BALL STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF INDUSTRY AND TECHNOLOGY
COURSE SYLLABUS

 

ITDPT 364: Captstone in Technology for the Elementary Grades

3.0 Credit hours

Third graders designing a model community.

Building a simple machine with Legos.

Office Hours: 3-5 PM T, W, and R. Other times by appointment.

 

Instructor: James J. Kirkwood, Ph.D.

Graduate Assistant:TBA

 

Lab Hours: 1-5 PM Tues, Thurs, Friday; 2-3 & 4-5 PM Mon, Wed. Also weekends and Thursday eves as needed and/or requested.

Phone: BSU: 285-5647 or 285-5641 (message)
Kirkwood home: 282-0793 8 am to 10 PM.

Unix Mail: kirkwood@cs.bsu.edu

VAX mail: 00jjkirkwood@bsuvc.bsu.edu

Web site: http://www.cs.bsu.edu/homepages/kirkwood

Text:

 

Kirkwood, J. & Foster, P. (Eds). (1997). Elementary School Technology Education. (46th Yearbook of the CTTE). Peoria: Glencoe- McGraw/Hill.

II. Prerequisites:

 

ITDPT 100, ED TEC 320, and one course from Elementary Education Technology Concentration, or permission from the department chair.

III. Catalog Description:

 

Provides students with hands-on, laboratory experiences in applying, integrating, and assessing technological concepts, systems, processes, and products.

IV. Elementary School Technology Education: A Rationale

Technology education in the elementary grades includes a large variety of hands-on experiences with technology. Elementary school children typically learn abstract concepts better if they are first exposed to relevant concrete experiences. Technology includes the practical application of the principles of math and science. It pervades social interactions and communications, and is the hallmark of the ways in which society has interacted with and attempted to control the physical environment. A study of technology focuses on the design, production, use and assessment of human artifacts and technical systems of the past, present, and future. As a capstone course, ITDPT 364 provides opportunities for elementary education undergraduate students to synthesize and make meaningful the knowledges, skills, and aptitudes they have gained in the Technology Concentration through laboratory practice and clinical experiences with children.

V. Course Objectives:

Upon satisfactorily completing this course, the student will be able to:

1. Connect the experiences gained in preceding technology courses.
2. Apply concepts and principles of technology to the elementary school curriculum.
3. Develop an understanding of the ways in which they may use technology as a means of teaching others.
4. Develop the ability to integrate technology concepts, principles, and skills into the elementary school curriculum.
5. Write a defensible rationale for a technology curriculum in the elementary grades.
6. Use historical and contemporary technology materials, processes, artifacts, and concepts to understand the human-built world.
7. Teach elementary school students about computers, robots, the internet and other electronic networks, and video in an integrated curriculum.

VI. Course Content:

A. Introduction.
Students come from a variety of experiences in the Technology Concentration. The introduction will include an assignment to write a short paper encapsulating their previous experiences and setting forth a tentative plan for integrating those experiences.

B. Overview of technology.

C. Introduction of technology in the elementary grades.
Strategies include visits to Burris Laboratory School where children are “doing technology.”

D. Technical content:
To include laboratory experiences with computer programming, visual basic, networks, Logo, robotics, video, application of science principles.

E. Synthesis:
Through the development of activities, curriculums and instructional delivery systems.

F. Practicum:
Applying technology in the elementary school using collaborative and manipulative activities integrated with academic content.

VII. Course Format and Instructional strategies:

 

Laboratory experiences
Lectures, Demonstrations, Video, etc.
Clinical experiences with children
Field trips
Research Paper

 

Late Homework or Late Assignment Policy:

As noted elsewhere, late work will be penalized by subtracting 10% of the points possible for each day late. Exceptions will be made for legitimate excuses of illness, etc.

 

Grading Policy:

Grading will be on a percentage basis:

A = 92.6-100%
A- = 90-92.5%
B+ = 87.5-89.9%
B = 82.5-87.4%
B- = 80-82.4%
C+ = 77.5-79.9%
C = 72.5-77.4%
C- = 70-72.4%
D+ = 67.5-69.9%
D = 62.5-67.4%
D- = 60-62.4%
F= <60%

 

Course Evaluation Policy:

Each class will be evaluated using the University's Cafeteria Evaluation at mid term so that the instructor can incorporate any necessary changes for the second half of the term. A student evaluation, following departmental, college and university guidelines, will be held towards the end of the semester

Audit Policy:

Students may audit this course upon registration and paying the appropriate fees to the registrar for audit purposes. Laboratory facilities are limited to 20 students, including auditors. Faculty and Graduate Assistants are encouraged to audit this course.

Special Needs Students:

If you have any special needs—handicaps, problems, or any other factors that may affect your performance in class or require special instructional strategies—if you have emergency medical information to share with me, or if you need special arrangements in case the building must be evacuated, please make an appointment with during the first week of the course. My telephone number is 285-5647, my usual office hours are 9 am-noon and 2-5:30 PM. I can be contacted at home at 282-0793.

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Page Updated: May 12, 1997