COUC 747 is Liberty's doctoral course on teaching and learning in counselor education. Its written work is eight reflective blogs of at least 400 words, a group case study for a hypothetical faculty workshop, a scholarly book review of Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed (up to 1,000 words), a conference paper written to a real call for papers, and an 800 to 1,000-word reflective essay.
Liberty's catalog lists the course as COUC 747 Instruction in Counselor Education, 3 credit hours; Canvas and the course guide file print it as COUC747.
What COUC 747 covers
The catalog description: This course explores contemporary andragogy, course design, adult learning theory, course delivery, and evaluation methods in the field of counselor education. This exploration is both applied in focus and grounded in the empirical research on these subjects. Students synthesize their own philosophy of teaching and incorporate it practically in residential and online instructional contexts. Cultural, ethical, historical, and legal aspects of counseling instruction are examined. Teaching Christian spirituality as a subspecialty area in a counseling program is also considered. (Formerly COUN 747 )
The course prepares doctoral students to teach, integrating educational theory, Christian scholarship and practical teaching skills. The texts are Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Jacobsen and Jacobsen, Scholarship and Christian Faith; McKeachie and Svinicki, McKeachie's Teaching Tips; and Vella, Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach.
There are no quizzes or exams. Each week runs Monday to Sunday, and the final week ends Friday.
Textbook named in the published guide: Freire, Pedagogy of the Opressed (2000). Jacobsen & Jacobsen, Scholarship and Christian Faith (2004). McKeachie & Svinicki, McKeachie's Teaching Tips (2014). Vella, Learning to Listen, Learning to Teach (2002). Check the current edition in your Canvas section.
COUC 747 assignments, week by week
Every graded written assignment in the published guide has its own how-to guide below. Quizzes, exams, checklists and class introductions are left out because there is nothing to write.
| Week | Assignment | Points | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Discussion Board Blog 1: Educational Semantics | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 2 | Discussion Board Blog 2: Good to Great | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 3 | Discussion Board Blog 3: Scholarship and Faith | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 4 | Discussion Board Blog 4: Dialogue Education | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 4 | Case Study Part 1 | 50 | 2 to 4 pages |
| 5 | Discussion Board Blog 5: Teaching with the Grain | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 5 | Case Study Part 2 | 50 | Not set in the guide; a substantive reply |
| 6 | Discussion Board Blog 6: The Red Pill | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 6 | Book Review | 100 | Maximum of 1,000 words |
| 7 | Discussion Board Blog 7: Christian Pedagogy | 80 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 7 | Conference Paper | 100 | Set by the call for papers |
| 8 | Discussion Board Blog 8: My Final Blog | 40 | Blog thread at least 400 words |
| 8 | Reflective Essay | 100 | 800 to 1,000 words |
Week 1: Discussion Board Blog 1: Educational Semantics
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Educational Semantics" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 1 Discussion Board Blog 1: Educational Semantics.
Week 2: Discussion Board Blog 2: Good to Great
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Good to Great" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 2 Discussion Board Blog 2: Good to Great.
Week 3: Discussion Board Blog 3: Scholarship and Faith
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Scholarship and Faith" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 3 Discussion Board Blog 3: Scholarship and Faith.
Week 4: Discussion Board Blog 4: Dialogue Education
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Dialogue Education" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 4 Discussion Board Blog 4: Dialogue Education.
Week 4: Case Study Part 1
With your group, write a 2 to 4-page case study on a topic from your assigned McKeachie chapter for a hypothetical faculty workshop. How to write COUC 747 Week 4 Case Study Part 1.
Week 5: Discussion Board Blog 5: Teaching with the Grain
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Teaching with the Grain" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 5 Discussion Board Blog 5: Teaching with the Grain.
Week 5: Case Study Part 2
Read and analyze another group's posted case study and reply with your solution and analysis. How to write COUC 747 Week 5 Case Study Part 2.
Week 6: Discussion Board Blog 6: The Red Pill
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "The Red Pill" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 6 Discussion Board Blog 6: The Red Pill.
Week 6: Book Review
A scholarly review of Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, at most 1,000 words, suitable for publication in an academic journal. How to write COUC 747 Week 6 Book Review.
Week 7: Discussion Board Blog 7: Christian Pedagogy
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "Christian Pedagogy" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 7 Discussion Board Blog 7: Christian Pedagogy.
Week 7: Conference Paper
A paper written in response to a real call for papers, on an aspect of teaching and learning from the course. How to write COUC 747 Week 7 Conference Paper.
Week 8: Discussion Board Blog 8: My Final Blog
A blog thread of at least 400 words on "My Final Blog" drawing on the course readings, then substantive interaction with 2 colleagues. How to write COUC 747 Week 8 Discussion Board Blog 8: My Final Blog.
Week 8: Reflective Essay
An 800 to 1,000-word essay on what you learned about teaching and learning in the course, drawing on your blogs. How to write COUC 747 Week 8 Reflective Essay.
How COUC 747 is graded
The published guide totals 1,010 points. Seven blogs are 80 each and the eighth 40 (600), the case study parts 50 each (100), the book review 100, the conference paper 100, the reflective essay 100 and the checklist 10.
| Graded item | Points |
|---|---|
| Discussion Board Blogs (8) | 600 |
| Case Study Part 1 | 50 |
| Case Study Part 2 | 50 |
| Book Review | 100 |
| Conference Paper | 100 |
| Reflective Essay | 100 |
| Course Requirements Checklist | 10 |
The published scale puts an A at 940 to 1010 points.
Week timing in the published guide: Each course module/week begins on Monday morning at 12:00 a.m. (ET) and ends on Sunday night at 11:59 p.m. (ET). The final module/week ends at 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Friday.
How to approach COUC 747
Find a real call for papers early, for example from the American Association of Christian Counselors or the Adult Education Research Conference; the conference paper in Week 7 responds to it.
Keep your blogs well developed, since the reflective essay in Week 8 can draw on them as a primary resource.
Questions students ask
What is the COUC 747 conference paper?
A paper written in response to a call for papers from an academic association related to your scholarship or work, such as the AACC or AERC, addressing an aspect of teaching and learning from the course, with sources cited and Scripture used in line with accepted interpretation and Liberty's doctrinal statement.
What is the COUC 747 book review?
A scholarly review of Freire's Pedagogy of the Oppressed, at most 1,000 words, written as if for publication in an academic journal, in current APA.
Working through COUC 747 now?
Tell us the week and the assignment. A tutor who knows the course replies with a plan for the draft.