An Overview and Reflection
of the SUNY Oswego Course EDU 506
Class of Spring 2008
Dr. Harrison Hao Yang – Professor
Overview:
This class transformed throughout the course of the semester from one of review to one of revelation.
Entering this course it is easy for one to assume that skills already learned will be enhanced and not much will be forthcoming in the way of new material. I admit to being pleasantly proved wrong in that assumption. Dr. Hao did indeed review material already known to me but he also introduced material and methods that I have, even now, found useful and conducive to learning. Using the method of slowly introducing the class to technology and methods appropriate to all grade levels, Dr. Hao has welcomed individual expression and allowed the students to used real life applications to their content area. Negotiating the innumerable technologies available to their modern educator can be a daunting experience. Dr. Hao has made that experience easier, more enjoyable and provided a model acceptable for any educator to emulate.
Click here to see Class Web Site
Class Assignments
Assignment #1: Word Processing
Title: Middle East Information Brochure Lesson Plan
Description: This plan was designed for the 9-12 grade level of World History or Currents Events classes.
The assignment involves working with groups of three to four students to create an information brochure for the United States government. The brochure will cover basic data about a certain Middle Eastern area, and be a “guide” for our foreign diplomacy corps
Reflection: This was an interesting task for me. The question in my mind was: How to take information that was familiar to me and create an enjoyable method for students, unfamiliar with the material, to assimilate the information. During my research I found a lesson plan created by another teacher that I felt would serve my needs well with some adaptations. I made the changes, credited the designer and came up with a nice plan.
Click here to view Lesson Plan
Assignment #2: Spreadsheet
Title: Democratic Delegate Count by State
Description: An interactive spreadsheet to keep track of the state delegates earned by the candidates in their quest for the Democratic Party nomination for President of the United States in the 2008 election. This was designed for use in the secondary (9-12) environment in either American History or Participation in Government. The spreadsheet could be updated at any time to automatically reflect any change in delegate totals.
Reflection: This assignment was a bit more challenging for me as I had difficulty deciding how to use an essentially mathematical concept in a language based curriculum. Fortunately, the race for the democratic nomination presented the perfect opportunity.
Click here to view Spreadsheet.
Assignment #3: Powerpoint
Title: Gender Exploitation in Movie Poster Advertising
Description: This plan was designed for the 12th grade level of Participation in Government or Current Events classes. The assignment involves working with students to critically view advertising as a medium for stereotyping gender roles.
Reflection: This assignment was a very enjoyable one for me to do as I have an affinity for the movies. This assignment affords the student an opportunity to examine the movie poster genre over a period of decades and challenges their notions of what advertising is attempting to sell and the manner in which they do so.
Click here to view Power Point
Assignment #4: WebQuest
Title: The Causes of World War I
Description: This assignment was designed for the 9-12 grade level Global History and Geography classes. It is to be used as reinforcement of the WWI lesson and the continuation of the writing component of the curriculum. The need for students to become comfortable with the research process outside of the research paper project is critical for the continued academic growth of the student.
Reflection: This particular assignment was the “meat and potatoes” of the class for me. I looked forward to learning how to design, and more importantly, how to post a web page. The ease with which I was able to do this project was due directly to Dr. Hao’s ability to disseminate the information to me. The use of the internet for academic research has become commonplace and it is incumbent upon the educator to train students in the judicious use of this technology.
Click here to view WebQuest
