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EDS 643 SUMMER 1997 COURSE SYLLABUS |
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EDS 643 SUMMER 1997 COURSE SYLLABUS |
EDS 643 Telecommunications in Special Education and Rehabilitation (3 credits)
EDS 514 or equivalent; ability to use Macintosh computers; or permission of the Instructor
8-Weeks Summer Session, 1997
Monday-Friday, 8:30 am - 5:00 PM
240 Taylor Education Building
Rene M. Hales, Instructor
Academic Computing Services
Faculty Academic Computing and Technology Support (FACTS) Center
100 McVey Building
E-Mail:halesr@pop.uky.edu
Telephone: (606) 257-2264 (Instructor's office and voice mail)
Home: (606) 223-3014
Beverly Nickels, Tutor
Contact Beverly via E-Mail blnick0@pop.uky.edu
A study of telecommunication systems and their implications for special education and rehabilitation. Students will learn how to set up and configure hardware and software for telecommunication access, use software to telecommunicate, access special education and rehabilitation resources from remote sites, and design telecommunication applications for individuals who are enrolled in special education or rehabilitation programs. Students also will learn how to develop and use World Wide Web pages that focus on special education or rehabilitation topics.
Faculty in the College of Education at the University of Kentucky have adopted a conceptual framework that views the teacher as a reflective decision maker. The Kentucky Educational Reform Act (KERA) includes a major component on the use of technology to facilitate education. A KERA goal is to connect every school and classroom in the Commonwealth to telecommunication networks. Special Educators and Rehabilitation Counselors will be required to make many decisions that relate to applications of technology. As reflective decision makers, teachers, administrators, and rehabilitation counselors will need to know about telecommunication services, how to access them, and how to use them to facilitate education and rehabilitation services. This course is designed to assist students in developing knowledge, attitudes, and skills that will enable them to use telecommunications in their work with individuals who are enrolled in special education or rehabilitation programs.
Upon completion of this course you will be able to:
NOTE: Students who are not Special Education or Rehabilitation Counseling majors can pursue topics in their areas of specialization. These must be negotiated with the Instructor.
Leshin, C. B. (1997). Netscape Adventures: Step-by-Step Guide to Netscape Navigator and the WWW. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc.
Williams, B. (1996). The World Wide Web for Teachers. Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide.
Students also will be required to read software manuals, articles, and electronic files of information that will be made available at various times throughout the semester.
You will be required to:
The following topics and schedule may change, depending upon the knowledge and skills of students and rates of progress. All readings should be completed prior to the class period indicated.
This is the second time that this class has been offered. In addition, the Internet telecommunication system is in the process of amazing growth and change, with new software products and sites emerging at a very rapid pace. Because of these factors, the Instructor will be experimenting with different approaches to organizing, managing, and delivering instruction throughout the semester.
Efforts will be made to use telecommunication systems as much as possible throughout the course. For example, you will be required to obtain an E-mail address if you do not have one and use e-mail to communicate with the Instructor and others.
Much of the class will be devoted to exploration of the World Wide Web (WWW) component of the Internet. Numerous Web sites will be explored and you will learn to use the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) to design your own Web site and place it on the Internet.
During the summer of 1996, the Department has acquired a high-end computer that can serve as a file server and software that will enable the server to manage Internet files. In addition, a new software program, called TopClass was acquired just prior to the beginning of the semester. TopClass can be used to provide interactive instruction over the WWW. Several units of the course will be delivered via TopClass.
Because of the above circumstances, you should expect a variety of approaches to instruction in this course. In addition, some assignments are still under development and their specifics cannot be made available at the beginning of the semester. As the assignments are developed, they will be made available on the EDS 643 Home Page. The following sections provide general information about the assignments and other course requirements.
COMPUTING RESOURCES
It is expected that students will need to access Internet and Course resources outside of regular class hours. The College of Education operates a Macintosh Lab in Room 57 Dickey Hall and an IBM compatible lab in Room 63 Dickey Hall. Computers in both of these labs are connected to the Internet. Lab hours correspond to the College of Education Library hours, which are 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM on Friday, Noon to 5:00 PM on Saturday, and Noon to 10:00 PM on Sunday. Course assignments can be completed using those facilities. Verify these hours as the any summer changes have not been posted to the MicroLabs Home Page.
Two assignments are required. They have been designed to enable students to demonstrate application of knowledge and skills acquired during the course.
Lab Assignments
Each class will include didactic instruction and lab time. A series of lab exercises will be assigned with specific objectives and activities that will enable you to explore the topics covered each week. The lab assignments will assist in developing and practicing telecommunication skills. Lab assignment submission dates will be specified at the time the assignment is made.
World Wide Web Site Development
Develop a special education or rehabilitation home page and associated documents for the World Wide Web. The storyboard for your Web site should be submitted Friday, June 27, 1997.
Load your site on the SERC file server and send the URL to the instructor. Provide printed information (a description of your site, its objectives, page printouts, and other related information) on August 7, 1997.
Evaluation will be based upon a point system. Students will earn points for each assignment, as described below:
Exams
One exam on terms and concepts will be administered. The exam will be short, multiple-choice and short answer format. This exam will focus on Internet terms and concepts and be worth 100 points. You will complete it in class on Friday, June 20, 1997
Assignments
Lab assignments, the Applied Telecommunication Project, and the Web Site will be subjectively graded by the instructor. Point values for lab assignments will be provided at the time the assignment is distributed. Grading criteria will be made available prior to the time that the remaining projects are due. In grading these, the instructor will consider quality, comprehensiveness, writing style and quality, thoughtfulness, promptness and accuracy. Correct use of terminology also will be emphasized. The instructor reserves the right to ask students to recycle assignments if they are unacceptable. A response cost of up to 10% of the value of the assignment may be assessed for recycling.
Participation
Because didactic instruction and discussions will be provided during each class period, it is very important that you attend each class. Attendance at each class will be worth 4 points. Absences excused in advance will not result in a loss of points.
Grade Computation
Points will be totaled for all assignments. Percentages will then be calculated. Students may earn up to five bonus points for exemplary performance throughout the semester in class discussions, efforts that go beyond typical course requirements, or very exemplary products produced as a result of the written assignments. Bonus points are based upon the subjective judgment of the instructor. These are added to the percentage scores. Grades are then computed according to the following scale: 90 - 100% = A; 80 - 89% = B; 70 - 79% = C; 69% & below = F.
Incomplete grades will be negotiated only in the case of extreme emergency. Any incomplete grade not completed by November 1, 1997, will be converted to the grade which was held by the student at the end of the regular semester.
Plaigarism
You should familiarize yourself with the University of Kentucky's Code of Student Conduct regarding plagiarism and cheating, which can be obtained from the office of the Dean of Students. Academic violations of the student code will result in a failing grade.
Student Responsibility
It is the student's responsibility to discuss any course or grade difficulties with the Instructor in a timely fashion. If you are experiencing difficulty with any aspect of the course, do not wait until the last day or week to discuss it with the instructor.