Explore the Workshop Content

This is a sample iDiscovery workshop syllabus for participating mathematics teachers. iDiscovery also offers workshops for science teachers and for on-line workshop facilitators.

Syllabus

iDiscovery: Seminar on Implementing Mathematics Instructional Reform I
(EDT 699.Y: 2 credits)

Web-Based Follow-on to Professional Development Institutes, Workshops, and Initiatives

In the 2008-2009 academic year, iDiscovery is offering six seminar-based courses for graduate credit: Facilitating I, Facilitating II, Implementing Math I and II, and Implementing Science I and II. Participants cannot register for and receive credit for the same course twice in the 2008-2009 academic year.

iDiscovery fall workshop registrations become official on October 10, 2008. Participants may withdraw through October 10, 2008, by e-mailing the request to Pat Witson, witsonpa@muohio.edu. Participants remaining officially enrolled in a fall iDiscovery workshop after October 10, 2008, will receive a grade for the course in accordance with the distributed evaluation rubric.

iDiscovery is not a self-paced course. To receive credit, participants are required engage deeply in conversations by posting multiple responses to each seminar on different dates before the final assignment due date.

iDiscovery, a joint effort of the Discovery Center and Project Dragonfly at Miami University, is devoted to creating communities of professionals to support efforts to implement lessons, curricula and teaching skills developed and explored during workshops, institutes, and professional development (PD) initiatives designed to increase the amount of systemic-reform-based learning and teaching in Ohio mathematics classrooms. iDiscovery uses Web-based seminar/inquiry strategies to reinforce key concepts and skills, and to encourage educational professionals to share ideas and provide valuable feedback to one another during the critical implementation phase of professional development designed to accomplish systemic reform.

This iDiscovery Web-based, seminar-based follow-on workshop will focus on

• Key elements of systemic-reform-based lessons and curricula
• Designing, implementing, and supporting lessons and curricula that address systemic reform
• Modifying or revising reform-based lessons to meet student, teacher, and curriculum needs.

This course will foster the skills and understandings necessary to implement systemic-reform-based mathematics instruction in K-12 classrooms. Lessons authored during the workshops and institutes and during this implementation phase will be shared with colleagues for purposes of reflection, support, and critique. In addition, participants will share implementation experiences with fellow educational professionals in a supportive and constructive atmosphere. As needed, participants will read, reflect on, and discuss published articles on related topics including learning styles, equity, inclusion, inquiry/problem-solving strategies, model mathematics instruction, and relevant systemic reform initiatives.

 

Weeks 1-3  
Assignment: Become familiar with the Internet, World Wide Web, and iDiscovery Web site.
Assignment: Explore the iDiscovery Web site and the Ohio Resource Center for Mathematics, Science and Reading Web site, and identify ORC resources that address the curriculum and instructional criteria developed during summer workshops, summer institutes, or PD initiatives.
Week 4-6  
Assignment: Read, Reflect, and Discuss.
Reading selections from the iDiscovery Knowledge Center, the ORC Web site, or the Web at large. Readings are selected for their relevance to the specific reform initiative addressed by the workshop.
Weeks 6-8  
Assignment: Evaluate and revise through discussion/seminar a mathematics activity posted by the Facilitator with the intent of turning the activity into a high-quality lesson that reflects the workshop/PD objectives.
Week 9-11  
Assignment: Read, Reflect, and Discuss.
Reading selections from the iDiscovery Knowledge Center, the ORC Web site, or the Web at large. Readings are selected for their relevance to the specific reform initiative addressed by the workshop.
Weeks 12-16  
Assignment: Post a lesson plan that has already been taught. The lesson must address and identify mathematics standards/objectives/benchmarks, and must include a thoughtful reflection on lesson implementation (e.g., successes, failures, surprises, challenges, possible improvements and requests for help).
Assignment: Discuss the lesson plans and reflections posted by classmates.
Weeks 17  
Assignment: As a culminating activity, reflect in writing on the difficulties, successes, failures, and surprises encountered while implementing reform-based strategies.