Joint Ph.D. Programme in Educational Studies

Course Description

In this course we will examine, analyze, and discuss critically 1) the basic cognitive processes underlying memory and learning, 2) how cognitive psychology relates to teaching and learning, 3) the interconnections among culture, mind, self, and education, 4) the process of “schooling minds” in relation to specific school curricula. To better understand the complex link between human cognitive development and education, students are encouraged to analyze and critique past and contemporary cognitive learning theories within the context of educational studies.  Throughout the course, as we attempt to answer these questions of cognition and learning, we will draw on theoretical, empirical, and practical orientations.  In addition, we will examine how the process of learning involves the whole person in a dynamically changing set of cultural contexts Specific topics will be added throughout the duration of the course and will be tailored to the students' needs.  Throughout the course, students are expected to demonstrate a growing capacity to critique theories of cognition and learning, and to make connections to educational practice.

Course Objectives

·         to provide a "connected on-line classroom" that will invite critical discussion of issues raised in the class readings and the sharing of learning experience

·         to develop students’ ability to understand, critique, and deconstruct the terms “cognition,” “learning,” and “education,” and examine the relations among the three constructs

·         to explore various epistemological approaches to cognitive psychology and education

·         to develop one's role as a critical consumer of research by increasing students' awareness of how educational and psychological issues are portrayed in the media (newspaper, popular magazines, TV programs, etc.)

·         to encourage and promote students’ ability to identify specific strategies and approaches that can foster a co-constructive dialogue between the fields of education and cognitive psychology

·         to further develop students’ metacognitive abilities by encouraging students to reflect on how one’s sense of self or self-development plays a critical role in their educational experiences

Teaching/Learning/Research Philosophy – Dr. Sandra Bosacki 

Teaching/Learning/Research Philosophy – Dr. Larry Morton

                I approach this course, like others, with an interest in truth.  I hold to the quaint notion that there is such a thing as truth and just one truth, that there is such a thing as reality, and just one reality. I’m not in the postmodern camp. Indeed, I fear those with a vision, the language police, the politically correct, the neologists, and many other radical constructivists. I’m impressed by this world full of surprises and the beautiful order I see emerging subsequent to observation, reason, the experimental method of the sciences, and the data-driven explanations in the humanities.

Required Texts:

1.       Sternberg, R., & Grigorenko, E. (Eds.) (2003). The psychology of abilities, competencies, and expertise. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

ISBN: 0-521-00776-3

2.       Flavell, J., Miller, P., & Miller, S. (2002). Cognitive development (4^th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson.

ISBN: 0-13-791575-6

Suggested Textbooks:

Course Components, Expectations, and Evaluation

CLASS PARTICIPATION/LATE PAPER POLICY

If it is necessary to miss time, or deadlines, students should contact the instructors.  Students are responsible for reading assigned materials, participating in ongoing teleconferences, reading and contributing to the on-line dialogue, and completing all assignments on time.  If students fail any one component of the course (e.g. on-line discussion, teleconferences, poster presentation, research paper) they are in danger of failing the entire course, and may be required to take the course again the following year.

Course Evaluation

1.       Collaborative Discussion Leader and Questions (10%)

2.       Class Engagement: Ongoing on-line dialogue (30% total)

a. 20% for the on-line activity

b. 4 on-line critical reflections (5%)

Reflections (2-3 pages, approx. 500 to 750 words)

    Reflection 1                                                                         Due  Oct. 11, 2004

                Reflection 2                                                                         Due  Nov. 1, 2004

                Reflection 3                                                                         Due  Nov. 29, 2004

                Reflection 4          (Course Summary)                            Due  Dec. 10, 2004

                         c. Participation in 4 Teleconferences (5%) 

3.       Poster Presentation (20%)                                                Due Nov. 29, 2004

4.       Final Paper (40%) : Proposal – (10%), Final Paper (30%)                                    

Proposal                                                                      Due Oct. 4, 2004

Final Paper                                                                 Due Dec. 10, 2004

Course Grading

Your overall mark for the course will be the sum of all marks you receive during the course. Note, however, that failure of any one component of the course would be grounds for failing the course and you would be required to take the course again the following year.

1.        Co-Leading Discussions (10%)

2.        On-Line Course Engagement (30% total)

2a. On-Line Discussions (20%)

2b. On-Line Module Summary Reflections (5%)

2c. Teleconference Participation (5%)

3.        On-Line Poster Presentation (20%)

3a. Form (10%)

3b. Content (10%)

4.        Main Research Paper (40%: 10% proposal, 30% main paper)

*Please see the following website for further description of some rubrics the instructors will be considering when grading the assignments:

http://zeus.uwindsor.ca/courses/edfac/morton/other_rubrics.htm

Collaborative Discussion Leader and Questions (10%)

In pairs, students will be assigned the role of “Discussion Co-Leaders” for one of Modules #2, #3, or #4 (see course syllabus). To encourage both individual and collaborative critical thinking skills regarding the integration of theory, research, and educational practice in cognitive development, co-leaders will prepare collaboratively in advance for each class, 3 to 5 thought-provoking questions concerning an issue that you find personally interesting regarding the relevant readings for that week.  That is, students will not post discussion prompts individually.  The statements and questions should be designed to stimulate discussion about the assigned readings as they relate to the other reading in the course, and throughout the program, professional practice, and lived experiences.  Also, to illustrate the claim that cognitive psychology and educational research speak to many everyday, real-word issues, and to promote the critical analysis of how media represents research and education, at least one of the questions should relate to a recent article from a newspaper, magazine, or website that corresponds with the topic of your question.   Alternatively, you could find a media article in your area of interest and then find a corresponding question that furthers the discourse on the same topic  (e.g., creativity, intelligence and schooling, gender issues, emotions, etc.)  Expand your question in relation to relevant readings.

These statements/questions will serve as the catalysts for the on-line postings and teleconference call. The Discussion Co-Leaders will post their statements/questions on-line on the first day of the module (see course syllabus). 

1.       Class Engagement (30%)

Due to the “distance” element of this course, to a large extent, the success of the course will be contingent upon class participation. Therefore, it is expected that all students will participate regularly in the on-line discussions and the teleconference calls (see Course Syllabus for dates/times). In addition, all students will post a final on-line written critical response or reflection for each Module which will address on-line and teleconference experiences (4 modules in total) (1 reflection = maximum 3 pages, or 750 words). As part of this reflection, individuals are encouraged to bring closure to one or more of the original statements or questions, synthesize the group discussion as well as their own responses, emotions, beliefs and lived experiences that emerged during the Module.

Attendance and Participation

As noted above, to make optimal use of our contact time, it is crucial that students post their discussions on time and be prepared to engage in on-line activities.  All students are expected to have read the assigned materials and be prepared to discuss the readings and any of the assignments. Pre-reading may be essential to your successful engagement in these on-line activities.

2. Applied Cognitive Psychology On-Line Poster Session (20%)

To reflect the application of cognitive research/theory to educational practice, students will deliver a poster presentation (e.g., use of Power Point, etc.), on the topic of their choice that have been gleaned from the course outline (topic relating to cognition and education – see the list below). To ensure sufficient time for audience participation, the presentation will be posted on the first day of Module 4 (Nov. 29, 2004).  Your objective is to create a learning environment that encourages class members to participate in critical discussion and to enjoy the learning process as well.  For example, in addition to providing a critical summary of a chosen academic topic on cognition and learning, seminars should include some ideas for group, collaborative educational activities.  As a suggestion, your critical summary of your chosen topic could include the following:

3. Main Paper (40% = 10% proposal + 30% final paper)

This assignment will provide you with the opportunity to engage in and reflect on your personal journey as a researcher/teacher/learner within the context of the course material.  Each student will choose a particular topic relevant to course content, which should, ideally, speak to both your heart and mind.  To demonstrate how your self-development and knowledge is intertwined with your reflections on cognition and learning, the last page or so of the paper should describe your personal reflections on your learning experiences throughout this course and the writing of this paper (metaflection).  Students are expected to substantiate arguments using course and additional readings as well as lived experience.  Critical reflection on the topic must be evident in the paper.

