Course Code & No.: EDUC 589 Course Title (Credits): ONLINE TESTING REVIEW Term & Year: Spring 2015 Course Ref. No. (CRN): 10455 Instructor: CHRIS MARTINEZ Phone(s): 702-743-6603 Email: cmartinez@sierranevada.edu Office: SIERRA NEVADA COLLEGE-HENDERSON, NV Office Hours: M,W,F- 3PM-9PM Class Meeting Time: ONLINE Location: SIERRA NEVADA- HENDERSON, NV Prerequisites: N/A The Mission Statement Sierra Nevada College graduates will be educated to be scholars of and contributors to a sustainable world. Sierra Nevada College combines the liberal arts and professional preparedness through an interdisciplinary curriculum that emphasizes entrepreneurial thinking and environmental, social, economic, and educational sustainability. The Core Themes: Liberal Arts Entrepreneurial Thinking Professional Preparedness Sustainability Course Description This course is designed for elementary and secondary education students who are preparing to take the Praxis I, Praxis II, Nevada Constitution, U.S. Constitution, or Nevada School Law exams. These tests are necessary for teacher licensure in the State of Nevada. In this course students will prepare for exams and learn testing strategies. Student Outcomes Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: 1.Identify the major components of the Praxis I & Praxis II exams 2.Gain knowledge of test-taking strategies 3.Develop an individualized study plan 4.Complete sample Praxis test questions Teacher Candidate Learning Outcomes Standard One: Subject Matter The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and can create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students. Standard Two: Student Learning The teacher understands how children and youth learn and develop and can provide learning opportunities that support their intellectual, social and personal development. 1
Standard Three: Diverse Learners The teacher understands how learners differ in their approaches to learning and creates instructional opportunities that are adapted to learners from diverse cultural backgrounds and with exceptionalities. Standard Four: Instructional Strategies The teacher understands and uses a variety of instructional strategies to encourage the students' development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills. Standard Five: Learning Environment The teacher uses an understanding of individual and group motivation and behavior to create a learning environment that encourages positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation. Standard Six: Communication The teacher uses knowledge of effective verbal, non-verbal and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom. Standard Seven: Planning Instruction The teacher plans and manages instruction based upon knowledge of subject matter, students, the community, and curriculum goals. Standard Eight: Assessment The teacher understands and uses formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of his/her learners. Standard Nine: Reflection and Professional Development The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of her/his choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities to grow professionally. Standard Ten: collaboration, Ethics, and Relationships A teacher communicates and interacts with parents/guardians, families, school colleagues, and the community to support the students' learning and well being. Grading Policy Any student receiving a grade of C+ or below in any course is required to repeat the course regardless of the student s current Academic Standing (SNC 2012 2013 Catalog, p. 192). A = 950 1000 points A- = 900 949 B+ = 850 899 B = 800 849 B- = 750 799 2
Instructional Strategies Instructional practices used in this course include lecture, Socratic dialogues, individual and small group activities, integration of technology, and ongoing constructive feedback. Required Texts and Resources None Required Microsoft Word for PCs or Macs Documents must be saved and sent in either.doc or.docx formats. Candidates must become familiar with the track changes tool in Microsoft since this will be used to provide feedback. Prim Library Resources Using the library s resources effectively (not just Internet resources) contributes to developing each of SNC s core themes by exposing students to high quality academic resources, diverse opinions, new ideas, and a future that includes building on a liberal arts education. In this course, you will be expected to utilize the library s resources (either on-site or remotely) as you complete your assignments. The Libguides pages have a research guide specifically for education students: http://libguides.sierranevada.edu/edu http://libguides.sierranevada.edu/library To access SNC's licensed database content from off campus, use the following information: Students: Use your first initial and your last name as the username and your 9 digit student ID number as the password. Faculty/Staff: Use your SNC email username as the username and your Banner/SNCSIS ID number as the password. If you have questions or problems, please contact the library at library@sierranevada.edu. Betts Markle, Library Director emarkle@sierranevada.edu 775-881-7511 Laptop Computer Requirements Graduate courses require the use of a laptop computer. Details are specified in course syllabi. It is the students' responsibility to provide their own laptop computer. Computer Skill Competency Requirements - must be proficient in technology skills including but not limited to: Basic computer skills, including the ability to create folders; find, copy, move, rename, and delete files; maximize/minimize multiple windows; and download and save files Ability to use a word processor application to create, save, print, and retrieve a document; cut, copy, and paste text within and between documents; and save a word processing document in a Microsoft Word compatible format (.doc). 3
