http://www.siue.edu/~eabusha/B494.html  (Course Home page) 

Meets 6:00 to 9:50  Wednesday.
Office Hours:  Monday    &   Thursday  11-12  
                       Wednesday from 5-6  p.m.
 I am usually out at schools on most Tuesdays and Fridays during the middle of the semester

Faculty:
Dr. Elaine AbuSharbain,
Department of Biological Sciences
Email:    eabusha@siue.edu
Phone: 618-650-2453
Office: 3rd floor Science Building Room 3319

Philosophy:  The  Inquirer-Professional embraces the SIUE values of citizenship, excellence, integrity, openness and wisdom.   The Inquirer-Professional a) integrates inquiry-based teaching and practics, b) engages learners in an inviting, collaborative and rigorous academic atmosphere c) challenges learners to synthesize discipline-based knowledge and to generate new perspectives, d) stimulates critical dialogue about social justice and equity that encourages ethical action and e) promotes participation in change strategies that serve the individual, the organization and the community. The Inquirer-Professional a) values theorey and research, b) believes all children can learn through the application of appropriate instructional process, c) takes a critical perspective of the context of schools, d)respects the diversity of all learners, colleagues, parents and members of the wider community, e)values appropriate interpersonal relationships, and f) has a sense of professional responsibility and vlues life-long learning.

Class Goals: a) To become skilled in using inquiry-based teaching via the 5E lesson model,
                    b) To understand scientific literacy,
                    c) Know how to utilize and assess the Illinois Standards,
                    d) Develop an ability to make learning relevant, interesting and appropriate,
                    e) Become skilled at using a variety of learning and discipline strategies,
                    f) Understand current trends, models, and programs in science education,
                    g) Develop a fundable project proposal to gain community involvement and parent partners,
                    h) Develop an appropriate evaluation technique for your lessons and units,
                    i)  Learn to evaluate teaching effectiveness of self and peers, and
                    j) Communicate with the public and students regarding the science involved in evolution.

Textbooks:
1.  Becoming a Secondary School Science Teacher by Jazlin Ebenezer and Sharon Haggerty
2.  Cases in Middle and Secondary Science Education: The Promise and Dilemmas by Thomas R. Kobolla, Jr. and Deborah Tippins, 2000. Prentice Hall.

Graduate Students Expectation.
    Graduate students will be expected to do an additional assignment.  This assignment is to develop a plan for scientific research for 10th grade students. This plan will be presented to the rest of the class.

Weekly Agenda

Attendance:  Attendance is mandatory in this course. If you miss more than one class or are consistently late, you should drop the course. Each class constitutes a week's worth of classes and is equivalent to missing three meetings of a regular lecture course. The four-hour meeting time is needed because of the combined lecture/lab format for the course; it is especially important that everyone be present and punctual for each class.  Each class period I keep a log of who is in attendance and how many minutes each student is late.  This number is used to take away from your participation points (10% of your grade!!).  To complete the course you MUST complete all of the above assignments satisfactorily and turn them in on time. Not doing the required evolution powerpoint project will result in an additional 15 % subtracted from your grade (30% total); You will not pass the class! 

Final Exam:  Each student will prepare and submit a 15 question, multiple-choice/short anwers "safety" test from the Safety Procedures Handout and/or the online links and submit them by email with the term "final exam questions" in the topics bar of your email message. Include the answers to each question along with the correct answer.  For the final exam, I will prepare a 20-question exam from your previously submitted safety questions. Also, questions will be derived from textbook reading, the definition of constructivism, Bloom's Taxonomy and the 5E model.

Plagerism is a serious matter and University policy will be strictly adhered to. Please review university policy http://www.siue.edu/POLICIES/1i6.html Using text from someone else is theft.  You must put quotation marks if you are citing the exact text.  If you write about someone else's ideas you must cite the source and give credit to that person even if it is on the internet.  As a future teacher, you must be acutely aware of plagerism and how to deal with it. 

Academic Integrity and Student Civility  Academic integrity includes, but is not limited to, refraining from copying on papers, exams, or other work; unattributed use of others' work (including test and paper "banks"); improper use of the Internet or other sources.  The Biology Department will not tolerate disruption of a class, discourtesy to or harassment of anyone in the classroom.  Students who violate academic integrity or student civility expectations will be subject to University rules of Student Code of Conduct, which include removal from the classroom.  Please avoid disruptive behavior that makes it difficult to accomplish our mutual objectives.  Turn off cell phones, pagers, or other noisy devices before entering the classroom.

Students with a Disability:
Please notify me the first week of class concerning any academic accommodations you will need if you have a documented disability and an ID CARD from Disability Support Services.   If you need accommodations not indicated on the Disability Support Services ID CARD, such as special equipment for clinical experiments or for outside classroom settings, please contact me or the Disability Support Services office as soon as possible so arrangements can be made for the additional equipment or accommodations.

Last Updated August 23, 2006 by Elaine AbuSharbain, webmaster

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