This course is an international, cross-cultural examination and analysis of educational issues and reforms in P-16 education. General exploration of major theoretical and methodological issues in comparative and international education will be explored, with a primary focus on aspects of societies that impact the educational system, including, historical, economic, social, political, ethnic and religious forces as they relate to education.

Registration Restriction(s): None

Your textbooks include:

• Sahlberg, P. (2020). Finnish Lessons. ISBN: 9780807764800
• Marshall, J. (2019). Introduction to Comparative and International Education. ISBN: 9781526445148

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

1. Define and apply concepts from the social foundations of education
2. Analyze interpretive, normative, and critical studies for professional educators
3. Identify social foundations of education commitments for P-12 students
4. Identify and apply concepts from the profession of education and Democratic Educational Practice
5. Identify and apply research, policy, and advocacy

Discussion Boards (50%)

This will be in a traditional discussion board format. You will be required to sign up to be a discussion leader one-two weeks out of the semester. 

Critical Memos (50%)

You will complete three critical memos each over a specific topic. More information is detailed in each separate Critical Memo assignment on Canvas.

What is the grading framework?

The following grading standards will be used in this class:

Late assignments have an automatic 20% deduction. You have one week from the due date to submit the late assignment. If you submit an assignment after this one-week deadline, it will not be graded, and you will receive a zero on that assignment. 

Discussion boards will not be accepted late since they are time-sensitive communications. You cannot ask for an extension on a discussion board assignment. If you are traveling, please plan accordingly in order to be able to take time to post on the discussion board that week.

Extension requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Any requests for an extension should be put into writing for me to consider. If requesting an extension, you must indicate the assignment you are requesting an extension for, the reason for the request, and the date that you will have the assignment completed, which I will need to approve. If an extension request is granted, you will be held to the date agreed upon from the written request and additional extensions WILL NOT be granted. 

You are expected to put as much time and attention into an online course as they would a seated course. You should be spending a minimum of three hours a week in the Canvas course completing the readings, watching videos, participating on the discussion boards, and completing other coursework.

View all of SUU's Program and Course Fees

When should I expect communication and feedback from my instructor?

Online classes provide unique challenges for interaction. For messages sent to me, I will respond in the specified amount of time. Feedback is an important part of learning please look for feedback on your assignments that I provided in the specified amount of time, to find feedback look at this tutorial How do I view assignment comments from my Instructor.

It is my goal to:

• Respond to student messages within 24 hours
• Provide grades and feedback within two weeks from the due date

Land Acknowledgement

SUU wishes to acknowledge and honor the Indigenous communities of this region as original possessors, stewards, and inhabitants of this Too’veep (land), and recognize that the University is situated on the traditional homelands of the Nung’wu (Southern Paiute People). We recognize that these lands have deeply rooted spiritual, cultural, and historical significance to the Southern Paiutes. We offer gratitude for the land itself, for the collaborative and resilient nature of the Southern Paiute people, and for the continuous opportunity to study, learn, work, and build community on their homelands here today. Consistent with the University's ongoing commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, SUU works towards building meaningful relationships with Native Nations and Indigenous communities through academic pursuits, partnerships, historical recognitions, community service, and student success efforts.

What is the culture of this class?

I intend this classroom setting to be an engaged, kind, and generative space, not only for the benefit of our collective learning but also as a workshop for practicing the social and intellectual skills needed to build a more just and livable world. Please do your best to engage with your peers with respect and empathy, whether this means considering how stereotypes, structural inequality, and historical violence inform how we approach the material and each other, or acting with decency in properly gendering your fellow students. In the end, I hope this and all experiences you have at the university will push you to reflect on the complex social and historical conditions through which we become human in relation to others. Because we are all learning, mistakes will be made. I expect grace and understanding while we are all working to further our knowledge about diversity and social justice.

Student learning in this course is driven by class discussions. We are discussing the sensitive topics of race, sexuality, gender, religion, language diversity, and social class. Some of the materials we will use contain graphic depictions and/or profanity. In order to create a supportive, intellectually enriching learning community in the classroom, I propose the following collective course agreements:

1. Use your classmates' names when responding to them on the discussion boards.
2. "Listen" actively to both your classmates and the instructor.
3. Share the knowledge and respect personal stories.

A NOTE ON LANGUAGE: Because of the content of this course, there may be profanity and charged language used in the material we will engage with. In particular, the racially charged n-word may appear in media texts. When quoting or referring to texts under study, at no time should any student write out the full n-word. 

Artificial Intelligence

Note on artificial intelligence (A.I.):

• Proceed cautiously with the use of artificial intelligence. Please first see SUU Academic Integrity Policy 6.33. Passing off any writing that is not your own may be considered a violation of this policy.
• For any written assignment, I recommend first completing your work in Google Drive. That way the drafts will be easily identifiable that the original words were yours which will reduce suspicion or concern about the use of artificial intelligence. You want the evolution of your paper to be clear so that it is obvious that the content and thinking are clearly yours. If a paper emerges out of nowhere in final draft form it will be flagged as potential plagiarism or A.I. generated. Your thinking and writing evolution should be clear from beginning to end. Your voice matters.
• Artificial Intelligence (e.g., ChatGPT, Grammarly) can be a real help. But it should never supplant your own thinking or words. Use it like a consultant or advisor. Pretend you're discussing your concerns or questions with me or the Writing Center. We would give you insight and advice that you then consider and put into your own words in a way that reflects your understanding, thinking and expression. Do not defer to A.I. generated information or text assuming that it is good or better than your own. No one in this program wants to read what the robots wrote. 
• Do not copy/paste anything from A.I. into your document(s). Just like you wouldn't copy/paste notes from the Writing Center or from your instructor into your doc, neither should you do that from any A.I. generated text.
• We regularly screen documents for A.I. generated material. If it appears that your document has been plagiarized from A.I. sources, you may be referred to the Dean of Students for violation of SUU Academic Integrity Policy 6.33.
• When in doubt, ask your instructor.

Canvas Information

Canvas is where course content, grades, and communication will reside for this course.

• For Passwords or any other computer-related technical support:
  • 435-865-8200
  • support@suu.edu
  • IT Service Desk
• For Canvas help:
  • 435-865-8555
  • canvas@suu.edu
  • Canvas Help Center
  • How to Use Canvas

SUU Campus Resources and Services

SUU has several resources and services available to support you during your time here at SUU, please review this list of SUU Campus Resources and Services and the Student Handbook. For more information on Canvas and other technologies, and their statements on Accessibility and Privacy statements please review our Vendor Resources page.