Syllabus

Master of Science in Education

EDU 727 Understanding the Whole Child – Spring A 2024

Credits - 3

Description

This course will deepen the participants’ understanding of the factors that affect a learner’s ability to access their education. Participants will explore the current research in neuroscience and its connection to social and emotional learning. Participants will review and understand practical strategies to address the social and emotional learning needs of all learners and develop a social and emotional learning plan including the development of self-regulation skills in all learners.

Materials

Souers, K. & Hall, P. (2016). Fostering resilient learners: strategies for creating a trauma-sensitive classroom. Alexandria, Virginia: ASCD. (ISBN: 978-1416621072. E-text ISBN: 978-1416621102)
American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association. 7th ed. American Psychological Association. (ISBN 978-1433832154, ISBN 978-1433832161, E-text ISBN 978-1433832185). Available from the UNE Libraries in print on both campuses.

Learning Objectives and Outcomes

Course Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Develop the role of the teacher in an inclusive classroom setting in contributing to the success (or failure) of the whole child by examining their own belief systems around educating the whole child in the inclusive setting.
Identify and discuss the factors that affect a learner’s ability to access their education through examination and synthesis of relevant research/course materials.
Demonstrate how these factors contribute to a learner’s ability to access their education through course discussions and assignments.
Research and examine the role of neuroscience (brain research) including Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and its connection to SEL (social and emotional learning) through course materials, discussions, and assignments.
Identify practical strategies to address the social and emotional learning needs of all learners through course materials, discussions, and assignments.
Develop a social and emotional learning plan to meet the needs of all learners in an inclusive setting.

Assignments

Week 2: Fostering Positive Relationships

This week you will create an artifact that shows ways to foster positive relationships with all of your learners. You will discuss your own experience in developing positive relationships with your learners, as well as research the importance of fostering relationships with your learners. You may present your work in a format that makes sense for you (essay, infographic, slides, video). Your finished product must include APA citations and formatting. Be creative!

Week 3: Adverse Childhood Experience Investigation

You will be conducting an ACE self-inventory based on the work of Blodgett (2012). In conducting this self-inventory, you’ll be able to make some general assumptions and connections to your learners in recognizing the impact of ACEs on learning.

Week 4: Whole Child Inventory

Using the Whole Child Indicators as a guide, you will conduct an inventory of your school. You may use the template provided, or you may use another method such as a video, interactive presentation, or infographic.

Week 6: Draft SEL Lesson

You will develop a lesson plan that integrates the UDL Engagement Guidelines to an area of your choosing:

CAESL’s Core SEL Competencies
ASCD’s Whole Child Indicators

You may choose to use the template provided, or you may choose to use a format of your preference. Your lesson can be an integrated academic lesson or a total lesson that is focused on a social and emotional area. The goal is for you to be creative, inclusive, and support the whole child.

Remember that this lesson plan is a work in progress. This week you are submitting a DRAFT of your lesson plan. You will also continue the work on this lesson plan in Week 7. In Week 7, you will revise and annotate your lesson plan.

Week 7: Annotated SEL Lesson

You will submit your completed annotated lesson plan. Annotations must contain research from course readings as well as at least two outside resources. You may also revise your lesson plan based on instructor and classmates’ feedback from the Week 6 discussion.

Grading Policy

Your grade in this course will be determined by the following criteria:

Grade Breakdown

Assignment	Point Value
Discussions	24 pts (3 pts x 8 weeks)
Week 2: Fostering Positive Relationships	10 pts
Week 3: Adverse Childhood Experience Investigation	15 pts
Week 4: Whole Child Inventory	16 pts
Week 6: Draft SEL Lesson	15 pts
Week 7: Annotated SEL Lesson	20 pts
Total	100 pts

Grade Scale

Grade	Points Grade	Point Average (GPA)
A	94 – 100%	4.00
A-	90 – 93%	3.75
B+	87 – 89%	3.50
B	84 – 86%	3.00
B-	80 – 83%	2.75
C+	77 – 79%	2.50
C	74 – 76%	2.00
C-	70 – 73%	1.75
D	64 – 69%	1.00
F	00 – 63%	0.00

