Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2020 - EDUC 841 G002

Seminar in Educational Psychology (3)

Class Number: 8854

Delivery Method: Remote

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 8, 2020: Thu, 4:30–7:20 p.m.
    Burnaby

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

A required seminar for first-year students in master programs in Educational Psychology that is also open to graduate students from any program of study. Each week we will explore seminal topics in Educational Psychology. Weekly meetings will consist of guest lectures by faculty members in Educational Psychology, group activities, and writing workshops.

COURSE DETAILS:

Professors in the educational psychology program introduce themselves and their programs of research, field your questions about scholarship and academic life, and discuss the graduate student experience. Journal articles provide a survey of several major theoretical perspectives and context for developing basic understanding of empirical methods and quantitative techniques. Drawing on self-selected handbook chapters, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and empirical studies, students lead seminars to explore theory, and develop briefs to endorse and defend evidence-based instructional practices and sketch future research.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

  • cultivate knowledge of resources – peers, professors, library supports, online tools, university services – supporting a successful graduate experience.
  • analyze key features of educational psychology as a scholarly discipline.
  • develop basic skills for examining theory and research in educational psychology.
  • propose and justify next steps in theorizing about, researching and applying educational psychology.
  • understand fundamentals of research methods and statistical techniques.
  • catalog and evaluate sources of information about educational psychology.

Grading

  • Several mini-papers (not to exceed 3; 750-1000 words ~ 3 pp.) summarizing a theory and supporting empirical research, and recommending and justifying instructional practices or a future research project. Draft versions of mini-papers will be presented to the seminar for peer feedback. The number of mini-papers will depend on enrollment to insure all students can participate. 90%
  • Feedback on peers’ drafts and presentations. 10%

NOTES:

This course will be hosted online at the scheduled time each week. We will not meet on-campus in a classroom. To participate, you need

  • a computer with a webcam.
  • a headset (earphones/earbuds + microphone).
  • an up-to-date web browser. Chrome, Firefox or Safari are recommended.
  • a stable internet connection.

REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

Shils, E. (1982). The obligations of university teachers. Minerva, 20 (1-2), 105-208. Available for download via SFU Library services.


RECOMMENDED READING:

All are available for download via SFU Library services.

Corno, L. & Anderman, E. M. (Eds.) (2015). Handbook of educational psychology (3rd ed). New York, NY: Routledge.

Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Urdan, T. (Eds.). (2012). APA educational psychology handbook, Vol 1: Theories, constructs, and critical issues. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Urdan, T. (Eds.). (2012). APA educational psychology handbook, Vol 2: Individual differences and cultural and contextual factors. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Harris, K. R., Graham, S., Urdan, T. (Eds.). (2012). APA educational psychology handbook, Vol 3: Application to learning and teaching. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.


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).