CSC 379 Technology Partnerships in Urban Schools
Summary
Course Context
Community-based service learning courses are designed for students to experience serving the marginalized, disenfranchised and under-served populations of our community. With the gap increasing between the wealthy and those living in poverty, the need to address current issues becomes increasingly relevant. Nowhere is this more evident than in the technology arena. Students will have the opportunity to assess urban community needs in the technology arena, and develop skills in assisting and developing methods for bridging the digital divide. In order to do so, these students will partner with Computer Science for All (CS4All) at Chicago Public Schools (CPS) and serve as a teaching assistant (TA) in a local high school Computer Science (CS) classroom. As a result, the student will be able to make a substantial difference in an underprivileged academic community group.
CS4All (or Computer Science for All, or CSforAll...) has become a popular catchphrase to encompass the nationwide set of initiatives to promote CS education in elementary and high school. Chicago Public Schools was the first major school district in the United States to launch such an initiative, and CS is now becoming established as a core subject at CPS. {\em CS4All} is the name of the Computer Science department at CPS.
A major barrier to the implementation of CS education nationwide is the dearth of K-12 instructors who are prepared to teach CS. Few teachers took a CS course themselves in high school or college (let alone elementary school), so becoming a CS teacher requires a lot of learning and a lot of work. This presents an opportunity for teachers to have the experience of learning the same CS material that their students are learning, often alongside those students.
The flagship high school course that CPS has adopted at their high schools, Exploring Computer Science or ECS, was developed to enable any high school student to learn the subject in a relevant, inquiry-driven way. ECS is also designed to be taught by any teacher willing to learn. As such, it fits in perfectly with the mission of CS4All to bring CS education to every student.
One important piece of practical support for teachers learning new material is to have a classroom aide who may know a little bit more than they do about the subject. This is where TAs come in.
Experiential learning at DePaul
The Experiential Learning requirement engages students in the first-hand discovery of knowledge through observation and participation in activities, most often in field-based settings outside the classroom. This inductive process of ?learning by doing and reflecting? is supported by theory-based information. In these courses, students compare and analyze issues, problems, and ideas through the lenses of their own personal experiences and evolving intellectual worldview.
Experiential Learning may take place in a regularly scheduled course, an approved internship, a Study Abroad course*, or in an independent study approved on a case-by-case basis (utilizing the proper Independent Study Approval Form). All such courses may be offered in the student?s major and may count for both major field and Liberal Studies requirements. When more than four credit hours are earned from such an experience ? for example, an eight-hour internship ? four hours may be counted toward Liberal Studies requirements and four hours toward major program requirements. Experiential Learning is typically taken in the junior year as major field or other foundational knowledge is essential to ensure a successful outcome.
Experiential learning outcomes:
Students will be able to: 1) Apply particular concepts from readings, lectures, etc. to an analysis of lived experiences in the settings provided by the course, 2) Use the experiences provided by the course to construct and articulate the impact of their experience on their understanding of course content, 3) Demonstrate an understanding of the ethics appropriate to his or her experiential placement, and 4) Synthesize and articulate how the ideas and experiences provided by the course might inform their personal, academic, and/or professional pursuits.
Texts
This course will not have a textbook. Reading materials will be posted on D2L.
Grading
The grade for this course will be based on three areas:
- 60% class/field participation
- 20% weekly journals
- 20% final reflection
Homework will be accepted up to four days late; the score will decay with a half-life of one day. Late work will not be accepted for the final reflection.
Prerequisites
Students in this course must have taken at least one introductory-level computer science before, or have equivalent experience. Other attributes that will help students succeed in this course include a good imagination, an ability to work and plan well with others, and a passion for helping the underprivileged.
This syllabus is subject to change as necessary during the quarter. If a change occurs, it will be thoroughly addressed during class, posted under Announcements in D2L and sent via email.
Evaluations are a way for students to provide valuable feedback regarding their instructor and the course. Detailed feedback will enable the instructor to continuously tailor teaching methods and course
content to meet the learning goals of the course and the academic needs of the students. They are a requirement of the course and are key to continue to provide you with the highest quality of teaching. The
evaluations are anonymous; the instructor and administration do not track who entered what responses. A program is used to check if the student completed the evaluations, but the evaluation is completely
separate from the student’s identity. Since 100% participation is our goal, students are sent periodic reminders over three weeks. Students do not receive reminders once they complete the evaluation.
Students complete the evaluation online in CampusConnect.
This course will be subject to the university's academic integrity policy. More information can be found at http://academicintegrity.depaul.edu/ If you
have any questions be sure to consult with your professor.
All students are expected to abide by the University's Academic Integrity Policy which prohibits cheating and other misconduct in student coursework. Publicly sharing or posting online any prior or current materials from this course (including exam questions or answers), is considered to be providing unauthorized assistance prohibited by the policy. Both students who share/post and students who access or use such materials are considered to be cheating under the Policy and will be subject to sanctions for violations of Academic Integrity.
All students are required to manage their class schedules each term in accordance with the deadlines for enrolling and withdrawing as indicated in the University Academic Calendar. Information on enrollment, withdrawal, grading and incompletes can be found at http://www.cdm.depaul.edu/Current%20Students/Pages/PoliciesandProcedures.aspx.
Students who feel they may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact the instructor privately to discuss their specific needs. All discussions will remain confidential.
To ensure that you receive the most appropriate accommodation based on your needs, contact the instructor as early as possible in the quarter (preferably within the first week of class), and make sure that
you have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) at:
Lewis Center 1420, 25 East Jackson Blvd.
Phone number: (312)362-8002
Fax: (312)362-6544
TTY: (773)325.7296