culture

EXAMINING CULTURAL IMPACTS ON EDUCATION FROM A WORLDWIDE PERSPECTIVE EDUC 298
University of Wisconsin- Green Bay
Spring 2013 Independent Study

Instructor: Dr. Susan CooperOffice: Wood Hall 430G
Phone: 920-465-2076Office Hours: By Appointment
Cell: 920-634-7423 (I TEXT!!)Email: coopers@uwgb.edu
Skype User Name: susan.cooper69

Course Overview
UW-Green Bay Course Objectives:
To provide and INTERDISCIPLINARY perspective by addressing problems and discussing issues of different racial, ethnic and cultural groups. To develop COMMUNICATION skills, with emphasis in writing, to effectively connect research to possible strategies for teaching with cultural competence. To promote INFORMATION LITERACY via writing and independent studying, so that you have a better understanding of how information is collected, can assess the quality of the information and its sources, and can use the information you gather effectively. Cultural Images and World Culture Course

This seminar satisfies both the Cultural Images and World Culture requirement for the General Education program. To that end, we will work to develop an understanding of the beliefs, values, and ways of life in various countries in order to engage comfortably in cross cultural settings and interact harmoniously with people from cultures other than the United States. Included in the development of cultural competency is the ongoing attainment of authentic multicultural materials. We will identify strategies that provide for more evenhanded learning opportunities through literature, music, and other educational resource from diverse cultures as we continuously develop our ability to provide a welcoming atmosphere that physically reflects the diverse cultures, interests, and experiences of those we will encounter in future professional and personal interactions. Required Text:

O’Hanian, Susan (1999). One Size Fits Few: The Folly of Educational Standards. Heinemann.

Grading Scale:
93-100% A
89-92% AB
83-88% B
79-82% BC
73-78% C

69-72% CD
60-68% D
Below 60 % F

Paper 1- 50 Points
Project 1- 50 Points
Paper 2- 25 Points
Cultural Artifacts- 50 Points
Major Project- 150 Points
Course Requirements:
Paper 1: Describe your “culture” (500-1000 words). This paper needs to define the Elements of Culture that you decide upon after conducting some internet research for you as an individual. You will use this paper to create your culture box.

Project 1 ( With paper 1): Prepare a “culture box” that offers a visual perspective of how you view your culture. This box must contain at least 1 artifact to represent each of the cultural specifics you discuss in your paper. Your box may have no words except the Elements of Culture that you’ve defines. You may not have any pictures with your face in your culture box.

Paper 2: What is the purpose of education? (500-1000 words): Define how you see this from societal, cultural, and personal perspectives. Read O’Hanian for a perspective on this. You can disagree if you’d like. Collect research on important cultural aspects of a country of your choice and how the school system in that country is structured by recognizing the relationships between culture and learning. What are some ways in which students are systematically failed due to lack of adequate decision making about curriculums and providing instructional materials that reflects cultural diversity?

Major Project: Prospective on Multicultural Education
Create a culture box for your country similar to the one you did for your own culture. Prepare a slide show presentation on your country, its culture, and its education system. How do the culturally significant aspects of your researched country manifest in today’s education system? Be sure to answer this question specifically. Provide a list of 3 educational resource materials that can be used in a cultural context for the students in your country as well as provides a diverse picture of the world for other students.