INTRODUCTION
You will notice a pattern to the structure of our units. After a brief introduction from me on the topic, we'll proceed to "Big Ideas". These "Big Ideas” are well, full-size thoughts, conveyed in the readings or ones I hope we will think about and pursue in greater detail throughout the week (and likely, throughout the course!). Following, "Big Ideas,” you will find "Learning Tasks." The "Learning Tasks” section contains the guiding questions, prompts, or other pieces of information that will lead you in various directions toward exploring the "Big Ideas” of the unit. As you will quickly see, the weekly "Learning Tasks" will engage you in reading, reflecting, researching, writing, posting (or otherwise publicly sharing your writing) and responding to peers' words of wisdom.
The focus questions are intended to weave your personal-practical knowledge (experiences and associated understandings) with broader social events that have impacted or continue to impact curriculum policy/practice, and research/scholarship. I intend for us to gather around full-size thoughts in each text and for us to consider how to translate them into meaningful actions within our respective sites of schooling and our lives. These questions will also allow for a combination of solitary reflection and group dialogue. Ultimately, it is my hope that we collectively raise substantive questions, critically examine ideas and assumptions, explore images, and suggest and engage in practices that emerge from our new understandings as we build our learning community.