On-Campus Course Syllabus
CSL 545 L00.A
Educational Psychology
Fall, 2017
Class Information
Day and Time: Independent Study
Room Number: N/A
Contact Information
Instructor Name: Steve Hunter Ed.D., D.Min., LPC-S
Instructor Email:
Instructor Phone: 214-232-3251
Instructor Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 12 to 4pm
Course Description and Prerequisites
An analysis of major educational and psychological theories made in the context of Christian education. Major emphases include personality and cognitive development, theories of learning, instructional objectives, motivation, and the educational psychology of Jesus.
Course Objectives
1. Consider how students learn at various levels of development.
2. Determine effective strategies and techniques in the field of education.
3. Identify what constitutes evidence that students are learning and succeeding.
4. Explore main concepts relevant to educational psychology.
5. View the discipline of Educational Psychology from a Christian Worldview.
Required Textbooks
Woolfolk, A. (2016). Educational psychology: Active learning edition (12th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson. ISBN: 0139091074
Yount, W. (2010). Created to learn: A Christian teacher’s introduction to educational psychology (2nd ed.). Nashville, TN: B & H Academic. ISBN: 78080544279
Course Requirements and Assignments
a. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the student’s grade will depend on the completion of a comprehensive final exam. The final exam is scheduled for the last week of the Fall Semester December 11-15, 2017 during finals week.
b. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the student’s semester grade will depend upon creating eight Summary Lectures identifying the most important concepts and insights from the two assigned textbooks. The first assigned textbook is titled: Educational psychology: Active learning edition. Three Summary Lectures will be required from this textbook on the following chapters: 1) Chapter 4, “Learner Differences and Learning Needs,” (pp. 128-183); 2) Chapter 5, “Language Development, Language Diversity, and Immigrant Education,” (pp. 184-225); and 3) Chapter 8, “Cognitive Views of Learning,” (pp. 350-391). The second textbook for the course is titled, Created to learn: A Christian teacher’s introduction to educational psychology. Five Summary Lectures will be required from this textbook from the following chapters: 1) Chapter 1, “The Discipler’s Model,” (pp. 5-31); 2) Chapter 2, “Knowing Science and the Christian Teacher,” (pp. 32-52); 3) “How We Develop as Persons: Erik Erikson,” (pp. 55-85); 4) Chapter 4, “How We Develop as Thinkers: Jean Piaget and Les Vygotsky,” (pp. 86-131); and 5) Chapter 5, “How We Develop as Moral Decision Makers: Lawrence Kohlberg. The student will explain and/or paraphrase each of the key concepts, theories, and associated techniques from each of the eight chapters and reference the information according to APA Style and Format.
c. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the student’s semester grade will depend on the completion of an individual research project. The student will write a Research Paper examining a topic related to Educational Psychology approved by the Professor. The purpose of this assignment is to apply the information from the two textbooks and the eight Summary Lectures. For example, topics for this research might be: How We Develop as Persons from a Cognitive Perspective, or How We Develop as Thinkers from a Cognitive Perspective, or Language Development in Relation to How We Develop as Persons, etc. The paper should have a minimum of ten different sources (recent books and reputable journal articles within the last 10 years). Two of the sources are to be the textbooks and the associated eight Summary Lectures—and, a minimum of eight additional resources. The paper will be approximately 10 to 12 pages according to APA Style and Format.
When writing and organizing the paper, the student is to create and maintain a basic structure according to APA style. The following is a link to the OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab website that provides comprehensive information on how to write a paper in APA style. The website also includes an excellent example of a model paper under the link titled “APA Sample Paper”:
https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/
In addition to the OWL Purdue Online Writing Lab website, the following rubric provides a general format and associated questions to keep in mind while completing your writing assignments:
· Introduction: _____ (20 pts.) Does the paper have a clear introduction? For example, does the paper address current statistics, current events, and/or current research regarding the topic in order to appropriately introduce and grab the reader’s attention?
