UoPeople Online Syllabus Repository (OSR)

EDUC 5810: Living and Learning Globally

Credits: 3

Prerequisites:  EDUC 5710

Course Description: This course will focus on exploring the global competence that students need to thrive in today's increasingly interconnected and rapidly changing world. It will focus on creating learning environments and opportunities that value the world as the broadest context for learning, ensuring that students are exposed to real world questions and concerns both within and beyond their local contexts. There will be consideration of ways that teachers can foster students' awareness of and engagement with global issues, develop open-mindedness to the perspectives of others and encourage reflection on their role as active and engaged global citizens. There will also be discussion of how language acquisition and multilingualism can provide particularly rich opportunities for the development of intercultural understanding and of an appreciation of different languages, cultures, and worldviews.

Required Textbook and Materials: 

• This course does not contain a main textbook; resources to all required reading will be provided in the course Learning Guide for each week.

Software Requirements/Installation: Please consult the Student Handbook regarding University of the People for additional standards of computing and networking resources.No special requirements.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes:

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Articulate a clear conceptual understanding of global competence in order to design, implement, monitor, and evaluate one’s own instruction and instructional programs that intentionally integrates issues of global significance in classroom learning.
2. Demonstrate the disposition and capacity to understand and act on issues of global significance as well as the attributes of global competence (core concepts, values and attitudes, skills, and behaviors) to find ways to foster them in students to become globally competent by nourishing critical thinking, and expanding their understanding of the world around them.
3. Examines how language acquisition and multilingualism can provide rich opportunities for the development of intercultural understanding and utilize students’ different worldviews as assets in classroom learning.
4. Examine the purposes and quality indicators of assessment (a range of informal and formal assessments) as they relate to living and learning globally, and how to use results to plan instruction.
5. Demonstrate the ability to plan and provide instruction that systematically integrates language and content/culture based on the evaluation of student’s language proficiency and social or academic needs by designing an instructional unit that reflects the needs of students in the selected setting. 
   

• Introduce yourself in the Course Forum
• Read through the Course Syllabus
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Complete the Sustainability Module (located in the LRC)
• Take the Sustainability Student Experience Survey
  
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post in, comment on, and rate the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 2 - Global Competence Framework and Implications for Curriculum and Instruction

• Peer assess Unit 1 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 3 - Inquiry into the Global World: Global Issues, Critical Questions, and Social Justice

• Peer assess Unit 2 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Begin and participate in the Group Activity (Due Unit 6)
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 4 - Issues of Global Competence Assessment, Advocacy and Life-Long Learning

• Peer assess Unit 3 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Continue to participate in the Group Activity (Due Unit 6)
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 5 - Cultural and Linguistice Diversity, Accomodation and Support

• Peer assess Unit 4 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Continue to participate in the Group Activity (Due Unit 6)
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 6 - Issues of Identity and Belonging in a Global Community and Implications for Educating CLD Learners in Our Schools

• Peer assess Unit 5 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Post or submit finalized Group Activity
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment

Unit 7 - Innovations in Schools: What are the Elements of a Globally - Oriented School or Classroom?

• Peer assess Unit 6 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Complete and submit the Written Assignment
• Complete the Reflective Portfolio Assignment
• Take the Sustainability Student Experience Post Survey

Unit 8 - Teachers as Reflective Learners, Educational Leaders, Decision Makers and Change Agents

• Peer assess Unit 7 Written Assignment
• Read the Learning Guide and Reading Assignments
• Participate in the Discussion Assignment (post, comment, and rate in the Discussion Forum)
• Take the Sustainability Student Experience Post Survey
• Complete and submit the anonymous Course Evaluation

Course Requirements:

Discussion Assignments & Response Posts/Ratings
There are 8 discussions in this course, worth 10 points each. You are required to develop and post a substantive response to the Discussion Assignment in the Discussion Forum. A substantive response is one that fully answers the question that has been posed by the instructor. In addition, you must extend the discussion by responding to at least three (3) of your peers’ postings in the Discussion Forum and rate their posts. Instructions for proper posting and rating (out of a 10 point scale) are provided inside the Discussion Forum for each week. Discussion Forums are only active for each current and relevant learning week, so it is not possible to contribute to the forum once the learning week has come to an end.

Written Assignments & Assessment Forms
In this course, there are 6 Written Assignments worth 100 points each. You are required to submit your assignments by the indicated deadlines. In the week following the submission of your written assignment, you will peer assess three (3) of your classmates’ assignments according to the instructions found in the Assessment Form, which is provided to you during the following week. During this peer assessment period, you are expected to provide details in the feedback section of the Assessment Form, indicating why you awarded the grade that you did to your peer. Please note that each assignment grade is comprised of a combination of your submission (90%) and your peer assessments (10%).