As the course unfolds, each student will develop a 2 page (approx 500 words) précis of their proposed paper + at least 10 academic references that addresses any topic of interest from within the general field of cognition and learning. This précis will be submitted to both instructors (via email) by the date specified in the Course Syllabus.

Final Paper Proposal

Length:  2 pages (not including at least 10 academic references)

Due:  Oct. 4, 2004

Once the paper proposal is approved, each student will submit the completed paper (15 to 18 pages, approx. 3500 to 5000 words, not including references/resources) by the date specified in the Course Syllabus.

Final Paper

Length: 15-18 pages (not including at least 10 academic references)

As the course unfolds, each student will develop a 2 page (500 words) précis of their proposed paper that addresses one of the following topics within the field of cognition and learning:

1.        Language

2.        Attention

3.        Memory

4.        Metacognition

5.        Artificial Intelligence

6.        Problem-Solving

7.        Neurospsychology

8.        Creativity

9.        Consciousness and Qualia

10.     Emotions and Feelings

11.     Morality and Ethics

12.     Culture and Cognition

13.     Ways of Knowing

14.     Religiosity/Spirituality

General Guidelines for all Written Assignments

All assignments are to follow the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (5^th Ed.).  

Remember when writing that to be as clear and concise as possible, you need to think "less is more."   We are looking for some evidence of what David Perkins refers to as "performances of understanding" (Smart Schools, p. 75-78).  That is, we are looking for evidence of your ability to think critically about the material we have been reading and discussing.  Our criteria for evaluation consist of typical qualities of good scholarship, generally these include:

·         evidence of an accurate interpretation and understanding of key concepts

·         insightful application of these concepts to your own research

·         a critical, personal perspective and contribution to the issues raised

·         clarity and coherence in your written expression

·         originality and/or creativity in your approach

On-Line Sources (This list is in-progress as it will be posted on-line in September and continue to grow throughout the course)

You may wish to check the following on-line resources for assistance and useful information regarding writing:

http://.owl.english.purdue.edu - an On-line English lab created by Purdue University.

For APA style, check out the following websites:

www.apastyle.org (APA’s official website)

www.psychwww.com/resource – a website created by Russ Dewey, Georgia Southern University  to provide various links to sites which discuss APA style, 5^th edition.

www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm – a website created by Russ Dewey, Georgia Southern University to provide a summary of rules for using APA style (Updated April, 2004).

For ideas for general resources around issues of psychology, check out the following website:

www.psychwww.com - Psych Web

www.apa.org – American Psychological Association

Course Readings and Topic Outline

Module 1 – Introduction: Cognitivists at Work - Week of Sept. 13

Week 1 – Sept. 13

1. Flavell, Miller, & Miller (2002)  Ch. 1 “Introduction”

2. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003) Ch. 1 “Trait complexes, cognitive investment, and domain knowledge”

3. Goswami, U. (2004). Neuroscience and education. British Journal of Educational Psychology, 74, 1-14.

Module 2 – COGNITION  Foundations

Week 2 – Sept. 20

1. Flavell et al., (2002), Ch. 4 “Representation and concepts”

2. Shayer, M. (2003). Not just Piaget; not just Vygotsky, and certainly not Vygotsky as alternative to Piaget.

Learning and Instruction, 13, 465-485.

Week 3 – Sept. 27

1. Flavell et al., (2002), Ch. 5 “Reasoning and problem solving”

2. Neuman, Y. (2003). Go ahead, prove that God does not exist! On high school students’ ability to deal with

fallacious arguments. Learning and Instruction, 13, 367-380.

