EDUC 275: Schooling in the United States

Final Exam: Purpose of Schooling Final Paper

Spring 2014, Due:_____________

1.
2.
3.
4.

Course Objective Umbrella Questions:

What was, is, and should be the purpose of schooling in the United States?
What is your role as a future teacher in fulfilling that purpose?
How does schooling continue the existing order?
How can schooling transform the existing order?
(existing order = cultural, political, social, economic, environmental order)

Purposes of Schooling (Standard 8.1.1)

71 points/76 pts=

This is both the first and last assignment of the course.

Students will answer the course umbrella questions in a succinct
3-5 page, double-spaced max. paper. More details will be provided below.

(5/76 pts for 1st draft)

12.45 %

Assignment Description: This assignment serves as your second part of the final exam (the first
is the Hot Topics Mini-Lesson) for the course. The purpose of this assignment is to provide an
opportunity for you to integrate course concepts, readings, knowledge, and experience gained.
You need to write a coherent scholarly essay that answers the four course umbrella questions.
Meta-Reflection on Process: On the cover page that should include your name and the title of
your final paper, you also need to write a half page on how your first draft answer to the course
umbrella questions (submitted at the beginning of the semester) differs from your final paper.
This paper should be very differentdont just turn in your first draft but really think about what
you have synthesized in your learning. In fact, please cut & paste to the end of this paper
indicating your pretest. When you write this paper, please answer what you learned from
engaging with course readings and in classroom dialogical, discussions, debates, role plays, online discussions, games, written work, cooperative learning, etc throughout the semester?
How did that influence (or not) your final paper? This allows for being self-reflective about your
own learning and thinking processes from taking this course.
o
o

o
o

Final Paper Criteria:

Introduction page with title of your scholarly essay and page meta-reflection on the process.
4-5 pages maximum, double-spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins.
American Psychological Association citation and reference style preferred but will accept MLA or Chicago.
(See RamCT weblink from The Owl at Purdue
(http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/) for an on-line citation guide).
At least 7-10 total in-text citations, and
7-10 different reference sources placed in your Bibliography to back claims made in your paper:
o At least six in-text citations in the paper to support your arguments and reference sources must be
from course readings.
o At least six of the total in-text citations and reference sources must be from scholarly journals or
books/book chapters (anything used from class readings counts as scholarly).
o Other in-text citations and reference sources can be from newspapers, internet sites, personal
interviews, blogs, etc.
Grading Rubric:

_______5 Cover page with solid, catchy title and page meta- reflection
_______ 10 Organization (clear intro, body, conclusion)
_______10 Clarity (Clearly and sufficiently answers all course umbrella questions)
_______20
Argumentation (Makes truth claim, substantiates claim with cited research, cited expert opinion, and/or valid,
thorough, logical reasoning. Part of logical reasoning is arguing from a general claim to specific textual evidence
and/or example.) All 4 umbrella questions /answers are supported through clear argumentation.
_______ 10 Style (Grammar, spelling, punctuation, paragraph construction, smoothness, transitionsmistakes do not interrupt
meaning)
_______16 Citations and reference sources (Integrated and elaborated in-text citations, a Bibliography reference list, at least 710 American Psychological Association formatted in-text citations preferred but MLA is accepted and reference
sources )
Total Points: __________/71

Grade of _____________