Fall 2004 COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Click on titles in blue for draft Syllabus

Educ 229 Introduction to International Education
(David Bell) -- Thursday 4-7 pm          Room TBA           Schedule Number:

This course is designed to introduce students to the role of culture in education. After exploring the theoretical basis of culture and its relationship to education, students will be exposed to a range of cultural perspectives from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. To integrate the various country presentations, students will engage in the study of the following global issues: environmental concerns, population distribution, human rights violations, socio-economic inequities, and conflicts and emergencies.

Educ 556 Education and Community Development
(Mainus Sultan) -- Thursday 9-12 noon           275 Hills South           Schedule Number:

The focus of this seminar is to explore current and emerging theories and practices of community development processes in both the US and international settings. The course is designed to create a learning climate that encourages the participants to take initiative in order to analyze a variety of community development concepts and methods. The course will help participants develop practical skills for effectively involving local people and mobilizing resources for community-based efforts. The seminar offers a series of case studies from international locations to combine conceptual framework with field experience as well develop understanding on a broad range of community issues. Another feature of the course is to develop skills of cross-cultural strategies in order to design and implement community development program at a grassroots level.

Educ 626 Social Theories of Education
(Kamat) -- Wednesday 4-6:30 pm

In this course we will systematically review some of the most influential, as well as some lesser known, social theories that have influenced educational thought in the twentieth century. The course involves a careful and systematic study of the works of selected twentieth century social theorists and an analysis of their impact on educational thought and practice. The social theorists we will focus on are Weber, Bourdieu, Gandhi, Fanon, Gramsci and Foucault. Other social theorists may be added to this list upon further discussion with class members. This course is offered primarily for doctoral students in EPRA, but is also open to master's and doctoral students from other departments and the university. There are no prerequisites. The instructor will provide a summer reading list to those students who pre-register for the course.

Educ 615Z Introduction to International Education
(Evans) -- Monday 9-12 noon           287 Hills South          

Introductory seminar for new degree candidates in CIE. Strongly recommended for new CIE students. Course contains an introduction to the sub-fields that make up international development education and nonformal education. The seminar also will review the structure and procedures for degree programs, resources available for graduate study in the five-college area, and planning for personal and professional growth during the degree process. Students outside CIE may attend with permission of the instructor. Permission of the instructor required.

Educ 629 Policy Issues in International Education
(Hartwell & Evans) -- Tuesday 1-4           275 Hills South           Course Website

Current international educational policy in Africa, Asia and Latin America is centered on strategies necessary to achieve the global agenda of Education for All. Central to those policies is the establishment of measurable objectives, country strategies, plans of action, and the means to monitor progress. The course will begin with an overview of the nature of policy formation and implementation at national and international levels, drawing on the theory and practice of policy analysis. A supporting focus of the course will analyze the concepts, experience, and the current practice in creating monitoring and evaluation frameworks to guide education sector policy work. The course will also review guidelines for the preparation of national polices and their associated M&E frameworks, including various methods for creating and using indicators to measure progress towards goals.

Educ 793L Qualitative Research Methods
(Rossman) -- Tuesday 4-7 pm           287 Hills South           Schedule Number: Offline

This course provides an introduction to the assumptions, language, logic, and methods of qualitative inquiry in a variety of settings. The emphasis is on the modes of thinking and specific practices associated with generic as well as collaborative approaches to qualitative research. We discuss paradigms, their usefulness in understanding the assumptions implicit in all inquiry, and the typical assumptions of qualitative inquiry. We also focus on conceptualizing and designing qualitative studies and discuss strategies for developing researchable questions and the issues associated with involving participants in the research process.

The major work of the course is the conduct of a small-scale qualitative research project which entails a number of activities: (1) designing the project; (2) negotiating agreement to conduct inquiry; (3) practicing the specific methods typically used in qualitative research: interviewing, observing, and document review; (4) analyzing and interpreting the data gathered through the fieldwork; and (5) writing up the process and findings in a set of coherent and well-argued papers. Since learning about qualitative research is best accomplished by doing it, immersion in the course and its work is essential and typically requires a substantial time commitment.

Through readings, discussion, class exercises and assignments, we will work through the following topics: the assumptions and theoretical traditions of qualitative research; the role of the researcher in qualitative inquiry; preparing for fieldwork and initiating agreement about the inquiry; typical qualitative data collection methods; collecting and organizing data in the field; analyzing and interpreting qualitative data; ensuring accurate, rich, and useful qualitative studies; ethical and political dilemmas in qualitative research; and writing the research report. Permission of the instructor required.

Educ 793W International Education Master's Project
(Rossman) -- Monday 9-12 noon           275 Hills South           Schedule Number: Offline

This seminar provides a mixture of group planning, support and guided individual study for those students in international education who are ready to work on a specific research topic for their M.Ed. thesis/project. Prior to enrollment, students should have completed CIE form one and clarified preliminary ideas for project or thesis with their advisor. In the seminar's first phase, students are introduced to selected research and design models, procedures for developing a study design, and use of documentary sources. Steps and targets help participants to identify and refine their study plans and to complete form two. In the second phase, small working groups are formed to apply principles of design and become a primary source of feedback and support supplemented by conferences with instructor and large group sessions. The final allocation of 3 credits for 793W signifies successful completion of the project/thesis. Permission of the instructor required.

Educ 818 Alternative Approaches to Education for Rural Development
(Hartwell & Miller) -- Monday 1-4 pm           275 Hills South           Schedule Number:

Conventional schooling as a route to human capacity development, especially in developing countries, is the subject of multiple critiques. On one hand it is seen as an imposition of an inappropriate western and post-colonial institution which undermines rather than strengthens indigenous development and well-being. Even some who fervently support formal schooling as the path to Education for All argue that current models are beyond the financial reach of many of the poorest countries. Finally, there are those who believe that conventional schooling does not well foster children's potential as natural learners, nor does it effectively contribute to the evolution of democratic, diverse, and caring communities. This course explores theory, research and practice in the development of alternative models of education, focusing particularly on experience in rural areas of developing countries where some of the most innovative and successful alternatives have been established. We will define the elements of formal and non-formal learning environments, and explore the political, social and economic contexts in which alternatives to conventional schools have emerged - relating this to development theory and work with the empowerment of local communities.

Educ 870.1 Education Finance in Developing Countries
(Hartwell) -- Wednesday 9-12 noon           275 Hills South           Schedule Number:
(experimental course number currently being applied for)

This course provides a conceptual framework and operational methods for analyzing the financing and costs for education systems in developing countries. It is designed for those involved in education policy formulation and educational planning at a national level. Increasingly, education sector assessments and sector investment plans (SIPs), imbedded within such mechanisms as the 'Comprehensive Development Plan,' or a 'Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper' (PRSP), have become the framework for national educational development in poorer countries. The course deals with the economic concepts and practices required for carrying out sector investment analysis and planning, while examining those financing policies and practices necessary for supporting decentralized and non-formal education. The course will develop skills in the use of spreadsheets for education financial planning and modeling using Excel by extensive use of a computer laboratory.

Educ 870.2 Mixed Methods Research and Evaluation in International Contexts
(Rossman & Miller) -- Wednesday 1-4 pm           275 Hills South           Schedule Number:

This experimental course will cover both the theory and practice of mixed methods research. The course will focus on design, implementation, analysis, and reporting. Distinctions between research and evaluation, with particular emphasis on strategies for monitoring and evaluation of programs and projects in international contexts.