About

Course Description:

Through a variety of old and new media, this colloquium examines the major public policy issues in American education: equity, excellence, and efficiency. It emphasizes theories and techniques of policy analysis, policy implementation, and evaluation. The course considers competing definitions of and orientations toward education policy by researching the roles of specific stakeholder groups and historically tracing the development, implementation, and movement of policy in formal and informal education settings. Particular attention is paid to policy implementation and appropriation.

Course Objectives:

  • To examine and evaluate competing definitions and viewpoints of education policy, educational policy goals, and education policy finance among various stakeholder groups
  • To trace the historical roots and development of current education policy
  • To closely study track education policy implementation within unique policy contexts, such as the school, through qualitative, quantitative, and geographical data and analysis
  • To examine the foundations of education policy in the United States through different philosophical and legal sources

Course Outcomes:

  • Using course readings, independent research, and education policy Twitter feeds, students will analyze and trace differing definitions of “education policy” and their philosophical, legal, and historical foundations through weekly discussions in class.
  • Working individually, students will analyze the education policy Twitter feed for a week, provide a synopsis of identified patterns and anomalies, and select a reading linked through a Twitter post for the class to read for the following week’s discussion.
  • Working with a small group, students will analyze a current education policy at the federal, state, or local level using a variety of qualitative, quantitative, and historical data.  This analysis will occur in several stages and/or parts:  1) students will conduct a historical analysis of the policy, 2) students will conduct a geospatial analysis of the policy and its movement; and, 3) students will conduct a comprehensive 3-P policy analysis.
  • Based on the findings from their policy analyses, students will develop a set of policy recommendations, which will be presented/pitched in class and the end of the semester.

Philosophy of the School of Education:

The faculty of the School of Education is committed to excellence in advancing educational theory and practice through the initial and continuing development of reflective, dedicated and proficient teachers, administrators and researchers. Graduates are equipped to meet the individual needs, to nurture the strengths and talents of students, community, diversity, equity, excellence of those individuals, and to initiate and provide leadership in classrooms, educational institutions, and in public policy arenas. The mission of the SOE is derived from the faculty’s shared conviction that the fundamental task of schooling in America is the advancement of the welfare of children. The faculty of the School of Education wants our teacher education program to be known for preparing effective teachers who understand and model a commitment to excellence, equity, community and diversity.

The School of Education faculty and staff are committed to celebrating diversity and building a community of learners. As we work in collaborating in and out of the classroom:

  • We believe that respecting each other’s differences and opinions leads to a positive and open environment,
  • We believe that open discourse promotes reflective and thoughtful educators;
  • We believe that equitable treatment of each other is necessary for a positive, sustained, and working community, and
  • We believe that each and every member of the community can make a valuable contribution to the community.

General Information for School of Education Courses

Information about the University

There are three University publications you will need to refer to for various academic issues:

The University Catalog, 2009-2010
The Academic Regulations, 2009 (Nineteenth Edition)
The Student Handbook, 2009-2010

Incomplete Grades [Regulations, p. 21]

Faculty members may approve student requests for an incomplete grade in rare and extreme classes, and must do so before the end of the semester. Only students who are passing a course (with a C or better) are eligible for a grade of incomplete.  Students must complete and submit an Incomplete Contract Form to the faculty member.

Academic Integrity Code [Regulations, pp. 93-96]

Students are expected to conform to the regulations of the University in regard to academic integrity, especially in regard to plagiarism, inappropriate collaboration, dishonesty in examinations, dishonesty in papers, work for one course and submitted to another, deliberate falsification of data, interference with other students’ work, and copyright violation.

Services for Students with Disabilities [Handbook, pp. 81-88]

Appropriate modifications to academic requirements may be necessary on a case-by-case basis to ensure educational opportunity for students with disabilities, and individual faculty members may need to modify specific course requirements to permit equal participation by students with disabilities.

Protection of Human Subjects [Catalog, pp. 34-35]

Any research involving interviewing, surveying, or observing human beings is subject to review and approval by the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) and information about he university’s IRB process is outlined at http://american.edu/provost/osp/IRB.cfm.  The university IRB liaison is Matthew Zembrzuski and his email is zembrzus@american.edu

Using Appropriate Documentation Formats

The School of Education, Teaching & Health permits the use of two formats for research citations, footnotes, list of references, and layout, and all written work must adhere to those guidelines:

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition, Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2009. Online guide at http://www.apastyle.org/manual/index.aspx

OR

The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (7th edition) Modern Language Association of America (2009).  Online guide at http://www.mlahandbook.org/fragment/public_index

Failure to use the format selected appropriately and accurately will result in a grade penalty.