COMLDR 5330

Methods of Teaching in Non-formal Learning Environments

Autumn Semester 2019 (3 credits)
Lecture: Mondays and Wednesdays, 12:10– 1:30 PM
Agricultural Administration Bldg, Room 211

I am always ready to learn although I do not always like

being taught.
—Winston Churchill

Course Description
In this course, students examine the teaching and learning process with an emphasis on planning and delivering
instruction in agribusiness, extension, and other non-formal learning environments. Learning activities will include
lecture and class discussion, readings and other assignments, and active learning through practice teaching sessions
and service learning.

Learning Objectives
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to:
 Describe important principles for effective teaching and learning;
 Describe major factors to consider when planning including motivation, group and individual teaching techniques,
learning styles, diverse learners, technology, and assessment;
 Create plans for teaching in non-formal settings;
 Demonstrate an ability to synthesize course content and apply it to real-life teaching.

Required readings: (Other readings will be identified during the course and will be distributing in class or via
Carmen.) ** There are NO required text books for this course. However, there will be required readings posted on Carmen.
Peace Corps. (2004). Nonformal education (NFE) manual (ICE No. M0042). Washington, D.C: Peace Corps. [PDF on Carmen]
Seevers, B., Graham, D., & Conklin, N. (2007). Education through cooperative extension (2nd ed.). Columbus, OH: Curriculum Mate-
rials Service. [Chapters 6-8; on Carmen]

**The syllabus is a living document & as such the instructor reserves the right to make changes and will notify students accordingly.
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Course Policies: University Policies:

Proper learning requires a good learning Statement of Student Rights: The Americans with Disabilities Act
environment! Please take part in making each (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides
and every class a positive and constructive comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities. This
learning environment! legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a
learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of
 Electronic devices: To be turned off when
their disabilities. If you believe that you have a disability requiring
class begins. If your cell phone rings, I reserve
accommodation, please contact Services for Students with Disabilities.
the right to answer it!
Any student with a documented disability requiring special
 Absenteeism: You are responsible for all accommodations should self-identify to the instructor as early in the
readings and class discussions. If you miss a semester as possible to receive effective and timely accommodations.
class for a legitimate reason, you are
Academic Misconduct Statement: The instructor will do everything
responsible for getting all the information
reasonably possible to create and maintain an atmosphere of
presented in class, including changes it
academic honesty wherein each student can perform to their greatest
assignments. Please notify me in advance if
potential without the concern of being disadvantaged by the activities
you expect to miss a class (an e-mail is
of other students. Academic misconduct of any kind will not be
appreciated).
tolerated. Individual effort is expected on all assignments and
 Late assignments: Assignments are due in evaluations. Examples of academic misconduct include, but are not
the appropriate dropbox on Carmen by limited to, cases of plagiarism and dishonest practices in connection
11:59 pm on the date listed on the course with examinations and assignments (see Code of Student Conduct:
syllabus, are considered late after 11:59 pm, Rule 3335-31-02). Any case of suspected academic dishonesty will be
and will be reduced by 10% each day fully investigated in accordance to the Code of Student Conduct.
thereafter UP TO 3 days late.

Campus Helping Resources

Students experiencing crises or personal problems that interfere with their general well-being are encouraged to utilize
the university’s counseling resources. You’re not alone. There are many services that can help! The OSL Counseling &
Consolation Service provides great resources for students having personal problems or lacking clear career or academic
goals, which interfere with their academic performance. Check them out!
Website: https://ccs.osu.edu/ Phone: (614) 292-5766
Required Coursework: Grading Scale:
Assignments* Point Value % of Grade The following grading scale will determine
Participation & Engagement 150 9% the letter grade earned in the course.
Field Trip Reflections & Quizzes 200 13% A 94 - 100 C 74 - 76
A- 90 - 93 C- 70 - 73
Field Notebook 225 14%
Teaching Demonstrations B+ 87 - 89 D+ 67 - 69
Teaching Youth: 400 700 44 % B- 84 - 86 D 64 - 66
Campus Tour: 300 B E < 63
80 - 83
Final Reflection & Teaching
325 20 % C+ 77 - 79
Philosophy
**Graduate Students: You will have an
TOTAL 1600 100 % additional assignment for Graduate Course
Credit.
*See Carmen for details and rubrics for all assignments 2
 Your Teaching Team
Dr. Mary Rodriguez, Assistant Professor Ty Casey, Teaching Assistant

