Preventing School Violence

Course Description
Teachers will learn a comprehensive and proven theoretical model for explaining, predicting and preventing violence. They will acquire the skills and methods necessary to design and develop violence prevention strategies, effectively evaluate violence prevention programs. They will also learn how to use a model to compile baseline data for predicting violence in their schools and classrooms.

Online Delivery
Participants will access professional literature and research at the course site. In addition, students will use a bulletin board system, called the Forum, to receive and report on assignments; participate in group activities and dialogues; and receive personal feedback from the instructor. The Forum is an asynchronous bulletin board system. Students will be posting and dialoging in individual forums specific to each module. Teachers will experience the power of the Internet to connect and network teachers from across the country, and they will enjoy the benefits that connection and support can bring.

Objectives
• Explain the functional interaction of variables that can be used to predict school violence
• Identify, evaluate and access sources of data to measure the variables
• Review special topics that directly and indirectly impact school violence
• Evaluate and identify effective strategies for addressing problems associated with individual and group violence
• Understand and apply a theoretical model for predicting and preventing violence
• Explain operational definitions of terms associated with school violence
• Understand how students define themselves through 'open' dialogue
• Understand and explain the relationships among: (a) concept of the future and short-term behavior; (b) cultural commonalties and social disintegration; (c) legitimate and non-legitimate means; (d) victim and revenge; (e) participation and rejection; (f) aspirations and blocks to achievement; and (g) means and opportunities
• Utilize the theoretical model to create an effective, school-wide violence prevention program, as well as one for your individual classroom
• Increase understanding of computers, networking, the Internet and the World Wide Web
• Acquire a basic knowledge of the existing body of research dealing with school violence and prevention strategies
• Increase in today's schools opportunities for a dialectical relationship to develop among and between students, teacher, parents and administrators

Time Requirements
Preventing School Violence is a 13 week 3 credit graduate level or sixty hour professional development course taught online. The Introduction and Modules 1 through 9 will be completed one per week. Module 10 will be completed over a two-week period so students will have time to revise and complete the final violence prevention project.

Hardware & Computer Skills Requirements
Students may use either a Macintosh computer or a PC with Windows 95 or higher. Students should possess basic word processing skills and have internet access with an active e-mail account. Students also are expected to have a basic knowledge of how to use a Web browser, such as Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer or America Online's (AOL) browser. To download a browser at no cost, visit one of the following Web sites – Netscape.com; Microsoft.com and AOL.com.

Course Materials
  1. Listen To Them! A Model for the Prevention of School Violence, by Robert Hayman Kite, Sr., Ed.D, Teacher Education Institute, 2001
  2. Crisis Management Plan Checklist, and School Security Checklist
  3. Test to Identify Violent Prone Students
  4. Empathy
  5. Research Primer
The required textbook for this course is Listen To Them! A Model for the Prevention of School Violence, by Hayman Kite. The textbook and course materials will be provided for all students. In addition, online readings and Web site reviews (including journal articles and best practices from the body of educational research) will be assigned during the course to enhance learning. These readings will be presented as annotated Web sites within the course content.

Session Outline
Introductions
Objective: Students will begin to get to know each other and begin the process of building group identity in the Forum. Students will demonstrate the ability to use the Forum by posting a paragraph in the correct Forum as outlined in the assignment.
Contents:
  1. Personal Introductions in the Forum
Culminating Assignment: Students will post their completed introductory paragraph(s) into the Introductions Forum with Hello in the subject heading. Students are required to reply to another student's introductory posting.

Module 1: Course Overview
Objective: Students will develop the ability to remain in control during the escalation of a potentially violent confrontation.
Contents:
  1. Course Overview
  2. Defining Violence
  3. Recognizing Escalations
  4. Learning and Practicing Objectification
  5. Eruptions
  6. Third Party Facilitation
  7. Mediation
  8. Teaching Students
Culminating Assignment: Students will read Chapter 5 in the textbook. Students will reflect on the reading and online content and send their reflection via e-mail to the instructor on or before the due date. In addition, students will gather information from assigned Web sites, research articles or best practices. Students will begin to practice objectification. Students will report on the results in Module 3.

Module 2: Framing the Issue of School Violence
Objective: Learn the traits common among violent prone students (VPS); gain a perspective on violence statistics and consider related research, both current and historical, on aggression and violence.
Contents:
  1. Framing the Issue of School Violence
  2. Identify and Define Common Traits Among Violent Prone Students (VPS)
  3. What Have We Done
  4. Review the Historical, and Recent Research on Aggression and Violence
  5. Introduce the Model to Explain Violence
  6. Define and Compose Generalizations
  7. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will read the Introduction and Chapter 1 in the text, document school changes due to violence, list and define common traits, reflect on the research, and define and compose a generalization by the assigned due date. In addition, students will gather information from assigned Web sites, research articles or best practices.

Module 3: Dialogue and School Sociology
Objective: Consider the need for dialogue; examine and define 'School Sociology'; relate school sociology and violence.
Contents:
  1. Delineate the Need for an Open Dialogue in Schools
  2. Examine and Define the Various School Cultures
  3. Relate Cultural Exclusion and Incidents of Violence
  4. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will analyze how students, parents, and teachers fail to communicate about significant issues. Students will identify and define how the allocation of time and school cultures promote the need for an open dialogue. In addition, students will gather information from assigned Web sites, research articles or best practices.

