EDCI 561 (61A): TEACHING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: TEACHER INQUIRY

Urban Learner II cohort, Winter Terms I and II Monday, 4:30-7:30, Sat. 9-3

VESTA office (see detailed schedule)

 

Instructor:        Deirdre Kelly  Instructor:                    Gaby Minnes Brandes

Telephone:       822-3952 (o), 684-1442 (h)                Telephone:       879-9019 (h)

E-mail: deirdre.kelly@ubc.ca   E-mail: gaby@unixg.ubc.ca

Office hours for both instructors: Before class & by appointment

 

INTRODUCTION

 

“Teachers cannot fix the problems of society by ‘teaching better,’ nor can teachers alone, whether through individual or group efforts, alter the life chances of the children they teach, particularly if the larger issues of structural and institutional racism and inequity are not addressed. However, while teachers cannot substitute for social movements aimed at the transformation of society’s fundamental inequities, their work has the potential to contribute to those movements in essential ways.”

 

                                                                        —Marilyn Cochran-Smith, 1999, p. 116

 

OBJECTIVES:

Students will be able to:

•     develop an understanding of various social justice frameworks and the complexities of translating them into educational practices

•     develop an appreciation for the multiple traditions of practitioner research in the field of education

•     learn the rudiments of critical teacher inquiry (including developing a research question, exploring methods for conducting a small-scale inquiry, and analyzing and sharing the results of one such inquiry)

 

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS AND DUE DATES: TERM I

Mon. Sept. 24:            Course overview; meanings of teaching for social justice

Mon. Oct. 1:                Multicultural and social reconstructionist (critical) frameworks

Mon. Oct. 15:              Poststructuralist framework; rewriting gender activity

                                    Overview of teacher research

** preliminary research question due in class **

Mon. Oct. 22:              Honing the research question

Sat. Oct. 27:    ** note: class will meet in the Scarfe Bldg. at UBC **

                                    Overview of research methods; ethical review process

                                    Guest speaker: Jo-Anne Naslund (1-3 p.m.)

Mon. Nov. 19:            Conducting the literature review; ‘A class divided’

Sat. Nov. 24:               The ethics and politics of teacher inquiry

** draft of UBC ethical review application due in class **

                                    Guest speaker: Val Overgaard, VSB (to be confirmed)

Mon. Nov. 26:             Wrap-up, preview of term II

Mon. Dec. 3:   **       preliminary reading list due at the VESTA office**

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

•     Participation: Everyone should come to class prepared to discuss the assigned readings. Class members will learn as much from the exchange of views inside the classroom as we will from analyzing the readings on our own. Some questions to consider as we construct our learning environment together:

 

1.         Did you read the assigned material and come to class having attempted to synthesize the readings, to identify concepts you didn't understand, to pinpoint where the author(s) seemed confused?

2.         Did you attempt to contribute to class discussion in a way that enhanced our understanding of the readings?

3.         Did you make an effort to speak? (Measure yourself against your usual inclination for “speaking up,” not against how much you talked in relation to how much other people talked.)

4.         Did you avoid dominating discussion?

5.         Did you deal respectfully with others' questions, confusion, and discussion priorities?

6.         Did you use class discussion (regardless of whether you spoke) as an opportunity to expand your understanding of the topics at hand?

 

End of Term I:

•     Formulate a research question that relates to teaching for social justice

•     Prepare a reading list related to that question (including some annotated bibliographic entries: see Delamont reading)

•     Draft the UBC ethical review application (which requires you to have a sense of the method you will employ, your sample, and research site)

 

Between Terms I and II:

We suggest you complete an initial draft of your literature review (which will probably change somewhat as you analyze your data in Term II).

 

End of Term II (and end of course):

•     Collect data or select curriculum document

•     Analyze the data or curriculum document

•     Prepare the written document (will include a description of your methodology, data sources, and findings and discuss implications)

•     Present a summary of your project orally in class or other appropriate forum.

 

ASSESSMENT:

 

Mark   Requirements:

 

C.        Formulate a research question that relates to teaching for social justice and prepare a             literature review

 

B.        As above, plus prepare the ethical review form, collect data, and report on the             research process (those electing to do curriculum analysis would not need to             prepare an ethics form but would need to do the analysis). All components of the             assignment handed in before the last day of class; relatively few errors of diction,             grammar, spelling, organization, or style; accurate, clear statement covering most             major aspects of the problem; lacks specific examples, details, and explanations.             For those doing curriculum analysis: describes how and why the curriculum             document was selected; makes some connection between the analysis and a social             justice framework; uses quotes from the curriculum document to support claims and             conclusions.

 

C.        As above, plus the analysis. All components of the assignment handed in on time; almost no errors of diction, grammar, spelling, or style; facts are shaped into an organized, intelligent statement; all material is pertinent to an understanding of the research question; writing is concise yet comprehensive and provides specific examples, details, and explanations; makes connections between findings and the literature reviewed; shows evidence of a systematic exploration of the data; discusses implications for practice, poses further questions arising from the inquiry, or both.

 

As we read each written component of the socially critical teacher inquiry assignment, we will provide oral and written feedback. We will denote satisfactory work with a check and very good work with a plus. Students may revise and resubmit a previously marked component with the next component. If you plan to resubmit your work, please attach the first draft and highlight the changes you have made to it.

 

Note: Students can choose to work in small groups.

 

COURSE READINGS

 

Required text:

Anderson, Gary L., Herr, Kathryn, & Nihlen, Ann Sigrid. (1994). Studying your own school: An educator's guide to qualitative practitioner research. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Note: This text is referred to below as Anderson et al., Studying your Own School

 

Required course reader:

Available at the UBC Bookstore.

 

Monday, September 24:

 

Greene, Maxine. (1998). Introduction: Teaching for social justice. In William Ayers, Jean Ann Hunt, & Therese Quinn (Eds.), Teaching for social justice (pp. xxvii-xlvi). New York: The New Press.

 

Cochran-Smith, Marilyn. (1999). Learning to teach for social justice. In G. A. Griffin (Ed.), The education of teachers: Ninety-eighth yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education (Vol. 1, pp. 114-144). Chicago: The National Society for the Study of Education.

 

Gale, Trevor, & Densmore, Kathleen. (2000). Playing fair: Who gets what and why? In Just schooling: Explorations in the cultural politics of teaching (pp. 8-29). Buckingham, Philadelphia: Open University Press.

 

Monday, October 1:

 

Sleeter, Christine E., & Grant, Carl A. (1994). Education that is multicultural and social reconstructionist. In Making choices for multicultural education (2nd ed., pp. 209-241). New York: Merrill.

 

Grant, Carl A., & Sleeter, Christine E. (1998). Excerpts from Turning on learning: Five approaches to multicultural teaching plans for race, class, gender, and disability (pp. 162-169, 191-195, 258-269, 2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Prentice Hall.

 

Shannon, Patrick. (1995). Understanding critical literacy. In Text, lies, and videotape: Stories about life, literacy, and learning (pp. 75-93). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

 

Monday, October 15:

 

Davies, Bronwyn. (1993). Deconstructive reading. In Shards of glass: Children reading and writing beyond gendered identities (pp. 150-174). Cresskill, NJ: Hampton Press, Inc. [pp. 2-3 are also included to provide background information on the data used in chapter 7]

 

Anderson et al., Studying your own school, chap. 1 (What is practitioner research?) and chapter 2 (Merging educational practice and research)

 

Optional:

Kumashiro, Kevin K. (2000). Toward a theory of anti-oppressive education. Review of Educational Research, 70(1), 25-53.

 

Optional:

Kumashiro, Kevin K. (2001). "Posts" perspectives on anti-oppressive education in social studies, English, mathematics, and science classrooms. Educational Researcher, 30(3), 3-12.

 

Monday, October 22:

 

Tripp, David H. (1990). Socially critical action research. Theory Into Practice, 24(3), 158-166.

 

Anderson et al., Studying your own school, chap. 3 (What does practitioner research look like?)

 

Lock, Robyn S., & Minarik, Leslie Turner. (1997). Gender equity in an elementary classroom: The power of praxis in action research. In Sandra Hollingsworth (Ed.), International action research: A casebook for educational reform (pp. 179-189). London: Falmer Press.

 

Saturday, October 27:

 

Anderson et al., Studying your own school, chap. 5 (Qualitative research approaches for everyday realities)

 

Bullough, Robert. V., Jr., & Gitlin, Andrew. (1995). Textbook/curriculum analysis. In Becoming a student of teaching: Methodologies for exploring self and school context (pp. 155-175). New York: Garland Publishing.

 

Clark, Penney. (1997). Between the covers: Exposing images in social studies textbooks. In Roland Case & Penney Clark (Eds.), The Canadian anthology of social studies: Issues and strategies for teachers (pp. 339-348). Burnaby: Field Relations and Teacher In-service Education, Simon Fraser University.

