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The stated objectives of this
course were to (a) understand and describe the ways in which new issues end up on local, state, or federal policy agendas; (b) establish a framework to identify and study
emerging issues; (c) build a resource base for identifying emerging issues; (d) understand the impact of particular emerging issues on local, state, and federal education
systems; and (e) prepare briefing materials for decision makers on one or more emerging issues. Before attending the first class, I was thinking about droping this course
to make the course-load more manageable, however, after looking at the course objectives I ended up changing my mind. I realized that this course dovetailed nicely with
EDUC 872 I was taking during the same semester I took this course. Every week, we read an article on an assigned topic to discuss in the class, and scanned the media for news on local, state,
federal, legal, and international educational issues; posted the articles with our comments on the blackboard site for the class; and presented the article in the class.
Additionally, everyone attended a local school baord meeting to observe the local policy-making, identify potential emerging issues, and write a
report. Finally, every one wrote
a policy paper advocating an educational policy, a one page
excutive summary,
and presented his/her findings in the class. Overall, this course offered me many learning opportunities.
In addition to helping us develop the insights in many educational issues, the policy-making at various levels, and identifying the emerging eudcational issues, this course
helped us gain insights into the literature on policy-making and the much needed skills in writing a policy-briefing/proposal.
[Click here] to see the list of competencies achieved in this course.
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