· Body of the Text: _____ (20 pts.) Does the paper address the most important dimensions and key concepts regarding the topic? Does the student’s research reflect pertinent information from the Woolfolk book, Educational Psychology and the Yount book, Created to Learn? Does the student include at least eight additional books and/or reputable journal articles to support the topic? Are these resources cited according to APA style in the paper as well as in the Reference section? Are the writer’s thoughts clear and easy to follow throughout the body of the paper?
· Arguments/Insights: _____(20 pts.) Is there evidence of quality research and interaction with the information? In other words, does the student present arguments for or counterarguments against the research? Does the writer present enough evidence from the research and review of literature to prove his or her main point? Or, is the paper more of a personal insight paper with personal opinion? The purpose of the paper is to examine the research and review literature related to Educational Psychology.
· Conclusion: _____ (20 pts.) Does the paper have a conclusion that addresses the main implications and applications of the research for counselors, educators, and/or ministers? Does the conclusion summarize the key insights and principles to keep in mind? What are the most important insights to leave with the reader as a result of the research?
· Grammar and Style _____(20 pts.) Are the sentences complete as opposed to fragmented sentences? Are there few grammatical mistakes? Are there spelling mistakes? Is there a title page, a table of contents, and a bibliography? Is the paper typed in Times New Roman, Size 12 font, with 1 inch margins on the sides and 1 inch margins on the top and bottom? Are the pages numbered? Is the paper according to APA style?
d. Fifteen percent (15%) of the student’s grade will depend on conducting and writing up an “Interview with a Favorite Teacher.” The student will create a minimum of six questions to ask. For example, the student might ask, “What got you into the teaching profession?” or “What are your greatest rewards as a teacher?” or “What are your greatest challenges as a teacher?” The student will then identify and describe, at least, five reasons why this specific teacher was chosen to interview. Finally, the student will write a conclusion regarding the assignment. Was the assignment meaningful? Why or why not? How does this teacher inspire you to be a better minister, counselor, or teacher?
e. Ten percent (10%) of the student’s grade will depend ongoing contact with the professor throughout the duration of the course. This includes a minimum of four meetings with the professor in order to discuss progress regarding the requirements of the course. It will be the responsibility of the student to arrange these four required meetings and space them out evenly by the end of the course December 15, 2017.
Class Attendance
Students are responsible for enrolling in courses for which they anticipate being able to attend every class session on the day and time appearing on course schedules, and then making every effort to do so. When unavoidable situations result in absence or tardiness, students are responsible for acquiring any information missed. Professors are not obliged to allow students to make up missed work. Per their independent discretion, individual professors may determine how attendance affects students’ ability to meet course learning objectives and whether attendance affects course grades.
Grading Scale
A / 97-100 / 4.0 grade points per semester hourA- / 93-96 / 3.7 grade points per semester hour
B+ / 91-92 / 3.3 grade points per semester hour
B / 88-90 / 3.0 grade points per semester hour
B- / 86-87 / 2.7 grade points per semester hour
C+ / 83-85 / 2.3 grade points per semester hour
C / 80-82 / 2.0 grade points per semester hour
C- / 78-79 / 1.7 grade points per semester hour
D+ / 75-77 / 1.3 grade points per semester hour
D / 72-74 / 1.0 grade point per semester hour
D- / 70-71 / 0.7 grade points per semester hour
F / 0-69 / 0.0 grade points per semester hour
Incomplete Grades
Students requesting a grade of Incomplete (I) must understand that incomplete grades may be given only upon approval of the faculty member involved. An “I” may be assigned only when a student is currently passing a course and in situations involving extended illness, serious injury, death in the family, or employment or government reassignment, not student neglect.
Students are responsible for contacting their professors prior to the end of the semester, plus filing the appropriate completed and approved academic request form with the Registrar’s Office. The “I” must be removed (by completing the remaining course requirements) no later than 60 calendar days after the grade was assigned, or the “I” will become an “F.”
