Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - EDUC 830 G031

Implementation of Educational Programs (5)

Class Number: 7751

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: TBA, TBA
    Burnaby

  • Instructor:

    Milt McClaren
    mcclaren@sfu.ca
    (cell) 250.212.6735
    Office: 250.764.8781/604.980.0111

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Problems and practices associated with innovation and implementation including the nature of change in the educational context, the roles of teachers, administrators, change agents, and evaluators.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course is restricted to students in a Community MEd EcoEd Cohort program.

Education 830: Implementation of Educational Programs is the penultimate course in the EcoEd MEd program. The students will move from this course into the final semester which culminates in the portfolio presentations. Education 830 is based on the premise that the process of implementation involves moving ideas and visions into actuality. The process involves an understanding of the processes of human-centered design, and an appreciation of the roles and operations of organizations and communities, which are the contexts for most implementation processes. Implementation projects involve the effective use of effort, resources (human and physical), and time. Such projects often have cultural or political contexts as well. The main goal of Education 830 will be to help students identify implementation projects that are relevant to their work and lives and develop skills and understandings that can increase the chance that projects will be successful. The class sessions will focus on developing skills and experience in collaboration, team work, generative dialogue, project marketing and communication, management and leadership. The class sessions will be supplemented by online discussions and resources. Classes will also involve some field experiences and visits by invited resource persons.

Meeting Dates: (Dates for whole class synchronous sessions.)
Thursday, Sept 10, 2020
Thursday, Sept 24, 2020
Thursday, October 8. 2020
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Thursday, Nov 5, 2020
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday, Dec 3, 2020

Meeting Times:
All whole class (Synchronous) meetings will be held from 1800-2100. Asynchronous small group and individual tutorials will be arranged through consultations between students and instructor.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  1. Students will understand how to apply the principles of human-centered design to the development and implementation of projects.
  2. Students will develop skills in the use of processes to foster and sustain collaboration and communication in groups.
  3. Students will develop an appreciation of the resources available to support organization development, and communities and networks of practice.
  4. Students will gain an appreciation of concepts of leadership and management.
  5. Students will develop and present detailed implementation plans for a project of their own choosing and present their plans to a peer review.

Additional Details:
Given that EDUC 830 in the Fall term 2020 is being offered in remote access format it is appreciated that students may encounter technical difficulties in accessing whole class sessions (Synchronous). Students who have issues related to online access or participation should communicate with the course instructor via email at mcclaren@sfu.ca so that alternative arrangements can be made if needed.

Grading

  • 1. Pitch Assignment 40%
  • 2. Current Literature Review 20%
  • 3. Course Participation and Self-Assessment Participation.lass session. (Thursday, Sept 10, 2020). 25%
  • 4 - A or B 15%

NOTES:

Further Grading Details:

  1. Completion and presentation of a plan for the implementation of a personally relevant implementation project. (Pitch Assignment)
  2. A review of current literature or other resources relevant to one topic selected from the five Course Level Educational Goals.
  3. Course participation and self-assessment participation. Criteria to be discussed at the first in-class session. (Thursday, Sept 10, 2020).
  4. A. Student Self-Assessment of their personally significant learning from the EcoEd cohort experience to the beginning of EDUC 830 in September 2020. OR
    B. A personal commentary on their overall experiences during the lockdown phase of Covid19 in BC and an analysis of the potential impacts of the lockdown phase on schools, colleges, or employment.

This is a graduate-level course and the students are experienced adults with a variety of career backgrounds. It is expected that grades below B will be uncommon. The grading categories and process will be actively discussed with the class members at the first session. Students may wish to replace one of performance categories 4A or 4B with a self-designed performance category having the same weight as the one replaced.

REQUIREMENTS:

Grades will be based on student self-assessments, course participation (#3), and the completion and presentation of a plan for the implementation of a personally relevant implementation project (#1). In addition students will also choose one topic from the list of five goals above and write a Review of current literature or other resources relevant to that goal area (#2). To meet Category 4 students may choose either 4A OR 4B, or they may propose a personal project in place of Category 4 as listed above. See Note above.

Students may submit their assignments in conventional written form or by means of other media. Course participation criteria will also be discussed at the first in-class session. The Implementation project (Category #1) should be designed to be presented to fellow class members in a format that represents how their proposal would be “pitched” to a relevant decision-making organization or person (i.e School trustees, Parent Advisory Committee, Granting Agency, Employer, etc.) The presentation should also be accompanied by a written description of their proposed implementation project.

Materials

MATERIALS + SUPPLIES:

Because the 830 course is being offered in Online or Distributed format students are advised to make sure that they have adequate access to a stable internet connection and suitable computer or tablet interface. It is possible to access the course using an iPhone but the screen size presents serious limitations in viewing online resources that cannot be downloaded. Features of Zoom such as online annotation and whiteboarding are not easily used from a cellular phone access.

REQUIRED READING:

None
The course will be supported by an extensive resource list supported through the class WWW site.

RECOMMENDED READING:

The following publications may be of interest to you for consultation before or during ED 830. This is NOT a list of REQURED readings—it is intended to be a good conversation starter and possible support for other work in which you may be involved. It is suggested that you access one or two of these titles prior to the beginning of the course in September.

A resource that I use a lot is the National Academies Press WWW site. http://www.nap.edu I strongly recommend that you subscribe to it. (It is free). The National Academies are a major resource to the US Congress and agencies of Government. Their publications are up to date and report on major meetings, task forces, study groups, etc. Further you can download their publications as PDF at NO COST!! A fabulous resource for many areas of concern. In recent years they have paid a lot of attention to the problems of trying to educate and inform the larger public about issues in the environment, and especially those with a science and social science component.

  • Marshall, G., Bennett, A. and Clarke, J. (2018). Communicating climate change and energy in Alberta - Alberta Narratives Project. Oxford: Climate Outreach.. Available free from www.climateoutreach.org
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2020). Changing Expectations for the K–12 Teacher Workforce: Policies, Preservice Education, Professional Development, and the Workplace. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25603. (Available for download as a PDF at no charge from the National Academies Press WWW site. )
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2018. How People Learn II: Learners, Contexts, and Cultures. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24783. (Available for download as a PDF at no charge from the National Academies Press WWW site. )
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2017. Approaches to the Development of Character: Proceedings of a Workshop. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/24684. (https://www.nap.edu/catalog/24684/approaches-to-the-development-of-character-proceedings-of-a-workshop).
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2019. Shaping Summertime Experiences: Opportunities to Promote Healthy Development and Well-Being for Children and Youth. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25546.

Graduate Studies Notes:

Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.

Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html

TEACHING AT SFU IN FALL 2020

Teaching at SFU in fall 2020 will be conducted primarily through remote methods. There will be in-person course components in a few exceptional cases where this is fundamental to the educational goals of the course. Such course components will be clearly identified at registration, as will course components that will be “live” (synchronous) vs. at your own pace (asynchronous). Enrollment acknowledges that remote study may entail different modes of learning, interaction with your instructor, and ways of getting feedback on your work than may be the case for in-person classes. To ensure you can access all course materials, we recommend you have access to a computer with a microphone and camera, and the internet. In some cases your instructor may use Zoom or other means requiring a camera and microphone to invigilate exams. If proctoring software will be used, this will be confirmed in the first week of class.

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who believe they may need class or exam accommodations, including in the current context of remote learning, are encouraged to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112).