 

Council on Interracial Books for Children. (1994). 10 quick ways to analyze childrenís books for racism and sexism. In B. Bigelow, L. Christensen, S. Karp, B. Miner, & B. Peterson (Eds.), Rethinking our classrooms: Teaching for equity and social justice (pp. 14-15). Milwaukee, WI: Rethinking Schools Ltd.

 

ìAgency Consent; Observation and Interview Guidelinesî (3 pp.)

 

Example of UBC Ethical Review Application by Joy Antonia & Melanie Ashton (23 pp.)

 

Guest speaker: Jo-Anne Naslund, Librarian, UBC Education Library

 

Monday, November 19:

 

Delamont, Sara. (1992). Some guidelines for finding and recording literature. In Fieldwork in educational settings: Methods, pitfalls and perspectives (pp. 17-22). London: The Falmer Press.

 

Feldgus, Eileen Glickman. (1993). Classroom and school studies: Walking to the words. In Marilyn Cochran-Smith & Susan L. Lytle (Eds.), Inside/outside: Teacher research and knowledge (pp. 170-177, 299-304). New York: Teachers College Press.

 

Video: "A Class Divided: Then and Now" (60 minutes)

 

Saturday, November 24:

 

Anderson, et al., Studying your own school, chap. 4 (Empowerment and practitioner research)

 

Kelly, Deirdre M. (1993, Spring). Secondary power source: High school students as participatory researchers. The American Sociologist, 24 (1), 8-26.

 

Guest speaker: Valerie Overgaard, Associate Superintendent, Vancouver School Board (to be confirmed)

 

Monday, November 26:

 

To be announced

 

FURTHER READING

 

Teaching for Social Justice

 

Adams, Maurianne, Bell, Lee Anne, & Griffin, Pat. (Eds.). (1997). Teaching for diversity and social justice: A sourcebook. New York: Routledge.

 

Ayers, William, Hunt, J. A., & Quinn, Therese. (Eds.). (1998). Teaching for social justice. New York: The New Press.

 

Christensen, C., & Rizvi, F. (Eds.). (1996). Disability and the dilemmas of education and justice. Philadelphia: Open University Press.

 

Connell, R. W. (1993). Schools and social justice. Toronto: Our Schools/Our Selves Education Foundation.

 

Ellsworth, Elizabeth. (1997). Teaching positions: Difference, pedagogy, and the power of address. New York: Teachers College Press.

 

Howe, Kenneth R. (1997). Understanding equal educational opportunity: Social justice, democracy, and schooling. New York: Teachers College Press.

 

Kincheloe, J. L., & Steinberg, S. R. (1997). Changing multiculturalism. Buckingham and Philadelphia: Open University Press.

 

Lee, Enid, Menkart, Deborah, & Okazaway-Ray, Margo. (Eds.). (1998). Beyond heroes and holidays: A practical guide to K-12 anti-racist, multicultural education and staff development. Washington, DC: Network of Educators on the Americas.

 

Osborne, Ken. (1991, October). Teaching for democratic citizenship. Toronto: Our Schools, Our Selves.

 

**Rethinking Schools web site: www.rethinkingschools.org

 

Schniedewind, Nancy, & Davidson, Ellen. (1998). Open minds to equality: A sourcebook of learning activities to affirm diversity and promote equity (2nd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Longwood.

 

Sleeter, Christine E. (1996). Multicultural education as social activism. Albany: State University of New York Press.

 

Young, Iris Marion. (1990). Justice and the politics of difference. Princeton: Princeton University Press. <Note: this is a more theoretical and general text>

 

Teacher Inquiry / Practitioner Research

 

Atweh, Bill, Kemmis, Stephen, & Weeks, Patricia. (Eds.). (1998). Action research in practice: Partnerships for social justice in education. New York: Routledge.

 

Carson, Terrance, & Sumara, Dennis. (Eds.). (1997). Action research as a living practice. New York: Peter Lang.

 

Cochran-Smith, Marilyn, & Lytle, Susan L. (1993). Inside/outside: Teacher research and knowledge. New York: Teachers College Press.

 

Cole, Ardra L., & Knowles, J. Gary. (2000). Researching teaching: Exploring teacher development through reflexive inquiry. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.

 

Hollingsworth, Sandra. (1994). Teacher research and urban literacy education: Lessons and conversations in a feminist key. New York: Teachers College Press.