Academic Honesty
Absolute truth is an essential belief and basis of behavior for those who believe in a God who cannot lie and forbids falsehood. Academic honesty is the application of the principle of truth in the classroom setting. Academic honesty includes the basic premise that all work submitted by students must be their own and any ideas derived or copied from elsewhere must be carefully documented.
Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:
· cheating of any kind,
· submitting, without proper approval, work originally prepared by the student for another course,
· plagiarism, which is the submitting of work prepared by someone else as if it were his own, and
· failing to credit sources properly in written work.
Institutional Email Policy
All official college email communications to students enrolled in this course will be sent exclusively to students’ institutional email accounts. Students are expected to check their student email accounts regularly and to respond in an appropriate and timely manner to all communications from faculty and administrative departments.
Students are permitted to setup automatic forwarding of emails from their student email accounts to one or more personal email accounts. The student is responsible to setup and maintain email forwarding without assistance from college staff. If a student chooses to use this forwarding option, he/she will continue to be responsible for responding appropriately to all communications from faculty and administrative departments of the college. Criswell College bears no responsibility for the use of emails that have been forwarded from student email accounts to other email accounts.
Disabilities
In order to ensure full class participation, any student with a disabling condition requiring special accommodations (e.g., tape recorders, special adaptive equipment, special note-taking or test-taking needs) is strongly encouraged to contact the instructor at the beginning of the course, or if a student has a learning disability, please inform the professor so assistance can be provided.
Intellectual Property Rights
Unless otherwise specifically instructed in writing by the professor, students must neither materially nor digitally reproduce materials from any course offered by Criswell College for or with the significant possibility of distribution.
Resources and Support
Blackboard and CAMS: Criswell College uses Blackboard as its web-based learning tool and CAMS for student data. Students needing assistance with either of these resources should contact the Campus Software Manager at .
Student Services: The Student Services Office exists to foster and encourage success in all areas of life—physical, intellectual, spiritual, social, and emotional. Students are encouraged to reach out for assistance by contacting the office at 214.818.1332 or . Pastoral and certified counseling services are also available to Criswell students. Appointments are scheduled through the Dean of Students Jeff Campbell, at .
Wallace Library: Students can access academic resources and obtain research assistance by visiting the Wallace Library, which is located on campus. For more information, students can email the Wallace Library at or call 214.818.1348.
Writing Center: Students are encouraged to consult with writing tutors to improve and enhance their skills and confidence by practicing techniques of clear and effective writing. To consult with a tutor, students can visit the Writing Center located on the first floor near the Computer Lab, or they can schedule an appointment by emailing r calling 214.818.1373.
Course Outline/Calendar
1. Four evaluation sessions are to be scheduled throughout the course of the semester.
2. The research Paper Assignment is due two weeks before the end of the semester by December 8, 2017.
3. The “Interview with a Favorite Teacher” assignment is due around midterm, week nine of the semester—no later than Friday October 20, 2017, by the close of business day 5:00pm.
4. The Summary Lectures are due by the last day of the semester December 15, 2017.
5. The final Exam will be scheduled during Finals Week December 11-15.
6. No late work will be accepted in its entirety or in part after the assigned dates.
Selected Bibliography
Eldridge, Daryl, The Teaching Ministry of the Church. Nashville: Broadman & Holman,1995.
Estep, James R. and Jonathan H. Kim, Christian Formation: Integrating Theology & Human Development. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2010.
Habermas, Ronald T. Introduction to Christian Education and Formation: A Lifelong Plan for Christ-Centered Restoration. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2008.
O’ Donnel, Angela M., Johnmarshall Reeve, and Jeffery K. Smith. Educational Psychology: Reflection for Action 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2009.
Santrock, John W. Educational Psychology 5th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011.
Yount, William R. Called to Teach. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1999.
Yount, William.. The Teaching Ministry of the Church 2nd ed. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2008.
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