Syllabus Design
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Introduction
Adult Basic Education (ABE) is typically intended for students 16 years or older, not currently enrolled in school, and desiring to improve their basic skills in reading, writing, math, listening, and speaking (Indiana Department of Workforce Development, n.d.). The ABE 050 - Career Preparatory Mathematics course is designed for adult basic education students seeking to improve their math skills in order to utilize these skills in a workplace environment, obtain employment, and/or pass an examination in order to gain licensure.
In this course, students will explore careers and develop a career pathway while learning applicable math skills in order to meet personal goals for career development. Throughout the course, students will engage in whole brain learning through a variety of activities, including activities designed to develop soft skills and build emotional intelligence through social and emotional learning.
Rationale
Every brain is unique, and every individual learns differently. In fact, Green (1999) pointed out that “as learning changes the structure of the brain, the more individual we become” (p. 686). Because of this we designed a course that makes mathematical concepts accessible to everyone. We aligned our syllabus to the brain-based learning theory which recommends utilizing various activities that appeal to a wide demographic. We chose to use activities such as lectures, note taking and guided notes, discussion, videos, creation and use of math manipulatives, and games. We also provided learning activities in whole group, small group, and individual formats. A wide range of learning activities enabled us to engage all learners with a method that would best meet their individual needs.
In addition to making mathematical concepts accessible, we wanted to ensure that students retained the knowledge they acquired in this course. Multiple theories were utilized to inform this aspect of our syllabus, including Zull’s four pillars of learning framework which includes the steps of experience, reflection, creation, and testing (Zull, 2006). This parallels “how signals flow in the brain, from sensory input through various integrative functions to finally result in motor output” (Taylor & Lamoreaux, 2008, p. 53). Learners will achieve deeper understanding of the course content by utilizing this four-step process. Additionally, we recognized that the brain is a parallel processor and because of this “Good facilitation should be understood as a process of orchestrating the learners’ experience through providing a variety of activities and resources” (MacKeracher, 2004, p. 100). Furthermore, Handayani and Corebima state that learning should be relevant and “based on the natural functions of the brain, where students can learn significantly with brains preparing students to store, process, and retrieve information” (p. 2). Because individuals learn best when they are engaging their whole brain and because the brain learns through context, we designed our course to build math skills by using a variety of activities in a real world context by introducing students to math as it is used in several different occupations.
Creating a supportive environment that facilitates students’ learning and growth was a top priority as we began designing our syllabus, and we used the theories of the triune brain and neuroplasticity as a guide during the course creation process. Research on the triune brain informs us that learning can be inhibited due to “down-shifting” (the process of the limbic system taking over for the neocortex due to perceived threat) (Roberts, 2002). Roberts (2002) also points out that in order to avoid the “down-shifting” educators should “lower threat levels early in your program, make a strong emphasis on relationship building, both peer-peer and teacher-student” (p. 284). We incorporated a community building day at the beginning of the course in an effort to build these relationships; additionally, we included group activities in each topic as well as facilitator meetings throughout the course to continually build these important relationships. According to Roberts (2002), educators should “Use the 60/40 rule for planning your lesson plans. Sixty percent of your experiences should be ritual based activities that are repetitive...to allow your participants to experience known activities in an unknown environment” (p. 285). We designed our course so that one of Zull’s four pillars occurs on each day of the week (Mondays - experience, Tuesdays - reflection, Wednesdays - creation, and Thursdays - testing) in an effort to build learner familiarity with the course structure. The limbic system is not the only reason that supportive learning environments are important; in fact, research has proven that neuroplasticity (the changing of neural pathways due to learning) is maximized in a nurturing environment (Cozolino & Sprokay, 2006).
Our final primary goal was to reduce any reluctance our students may have to learn mathematics. The research conducted on the limbic system allowed us to create a syllabus that will likely reduce learning reluctance. MacKeracher (2004) points out that “the limbic system determines how the brain will respond to all information received” and “New experiences trigger memories...If the experience that originally created the memory was associated with negative feelings…then the response to the new experience will also be negative” (p. 96). Incorporation of social emotional learning (SEL) activities each week is intended to build the learners’ capacity to overcome barriers to learning caused by prior negative learning experiences. Additionally, integration of soft skills (communicating effectively, conveying professionalism, promoting teamwork and collaboration, thinking critically, and solving problems) has the potential to increase our students’ capacity to learn even if a prior learning experience was negative. The brain-based learning theory suggests that learning is natural; however, in reality some students may struggle to learn because they do not see the relevance of the content to their daily lives. Using the contextualized curriculum does not only increase students’ knowledge retention, it also allows them to understand the everyday value of math and increases their willingness to learn.
Syllabus
ABE 050 - Career Preparatory Mathematics
Spring 2021 Semester
Course Instructor: Dr. Peri Meter
Instructor Contact Information: The instructor may be contacted via email at peri.meter@ballstateuniversity.edu or by telephone at 719-123-4567
Instructor Office Hours and Location: The instructor’s office is located in Davis Building Room 125. Office hours are Monday-Friday from 12:00-1:00 p.m. or by appointment.
