Teaching with Technology

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COURSE DESCRIPTION
Welcome to CTCH 603-001: Technology in Higher Education.  This course explores the complex, inter-generational meeting among students, faculty and institutions of higher learning around the integration of information and communication technologies into learning and teaching.  It investigates the technology-rich information and communication practices that students bring with them to colleges and universities and delves into how we might capitalize on students’ existing knowledge and introduce them to new intellectual perspectives and practices throughout their academic careers, whatever their discipline or program.  The fundamental question we need to be able to answer confidently (or more confidently) by the end of this course is, “How do we prepare students to succeed, as learners, citizens, and professionals, in a world of information and communication technologies we cannot yet imagine?”

In a global society where change snaps relentlessly at our heels, we need every scrap of our capacity to imagine and to learn, especially when we have chosen education as our vocation. Fortunately, few boundaries limit our creativity and learning as human beings. We learn all the time, and everywhere, including from our students. I look forward to learning with and from you.

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REQUIRED TEXTS

• Mitsuko Ito et al., Hanging Out, Messing Around, Geeking Out: Living and Learning with New Media (http://digitalyouth.ischool.berkeley.edu/report)
• Henry Jenkins et al., Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture: Media Education for the 21st Century (http://tinyurl.com/63pmfm)
• Geert Lovink and Sabine Niederer (eds.), Video Vortex Reader: Responses to YouTube (http://tinyurl.com/5pnuag)
• Bonnie Nardi & Vicki O’Day, Information Ecologies: Using Technology with Heart (electronic resource, George Mason University Libraries: http://tinyurl.com/ygm58jn)

Additional shorter book extracts, articles and media as distributed by the instructor, guest speakers and peer teachers, indicated on the weekly schedule

SUPPLIES
Electronic storage medium (CD, DVD or flash drive, for example) for your ongoing work and final portfolio

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CLASS PARTICIPATION
As out-of-class preparation significantly enhances the quality of in-class participation, both the quality of preparation for class, and participation in class contribute to the success of our weekly meetings.   This class supports participation of many different kinds. If you are uncomfortable speaking in a large group, you can share your ideas through writing or within a small group of peers. If you think best as you speak, you can demonstrate your capabilities in full-class discussions or presentations. Whatever your learning style, whatever your intellectual and practical strengths, you should find several ways to demonstrate your excellence and contribute to our collaborative exploration of teaching with technology.

Also, please do remember that I am on campus several days a week, and I am always available and eager to discuss readings, suggest additional sources of information and talk about assignments.  Just let me know whenever you would like to meet.  I’m also happy to discuss our work online or by ‘phone.

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ACADEMIC POLICIES

Attendance
Class attendance is mandatory (except for medical reasons or religious holidays). If you are absent, inform me of the circumstances as soon as possible and remember that it is your responsibility to research and make up what you have missed.

Learning Differences
If you have a learning or physical difference that may affect your academic work, you should furnish appropriate documentation to the Office of Disability Services (http://www.gmu.edu/student/drc/). If you qualify for accommodation, the DRC staff will give you a form detailing appropriate accommodations for your instructor.  In addition to providing me with the appropriate form, please take the initiative to discuss accommodations with me at the beginning of the semester and as needed during the term. I learn from you the most effective ways in which I may assist you. If you have contacted the Disability Resource Center and are waiting to hear from a counselor, please let me know.

Medical Emergencies
If you encounter a genuine medical emergency, such as illness or hospitalization of yourself or a close family member, or a family crisis, please contact me as soon as possible. To insure you are not penalized for medical absences, please submit supporting documentation when you return to class (doctor’s certificate, hospital discharge forms, etc.).

Late Work
As late work impinges not only on your own learning, but also on that of all your colleagues in this collaborative community, assignments will lose one grade fraction (B to B-, C- to D, for example) for each day they are late.  However, George Mason University is sympathetic to the tensions of working full-time and studying for a graduate degree at the same time.  Thus, in this course I extend the same accommodations to absences necessitated by additional work commitments as I do to medical emergencies.

E-Mail
As faculty, we are allowed to communicate with you only via your George Mason e-mail account. As a means of protecting your privacy and academic confidentiality, we also urge you to communicate with each other only via your George Mason e-mail accounts. If you wish to forward mail from your George Mason account to another account (for example, a gmail account), go to the bottom of the Accessing Your E-mail page of the University’s Student Technology Guide.

