SE878 Comparative Education: A Focus on Essentials

I. Catalog Description and Credit Hours of Course:

This workshop is designed to assist middle school and secondary teachers to improve their classroom teaching through an on-site comparative study of the cultures and educational systems of The Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany. (3)

II. Prerequisites: Graduate Standing

III. Purposes or Objectives of the Course:

A. To familiarize participants with the various European curricular structures, especially in regard to middle level education.
B. To explore European methods and materials for instruction and assessment.
C. To enhance participants’ level of multicultural appreciation.
D. To assist participants in acquiring an understanding of the relevance of a culture to its educational system.

IV. Expectations of the Student:

A. Participation in class activities.
B. Reflective journal on lectures and activities.
C. Formal paper focusing on what participant learned of other educational systems and other cultures and how this knowledge might be integrated into one’s own classroom teaching for the improvement of instruction.

V. Course Content: (10 hrs.)

A. Curriculum

1. Educational history and philosophy of each country.
2. Structure of curricula with emphasis on middle level education.
3. Content of curricula with emphasis on mathematics and language arts

B. Methods (10 hrs.)

1. Classroom organization.
2. Use of technology in teaching.
3. Active learning.
4. Cooperative learning.

C. Assessment (10 hrs.)

1. Philosophies.
2. Methods.
3. Expectations on students.

D. Ethnic/Socio-Economic Diversity in the Classroom 10

1. Impact on teaching philosophy.
2. Impact on curricula.
3. Impact on methods of instruction.

E. Cultural Appreciation (10 hrs.)

1. Historical
2. Social
3. Political
4. Artistic

VI. Textbooks:

Gutek, G. L. (1993). American Education in a global society: Internationalizing teacher education. White Plains, NY: Longman.

Ringer, F. K. (1979). Education and society in modern Europe. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

VII. Basis for Student Evaluation

A. Completion of daily journal of reactions/reflections on lectures and activities.

B. Completion of formal paper focusing on what the participant has learned of other educational systems and how that knowledge might be integrated into his/her own classroom for instructional improvement.