Class Location: Davis Building Room 234
Class Dates: April 5, 2021 - May 13, 2021
Class Time: Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Course Objectives:
Explore career pathways while learning applicable math skills.
Discuss the rules for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of fractions.
Discuss the rules for addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of decimals.
Convert between fractions, decimals, and percents.
Set up ratios and solve proportion problems.
Perform unit conversions in and between the U.S. and metric systems.
Calculate the area, perimeter, and circumference of geometric figures.
Calculate unit price and total cost.
Prepare estimates.
Build algebraic expressions and equations using key terminology.
Discuss the properties of integers.
Create and analyze graphs.
Apply probability in context.
Meet personal goals for career development.
Prepare students to utilize math skills in a workplace environment, obtain gainful employment, and/or appropriate licensure.
Build emotional intelligence through social and emotional learning.
Engage students in whole brain learning through a variety of activities.
Learning Materials:
Contextualized math module outcomes 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 12 will be used for instruction from the Illinois Community College Board website which can be accessed at:
https://www.iccb.org/iccb/wp-content/pdfs/adulted/career_pathways_curriculum/Math_Module.pdf
Applied mathematics and essential soft skill activities will be used from the WIN Career Readiness System website which can be accessed at:
Contextualized career awareness module outcomes 2, 3, 6, 7, 9, and 11 will be used for instruction from the Illinois Community College Board website which can be accessed at:
Course Structure:
This course will meet in-person for 6 weeks on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. Virtual class meetings can be requested for those students who are unable to attend in-person. These accommodations must be discussed with the instructor before the scheduled class meeting.
Every week, the class will focus on a different module containing the mathematical, career readiness, and life skills needed to be successful in a variety of career pathways. Each of the weekly units will allow the student to experience, reflect, create, and test the mathematical and life skills. These skills are necessary for a wide range of career pathways.
Mondays: Students will be introduced to the mathematical concepts that will be utilized in that week’s lesson and will have the opportunity to experience how those mathematical concepts can be utilized in real-world situations.
Tuesdays: Students will complete an in-class reflection activity related to that week’s mathematical concepts. During the activity, students will be given the opportunity to perform calculations in the context of a variety of career pathways and share their results with the rest of their work group or class. Students will also spend part of the class session working through a variety of career planning exercises.
Wednesdays: Students will work independently or in small groups to create their own application problems, manipulatives, etc. that are directly related to that week’s learning module. Students will also spend a portion of the class period working on Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) activities. During SEL sessions, the time will start with a grounding/breathing/ meditation session and will be followed by an introduction to a mantra, with a small group to whole group discussion of the benefits of this mantra and the real world application.
Thursdays: Students will be given the opportunity to test out the techniques they learned throughout that week’s lesson by completing a challenge problem or a more complex application problem. In addition, students will have the opportunity to participate in soft-skill development activities. Students will be assigned applied mathematics and essential soft skill activities from the WIN Career Readiness System to be completed no later than Sunday.
Any activities or lessons not completed during class time must be completed as homework. Homework will be due by 11:59 p.m. on the Sunday following the week in which it was assigned. See the course calendar for specific due dates.
Attendance Policy:
In this course, attendance and participation are required. Students need to attend class to make proper progress. To be given credit for attendance and participation, students are expected to arrive in class on time and to remain actively engaged and involved the full class period. Any absence caused by illness is considered to be excused if the student presents a written statement from a certified healthcare provider. Assignments incurred during the missed class time should be completed and turned in according to the assignment schedule. Students with 3 unexcused absences must have a one-on-one conference with the course instructor. Students with 6 or more unexcused absences will be removed from the course and program but may reapply after 60 days.
Grading Criteria and Standards:
Course standards are based on College & Career Readiness Standards for Adult Education. This is a non-credit bearing course, so a standard grading scale will not be utilized for this course. Instead, assessments will be based upon the student’s ability to complete the homework activities and the instructor’s classroom observations. Successful completion of 80% of the assigned homework and activities will result in the acquisition of a certificate of completion for the course.
Course Calendar:
Assignment Schedule and Due Dates:
Reflection
Highlights
The syllabus that our group created has multiple significant aspects that exemplify brain- based theories. The schedule we have chosen allows us to maximize the brain's abilities. In order to maximize the brain's abilities, we employed several theories including Zull’s four pillars of learning framework (explore, reflect, create, and test), brain-based learning (contextualization), and limbic-system learning support (60/40 schedule and emotional supports).
Process
Our process in creating this syllabus has been a deeply collaborative one. We scheduled Zoom meetings that all members were able to attend. During those Zoom meetings, we first took some time to get to know one another. This has been paramount for us to be able to assess each other's strengths and use those strengths to our best advantage. We used a backwards design on our syllabus, meaning that we first started with our summary table and then we moved on to the assignments to ensure that our assignment choices and schedule aligned with the theories that were researched. We also utilized a Google Doc to allow all members to access the document and to edit in real time. This ensured that we are all able to complete our parts of the assignment in a timely manner that worked best in our personal schedule.
