
CONGRATULATIONS!

You have now

completed this
course!
24