Lawrence W. Sherman
,Ph. D., Professor
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND ALLIED PROFESSIONS
CENTER FOR HUMAN DEVELOPMENT, LEARNING AND TEACHING
100-K MCGUFFEY HALL
MIAMI UNIVERSITY, OXFORD, OHIO 45056
PHONES: OFFICE = 513-529-6632; HOME = 513-523-2458
E-MAIL:SHERMALW@MUOHIO.EDU ,
FAX: 513-529-3646
URL for Dr. Sherman's personal home page is:
http://www.users.muohio.edu/shermalw
M/W/F: 9:05 to 9:55 PM
ROOM 210 Harrison Hall
Spring, 2010 OFFICE (100k McGuffey) HOURS: M/W/F 7:30- 8:45 am
Course Title: Critical
Issues in the Psychology of the Learner
<>Catalog Description: Critical
investigation of issues, theories, and principles related to the nature of the learner and the learning process, including such topics as psychological methodology, perception, cognitive processing, personality, and social dynamics, within the context of historical, social diversity, and cross-cultural perspectives. Credit not granted to students who have earned credit in PSY 111. IIC. CAS-C
Course Objectives:
Students will gain.
A basic knowledge of the principles of
psychology, especially as they are related to human perceptual,
cognitive, social and emotional learning and development.
A basic knowledge of critical thinking
processes, especially as they are used in scientific and logical
inquiry.
Experience in applying critical
thinking to psychological issues relevant to education, health and
mental health, within the context of historical, social, political, and
cultural milieus.
An ability to engage cooperatively with other learners in reflecting upon psychological issues and planning action related to these issues.
Ability to apply psychological
knowledge and critical thinking processes to their own learning and development and to their interpersonal and professional goals.
Course Content:
Ways of knowing about human behavior. History of psychology and its impact; issues elated to psychology as a discipline; practices and ethics of psychological research.
Biological determinants of human behavior. Genetic influences; sensory and perceptual processes; brain structures and functions as they relate to human behavior.
Developmental determinants
of human
behavior. Ages, stages, and processes of human development; cognitive emotional, and social developmental theory and research.
Knowledge bases of human behavior. Theories of intelligence and learning; intellectual measurement; cognitive and information processing research and practice.
Personality attributes of human behavior. Personality theory; stresss/coping skills; theories of attribution and motivation; abnormal personality processes; therapeutic theories and techniques.
This class attempts to accomplish the Mission and Vision of the
School of Education Health and Society:
"The EHS community, while committed to fulfilling traditional academic roles, endeavors to develop expanded roles consistent with our vision. We are committed to integrating our teaching, scholarship and service."
2. TEACHING STRATEGIES.
We will employ the use networked Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) using an established ON-LINE DISCUSSION CHAT ROOM RESOURCE where 10
periodic written "postings" will be made which will require reactions from class members to each other's postings. This element will have participants "critically engaging" each other's thinking. Also, this aspect of the class will be completely open and available for inspection throughout the entire class, by everyone in the class, as well as anyone
able to access THE WWW. This class will be a "sun-shine" class where much of the work generated by class members will be available to the entire campus.
The Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) will be a mainstay for
reflection and discussion of class activities and readings, both in class and out of class. A central address file will be created in which all messages will be open to all class members specifically for their critical reactions to each other's weekly writings/reflections. Students will be required to constructively engage a partner in a discussion
of their comments. TWO points will be assigned to each of these Ten equired reflections/reactions. A "portfolio" (notebook), primarily ased on hese postings, will be organized, reflected upon and turned in at the nd of the class.
4. ESSENTIAL READINGS, TEXTS AND COURSE MATERIALS.
The primary texts or this class are:
Davis, Stephen F. and Palladino, Joseph J. (2010 Psychology (6th edition). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall.
ISBN: 0-13-220840-7
Papers and related writings are expected to be in the Microsoft Office form. Microsoft Office software available from the university book store
and should include MS-Word, PowerPoint, Excel. This is a
"cross-platform" package and can be accessed on either a PC or a MAC platform.
Related recent books:
Levitin, Daniel J. (2008). The world in six songs: How the musical brain created human nature. New York:
Dutton.
ISBN 978-0-525-95073-8.
Lehrer, Jonah (2007). Proust was a neuroscientist. New York: Houghto Mifflin Company.
ISBN 13: 978-0-618-62010-4.
Ross, Alex (2007). The Rest is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century. New York: Farrar, Straus & Giroux.
ISBN 978-0-374-24939-7.
<>Sacks, Oliver (2007). Musicophilia: Tales of music and the brain. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
ISBN 978-1-4000-4081-0.
Secondary resources will come from WWW including the following: APA LIBRARY
E. 16%] ORGANIZED ELECTRONIC
PORTFOLIO OF EVERYTHING ABOVE INCLUDING:
COVER SHEET (slide)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
MOST RECENT SYLLABUS AND WEEKLY
CALENDAR
THE "EVIDENCE" including an
<> ORGANIZED COLLECTION OF
YOUR NETPOSTINGS WHICH SHOULD INCLUDE ALL YOUR REFLECTIONS AND REACTIONS, AND THE
GI PROJECT, AND A FINAL SUMMARY/CONCLUDING REFLECTION
100% = total weighted
points AND Grades WILL BE AS FOLLOWS:
The following Mastery, or criterion-referenced, grading
scale will be applied to "percentage" score:
Any incompletes not made up by the end of the semester will
automatically result in an incomplete for the course. Also!!! when the incomplete is made up after the semester is over, regardless of what grade you might have achieved in the class, it will be lowered "one whole letter grade"!!! Classroom attendance will be monitored and a maximum of three absences of any kind
(your choice) will be
allowed. You will be
"docked"
THREE (3)
whole percentage points from your total percentage score at the end of the class for each absence after the third
absence!