Ability to access SNC email that you check regularly. In addition, you must be able to send, receive, open, and store messages and attachments. When online, ability to navigate between web sites, use search engines, install needed plug-ins such as Flash or QuickTime players, and disable popup blockers or white-list sites as needed for online courses. While basic skills are needed, students have opportunities to develop additional skills, including media development and the use of conferencing and collaboration tools. It is recommended that students have a relatively new or updated computer either a PC running Windows 7 or Vista, or a Mac running OSX 10.4 or higher. In addition, it is recommended that students have high-speed Internet access, a printer, speakers, and a headset microphone. Attendance Teacher Education students are expected to attend all scheduled classes. If a student has two absences during a 3-credit course, he/she may be asked to withdraw from the course and repeat it at a later date at the discretion of the instructor. All instructor decisions regarding attendance will be supported by the administration (SNC 2012 2013Catalog). Use of Electronic Devices While electronic devices are commonplace, students are asked to use common courtesy and common sense in the use of electronic devices during class sessions. Using laptop computers during class to enhance learning is encouraged. Please avoid using them for non-class related purposes. The ringing of cells phones is distracting to the instructor and other students, so please turn the phones off during class. Texting during class may interfere with your ability to focus on the content of the class, so please refrain from doing so in class. In case of an emergency that requires you to maintain contact with someone outside of class, please inform the instructor at the beginning of class, and leave the class quietly to use the device when necessary. Late Assignments Students are required to inform the instructor via email at least 24 hours in advance of the due date if their assignment will be late in order for it to be considered for partial credit. Assignments turned in after the due date will lose 5% of total possible points for each day the assignments are overdue. Academic Accommodations Sierra Nevada College is committed to protecting disability rights and accommodating students as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students with physical, learning, or psychological disabilities who wish to request accommodations are required to present appropriate documentation of their disabilities to the Director of Academic Support Services, who will make the necessary accommodations available as appropriate to the documented disability on file. It is suggested that students seeking accommodations contact the Director before the semester begins to make their request. Specific information about a student s disability is kept confidential. Every effort will be made by the 4
faculty and staff of Sierra Nevada College to provide reasonable accommodations. It is the student s responsibility to request accommodations. The SNC Email System The SNC email system is the official communication vehicle among students, faculty members and administrative staff, and is designed to protect the confidentiality of student information as required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 Act (FERPA). Students should check their college email accounts daily during the school year. Students have a right to forward their SNC e-mail to another e-mail account (for example, @hotmail or @gmail); however, confidentiality of student information protected by FERPA cannot be guaranteed for SNC e-mail forwarded to an outside vendor. Having email redirected does not absolve a student from the responsibilities associated with official communication sent to his or her SNC email account. Sanctions for Cheating and/or Plagiarism The Honor Code The faculty of SNC believes students must be held to high standards of integrity in all aspects of college life in order to promote the educational mission of the College and to encourage respect for the rights of others. Each student brings to the SNC community unique skills, talents, values and experiences which, when expressed within the community, contribute to the quality of the educational environment and the growth and development of the individual. Students share with members of the faculty, administration and staff the responsibility for creating and maintaining an environment conducive to learning and personal development, where actions are guided by mutual respect, integrity, responsibility, and trust. The faculty and students alike must make diligent efforts to ensure high standards are upheld by their colleagues and peers, as well as themselves. Therefore, faculty and students accept responsibility for maintaining these standards at Sierra Nevada College and are obligated to comply with its regulations and procedures, which they are expected to read and understand. Consequences of Violating the Student Honor Code SNC students and faculty share the responsibility for maintaining an environment of academic honesty. Thus, all are responsible for knowing and abiding by the SNC Faculty/Student Honor Code published in the current SNC Catalog. Faculty is responsible for presenting the Honor Code and the consequences of violating it to students at the start of their classes AND for reporting all incidences of academic dishonesty to the Provost. Students are responsible for knowing what constitutes CHEATING, PLAGIARISM and FABRICATION and for refraining from these and other forms of academic dishonesty. Violations of the Honor Code become part of a student s academic record. First Offense: (on student s academic record) Student receives a zero for assignment/exam and/or a determination by the faculty if the student should fail the course is made. Counseling with faculty on the honor code, consequences for violating the honor code, and the value of academic honesty in learning are provided. Second Offense: (on student s academic record) Student is expelled 5
Cheating and/or Plagiarism Academic honesty requires students to assume individual responsibility for assignments and tests. Students who copy the work of other students have violated this policy. Those who allow others to copy their work have also violated this policy. One goal of a Sierra Nevada College education is to help students develop their writing skills, including the ability to integrate and cite information gleaned from various sources to support the articulation of their own ideas. According to Funk & Wagnall Standard Desk Dictionary (1974), plagiarism is defined as passing off a source s information, ideas, or words as one s own by failing to acknowledge the sources. This refers to all sources of information, including the Internet. Plagiarism occurs when an individual represents someone else s words, ideas, phrases, sentences or data, whether oral, in print or in electronic form, including internet sources, as his/her own work. Examples include, but are not limited to: 1. Using the exact words (verbatim) of another source without quotations and appropriate referencing. 2. Using the ideas, thoughts, opinions, data or theories of another without a reference, even if completely paraphrased. 3. Using charts and diagrams from another source without revision, permission from the author and/or appropriate referencing. 4. Using facts and data from another source without a reference unless the information is considered common knowledge. Description of Assignments and Evaluations 1. SAMPLE TESTS- Professor will work with student and give feed back on areas of improvement on sample tests, reading comprehension, and content area 2. Weekly updates on discussion board- Teacher will respond to concerns and help 3. Weekly help sessions 6