EDUCATION 488-4

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SPECIAL TOPICS: CRITICAL INCIDENTS IN TEACHING -

THE TEACHER AS

DECISION MAKER

Spring, 1987

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Instructor: ?

Dr. S. Wassermann

Wednesdays, 4:30 - 8:20

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Location: ?

MPX 7600

Prerequisites: Educ. 401/402 or equivalent.

This course is offered for pre-service and in-service teachers who wish to examine the various pressures

influencing the decision-making processes of teachers.

One of the important aspects of professional functioning is the autonomy of professionals to arrive at

decisions based upon their sound professional judgement. The ability to examine and interpret data, to

analyze assumptions, and to project potential consequences is considered a true mark of professional

functioning.

In some professions, a variety of pressures -- political, social, emotional, personal -- serve to influence

professional judgement and consequently to influence decision making. Such influence may have a

deep and pervasive effect upon the degrees of freedom and emotional health of professionals, upon

their beliefs and values about the profession itself, and upon their subsequent professional practice.

This course will use contemporary film and literature to raise levels of awareness about factors influencing

teachers' decision making, vis a vis examinations of critical incidents in teaching . Students who enroll will

engage in film viewing, study of specific literature and focused group discussion, in order to examine more

critically and become aware of personal decision-making in their own professional educational context.

Course Objectives:

1.

To increase understanding of the various and complex factors involved in the decision-making

process.

2.

To increase awareness of factors influencing a teacher's decision making process.

3.

To promote more critical awareness of personal decision making and the consequences of decisions

made upon person-in-the-process.

Texts:

No texts will be required, readings will be distributed.

IMPORTANT: Please note that a maximum of 12 semester hours of credit in Education