Georgia Southern University

College of Education
Department of Curriculum Foundations and Reading
Learning Theories and Applications
EDUF 7130 Y01
CRN: 50059
Summer, 2014
Online Course Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Jonathan C. Hilpert, jhilpert@georgiasouthern.edu; Office COE 2136
Office hours: By Email Appointment (online or in person)
Purpose
In this course students will learn to understand the major behavioral, social cognitive, and
cognitive psychological approaches to the study of human learning. During the course, students
will examine the principles and theories of learning that serve as the basis for educational models
and practices. Special emphasis will be given to empirical findings and practical applications
relevant to educational settings.
Course Goals
The goal of the course is for students to gain working knowledge of learning theories and be able
to apply that knowledge to the classroom or other educational environments. Students will be
required to demonstrate their knowledge of learning theory through weekly quizzes and
discussion problems, and a final exam. The weekly quizzes are meant to assess students basic
understanding of course material, the weekly discussion problems are meant to assess students
ability to apply and synthesize course material, and final exams assess students retention of both
basic and higher order understanding of course content.
Catalog Description:
This course examines the principles and theories of learning that serve as a basis for educational
models and practice. Special emphasis is given to recent empirical findings and to practical
applications of theory to educational settings. This is a three credit hour class.
Major Course Objectives:
1) The student will describe and analyze principles and theories of learning and become aware of
the basic assumptions, developmental issues, components, and nature of complex learning.
2) The student will solve applied problems using these principles and theories in age-appropriate
contexts.
3) The student will develop an understanding of the psychological factors involved in
implementing learning, instruction, and intervention strategies.
4) The student will develop an understanding of how motivation functions as a psychological
condition of learning.
5) The student will critically examine how differences in individual experiences and abilities can
affect differences in learning, memory, and understanding.
Conceptual Framework:
This course is designed to enhance students' ability to think critically about the theory and
practice of learning and to improve the learning process. Students are challenged to solve
problems using practical applications derived from learning theories. Thus, it addresses the
College's Conceptual Framework commitments in the following ways. Commitment to the

Knowledge and Dispositions of the Profession: Learning theories and related methodologies
are key features of this course. Included within learning theories are the influences of human
development. A strong research base on learning and development is emphasized in this course.
Commitment to Diversity: Learner differences are a crucial aspect of contemporary learning
theories. The diversity of learner schemata resulting from cultural and other environmental
contexts are highlighted throughout this course. Commitment to Technology: Contemporary
instructional technologies such as internet-based delivery and assessment tools are modeled. The
relationships between learning and new technologies are emphasized and supported with recent
research. Commitment to the Practice of Continuous Reflection and Assessment: Both course
assignments and summative assessments are centered on student reflection to help model the
benefits of this practice.
Textbook
The textbook for the course is the next-to-most recent, 5th edition of Human Learning by Jeanne
Ormrod. The book is readily available online for a very reasonable price. Students are expected
to have ordered and received the textbook by the end of the first week of class.
Ormrod, J (2008). Human Learning. 5th ed. Pearson. ISBN-10: 013232749X | ISBN-13: 9780132327497
Academic Honesty
All work turned in to fulfill course requirements should be original and entirely the work of the
student. Students cannot turn in identical or similar assignments. In the case an academic
honesty issues arises, it will be handled according to the procedures outlined the GSU student
code of conduct handbook: http://students.georgiasouthern.edu/judicial/Documents/SCC.pdf
Folio and Email Communication
The materials for this course will be organized in Folio, the GSU/GOML online content
management system. All quizzes, discussion problems, power points, videos, supplementary
course readings, student grades and so forth will be posted online. It is the students
responsibility to complete these materials according to the due dates provided in the syllabus.
All course communication will be conducted via GSU email. You must have consistent access to
your GSU email account. If you do not regularly check your university email, please have it
forwarded to the email address of your choice by following these instructions on this webpage:
http://services.georgiasouthern.edu/its/tutorials/usingstudentemail.php
For any technology problems, please contact GSU information technology services with any
questions: http://services.georgiasouthern.edu/its/. They are much better suited to help you with
problems with your computer than I am. Contact me via email with any questions about the
course content, organization, etc. I can only be contacted via my GSU email account:
jhilpert@georgiasouthern.edu
Assignments and Assessments (340 Total Points)
Course Introduction (20 points): During the first module of class you will be required to
introduce yourself to your classmates and me. This will involve getting accustomed to folio and
learning to post discussion responses and download the respondus lockdown browser.
Module Discussion Problems (80 Points): Every module students will be required to
complete a short discussion problem. Each discussion problem is worth 10 points. All module