Week 4 – Oct. 4 (Teleconference – Formative Discussion)

1. Flavell et al., (2002), Ch. 7 “Memory”

2. Peskin, J., & Astington, J. W. (2004). The effects of adding metacognitive language to story texts. Cognitive

Development, 19, 253-273

** Final Research Paper Proposal due

Week 5 – Oct. 11

1. Flavell et al., (2002), Ch. 8 “Language”

2. Poeppel, D. & Hickok, G. (2004). Towards a new functional anatomy of language. Cognition, 92, 1-12.

Week 6 – Oct. 18

1. Flavell et. al., (2002), Chapter 6 “Social Cognition”

2.        Warden, D.,  & McKinnon, S. (2003).  Prosocial children, bullies, and victims: An investigation of

their sociometric status, empathy and social problem-solving strategies. British Journal of Developmental

Psychology, 21, 367-385.

Week 7 – Oct. 25 (Teleconference – Summary of Module 1 & 2)

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch. 3 “Developing childhood proclivities into adult competencies: The

overlooked multliplier effect”

2. Editorial, (2003). The social construction of implicit knowledge. Cognitive Development, 18, 451-454.

Module 3 –  CONTEXT Implications for Research, Education, and Society

Week 8 – Nov. 1

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch.9 “Biological intelligence”

2. Gardner, H. (2004). Audiences for the theory of multiple intelligences. Teachers College Record, 106, 212-220.

*Kornhaber, M. (2004). Multiple intelligences: From the ivory tower to the dusty classroom – but why?

Teachers College Record, 106, 67-76.

Week 9 – Nov. 8

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch. 5 “On abilities and domains”

2.Demoulin, S., Leyens, J., Paladino, M., Rodriguez-Torres, R., Rodriguez-Perez, A., & Dovidio, J.,  (2004).

Dimensions of “uniquely” and non-uniquely” human emotions. Cognition and Emotion,18, 71-96. 

*Bohnert, A., Crnic, K., & Lim, K. (2003). Emotional competence and aggressive behavior in school-age children.

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 31, 79-91.

Week 10 – Nov. 15

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch. 8 “Expertise, competence, and creative ability: The perplexing complexities”

2. Levine, D. S. (2002). Introduction to the special issue on brain development and caring behavior.

Brain and Mind, 3, 1-7.

*Kurak, M. (2003). The relevance of the Buddhist theory of dependent co-origination to cognitive science. Brain

and Mind, 4, 341-351.

*Gillies, R. (2004). The effects of cooperative learning on junior high school students during small group

learning. Learning and Instruction, 14, 197-213.

Week 11 – Nov. 22  (Teleconference – Summary of Module 2 & 3)

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch. 10 “What causes individual differences in cognitive performance? “

2.Washburn-Ormachea, J., Hillman, S., & Sawilowsky, S. (2004). Gender and gender-role orientation differences

on adolescents’ coping with peer stressors. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 33, 31-40.

*Kuperminc, G., Blatt, S., Shahar, G., Henrich, C., & Leadbeater, B. (2004). Cultural equivalence and cultural

variance in longitudinal associations of young adolescent self-definition and interpersonal relatedness to

psychological and social adjustment. Journal  of Youth and Adolescence, 33, 13-30.

Module 4 – Presentation & Application

Week 12 – Nov. 29

1. Sternberg & Grigorenko (2003), Ch. 6 “Expertise and mental disabilities: Bridging the unbridgeable?”

2. Sternberg, R. (2003). What is an expert student? Educational Researcher, 32, 5-9.

*Schirduan, V., & Case, K. (2004). Mindful curriculum leadership for students with attention deficit hyperactivity

disorder: Leading in elementary schools by using multiple intelligences theory (SUMIT). Teachers College

Record, 106, 87-95.

