Syllabus
Computers in the Classroom 
CECS 4100.003

 

Instructor:  Dr. Gerald Knezek
Office MH 316 H
Office Hours: 10:00 - 11:30 on Wednesdays & Thursdays
Phone: 940-565-4195
Email: gknezek@gmail.com
Course Website: http://courseweb.tac.unt.edu/gknezek

Schedule	Assignments	Class Projects
ISTE Standards Covered	Resources	Surveys

Course Overview/Objectives

This survey course will introduce preservice educators to techniques for integrating technology into daily classroom activities. Topics covered in this course will be areas that impact or have the potential to impact educators working in the classroom environment. Special emphasis will be placed on constructing relevant and appropriate instructional environments.

The objectives for this course include the opportunity for students to analyze computer uses in education including simple applications programming in LOGO (MicroWorlds).  In addition students should gain knowledge in the selection of educational software, feel comfortable modeling an educational presentation system, understand the integration of technology into the classroom and the use of other electronic sources for educational classroom resources. Students will develop a unit plan of instruction and assemble a portfolio of materials on a chosen topic that integrates technology.

• How are Computers used in the Classroom?
• Technology Integration in the Classroom
• Technology Integration
• Computer Ethics and Equity
• Technology and Diverse Needs of Learners
• Educational Software: How should we evaluate it?
• Telecommunications and the Internet in the Classroom
• Searching for Educational Resources
• Copyright Laws and Educational Technology
• Technology Applications (TA) Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)
• National Standards for Teacher Competencies
• National Standards for Student Competencies
• MicroWorlds Project Builder

CECS 1100 (may be taken concurrently with consent of department). If you have not taken this course, it is your responsibility to make sure you learn the prerequisite skills to be successful in CECS 4100.

Course Policies

Attendance and punctuality are professional behaviors expected of educators. Educational technology is not "doing computer projects"--it is much more. Hence, you need to be here for class discussions and learning activities. Attendance will be taken most class sessions and will count for a significant part of your grade. You will not be allowed to make up missed attendances. You are expected to conform to all policies of the University of North Texas and work within the honor code.

Classroom Etiquette:

• Having a classroom with technology in front of us is not the yet the norm in teaching environments. Many of you went through elementary and secondary school with little or no experience in this environment and therefore expectations for proper behavior in computer-enhanced classroom evironments vary widely. Probably the most important rule of thumb to remember is that your classroom is not a computer lab. The laboratory is 309, across the hall.  As a result, in our classroom activities such as printing when someone else in the room is talking, taking leave and returning at your leisure, and focusing on individually important behaviors such as homework for another class -- are rude behaviors and will be pointed out as such.
  In order to make our classroom environment more conducive to learning for everyone the following behaviors are expected:

1. Students are expected to observe classroom etiquette and common courtesy toward the instructor and fellow classmates. Pagers, cell phones, electronic devices, game playing, checking/sending email and surfing the Internet are not allowed during class except during classroom activities that may involve these activities under instructor guidance. Your instructor and your fellow classmates will frequently be distracted by these activities. More importantly, it is our experience that students who are checking their email, making flight arrangements on the Internet, playing solitaire, finishing their assignment that was due at the beginning of the class, etc. -- miss the most important information that is said during class (and ask the same question that was just answered -- only a few minutes later).
2. Please turn off your monitors when class begins until you are instructed to turn them on.
3. Please pay attention during the question/answer sessions at the beginning of class. Repeatedly asking the same question that was just answered to the whole class, for another student, will be counted as a tardy.
4. Assignments are due by the beginning of the class and should be submitted to room 316 before coming to class. All 15 minutes at least for lines that may form. Binding all parts together is your responsibility; one point will be deducted for assignments submitted in loose parts.
5. If your assignment is not ready to be turned in when due, please complete it after class and turn it in as a late assignment after class. I should not hear the printer running in our classroom after class begins, except when we are working on in-class activities. It is impolite and distracting behavior to get up during the middle of class to walk to the printer, especially when someone (the instructor or another classmate) is speaking.
 

Requirements/Grading

You are responsible for the chapter assignments even if they are not covered in lecture.

• Workload for CECS 4100: Like all college courses, expect to spend 2-3 hours outside of class for each hour spent in class. In other words, you should expect to spend 6-9 hours each week outside of class completing readings, assignments, and hands-on computer time in addition to the 3 hours you are in class.
• There will be 3 exams plus 6 assignment. Several in-class and/or take home practice exercises/activities will also be included. I will keep your highest 2 exam grades (20 pts total). No makeups or late exams will be allowed, so schedule your attendance accordingly.

• Hold on to your in-class practice exercises/activities as proof of the quality of your class participation in the event your letter grade is borderline at the end of the course. Plan to bring a packet of these with you to the day of your final project presentation, since it is usually that day when class participants look at their scores to date and decide whether or not to take the final exam.
• Homework assignments are due on the dates posted on the schedule and should be submitted to the workers in 316 prior to the beginning of class (allow at least 15 minutes for processing in case there is a line). Be sure to submit a printed copy of the assignment description as a cover sheet, followed by a printed copy of the rubric for grading the assignment (if available) -- for each assignment.  Assignments should be stapled in the upper left hand corner or held together with a strong binding clip if they are too thick to be stapled. It is your job to provide binder clips and staples/staplers -- not the duty of the CECS Program.  Failure to provide provide proper binding will result in a 1 point deduction. Failure to provide other required items such as your name on the first page, or description of  the assignment as a cover, will result in point deductions at the rate of .5 point per omission.

Class requirements will be weighted as follows:

Exams (best two of three at 10 points each)		20%
PowerPoint presentation supporting topic selected (A1)		10%
Finding Resources for your final unit of instruction (A2)	Checklist	10%
Student sample - newsletter or brochure (A3)		10%
Website supporting your unit of instruction (A4)	Website Rubric	15%
MicroWorlds Programs (1-3) featuring topics such as Logo programming or multimedia instruction  (A5)	MicroWorlds Rubric	10%
Final unit of instruction and portfolio of materials supporting your unit (A6)	Checklist	15%
Class Attendance/Participation		10%

Important: Late assignments will receive a maximum grade of 80%. Late assignments are those that are turned in after the beginning of class on the day in which they are due. However, turning in a late assignment is much better than not turning in one at all. No late assignments will be accepted more than 3 weeks late and none will be accepted after the end of dead week (last week of classes prior to final exams). Assignments beyond these late submission deadlines will receive a grade of zero (0).

• GRADES

Grades will be calculated by the following scale:
 A = 90% or more
 B = 80 to 89.4%
 C = 70 to 79.4%
 D = 60 to 69.4%
 F = Below 60%

Textbook: Integrating Educational Technology into Teaching (4th Ed.), by M. D. Roblyer, Prentice Hall.

3 CD-RW blanks or a USB jump drive - bring one with you every week.  

EEO/ADA Statement

EEO/ADA:  The University of North Texas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability or disabled veteran status in its educational programs, activities, admissions, or employment policies.  Please see me outside of class to make any arrangements involving special accommodations.

Cheating:  Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses which may be punished by any of the following:
 1. failure on the exam, project or paper
 2. failure in the course, or
 3. expulsion from the University of North Texas

For more information on EEO/ADA or academic dishonesty, please refer to your current Undergraduate Catalog.

Updated: September 12, 2005  

Course materials adapted from and used by permission of Dr. Rhonda Christensen

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