Group Activities
During this course, you will be required to complete work as part of a small group. Group work is an important component of your coursework, as it allows you to deepen relationships with classmates, and gain a more thorough understanding of the topics presented in this course. Further, group work mimics the business environment in which projects are often conducted in small teams across different departments. You will be randomly assigned to your groups and are expected to work with your teammates throughout the term for all group activities.

Reflective Portfolio Activities
You will complete 8 reflective portfolios in this course worth 10 points each. Portfolio Activities are tools for self-reflection and evaluation within the context of the course. These activities are designed as a means to document and critically reflect upon your learning process. Activities you develop for this course will be kept in your Research and Practice Portfolio and will be important as you progress towards the final courses in your program, particularly the Advanced Practice and Capstone courses. Ideally, you will draw from your coursework and experiences, as well as what you’ve learned in other courses, and your own current teaching practice to showcase your overall growth and examine ways in which you can continue to develop and sharpen your research interests and expand your cadre of instructional m

The Research and Practice Portfolio 
Throughout the M.Ed. Program, you will be building a portfolio of instructional strategies and materials, and acquiring knowledge and skills for advanced professional practice.  Students begin building their portfolio right from start.  It serves as a repository for research findings and sample units and lessons.  Students use it to archive ideas and resources related to instructional methods, classroom management, and assessment. The portfolio supports your own self-reflection on changes that demonstrate growth in professional knowledge, skills, and attitudes that is part of the Capstone experience. The component parts of the Research and Practice Portfolio include:

• Reflective Portfolio Activities
• Research
• Teaching and Learning Resources

Course Forum
The Course Forum is the place to raise issues and questions relating to the course. It is regularly monitored by the instructors and is a good place to meet fellow students taking the same course. While it is not required to participate in the Course Forum, it is highly recommended.

Course Policies:

Grading Components and Weights
Each graded component of the course will contribute some percentage to the final grading scale, as indicated here:

Grading Scale

This course will follow the standard 100-point grading scale defined by the University of the People, as indicated here:

Grade Appeal
If you believe that the final grade you received for a course is erroneous, unjust, or unfair, please contact your course instructor. This must be done within seven days of the posted final grade. For more information on this topic, please review the Grade Appeal Procedure in the University Catalog.

Participation
Non-participation is characterized by lack of any assignment submissions, inadequate contributions to the Discussion Forums, and/or lack of peer feedback to Discussion/Written Assignments. Also, please note the following important points about course participation:

• Assignments must be submitted on or before the specified deadline. A course timeline is provided in the course schedule, and the instructor will specify deadlines for each assignment.
• Any student showing non-participation for two weeks (consecutive or non-consecutive) is likely to automatically fail the course.
• Occasionally there may be a legitimate reason for submitting an assignment late. Most of the time, late assignments will not be accepted and there will be no make-up assignments.
• All students are obligated to inform their instructor in advance of any known absences which may result in their non-participation.

Academic Honesty and Integrity
When you submit any work that requires research and writing, it is essential to cite and reference all source material. Failure to properly acknowledge your sources is known as “plagiarism” – which is effectively passing off an individual’s words or ideas as your own. University of the People adheres to a strict policy of academic honesty and integrity. Failure to comply with these guidelines may result in sanctions by the University, including dismissal from the University or course failure. For more information on this topic, please review the Academic Integrity Policy in the University Catalog.

Any materials cited in this course should be referenced using the style guidelines established by the American Psychological Association (APA). The APA format is widely used in colleges and universities across the world and is one of several styles and citation formats required for publication in professional and academic journals. Purdue University’s Online Writing LAB (OWL) is a free website that provides excellent information and resources for understanding and using the APA format and style. The OWL website can be accessed here:  

APA style introduction. (n.d.). Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts. Purdue University. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_style_introduction.html

Code of Conduct
University of the People expects that students conduct themselves in a respectful, collaborative, and honest manner at all times. Harassment, threatening behavior, or deliberate embarrassment of others will not be permitted. Any conduct that interferes with the quality of the educational experience is not allowed and may result in disciplinary action, such as course failure, probation, suspension, or dismissal. For more information on this topic, please review the Code of Conduct Policy in the University Catalog.

Analyzes the theoretical and research bases for classroom practice in teaching reading and language arts