**On-Line Poster Presentations Due

13 – Dec. 4 – Final Class

Dec 7^th – Teleconference on Module 4 and Class Summary

Dec. 10^th – Final Paper and Reflection #4 Due

*Suggested Readings and Useful Resources** List in-progress (this list will be posted on-line and updated throughout the duration of the course)

Bentham, S. (2002). Psychology and education. New York: Routledge.

(especially 1^st chapter “Perspectives on learning: The cognitive approach” – this introductory chapter provides an overview of the Piaget, Vygotsky, & Bruner’s theories of learning.)

Bruner, J. (1996). The culture of education. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Dawson, M. R. W. (1998). Understanding cognitive science. Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Pinker, S. (2003). The blank slate. New York: Penguin USA.

Sobel, C. P. (2001). The cognitive sciences: An interdisciplinary approach. Mountain View, CA:

                Mayfield Publishers.  

Other Useful Resources:

Bechtel, W., & Graham, G. (1998).  A companion to cognitive science.  Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Wilson, R. W., & Keil, F. (1999). MIT Encyclopedia of the cognitive sciences. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

[available at Brock – James A. Gibson Library – as a Reference book on reserve]

Electronic Journals (Available as full-text journals)

Brain and Mind

British Journal of Developmental Psychology

British Journal of Educational Psychology

Cognition

Cognitive Development

Cognition and Emotion

Cognition and Instruction

Educational Researcher

Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology

Journal of Educational Psychology

Journal of Youth and Adolescence

Learning and Instruction

Social Cognition

Teachers College Record

This assignment provides the opportunity to engage in, and reflect on your personal journey as a researcher/teacher/learner within the context of the course material.  Each student will choose a particular topic relevant to course content, which should, ideally, speak to both your heart and mind.  To demonstrate how your self-development and knowledge is intertwined with your reflections on cognition and learning, the last page or so of the paper should describe your personal reflections on your learning/educational experiences throughout this course and during the writing process of this paper.  More specifically, this concluding  “metareflection” should focus on "why" you chose to research your particular topic (i.e., examine the relation between research topic and researcher), and your thoughts and feelings associated with each decision-making process of your research/teaching/learning journey.   The main goal of this activity  is to promote your understanding of your cognitive growth, and how your personal knowledge plays a role in your current experience as an educator/learner/learner.  You could also use this learning opportunity to explore the underlying reasons as to why you are interested in particular areas of  cognition and learning.  Thus, this writing assignment may provide you with some insights for a topic for your doctoral dissertation.  If you have already begun to work on your dissertation, it may help you to understand how you came to develop an interest in your topic.  Finally,  students are expected to substantiate arguments using course and additional readings as well as lived experience.  Critical reflection on the topic must be evident in the paper.

As the course unfolds, each student will develop a 2 page (approx.  500 words) précis of their proposed paper and included a list of least 10 academic references that address any topic of interest from within the general field of cognition and learning (see the list of suggested topics below). This précis will be submitted to both instructors (via email) by the date specified in the Course Syllabus.

Once the paper proposal is approved, each student will submit the completed paper (15 to 18 pages, approximately  3500 to 5000 words,  not including references/resources) by the date specified in the Course Syllabus.

Potential topics within the field of cognition and learning:

1.        Language

2.        Attention

3.        Memory

4.        Metacognition

5.        Artificial Intelligence

6.        Problem-Solving

7.        Neurospsychology

8.        Creativity

9.        Consciousness and Qualia

10.     Emotions and Feelings

11.     Morality  and Ethics

12.     Culture and Cognition

13.     Ways of Knowing

14.     Religiosity/Spirituality

15.     “The Outer Limits”(e.g., dreams, parapsychology, embodied knowing, meditation, animal cognition, etc.).

Proposal:

Length: 2 pages (approx. 500 words; not including at least 10 academic references)

Due:  Oct. 4, 2004 (submit one copy via e-mail to both instructors)

Final Paper:

Length: 15-18 pages (approx. 3500-5000 words, not including at least 10 academic references)

Due:  Dec. 10, 2004 (One week after the last session)

Evaluation Critieria

Final Paper (40%  in total)