Schedule

Week 1: Jan 17 – Jan 21
Week 2: Jan 22 – Jan 28
Week 3: Jan 29 – Feb 4
Week 4: Feb 5 – Feb 11
Week 5: Feb 12 – Feb 18
Week 6: Feb 19 – Feb 25
Week 7: Feb 26 – Mar 3
Week 8: Mar 4 – Mar 10

Week	Topic	Activities & Assignments	Dates
Week 1	It Starts with You	Assigned Reading & Viewing Class Discussion*	Due: Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on FRIDAY.
Week 2	The Power of Relationships	Assigned Reading and Viewing Class Discussion* Written Assignment: Week 2: Fostering Positive Relationships Artifact	Due: Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 3	Understanding Trauma, Neurodivergence, and Other Factors	Assigned Reading and Viewing Class Discussion* Written Assignment: Week 3: Adverse Childhood Experience Investigation	Due: Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 4	The Whole Child	Assigned Reading and Viewing Class Discussion* Written Assignment: Week 4: Whole Child Inventory	Due: Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 5	UDL and the Whole Child in the Inclusive Setting	Assigned Reading & Viewing Class Discussion*	Due: Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 6	UDL and SEL in the Inclusive Setting	Assigned Reading and Viewing Class Discussion* Written Assignments: Week 6: Draft SEL Lesson Plan	Due by Sunday at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 7	Connecting the Dots: UDL, SEL, and the Whole Child in the Inclusive Setting	Assigned Reading and ViewingClass Discussion* Written Assignments: Week 7: Annotated Lesson Plan	Due: Sunday, 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.
Week 8	Wrap-Up	Class Discussion*	Due: FRIDAY at 11:59 PM ET *Post your initial response to the discussion board no later than 11:59 PM ET on WEDNESDAY.

Student Resources

Online Student Support

Your Student Support Specialist is a resource for you. Please don't hesitate to contact them for assistance, including, but not limited to course planning, current problems or issues in a course, technology concerns, or personal emergencies.

Questions? Visit the Student Support Education page

UNE Libraries:

Library Access for all students: Your library login ID and password are the same as the ones you use to log into Blackboard/Brightspace.
Education Databases: https://library.une.edu/library-materials/find/research-by-subject/education/
Library Questions: Ask a librarian or phone library staff at (207) 602-2361 or (207) 221-4330.

UNE Student Academic Success Center

The Student Academic Success Center (SASC) offers a range of services to support your academic achievement, including tutoring, writing support, test prep and studying strategies, learning style consultations, and many online resources. To make an appointment for tutoring, writing support, or a learning specialist consultation, go to une.tutortrac.com. To access our online resources, including links, guides, and video tutorials, please visit:

UNE Student Academic Success Center

Information Technology Services (ITS)

ITS Contact: Toll Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673

Accommodations

Any student who would like to request, or ask any questions regarding, academic adjustments or accommodations must contact the Student Access Center at (207) 221-4438 or pcstudentaccess@une.edu. Student Access Center staff will evaluate the student's documentation and determine eligibility of accommodation(s) through the Student Access Center registration procedure.

Online Peer Support

Togetherall is a 24/7 communication and emotional support platform monitored by trained clinicians. It’s a safe place online to get things off your chest, have conversations, express yourself creatively, and learn how to manage your mental health. If sharing isn’t your thing, Togetherall has other tools and courses to help you look after yourself with plenty of resources to explore. Whether you’re struggling to cope, feeling low, or just need a place to talk, Togetherall can help you explore your feelings in a safe supportive environment. You can join Togetherall using your UNE email address.

Information Technology Services (ITS)

Students should notify their Student Support Specialist and instructor in the event of a problem relating to a course. This notification should occur promptly and proactively to support timely resolution.

ITS Contact: Toll-Free Help Desk 24 hours/7 days per week at 1-877-518-4673.

Career Ready Program

The College of Professional Studies supports its online students and alumni in their career journey!

