ARTS INFUSED TEACHING & LEARNING SYLLABUS  

COURSE DESCRIPTION 
This course has been designed for elementary art, music, and physical education teachers. This course has been specifically developed as an online graduate learning experience which follows workshop participation. Topics covered in this class include: interdisciplinary facilitating, arts infused project methods and approaches, multiple intelligences, entry points.  Students will participate in online discussions and complete an Arts Infused Action Plan as per the requirements of the course. Students are expected to adhere to the guidelines of 'netiquette'. 

REQUIRED TEXTS
Gardner, H. (1999). Intelligence reframed: multiple intelligences for the 21^st Century.  New York:  Basic Books.

COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon completion of this workshop and/or course, students will be able to:

·  Access and utilize teacher resources that promote the arts across the curriculum

·  Incorporate an interdisciplinary approach to achieving standards

·  Become positive change agents in educational environments through collaborative and individualized action plans 

WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN:  As you develop “functional knowledge” of this system you will learn to use MI theory to enhance student understanding through seven discrete entry points.    

WHY YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN IT:  Students access learning opportunities to become engaged in meaningful experiences that result in genuine understanding leading to functional knowledge.  You are expected to teach toward explicit understanding goals, stipulate the correlated performances of understanding, and share these perspectives with the students.   

HOW YOU ARE GOING TO USE IT:  You know human minds do not all work the same way, and human beings do not have the same cognitive strengths and weaknesses.  You are going to help students master certain curricular or disciplinary materials by teaching and assessing in a variety of ways.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY:    This paragraph summarizes what I believe to be true about teaching and learning (these two terms, teaching and learning, I often use synonymously).  I believe good teachers are masters of their content.  I believe all people are learners and all learners need goals worth reaching.  I believe there are no uneducable students.  Good teaching is thorough, targeted, and disciplined as well as creative.  Good learning is proving one’s capability, fulfilling the requirements, and pushing beyond one’s own academic expectations.  With each class comes a glimpse of a society; it is up to the class to determine the tenor of that reflection.   

TEACHING METHODOLOGY:    It should be stated that the works of Plato, Piaget, Jung, Howard Gardner, Daniel Goleman, and John Dewey have all heavily influenced my teaching style. Along with projects, journals are required for every course I teach, regardless of the course content.  Journal questions, quotes, and assignments related to the course content are provided as prompts for active learning.  Activities are incorporated into each class, including research and responses as well as interviews and brainteasers.  I believe students learn and retain more through the opportunity to experience the learning objective and apply what they have learned; active learning reinforces creative problem solving. All assignments are life centered to encourage genuine understanding for functional knowledge and long-term retention.  The learning activities are balanced by lectures and discussions.  As a teacher and learner, I have high expectations.  My teaching style and methodology can be characterized as dynamic.     

COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Journaling:  Students are expected to document the learning experience in their journals. Many activities require 'Reflections' that should be recorded in the journal. The rubric for assessing the journals is located under the Rubrics tab. Students can photocopy pages or take digital images and create CD for the instructor to assess the journal process.

Discussion:  Each week of the course, several Discussion Topics will be posted in accordance with the required readings and learning activities.  Each student is expected to post substantive answers to discussion topics; 250 words, APA documentation if needed.  Each student is also required to comment on at least one other student's posting.  This interaction is critical to the development of the teams responsible for reviewing the Action Plans.

Learning Activities / Action Assignments (Homework):  Learning Activities and Action Assignments include everything from journal activities, course readings and discussions, and lesson development and implementation.

Action Plan (Test):  The major assessment tool for this course is the development, completion, and implementation of an Action Plan.  Each student is responsible for an individual Action Plan, although working collaboratively is encouraged.  Requirements for your Action Plans will be posted during the first week of the course. 

GRADING POLICY
Students can receive an A, B, or C in this class. A grade of C is considered failing at the graduate level and could lead to academic suspension. Please review the following material under the Resources tab. The following will be used in combination as guides for evaluating the students.

·        Active Learning Rubric (Bellevue University)

·        Taskstream Rubrics (created according to state and national standards)

·        Overall Grading Scale:  C (70-80)                           B (80-90)                             A   (90-100)  
                                         Novice             Apprentice           Proficient              Distinguished