EDUCATION IN THE NEW REPUBLIC

Your task is to research the educational needs of this country following the Revolutionary War. You should pay particular attention to Ben Franklin’s, Noah Webster’s, and Thomas Jefferson’s visions of what education should accomplish and why, as well as what the Lancasterian system was and its influence on American schools.

1. You will need to seek information from at least 3 sources, BEGINNING with EITHER edition of the The American School, Chapter 4 by Joel Spring on reserve in the library. Take thorough notes about the issues that affected the development and content of schools during this period.

2. After gaining an overview of the time and the issues from Spring, choose one idea to focus on as you pursue your next 2 sources. For example, you might want to learn more about the differences between Jefferson’s and Webster’s approaches to education or you might want to examine the Lancasterian system in more depth. Keep careful notes about whatever topic you pursue.

3. You will keep an annotated bibliography of your sources.

4. Once you have enough information, create a time-line of the time period from 1776 to approximately 1830. Include events pertaining to education, politics, the economy, and society.

5. Next, create a poster that provides a visual representation of key points about education during this time period. For example, if you compare and contrast Webster’s and Jefferson’s visions of education, you could use an H-map or a Venn diagram. Also include on the poster significant world and national events of the time period.

6. Then, prepare an oral presentation of approximately 15 minutes. Connect the information you researched to the functions of schooling that education in this time period served. Prepare an outline of your talk to be handed in.

7. Finally, write three assessment questions (and their answers) that could be used to assess your peers’ understanding of the information you will be presenting.

8. On Monday of Week 8, you will hand in

· An annotated bibliography

· Your notes from three sources

· The timeline

· The poster

· The outline of your talk

· Three assessment questions with answers

9. You need to be prepared to give your presentation to the whole class though

only one person will be selected randomly to actually give the talk.