The Career Ready Program provides tools and resources to help students explore and hone in on their career goals, search for jobs, create and improve professional documents, build professional network, learn interview skills, grow as a professional, and more. Come back often, at any time, as you move through your journey from career readiness as a student to career growth, satisfaction, and success as alumni.

Policies

AI Use

The Graduate Programs in Education holds the position that Grammarly and other AI writing and generative technology should not be used when completing course assignments, unless explicitly permitted by course faculty and assignment instructions. These tools do not support a student’s personal and direct capacity to develop and hone skills in creativity, logic, critical thinking, analysis, evaluation, theorization, and writing, which are central to graduate-level rigor, assessment, and research. Use of these tools when not explicitly permitted may result in an academic integrity infraction.

Turnitin Originality Check and Plagiarism Detection Tool

The College of Professional Studies uses Turnitin to help deter plagiarism and to foster the proper attribution of sources. Turnitin provides comparative reports for submitted assignments that reflect similarities in other written works. This can include, but is not limited to, previously submitted assignments, internet articles, research journals, and academic databases.

Make sure to cite your sources appropriately as well as use your own words in synthesizing information from published literature. Webinars and workshops, included early in your coursework, will help guide best practices in APA citation and academic writing.

You can learn more about Turnitin in the guide on how to navigate your Similarity Report.

Technology Requirements

Please review the technical requirements for UNE Online Graduate Programs: Technical Requirements

Course Evaluation Policy

Course surveys are one of the most important tools the University of New England uses for evaluating the quality of your education, and for providing meaningful feedback to instructors on their teaching. In order to assure that the feedback is both comprehensive and precise, we need to receive it from each student for each course. Evaluation access is distributed via UNE email at the beginning of the last week of the course.

Late Policy

Assignments: Late assignments will be accepted up to 3 days late; however, there is a 10% grade reduction (from the total points) for the late submission. After three days the assignment will not be accepted.

Discussion posts: If the initial post is submitted late, but still within the discussion board week, there will be a 10% grade reduction from the total discussion grade (e.g., a 3 point discussion will be reduced by 0.3 points). Any posts submitted after the end of the Discussion Board week will not be graded.

Please make every effort ahead of time to contact your instructor and your student support specialist if you are not able to meet an assignment deadline. Arrangements for extenuating circumstances may be considered by faculty.

Attendance Policy

8 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Sunday at 11:59 pm ET of the first week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

16 week: Students taking online graduate courses through the College of Professional Studies will be administratively dropped for non-participation if a graded assignment/discussion post is not submitted before Friday at 11:59 pm ET of the second week of the term. Reinstatement is at the purview of the Dean's Office.

Student Handbook Online - Policies and Procedures

The policies contained within this document apply to all students in the College of Professional Studies. It is each student's responsibility to know the contents of this handbook.

UNE Online Student Handbook

UNE Course Withdrawal

Please contact your student support specialist if you are considering dropping or withdrawing from a course. The last day to drop for 100% tuition refund is the 2nd day of the course. Financial Aid charges may still apply. Students using Financial Aid should contact the Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from a course.

Academic Integrity

The University of New England values academic integrity in all aspects of the educational experience. Academic dishonesty in any form undermines this standard and devalues the original contributions of others. It is the responsibility of all members of the University community to actively uphold the integrity of the academy; failure to act, for any reason, is not acceptable. For information about plagiarism and academic misconduct, please visit UNE Plagiarism Policies.

Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to the following:

Cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information.
Fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports.
Action which destroys or alters the work of another student.
Multiple submissions of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course without permission of each instructor.
Plagiarism, the appropriation of records, research, materials, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and the submission of them as one's own.

Charges of academic dishonesty will be reviewed by the Program Director. Penalties for students found responsible for violations may depend upon the seriousness and circumstances of the violation, the degree of premeditation involved, and/or the student’s previous record of violations. Appeal of a decision may be made to the Dean whose decision will be final. Student appeals will take place through the grievance process outlined in the student handbook.