Honor Code and Plagiarism
According to the University catalog, plagiarism includes the following:

Presenting as one’s own the words, the work, or the opinions of someone else without proper acknowledgment. Borrowing the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of material, or the pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgment

If you decide to use another person’s ideas you must either quote the idea verbatim or completely rephrase the ideas in your own words and voice. But you must still cite the original source of the information (in-text and in your list of works cited, for example) for both types of reference.

In academic work, follow a standardized format for your in-text citations and lists of works cited or references. These standards apply to all your work, including your portfolio and its contents. As you select samples of work to include in the portfolio, you may wish to present collaborative work. If you do so, you must acknowledge the collaboration and identify clearly your own role within it.  Remember:  please read carefully the University’s Honor Policy. It is your responsibility to understand it, and abide by its provisions.

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GRADING BREAKDOWN

Assignment	% of final grade
Class Participation	20%
Peer Teaching & Research “Paper”	35%
Knowledge Building Assignment	20%
Technology in Higher Education Philosophy	10%
Electronic Portfolio	15%

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IMPORTANT DATES

Last Day to Drop (no tuition penalty)	2 February
Last Day to Add	2 February
Last Day to Drop (33% tuition penalty)	9 February
Last day to Drop (67% tuition penalty)	19 February
Last Day to Drop	19 February
Spring Break	8 – 14 March
Incomplete Work from Fall 2008 due	26 March
Last Day of Classes	3 May
Exam. Period	5 – 12 May

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LEARNING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT RESOURCES

University Writing Center (703-993-1200, Robinson A, Room 114)
The University Writing Center provides, at no charge, tutors who will help you to brainstorm, structure, revise and edit written work. You may not need the Writing Center as a graduate student but do acquaint yourself with its services on behalf of your current and future students. If you do want to use the Writing Center, it may sometimes accommodate walk-in appointments, but you are more likely to see a tutor at a time convenient to you, and your assignment deadline, if you telephone in advance for an appointment. You may also consult the Writing Center online. For further information, e-mail wcenter@gmu.edu

Counseling Services (703-993-2380, SUB I, Room 364)
Professional counselors provide individual and group sessions for personal development and assistance with emotional and relational issues. In addition, the Learning Services Program (703-993-2999) offers academic skill-building workshops and a tutor referral service.

Office of Disability Services (703-993-2474, SUB I, Room 222)
The staff of DRC assist students with learning differences or physical conditions which may impact their academic work. The office also offers excellent guidance to teachers on helping students with conditions that may impact their academic work achieve their full potential.

Center for Teaching Excellence (702-993-8652, Johnson Center, Room 241)
The Center offers a range of support and learning opportunities for instructors across Mason’s campuses. On its website you will find information specific to teaching at Mason as well as numerous resources to sustain and enhance your teaching and learning practices, whether you are just getting started or have years of experience.

Women and Gender Studies Research and Resource Center (703-993-2896, Johnson Center, Room 240K)

The Center promotes student outreach, provides academic programs in women’s and gender issues, and supports gender-related research.  It also houses a resource library.

Multicultural Research and Resource Center (703-993-4003, SUB 1, Room 225)

The Multicultural Research and Resource Center (MRRC) is devoted to research on intercultural and cross-cultural inclusion and the development of curriculum that reflects the multicultural society within our local, regional, national and international community.†

The Student Technology Assistance and Resource Center (STAR) (703- 993-8990, Johnson Center, Room 229)
STAR mentors help students to learn new software packages and improve their command of familiar software. Web*STAR (703-993-3766, Johnson Center, Room 311) helps students create, revise and enhance web pages. STAR*T training (703-993-1385, Johnson Center, Room 344) offers free multimedia application (Dreamweaver, Flash, Photoshop, etc.) workshops throughout the semester.

Center for Leadership and Community Engagement (703-993-2900, Enterprise Hall, Room 442)

The Center for Service and Leadership promotes positive change and civic responsibility by combining academic study, leadership development and direct community service. CLSL is your resource at GMU for leadership development and service-learning initiatives.