Table 1. Summary of Syllabus Design
References
Cozolino, L., & Sprokay, S. (2006). Neuroscience and adult learning. New Directions for Adult
Continuing Education, 2006 (110), 11-19. https://doi-org.proxy.bsu.edu/10.1002/ace.214
Green, F. (1999). Brain and learning research: Implications for meeting the needs of diverse
learners. Education, 119(4), 682-687.
Handayani, B. S., & Corebima, A. D. (2017). Model brain based learning (BBL) and whole
brain teaching (WBT) in learning. International Journal of Science and Applied
Science: Conference Series, 1(2), 153-161. https://doi.org/10.20961/ijsascs.v1i2.5142
Indiana Department of Workforce Development. (n.d.) Indiana adult education teachers’ handbook. https://www.in.gov/dwd/files/Teacher-Handbook.pdf
MacKeracher, D. (2004). Making sense of adult learning (2nd ed.). University of Toronto
Press.
Roberts, J. W. (2002). Beyond learning by doing: The brain compatible approach. Journal of Experiential Education, 25(2), 281-285.
Taylor, K., & Lamoreaux, A. (2008). Teaching with the brain in mind. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 119, 49-59.
Zull, J.E. (2006). Key aspects of how the brain learns. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 2006(110), 3-9. https://doi-org.proxy.bsu.edu/10.1002/ace.213
Group 2. Well done! Thank you for a well thought out, concise, and efficient syllabus example. I pulled this form above:
ReplyDelete"We aligned our syllabus to the brain-based learning theory which recommends utilizing various activities that appeal to a wide demographic. We chose to use activities such as lectures, note taking and guided notes, discussion, videos, creation and use of math manipulatives, and games. We also provided learning activities in whole group, small group, and individual formats. A wide range of learning activities enabled us to engage all learners with a method that would best meet their individual needs."
This statement hit me hard. I am learner who needs a strong visual aspect to the process and variation in the process to stay engaged and motivated to learn. I want to take this course and math is not in my wheelhouse at all. Dr. Peri Meter strikes me a solid human ready to teach.
When I reviewed all of your weeks, I appreciate the repetition with variation. Each week launches a new skill, how to apply that skill, and what can be done with said skill in the future. I think math is a subject where it is easy to get frustrated and say "I will never use it so why should I do it." Your week by week set up helps change that narrative.
Lastly, I LOVE that you added a celebration at the end. It is nice to put a bow on the work for the learner and the instructor. The celebration offers another level of motivation.
Great work!!
Warmly,
Andrea Sadler
Group 2,
ReplyDeleteAwesome work! Your syllabus design is very easy to follow. I appreciate your addition of not only a course calendar but also an assignment schedule. I know as a student, I prefer these tools when planning ahead and trying to get a feel for when assignments are due. I think any student taking this course would feel prepared after reviewing this syllabus.
Great job!
Mady
Group 2,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to start by saying THANK YOU for addressing the elephant in the room right from the start, which is the formatting issues associated with posting to Blogger by offering a link to a .pdf. I skipped over a couple of other groups' syllabi because I have a tough time concentrating trying to read through long projects like these in Blogger. Secondly, I applaud your humor in naming your instructor. Well played!
I really liked your syllabus design. As I said before and even brought up with my own group, it isn't tough for me to be overwhelmed by a lot of information being presented at once, and even with the Intro and Rationale presented at the beginning, once you start the structure of the syllabus, it is very clear and organized, nicely separated into useful sections distinguished by layout, color or graphic.
Also, I appreciate your use of both a course calendar and an assignment schedule. It would be easy to attempt to combine these two and be presenting too much at once so this format works well for me. And then you all did well to achieve the four identified aims of your syllabus design based on theoretical ideas associated with the brain and learning with activities and strategies like using a four step learning path and building a community of learners with ice breakers to begin the course.
You all did great work in designing your syllabus.
Andrew
Group 2,
ReplyDeleteGood job on your syllabus. The design and flow is well thought out and it shows. I like how you went through and individually broke out each day and each week. Your use of the calendar in the syllabus helps students to see the complete lay out of the class. It really allows the user to comprehend and work to plan out what they need to do. Your rationale did a good job at explaining the ideas and understanding of the course and the material which is going to be taught. In all it shows each individual did a good job mapping out and developing their respective piece of the syllabus. Great job.
You all did an excellent job group 2! I love that you chose to teach mathematics that would be needed during someone’s career because that is something that is not taught often. I like that you attempted to incorporate various teaching methods into your syllabus to ensure that all individuals would be able to process the information. I like that you provided a course calendar as well as an assignment schedule with due dates so that students would be able to reference them both. Once again, great work!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGroup 2,
ReplyDeleteI liked how you all incorporated exploring career pathways with the math skills that are applicable for this profession. I feel like a cliche I hear a lot is "I don't know how to do ___, but thank God I know the quadratic formula." I think the syllabus design is clear and easy to read.
Samuel Martin
I think the thing I liked the most about your group's syllabus was that I could follow the syllabus. I am fascinated that you all chose to teach math ( a forbiden topic). I believe that I myself could actually follow this particular class due to it's structure and appeal to the visual learners.
ReplyDelete