discussion problems must be completed by Sunday at midnight on the day they are listed on the
schedule below. The discussion problems will be short answer, short essay, and problem solving
questions designed to help students apply and synthesize course content. The discussion
problems will be provided via the folio discussion board. Answers to questions must be in
complete sentences. Students will complete the questions and post them by the due dates listed
below. Once the student has posted his or her discussion problem to the board, it will be possible
to view all other students posts. No points are taken away for inaccurate answers. But, students
will not earn credit for incomplete posts. Each week I will read through the posts, and then
address common themes and issues to provide feedback. Missed discussion problems cannot be
made up.
Module Quizzes (80 points): Every module students will be required to complete a short
multiple choice quiz. Each quiz is worth 10 points and will be taken on folio. All module
quizzes must be completed by the due date at Midnight on the day they are listed on the schedule
below. The quizzes will be short, timed examinations of your basic understanding of course
content. The quizzes are designed to ensure that you are focusing on the important aspects of the
content and keeping up with the weekly videos and readings. Missed quizzes cannot be made up.
Final Exam (160 Points). The final exam will be cumulative, composed of questions that
are very similar to the multiple choice and essay questions provided in the module quizzes and
discussion problems. The exam will be taken entirely via folio during a set time and date
provided on the course schedule below. A review sheet will be provided with clear details later in
the semester.
Note. All quizzes and exams will need to be taken using the respondus lockdown
browser. This browser is available on all campus computers and can be easily downloaded
Grading Scale
90-100% = A

80-89% = B

70-79% = C

60-69%= D

Course Design
Organization and clarity are important aspect of sound online instruction. It is very important that
expectations and requirements of the course are clear, manageable, and meaningful. Elliot Eisner
once said that the cardinal sin of an educator is to be boring. I agree. But a poor course design is
a close second.
I will identify key content in the weekly chapter readings, and reduce them to manageable key
points that will be provided in power point slides. I will explain each of these key points in short
videos, which you can watch. These key points will then be assessed each week in the form of
brief weekly quizzes and discussion problems. Only the content I outline in the power point
slides will be assessed. I DO NOT reserve the right to assess you on every small detail of the
text, only those key points that I identify.
My goal is to create a good rhythm for the course, with clear weekly tasks that must be completed
by midnight every Sunday. Each week, you will be asked to review the chapter and related
power points slides, view the short explanatory videos, and then complete a weekly quiz and
discussion problem about the content for the week. It is important to me that this work be
meaningful yet manageable.
Weekly Topics

Module Date
May 19-21

Module Topic
Intro and Attendance

Reading
None

Discuss
Dis 1

Quiz
Quiz 1

Due
5/21

May 22-24

Classical Conditioning

Chpt 3

Dis 2

Quiz 2

5/24

May 26-28

Instrumental Conditioning

Chpt 4

Dis 3

Quiz 3

5/28

May 29-31

Social Cog Theory

Chpt 6

Dis 4

Quiz 4

5/31

June 2-4

Cognition and Memory

Chpt 7

Dis 5

Quiz 5

6/4

June 5-7

Memory Storage

Chpt 8

Dis 6

Quiz 6

6/7

June 9-11

Nature of Knowledge

Chpt 9

Dis 7

Quiz 7

6/11

June 12-14

Retrieval and Forgetting

Chpt 10

Dis 8

Quiz 8

6/14

June 16-18

FINAL EXAM REVIEW

None

Review

Review

6/18

June 19

FINAL EXAM

None

6/19

My Role
For this online course, my goals as an instructor are to create a well-organized, ordered online
learning environment with clear expectations and requirements. In an online course, learning is
extremely student centered. In these types of learning environments, the primary role of the
instructor is to maintain a well ordered and rich learning environment as well as provide
individual guidance as need arises.
I will present explanations of the content along multiple modalities, and will provide weekly
assessments with clear feedback. I will make the content required of you interesting and
manageable so as to be meaningful. I will respond to important emails and questions as quickly
as possible. And I will do my best to develop a positive online relationship with each one of you.
Although these goals may sound fundamental, in my mind they are the key to a successful online
course.
Diversity and nondiscrimination
In regard to diversity and non discrimination, I uphold the philosophy delineated in Section 102
of the GSU faculty handbook:
http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/provost/handbook/section100_1_2
Academic Calendar

http://em.georgiasouthern.edu/registrar/resources/calendars/
Note: The class schedule in this syllabus is subject to change throughout the semester. No
changes will be made to the syllabus that works against the students best interests. Any errors in
dates or points will be fixed. Any and all changes will be brought to the attention of the students,
and a new version of the syllabus will be distributed via folio.