Module 4: A Sharper Focus - Towards an Explanation of School Violence
Objective: Students will learn an explanation of school violence that classroom teachers can use to predict and prevent school violence; students will determine how to carry on meaningful dialogue with violent-prone students.
Contents:
  1. Improve Understanding of the Model to Predict and Prevent School Violence
  2. Review the Functional Interaction of Model Components
  3. Use the Model to Promote an Open and Meaningful Dialogue with Violent Prone Students
  4. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will read Chapter 2 in the course text. Students will write a brief summary of Chapter 2 and e-mail their summary to the instructor by the assigned due date. In addition, students will reflect on how the Model can be used as a guideline for effective student-teacher dialogue, post their reflection in the Forum, and dialogue with their colleagues.

Module 5: Mindfulness and Model Uses
Objective: Students will learn and use the skill of 'Mindfulness' to control emotions during a confrontation. Students will expand the use of the model to predict violence.
Contents:
  1. Review Objectification
  2. Learn and Apply Mindfulness
  3. Relate Mindfulness to Objectification
  4. Review the Model
  5. Apply the Model to a 'Gang' Related Problem
Culminating Assignment: Students will apply mindfulness to a simulated confrontation, reflect on the simulation, and send their assessment to the instructor. Students will read Chapter 3 in the textbook. Students will review and then apply the model to a 'gang' related problem. Students will reflect on the application and send their reflection to the instructor on or before the due date.

Module 6: Action Research Project
Objective: Students will select and begin an Action Research Project on an assigned topic.
Contents:
  1. Develop a Research Design
  2. Select one Topic to Research from a List of Seven
  3. Submit a Research Design for Review
  4. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will learn a process for doing Action Research. Each student will submit for review their research design, and revise their plan based on feedback, and then begin the research. The final product is due on or before the beginning of Module 10. In addition, students will gather information from assigned Web sites, research articles or best practices.

Module 7: Applying the Model to a Student
Objective: Students will apply the model to address a specific student problem related to school violence.
Contents:
  1. Identify a Violent Prone Student
  2. Analyze the Problem Using the Model
  3. Compose one or More Generalizations That can be Assessed
  4. Develop and/or Select the Most Appropriate Treatment
  5. Assure Continuity Between the Generalization(s) and Treatment
  6. Using Module 6 Research Skills, Design an Assessment of the Process
  7. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will identify a violent prone student using model criteria. The student may be a gang member, or a marginally disruptive student. The students will use the step-by-step process to develop a strategy to modify the student's behavior. Students will apply the strategy, reflect on the results, post their reflection in the Forum, and dialogue with their colleagues.

Module 8: Applying the Model to a Group
Objective: Students will apply the model to develop a strategy to resolve problems associated with group related violence. Students will assess the strategy and revise the strategy as necessary.
Contents:
  1. Identify Group Problems that Contribute to Violence
  2. Select a Violent-Prone Group for Study
  3. Compose Two or More Generalizations That can be Assessed
  4. Develop a Treatment
  5. Confirm Continuity Between the Generalization and Prescribed Treatment
  6. Develop a Research Design to Assess Treatment Effectiveness
  7. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will develop a model-based strategy to resolve problems associated with violent-prone groups. Students will reflect on the implementation of the strategy and send their reflection to the instructor on or before the module due date.

Module 9: Special Topics
Objective: Students will select a special topic for analysis in terms of the model and complete a school security checklist.
Contents:
  1. Review Ten Topics That Impact School Violence
  2. Identify and Report Other Topics That Impact School Violence
  3. Rank Topics in Terms of Their Estimated Impact on School Violence
  4. Complete a School Security Checklist
  5. Assignments
Culminating Assignment: Students will study and analyze topics that directly and indirectly impact school violence and in addition, will also complete a school security checklist. Students will read Chapter 4 in the textbook.

Module 10: Research Report
Objective: Students will report their research results and complete the course evaluation.
Contents:
  1. Students will Post in the Module 10 Research Results Forum
Culminating Assignment: Post research results and complete the course evaluation.

Grading

Assignment	Points	Grading Scale
E-mail Discussions	5	100 – 93	A
Forum Postings	10	92 – 85	B
Research Project	30	84 – 77	C
Completion of Assignments	55
Total Points	100

Student Requirements

E-mail participation will count as five percent of your grade.

Forum participation will count as 10 percent of your grade.

The Research Project counts as 30% of your grade. Research Projects are limited to seven topics. During Module 10 the results of the research project begun during Module 6 will be posted in the Module 10 Research Results Forum. The reported results are to be in the following format:

	a.	One paragraph abstract
	b.	Problem statement (one of the 7 topics)
	c.	Treatment
	d.	Analysis
	e.	Conclusion(s)

Assignments count as 55 percent of your grade. The assignment in Module 7 will count 20 percent of the 55 percent and Module 8 will count 20 percent of the 55 percent. Others will count 15 percent of the 55 percent.

Student Academic Integrity
Participants guarantee that all academic class work is original. Any academic dishonesty or plagiarism (to take ideas, writings, etc. from another and offer them as one's own), is a violation of student academic behavior standards as outlined by our partnering colleges and universities and is subject to academic disciplinary action.

Register
To register to take TEI's Preventing School Violence online graduate course, go to the Course Registration page.