Office: Ag Admin 200 E Office: Ag Admin 314

Email: [email protected] Mailbox: Ag Admin 200

Office #: 614-247-6001 Mailbox: Ag Admin 209 Email: [email protected]

Office hours: Open door policy; please contact me for Office hours: By appointment if needed.
an appointment

We are excited to work with you this semester! Please know that we will do our best to answer your emails/ questions
in a timely manner (within 24– 48 hours). However, please do not expect an immediate response after 6PM or on
weekends!

General Guidelines for All Assignments

All assignments should be word processed and have a professional appearance. Use 1" margins and double spacing,
page numbers, and a 12-point font.
Use the American Psychological Association (APA) documentation style (6th edition), include both in-text citations and
a references where appropriate. APA documentation style references may be found on the Center for the Study and
Teaching of Writing web site at: http://cstw.osu.edu/writingcenter/handouts/default.cfm
Writing is an essential skill for success in school and in the workforce. Grammar, spelling, and organization do count,
and they are taken into consideration in grading written assignments. Lack of these elements prevents the reader from
understanding what you are trying to convey. Your insights and contributions will be diminished if you are unable to
communicate them well.
When submitting assignments electronically, name the document with the assignment number and your last name
(e.g., Teaching youth1_Rodriguez). Include the following information in your paper’s heading: your name, course
name, date, title of assignment.

Out of class learning Experiences:

Please note that as a part of this course, there will be a few out of class learning experiences!
We will be visiting the Clintonville Resource Center Food Pantry weeks 9 to learn about the experiential learning
cycle. There is no cost associated with this activity. This trip will allow the students to experience a teaching technique
and apply course concepts while giving back to the community and engaging in service learning.
In addition, we will be working with the Clintonville Resource Center After School Program for low income/ low SES
kids during weeks 6 & 7. Students will teach 30 students (2 different days) about Ag. and Natural Resources.
Finally, we will be visiting COSI during week 13. Every student will be responsible for their entry (DTix offers a student
discount for COSI entry at $8: http://activities.osu.edu/programs/dtix/discounts/). During our time at COSI we will
explore science education in a museum setting and apply concepts from the course.
**Please note, these activities are mandatory and part of the course. Please make arrangements to participate. If
there is a conflict, please let Dr. Rodriguez know as soon as possible.

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Details of Required Coursework:
Participation and engagement in class (150 points; ~9% of grade) - Students are expected to engage in class,
especially given that ample amounts of class time will involve in-class discussions and active learning
experiences. Participation is a prerequisite for engagement. Both are expected. Each person’s contribution is
valuable. Many classes will provide unique content in addition to what is contained in assigned readings.
Reading assignments - Each student is expected to read all course assignments as scheduled prior to
class. Your ability to participate actively in class will be influenced by your out-of-class preparation and
completion of reading assignments. Doing the reading is only part of the assignment; you will be expected
to share, reflect on, and apply the readings in class discussions and through the written assignments and
teaching experiences.
Field Trip Reflections and quizzes (200 points; ~13% of grade) – In lieu of a midterm, I will use reflective
writing and quizzes as an opportunity to show you have learned key content and are able to apply what you
learned. This will include reflections or quizzes due before class sessions, opening reflections at the beginning
of class sessions, closing reflections at the end of class sessions, and other writing assignments. The reflec-
tions will be short answer questions giving you an opportunity to show you can remember, understand, and
apply concepts from reading or class.
Field Notebooks (225 points; ~14% of grade) — Every 3 weeks on Wednesday, beginning September 11th
and ending October 30th, you will bring your field notebook to class. Be prepared to share your recorded
observations of “effective” or “not so effective” teaching techniques you have witnessed over the past two
weeks. Your observations can be of formal, non-formal, or informal settings—just take note of them when
you’re observ-ing them. You’ll turn in the notebook on the Wednesday we discuss them in class and you’ll get
them back the following Monday. [3 x 75 pts each submission = 225] Tie your field notes to what we’ve
discussed in class or from the readings. *Check the field notebook guide to capture observations properly.
Teaching demonstrations – Good teaching takes preparation, practice, and reflection. You will teach a series
of lessons to classmates or an external audience. Each student will develop plans and teach 1 Youth session
(CRC after school program) and 1 Adult session (campus tour). For each session, students will earn points for
teaching performance, lesson plans & supporting materials, and self-evaluation. Further direction will be
given.
Teaching Youth session (400 points; ~25% of grade) – Will include: Idea generation (1), a prospectus (50
pts)(2), a practice run (100pts) (3), and the final teaching opportunity for the Clintonville Resource Center
After School Program(200 pts) (4). After each teaching opportunity (practice run & final teaching for CRC)
each student will complete a reflection due two days after teaching (25 pts each). The class will be split
into two groups to teach (Dates still Tentative). As a team of 2-3, you will design various stations for the
kids to learn about Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Campus Tours (300 points; ~19% of grade) – In teams of two, you will lead the class on a 45-minute inter-
active guided walk to any location on campus. To prepare for your campus tour, you will design a com-
plete lesson plan with clear, measurable earning objectives, activities, and evaluation component for use
with adult learners. You may need to do some research in order to have information to discuss during
your tour (200 pts). Each student will complete a reflection of their teaching due two days later (25 pts).
Peers will also complete a peer evaluation of this teaching experience (25 pts).
Final Reflection & Teaching Philosophy (325 points; ~20% of grade) – At the end of the semester you will
think back on your teaching and reflect on how it has improved, the topics you have learned, and how you
will use your skills in the future. In addition, you will write a short teaching philosophy that describes your
personal values and beliefs that will guide you as a non-formal educator. Further details will be distributed
in class. Due December 8th.
Specific guidelines for all assignments will be discussed in class and posted on the Carmen course site.
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 OSU Student Policies & Information

Statement of Student Rights: Any student with a documented disability who may require special
accommodations should self-identify to me as early in the semester as possible to receive effective and
timely accommodations.

Academic Accommodations Statement: If you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability,
you should contact me to arrange an appointment as soon as possible. At the appointment we can discuss
the course format, anticipate your needs and explore the potential accommodations. I rely on the Office for
Disability Services for assistance in verifying the need for accommodations and developing accommodation
strategies. If you have not already done so, please contact the Office for Disability services at 614-292-3307,
Pomerene Hall, Room 150 as soon as possible.

Academic Integrity Statement: Academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment that fosters
excellence in teaching, research, and other educational and scholarly activities. It is expected that all
students be familiar with and adhere to The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (section 3335-
23-04), and that students will complete all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty.
Academic misconduct of any kind will not be tolerated or permitted. If you have questions about what
activities constitute academic misconduct, consult The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct
(section 3335-23-04). The procedures, should suspected academic misconduct occur, will follow Faculty Rule
3335-23-14. In all cases of suspected academic misconduct, I will make every effort to inform you of the
allegation (Faculty Rule 3335-23-14, #3A).
All assignments and examinations must be done by individual efforts. Furthermore, it is not recommended
that you share your resources if it can be construed to be academic misconduct.

For Distressed Students: If you are experiencing any distress, please know there are many services
available to you as a student! Students experiencing personal problems or crises during the semester are
encouraged to contact the OSU Counseling and Consultation Service (614-292-5766; www.ccs.osu.edu) for
assistance, support, and advocacy. These services are free and confidential.