EDU 795: Public Knowledge and Public Responsibility

Overview

Many data-driven reports, books, and studies become part of the public rhetoric on education through media and political dissemination. For example, one such text, Why Johnny Can't Read, has become an influential part of the education lexicon in literacy discussions in the United States — even internationally. “Johnny" has been the impetus for research on, funding for, and changes in the way that reading is taught. Education leaders need to be able to critically analyze and evaluate these kinds of reports, books, and studies; and they need to understand how such texts become part of the public discourse and have long-reaching effects on education practice.

Introduction

The goal of this course is to help you understand the public responsibility regarding public knowledge so that you can be an ethical, responsible educator. You will study the motivations for and practice of research as well as the power of reporting conclusions. Further, you will explore the influence of the media and politics on education in addition to the responsibility of education leaders to report data accurately.

In this course, you will work with a leader or a leadership team to develop a professional synthesizing project — ideally one that supports your dissertation plans — that explores an important education problem that K-12 leaders face. You will analyze and evaluate the research included in an influential report, book, or study; whether or not the ways in which the media and/or political groups' reports were accurate and ethical; and the impact the media and/or political groups have had on education practice and the public rhetoric of education either nationally or internationally. You will write and submit to an appropriate magazine or newspaper a professional and synthetic op-ed monograph that presents your analysis of the ramifications that the report, book, or study and consequent media coverage and/or political influence have had on American and/or international systems of education.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Analyze and evaluate the research included in an influential report, book, or study (i.e., analysis of the motivations for the research, the literature review, the theoretical foundations, research methods, and conclusions drawn).
• Analyze and evaluate the ways in which the media and/or political groups reported the influential report, book, or study as well as whether or not such reporting was accurate and ethical.
• Analyze and evaluate the impact the media and/or political groups' reports regarding the influential report, book, or study have had on education practice and the public rhetoric of education either nationally or internationally.
• Explain personal reactions to the influential report, book, or study as well as reactions to the media and/or political groups' reports.
• Write and submit to an appropriate magazine or newspaper a professional and synthetic op-ed monograph that presents an analysis of the ramifications that the influential report, book, or study and consequent media coverage and/or political influence have had on American and/or international systems of education.

Required Texts
EDU 795 texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore