Syllabus and One Assignment
Ducat ENG 103-#1433 Spring 2011 - Mt. San Jacinto College
“Education” Assignment
The texts
· TIA chapters 1-4 on the purposes for, context of, media for, and strategies for argument.
· All the essays in TIA Chapter 11 clusters 1, 2, and 3 (excepting the Trainor essay) regarding secondary and post-secondary education in the US: its structure, methods, pedagogy, curriculum, and more.
· Supplemental materials including:
o articles at http://www.good.is/category/education/;
o Blumenstyk, Goldie. "Loan-Default Rate at For-Profit Colleges Would Double Under New Formula." The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4 Feb 2011 accessed 4 Feb 2011 http://chronicle.com/article/Loan-Default-Rate-at-For-Profit/126250/;
o Wilson, Robin. "For-Profit Colleges Change Higher Education's Landscape." The Chronicle of Higher Education, 7 Feb 2010 accessed 3 Feb 2011 http://chronicle.com/article/For-Profit-Colleges-Change-/64012/
o “Pathways to Prosperity.” Pathways to Prosperity Project. Harvard Graduate School of Education. 1 Feb 2001 accessed 4 Feb 2011 http://www.gse.harvard.edu/news_events/features/2011/Pathways_to_Prosperity_Feb2011.pdf
o Anderson, Melissa. "Ignoring the Inconvenient Truths in Waiting for Superman.” The Village Voice, 22 Sept 2010 http://www.villagevoice.com/2010-09-22/film/ignoring-the-inconvenient-truths-in-waiting-for-superman/;
o Ayers, Rick. “An Inconvenient Superman: Davis Guggenheim's New Film Hijacks School Reform.” The Huffington Post, 17 Sept 2010 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rick-ayers-/an-inconvenient-superman-_b_716420.html?view=print;
o “The Myth of Charter Schools” by Diane Ravitch, The New York Review of Books, 11 Nov 2010 http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/2010/nov/11/myth-charter-schools/?pagination=false;
· “College, Inc.” Frontline. pbs.org.4 May 2010 accessed 3 Feb 2011 http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/collegeinc/view/
· Waiting For Superman. Dir. Davis Guggenheim. Paramount, 2010. DVD.
Read, discuss
We have written about and discussed many of the texts.
Think/Plan
You will write an essay regarding some aspect of the secondary/post-secondary educational system. I will not tell you which aspect to address, so this is a very important part of your process. You may choose to compose a paper in which you propose a course structure that you think would make the perfect course, considering elements such as syllabus, grades, curriculum and/or teaching pedagogy. Or you could write about something completely different. Just remember, your selection must be appropriately narrow, in order to allow you to match the length of the paper (4 pages).
Research your concept
You are welcome to read additional texts which may help you in this project, but as the list above demonstrates, we have done quite a bit of guided work in this topic.
Write
Write a paper in which you take a position of some complexity regarding an element of secondary or post-secondary education. You must use at least four sources, two from the Chapter 11 clusters and two from the supplemental materials, video or film.
Review, revise, and rewrite
We will review collaboratively, and there will be time in-class to rethink and rework. The revised version of this paper must be substantially different from the first draft.
Details
The body of this paper must have at least 1000 words. It must be typed in Times New Roman 12 pint font and in MLA manuscript format, including works cited page. The rough draft is due (to turnitin.com and in class) on Feb 16. The final draft is due (to turinitin.com and in class on) Feb 28.Ask me if you do not understand the expectations.