Course essay


Essay Guidelines

 

Theme

Through analysis and synthesis of your ED253 self-reflective time line, course readings, discussions and other activities, and your research, write a research essay about yourself as a subject of education.  Through this essay, I challenge you to question your experiences that inform who you are as a subject of education.  Ask yourself, "what are the conditions that have made this experience(s) or event(s) possible?"  These conditions are informed, at the same time, by history, politics, culture, economy and more. Note:  experience,  your experience, DOES NOT provide the evidence to support your conclusions.  Instead, your experiences become the objects or events about which you are seeking understanding.Your essay can be created in any form and/or medium approved by Dr. Shutkin. (2500 word limit)

 

Introduction

What is your research topic? Briefly describe the topic that you have in mind within the context of the broad field of educational studies and your lived experience of education.

 

Problem Statement

What is the problem that your research topic responds to? Research topics don't emerge from nothing. They arise out of a situation in which there is a need, a problem that must be solved. What needs, interests and prior knowledge form a foundation for your research topic? What connections will you make in this project with other topics you know or study? Conversely, what "big" question or questions do you have about this topic? What do you want to know; what important content and concepts will you learn? What knowledge, skills, strategies and attitudes do you expect to gain?

 

Objectives

What will be the results of your research? Your readers need to know what outcome they can expect. Sometimes a list is appropriate, especially if there are several outcomes. Be sure to show how your objectives will directly address the problems that you identified in the previous section. 

 

Literature Review

Is there sufficient literature for the research project? In your literature review, please define the research topic, comparing and contrasting how it is variously defined across the literature surveyed. Further, discuss how the topic is treated in the literature, i.e. what are the articles about, what are the educational and/or political perspectives of the articles, and so forth. 

 

Conclusions:  Discussion, Analysis, Synthesis

Show how your conclusions directly address the problems that you previously identified.  What is/are the problem(s) that your research responded to?  How have you addressed / solved this/these problem(s)? How have you answered the "big" question or questions about this topic? What do you know now; what important content and concepts have you learned?  What knowledge, skills, strategies and attitudes have you gained? What are the results / outcomes of your research? Discuss these fully.

 

Bibliography

Complete bibliography in a standard form such as MLA, Chicago or APA.

 


Assessment Rubric

Usage
4. Demonstrates good command of Standard American English and writes with originality.
3. Demonstrates good command of Standard American English.
2. Demonstrates errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation etc.
1. Consistently demonstrates incorrect grammar and syntax
 
 Questions experience
4. Consistently questions and explores personal assumptions; reflects on lived experiences; and provides examples.
3. Consistently reflects on lived experiences; and provides examples; but inconsistently questions and explores personal assumptions.
2. Consistently: provides examples but inconsistently reflects on lived experiences.
1. Inconsistently reflects on lived experiences; and provides examples.
 
Self-reflection
4. Analysis conveys extensive evidence of a personal response to the issues raised in discussions, lectures and readings. Demonstrates personal growth and a political awareness.
3. Analysis conveys evidence of a personal response to the issues raised in discussions, lectures and readings. Demonstrates that he/she is beginning to develop new ways of reflecting on his/her world.
2. Analysis conveys little evidence of a personal response to the issues/concepts raised in the texts.
1. No personal response is made to the issues/concepts raised in the texts.
 
Classroom Reflection
4. Reflection indicates that student is listening well in class.
3. Reflection alludes to what student has heard in class.
2. Makes minimal reference to what is heard in class.
1. Makes no reference to what is heard in class.
 
Historical and Scholarly Text Reflection
4. Consistently makes inferences well and comprehends deeper meaning; relates texts and issues raised to other texts; demonstrates insight and relevance of texts to lived experiences and society; produces thorough and accurate bibliography.
3. Frequently makes inferences and comprehends deeper meaning; relates texts to issues raised; demonstrates insight and relevance of texts to lived experiences and society. Consistently produces thorough and accurate bibliography.
2. Regularly demonstrates comprehension of texts; relates issues raised to general knowledge, lived experiences and other texts. Consistently produces thorough and accurate bibliography.
1. Demonstrates basic comprehension of texts but does not make connections with the broader issues and contexts in and beyond the field of education.